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How do you do secret doors?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7527204" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>Resurrecting this thread, as there was good discussion on several related topics I consider connected (secret doors, traps, passive vs. active Perception, Investigation, and DM description).</p><p></p><p>I've often wondered about the specifics of a secret door's functioning & how to describe a secret door without obviously describing a secret door. There a fun little blog here about 20 modern-day secret doors: <a href="https://makezine.com/2015/06/17/20-secret-doors-clever-hiding-places/" target="_blank">https://makezine.com/2015/06/17/20-secret-doors-clever-hiding-places/</a></p><p></p><p>The first one is a sliding/folding secret door bookcase on a track.</p><p></p><p>I was thinking about how I'd describe this kind of secret door to a player whose PC has a high passive Perception. And honestly, it really does look like a book case. A while back I mentioned giving traps the False Appearance trait of a mimic/gargoyle/treant, and I feel like this is a similar case. What would high Perception notice here? Maybe an unusual joint in the front face of the bookshelf? If it's poorly constructed, you could always have an arcing scrape extending along the floor from the middle of the bookcase?</p><p></p><p>So, I'm imagining a theoretical write-up for this bookcase secret door... <strong>Folding Bookcase Secret Door:</strong> False Appearance (bookcase); DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) you notice an unusual joint in the front-facing woodwork between the two shelves; DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) the joint appears to opposite die of a hinging mechanism, as if the two shelves are meant to fold.</p><p></p><p>Not bad, but I was thinking about groups using the passive Perception technique with secret doors (i.e. if you're "above this high" you notice it). In many situations it really doesn't matter <em>who</em> succeeds the Perception check, much like when one or more PCs make a lore check; regardless, the knowledge usually gets disseminated among the PCs. So I've been wondering if there might be a technique to make it relevant <em>who</em> notices the secret door – like a reaction of some kind. We did this spontaneously a lot back when I played/ran AD&D or BD&D.</p><p></p><p>"You push the side of the bookcase and it begins to fold towards you, revealing a secret passage behind it... what do you do?"</p><p></p><p>Maybe if the player succeeded one of the checks (or had a high enough passive Perception), they have the option of using their reaction to prepare for whatever may be beyond the secret door... depending on the scenario, this might include thrusting a torch/lantern in the passage, drawing a weapon, ducking back behind the wall for cover, or casting a protective spell. This reflects the PC realizing the bookcase was some kind of secret door, as opposed to a player just having their PC push on stuff and then stumbling a bit when accidentally coming upon the secret door. So that gives me a writeup like this...</p><p></p><p><strong>Folding Bookcase Secret Door:</strong> False Appearance (bookcase); DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) you notice an unusual joint in the front-facing woodwork between the two shelves; DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) the joint appears to opposite die of a hinging mechanism, as if the two shelves are meant to fold; a PC succeeding either check or with a passive Perception of 15 or higher can take a reaction as soon as the secret door is opened to respond (e.g. duck for cover, draw a weapon, light or extinguish a light source).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7527204, member: 20323"] Resurrecting this thread, as there was good discussion on several related topics I consider connected (secret doors, traps, passive vs. active Perception, Investigation, and DM description). I've often wondered about the specifics of a secret door's functioning & how to describe a secret door without obviously describing a secret door. There a fun little blog here about 20 modern-day secret doors: [url]https://makezine.com/2015/06/17/20-secret-doors-clever-hiding-places/[/url] The first one is a sliding/folding secret door bookcase on a track. I was thinking about how I'd describe this kind of secret door to a player whose PC has a high passive Perception. And honestly, it really does look like a book case. A while back I mentioned giving traps the False Appearance trait of a mimic/gargoyle/treant, and I feel like this is a similar case. What would high Perception notice here? Maybe an unusual joint in the front face of the bookshelf? If it's poorly constructed, you could always have an arcing scrape extending along the floor from the middle of the bookcase? So, I'm imagining a theoretical write-up for this bookcase secret door... [B]Folding Bookcase Secret Door:[/B] False Appearance (bookcase); DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) you notice an unusual joint in the front-facing woodwork between the two shelves; DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) the joint appears to opposite die of a hinging mechanism, as if the two shelves are meant to fold. Not bad, but I was thinking about groups using the passive Perception technique with secret doors (i.e. if you're "above this high" you notice it). In many situations it really doesn't matter [I]who[/I] succeeds the Perception check, much like when one or more PCs make a lore check; regardless, the knowledge usually gets disseminated among the PCs. So I've been wondering if there might be a technique to make it relevant [I]who[/I] notices the secret door – like a reaction of some kind. We did this spontaneously a lot back when I played/ran AD&D or BD&D. "You push the side of the bookcase and it begins to fold towards you, revealing a secret passage behind it... what do you do?" Maybe if the player succeeded one of the checks (or had a high enough passive Perception), they have the option of using their reaction to prepare for whatever may be beyond the secret door... depending on the scenario, this might include thrusting a torch/lantern in the passage, drawing a weapon, ducking back behind the wall for cover, or casting a protective spell. This reflects the PC realizing the bookcase was some kind of secret door, as opposed to a player just having their PC push on stuff and then stumbling a bit when accidentally coming upon the secret door. So that gives me a writeup like this... [B]Folding Bookcase Secret Door:[/B] False Appearance (bookcase); DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) you notice an unusual joint in the front-facing woodwork between the two shelves; DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) the joint appears to opposite die of a hinging mechanism, as if the two shelves are meant to fold; a PC succeeding either check or with a passive Perception of 15 or higher can take a reaction as soon as the secret door is opened to respond (e.g. duck for cover, draw a weapon, light or extinguish a light source). [/QUOTE]
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