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Poison needle traps
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<blockquote data-quote="Imaculata" data-source="post: 7430866" data-attributes="member: 6801286"><p>The wording seems pretty clear to me:</p><p></p><p><em>"Opening the chest without the proper key causes the needle to spring out"</em></p><p></p><p>Lockpicks are not the proper key. So yes, they cause the trap to spring, unless:</p><p></p><p><em>"A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows a character to deduce the trap’s presence from alterations made to the lock to accommodate the needle. A successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disarms the trap, removing the needle from the lock."</em></p><p></p><p>Note that the player must first declare an investigation action to notice the trap. Don't just tell them to make an investigation check, unless they specifically state that they are checking for traps. And failing the disarm-check obviously also springs the trap. Failing to pick the lock in the first place would probably also spring the trap, but that is up to the DM to decide. How sensitive is the trap?</p><p></p><p>Where these sort of traps usually fail, is that they don't take into account 'how' the player goes about opening the chest, or disarming the trap. If the player just uses a crowbar from the side, that needle is not going to do a thing, even if this does trigger the trap. Likewise, if the player decides to keep his hands away from the lock while trying to disarm the trap, and fails, then the needle shouldn't hit him.</p><p></p><p>Frankly I would design the trap in such a way that it either shoots a needle in 8 directions outward from the chest, or that it shoots a needle from inside the chest, upward at whoever opens it. Heck, maybe its not even a needle, but a cloud of gas that hits everyone in close proximity to the chest. Having the needle pop out of the lock is awfully specific, and very prone to miss its target.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Imaculata, post: 7430866, member: 6801286"] The wording seems pretty clear to me: [I]"Opening the chest without the proper key causes the needle to spring out"[/I] Lockpicks are not the proper key. So yes, they cause the trap to spring, unless: [I]"A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows a character to deduce the trap’s presence from alterations made to the lock to accommodate the needle. A successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disarms the trap, removing the needle from the lock."[/I] Note that the player must first declare an investigation action to notice the trap. Don't just tell them to make an investigation check, unless they specifically state that they are checking for traps. And failing the disarm-check obviously also springs the trap. Failing to pick the lock in the first place would probably also spring the trap, but that is up to the DM to decide. How sensitive is the trap? Where these sort of traps usually fail, is that they don't take into account 'how' the player goes about opening the chest, or disarming the trap. If the player just uses a crowbar from the side, that needle is not going to do a thing, even if this does trigger the trap. Likewise, if the player decides to keep his hands away from the lock while trying to disarm the trap, and fails, then the needle shouldn't hit him. Frankly I would design the trap in such a way that it either shoots a needle in 8 directions outward from the chest, or that it shoots a needle from inside the chest, upward at whoever opens it. Heck, maybe its not even a needle, but a cloud of gas that hits everyone in close proximity to the chest. Having the needle pop out of the lock is awfully specific, and very prone to miss its target. [/QUOTE]
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