D&D 5E The Gloves Are Off?

[Reynard]

Passive Perception use is, by definition, not an action taken by the player.

That is absolutely not true.

SRD:

Passive Checks​

A passive check is a special kind of ability check that doesn't involve any die rolls. Such a check can represent the average result for a task done repeatedly, such as searching for secret doors over and over again, or can be used when the GM wants to secretly determine whether the characters succeed at something without rolling dice, such as noticing a hidden monster.

I mean, we had a massive thread on this a few months ago, but in the context of the rules, "passive" DOES NOT indicate the PC isn't doing anything.

 

[Voadam]

But this would also be active. The character is performing a tedious action. I'm asking about passively defeating traps. Such as simply wearing ordinary gloves allows the character to automatically, passively defeat contact poison. No need to roll, no need to save, no real need to even mention the trap.

That's easy.

Kobolds set up a covered pit that is triggered by 200 lbs or more. A halfling scout walks across it unknowingly without triggering it.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Thing is, @Ruin Explorer has a very good point in saying the equipment list for 5e (and, TBH, for all previous editions as well) is rather lacking. A player could be forgiven for looking at the equipment list, not finding gloves, and taking that to mean gloves just don't exist in the game, or haven't been invented in that setting.

That said, if you've upgraded your game's equipment list to fill in some of those gaps then your players have no excuse.

My 1E AD&D PH does not list gloves or gauntlets either in the equipment lists. As you noted EVERY edition of D&D pretty much has the SAME equipment list. I would not be surprised to find that NEVER has a PH equipment list included gloves or gauntlets as a separate thing to buy. Strangely, I've never heard of anyone ever before taking that to mean that they just don't exist as a thing in D&D at all, or haven't been invented yet in the game setting. It is inconceivable (in the true Vizzini sense) to make any such leap of logic (or lack of logic). Any DM who accepts such an argument from a player really just can't be helped - they're entirely on their own to save their own game from such nonsensical rulings. Any such player is surely beyond help as well.

 

[LordEntrails]

So, tangent question for the DMs in this thread:

Would you allow the PCs to passively ignore traps and hazards purely through mundane means? (Not through magic or class features or even luck.) This thread presents the example of wearing ordinary gloves to automatically defeat contact poison traps, but I'm sure there are others.

Yes.
Walk around or fly over a pit trap. Mage hand to lift a lid or open a door. Or a thousand other possibilities that would mean a trap would not apply.

 

[payn]

Yes.
Walk around or fly over a pit trap. Mage hand to lift a lid or open a door. Or a thousand other possibilities that would mean a trap would not apply.

Right, if the trap is discovered it can be circumvented. If it was missed, and then triggered, no.

 

[LordEntrails]

Right, if the trap is discovered it can be circumvented. If it was missed, and then triggered, no.

If it was triggered and applies i.e. Mage hand can trigger traps, but the trap may not meaningfully apply.

 

[Vaalingrade]

My 1E AD&D PH does not list gloves or gauntlets either in the equipment lists. As you noted EVERY edition of D&D pretty much has the SAME equipment list. I would not be surprised to find that NEVER has a PH equipment list included gloves or gauntlets as a separate thing to buy. Strangely, I've never heard of anyone ever before taking that to mean that they just don't exist as a thing in D&D at all, or haven't been invented yet in the game setting. It is inconceivable (in the true Vizzini sense) to make any such leap of logic (or lack of logic). Any DM who accepts such an argument from a player really just can't be helped - they're entirely on their own to save their own game from such nonsensical rulings. Any such player is surely beyond help as well.

"The PH doesn't have listings for it, so I just paid some gold and now have a Madcat battlemech. You're welcome for me saving the game."

 

[Ruin Explorer]

"GM is a referee of a game" is not remotely a ridiculous position or even a ridiculous seeming position. It's a pretty natural viewpoint about the role of the GM in a role-playing game.

Uh-huh, but saying the choice is between "neutral referee" (which is a fairly outmoded/outdated approach to DMing, and not one 5E favours) and being "a mere validator of the player's fantasies" is absolutely ludicrous and hilarious false dichotomy.

I think even you know the second one was completely ridiculous.

 

[payn]

"The PH doesn't have listings for it, so I just paid some gold and now have a Madcat battlemech. You're welcome for me saving the game."

 

[Celebrim]

"The PH doesn't have listings for it, so I just paid some gold and now have a Madcat battlemech. You're welcome for me saving the game."

If the players can find a Madcat battlemech in the setting for sale and have the money to buy it, they are welcome to do so. They can even potentially get assistance in their quest by asking me things like, "Where would I go to find a battlemech?", or making knowledge checks to see if they know where such items are to be found.

Mind you, finding gloves might be easier.