I enjoyed this one, even if my favorite moment of the season coincided with Josh's.
-Try to make sure people know their chances before they roll the dice
I'm torn on this. I agree in some respects, like the odds of performing most tasks, but I think part of it is system dependent. While on one hand, a system like Savage Worlds works with a set DC that everyone knows, the same cannot be said of D&D. Burning wheel has varying DCs, but it functions well, I think partially because it ranges in a set area (1-10). In SW and BW, it doesn't hurt, and indeed helps to know your chances ahead of time for most, if not everything. Is that the case in D&D, though?
You always tout that D&D is an action game, but with so many mechanics and options, part of the challenge in the strategy aspect comes from, in my mind, not knowing your foe's AC or what defenses he has. Possibly even not knowing a certain modifier (like how unbelievable your lie may seem to the NPC for his sense motive) could add to the 'challenge.' Thoughts?