D&D 5E Toll the Chest

Crimson Longinus · Jul 11, 2022

Hriston said:
According to the OP, because they're "suspicious the chest might be a mimic". If they had noticed the mimic, they would know it's a mimic.

They suspect it to be a mimic. They won't be surprised that it is a mimic, that's what they expect!

Hriston said:
You don't have to know things are a threat. You just have to notice them.

They have noticed a thing they suspect to be a threat.

Seriously, your ruling completely disregards the actual fictional situation, the player intent and the character attitude. It is, frankly, a terrible ruling, and this sort of thing would result the players simply not engaging with the environment or trying to do anything clever, assuming they would continue to play, which I wouldn't.

Paul Farquhar · Jul 11, 2022

Hriston said:
They only noticed an ordinary chest

They haven't noticed an ORDINARY chest. They have no way of knowing that the chest is ordinary.

Hriston · Jul 11, 2022

Crimson Longinus said:
They suspect it to be a mimic. They won't be surprised that it is a mimic, that's what they expect!

To avoid surprise they actually have to notice it. Suspicion is not sufficient. Adventurers go around all day expecting monsters to pop out from behind every corner, and yet when they do not detect one, they are surprised.

Crimson Longinus said:
They have noticed a thing they suspect to be a threat.

Right, but they haven't noticed a mimic.

Crimson Longinus said:
Seriously, your ruling completely disregards the actual fictional situation, the player intent and the character attitude. It is, frankly, a terrible ruling, and this sort of thing would result the players simply not engaging with the environment or trying to do anything clever, assuming they would continue to play, which I wouldn't.

Okay, not every game is for everyone.

Hriston · Jul 11, 2022

Paul Farquhar said:
They haven't noticed an ORDINARY chest. They have no way of knowing that the chest is ordinary.

From the OP:

There is nothing in the chamber that suggests anything weird is going on - it's pretty nondescript.

I.e. they haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so all they have noticed are things that are ordinary.

Paul Farquhar · Jul 11, 2022

Hriston said:
From the OP:

There is nothing in the chamber that suggests anything weird is going on - it's pretty nondescript.
I.e. they haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so all they have noticed are things that are ordinary.

But how do I know the chest is ordinary?

James Gasik · Jul 11, 2022

Paul Farquhar said:
But how do I know the chest is ordinary?

The Mimic tells you, matter of factly! "It's in my stat block that I'm perfectly ordinary, so don't mind me!"

Paul Farquhar · Jul 11, 2022

James Gasik said:
The Mimic tells you, matter of factly! "It's in my stat block that I'm perfectly ordinary, so don't mind me!"

Do I get an insight check to see if I think the mimic is telling the truth?

James Gasik · Jul 11, 2022

Paul Farquhar said:
Do I get an insight check to see if I think them mimic is telling the truth?

You do, but since it really is in his* stat block, you only think he's lying if you fail it!

*or her, or it, or however a Mimic refers to itself has. Do shapeshifters even have genders?

Paul Farquhar · Jul 11, 2022

James Gasik said:
Do shapeshifters even have genders?

Changlings can change their gender at will, but I think mimics reproduce by some sort of binary fission, and therefore have no gender.

James Gasik · Jul 11, 2022

Paul Farquhar said:
Changlings can change their gender at will, but I think mimics reproduce by some sort of binary fission, and therefore have no gender.

D&D 5E Toll the Chest

Crimson Longinus

Legend

Paul Farquhar

Legend

Hriston

Dungeon Master of Middle-earth (he/him)

Hriston

Dungeon Master of Middle-earth (he/him)

Paul Farquhar

Legend

James Gasik

We don't talk about Pun-Pun

Paul Farquhar

Legend

James Gasik

We don't talk about Pun-Pun

Paul Farquhar

Legend

James Gasik

We don't talk about Pun-Pun

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