I have rolled quite a few critical fails on skill checks - and I am OK with it. I do not view it as unrealistic. Take lockpicking, for example. It’s an easy lock and I’ve done this a hundred times in my sleep so a DC 5 lock with my +5 bonus should be automatic - except that the stupid lock pick snapped off in my hand because it had a flaw - or - I didn’t notice that a tiny stone had gotten jammed in the lock before I tried - or - whatever. These things happen in real life, even on “automatic gimmes”. How many times on a real life intelligence check have you had something that you definitely know, but you just can’t pull up its name in your head? Geez, I can even see it and I had a whole college section on it, but I can’t pull it up in the heat of the moment, maybe while watching Jeopardy, or playing Trivia at the local bar. These things happen.
I do understand the argument of it’s not in the DnD rules or that there is not a corresponding good benefit of rolling a 20 to offset this. I’m fine and supportive of those arguments. I just don’t understand the argument of not being realistic.
