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Secret Doors are too secret. Thoughts?
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<blockquote data-quote="wainwrig" data-source="post: 4316071" data-attributes="member: 63211"><p>But what if you don't want to encourage searching? I love the idea behind secret doors, but I hated the 98% of the time the party is searching when their isn't a secret door present. </p><p></p><p>Same with traps on doors. From a fun standpoint I've never figured out how to balance making the rogue feel useful by searching for traps, with the dullness of having to force the rogue, and only the rogue, to go to the door to search before opening. Locks are fine, they are a barrier that the rogue can overcome via an action. Disabling traps are also fine, that's also an action taken only when there is something useful to do. Finally treasure chests are rare, and special enough, that they can be trapped without it taking a lot of time.</p><p></p><p>So in my games I announce that there are no secret doors, and no trapped doors. At least, none that require Search/Perception to spot. The players have to figure out that there is a secret door or trap based on listening to the descriptions, noticing weird layouts in the room, monster behavior. I.e. from DM to player clues. I'll probably give the high-perception player extra hints so that they can take the lead on the discussion, but there won't be any rolling.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="wainwrig, post: 4316071, member: 63211"] But what if you don't want to encourage searching? I love the idea behind secret doors, but I hated the 98% of the time the party is searching when their isn't a secret door present. Same with traps on doors. From a fun standpoint I've never figured out how to balance making the rogue feel useful by searching for traps, with the dullness of having to force the rogue, and only the rogue, to go to the door to search before opening. Locks are fine, they are a barrier that the rogue can overcome via an action. Disabling traps are also fine, that's also an action taken only when there is something useful to do. Finally treasure chests are rare, and special enough, that they can be trapped without it taking a lot of time. So in my games I announce that there are no secret doors, and no trapped doors. At least, none that require Search/Perception to spot. The players have to figure out that there is a secret door or trap based on listening to the descriptions, noticing weird layouts in the room, monster behavior. I.e. from DM to player clues. I'll probably give the high-perception player extra hints so that they can take the lead on the discussion, but there won't be any rolling. [/QUOTE]
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Secret Doors are too secret. Thoughts?
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