My problem with this is that the potential for the character to still succumb to the trap disincentives the players from bothering to engage the fiction. If it is going to come down to a roll anyway, why would they bother doing more than look at their character sheet and tell you what skill or tools they are using?The needle rolls to hit, but the rogue's arm gets the AC of whatever type of armor the gauntlet is from.
But to me, there is a difference between engaging in the fiction in a clever or unique way and just putting on leather gloves so you never have to worry about needle traps.My problem with this is that the potential for the character to still succumb to the trap disincentives the players from bothering to engage the fiction. If it is going to come down to a roll anyway, why would they bother doing more than look at their character sheet and tell you what skill or tools they are using?
In the proposed situation, the rogue borrowed a metal gauntlet for the very final step. I don't see how that leads to leather gloves making one magically immune to needle traps going forward.But to me, there is a difference between engaging in the fiction in a clever or unique way and just putting on leather gloves so you never have to worry about needle traps.
I give plenty of opportunity to engage with the environment, this just doesn't achieve that. Of course, it's always going to be a judgment call
Wait, is it a trap like this:There is a chest and the Rogue rolls and detects a trap. A needle trap that would eject into the thief's hand and poison them.
The Rogue's player says that he borrows the Fighters metal gauntlet (which the needle couldn't penetrate) and safely sets off the trap.
Roll for disarm or not?
The palm side of the gauntlet is going to be leather at best. It doesn't need to be armored, in fact you don't want it to be armored. They could smack the trap with the back/metallic side of the gauntlet. At that point they could bypass by smacking it with a hammer.In the proposed situation, the rogue borrowed a metal gauntlet for the very final step. I don't see how that leads to leather gloves making one magically immune to needle traps going forward.
I agree that players will, if given the opportunity, often try and apply specific solutions to specific problems as general rules. If the rogue says "I am going to wear plate armor gauntlets all the time" they are going to end up failing a lot of thief tools checks because of the disadvantage problem, and may never see a poison needle trap again.
Basically any outside-the-box thinking.an attempt to bypass a challenge of any kind is encouraged,