D&D General How are locks so hard to open?

[James Gasik]

So while D&D worlds are generally a mashup of different eras of history, mixing and matching technological advances to keep them from feeling "too modern", the fact is, even modern locks aren't terribly hard to open with the right tools and you can learn how to bypass them yourself by watching some YouTube videos. Locks during the time periods that D&D tends to mimic should, by rights, be fairly simple to open.

And yet, even first level characters can encounter DC 20 locks (5e's Sunless Citadel, for example) that you only have a 25% chance of opening. Who is making all these devilishly complex locks in the first place?

In a similar vein, Kobolds, often seen as backwards savages, can churn out very complex mechanical traps and no one bats an eye. I've encountered many a "Hallway of Death" over the years, from your basic, Indiana Jones inspired devices all the way to Rube Goldbergian monstrosities that even Grimtooth (of Grimtooth's Traps) would find excessive.

Mechanisms that, mind you, can be found in dank dungeons, where no one has been around to maintain them for decades, if not centuries.

Should locks and traps be all that hard to bypass? What would reasonable DC's be for these things? I'm finding it defies logic to keep using high DC's for these sorts of things, and yet, I'm leery about the consequences of lowering the DC's; if it becomes too easy, then locks and traps just become speed bumps, costing nothing but time to bypass.

 

[GMMichael]

Should locks and traps be all that hard to bypass? What would reasonable DC's be for these things? I'm finding it defies logic to keep using high DC's for these sorts of things, and yet, I'm leery about the consequences of lowering the DC's; if it becomes too easy, then locks and traps just become speed bumps, costing nothing but time to bypass.

You're talking about the game that allows PCs to be anthropomorphic dragons. Logic is out the window.

Locks were probably relatively expensive back in the day... and the knowledge and tools to defeat them relatively rare. Regardless, an unwatched obstacle isn't an obstacle. So I'd go with easier locks and more roving guards.

 

[Zaukrie]

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[James Gasik]

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[LordEntrails]

In my games there is no YouTube to reference. And yes, modern locks can be bypassed and defeated, but have you actually tried it? It's not as easy (usually) as those YT videos might indicate. There is a huge amount of feel and experience needed to actually use picks to bypass tumblers etc.

Besides, breaking a lock or door is usually much easy. Notice how SWAT teams usually just break in a door instead of pick the lock? Same holds true in most cases in D&D.

 

[Shiroiken]

So while D&D worlds are generally a mashup of different eras of history, mixing and matching technological advances to keep them from feeling "too modern", the fact is, even modern locks aren't terribly hard to open with the right tools and you can learn how to bypass them yourself by watching some YouTube videos. Locks during the time periods that D&D tends to mimic should, by rights, be fairly simple to open.

... partially because there's no YouTube videos for people to learn from. Not to mention that while the locks would generally be worse than modern locks, so would the tools, putting them back on the same level.

And yet, even first level characters can encounter DC 20 locks (5e's Sunless Citadel, for example) that you only have a 25% chance of opening. Who is making all these devilishly complex locks in the first place?

In a similar vein, Kobolds, often seen as backwards savages, can churn out very complex mechanical traps and no one bats an eye. I've encountered many a "Hallway of Death" over the years, from your basic, Indiana Jones inspired devices all the way to Rube Goldbergian monstrosities that even Grimtooth (of Grimtooth's Traps) would find excessive.

Mechanisms that, mind you, can be found in dank dungeons, where no one has been around to maintain them for decades, if not centuries.

Should locks and traps be all that hard to bypass? What would reasonable DC's be for these things? I'm finding it defies logic to keep using high DC's for these sorts of things, and yet, I'm leery about the consequences of lowering the DC's; if it becomes too easy, then locks and traps just become speed bumps, costing nothing but time to bypass.

The rest of this is because you have a fantasy setting. Kobolds are ingenious because they're kobolds. They might not understand the fundamentals of metallurgy to make great weapons & armor, but they've got an innate knack for mechanics. If you have an issue with this, then simply accept that due to the existence of magic and fantasy races, the setting is actually light years ahead of our modern understanding of machinery maintenance.

 

[CreamCloud0]

I might imagine rather than the high quality machine manufactured locks we have DnD locks are heavy clunky things, the same follows for the tools/lockpicks they are using, as well as already mentioned lock-picking knowledge is not easily and freely available

 

[Micah Sweet]

... partially because there's no YouTube videos for people to learn from. Not to mention that while the locks would generally be worse than modern locks, so would the tools, putting them back on the same level.


The rest of this is because you have a fantasy setting. Kobolds are ingenious because they're kobolds. They might not understand the fundamentals of metallurgy to make great weapons & armor, but they've got an innate knack for mechanics. If you have an issue with this, then simply accept that due to the existence of magic and fantasy races, the setting is actually light years ahead of our modern understanding of machinery maintenance.

I'm not sure ignoring a clear logic discrepancy is the right call.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I see that as the DC to pick the lock in a relatively short period of time. Generally speaking, if the PCs have all the time in the world, I let them succeed automatically.

Another factor to consider is that most D&D worlds are pre-industrialized. Which means that those locks would probably be hand crafted. That, of course, means that it would be more expensive, but it could also mean that any given lock is more difficult to pick because it isn't a lock of standard design, but rather unique to that craftsman.

 

[Vaalingrade]

In a similar vein, Kobolds, often seen as backwards savages, can churn out very complex mechanical traps and no one bats an eye.

That's because the ones calling them backwards are doing so in order to justify killing them and taking their stuff and also the gnome god being a jackass to theirs.

Kobolds are the most technically advanced species in D&D World, but they're not fully human shaped or big enough to hit people until they chill like dragonborn.