15 Minute Workday Myth?

[Rechan]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/movement.htm#forcedMarch

You walk in the dungeon while searching, so I think this rule should apply. Rest isn't required after 8 hours but there are potential problems if you continue for "eight days straight".

That's a variant rule that you're houseruling, sure. But it's not RAW. Taking 20 on a search, to me, implies taking out a magnifying glass and getting on hands and knees, not walking around.

 

[takasi]

The designers have stated that they want to avoid this extreme too.

Personally I don't see it as a problem in this edition because of the DC for traps and the time it can take to search a dungeon. I'm just hoping they continue with this approach for the next edition, and spell it out a little more clearly.

 

[takasi]

That's a variant rule that you're houseruling, sure. But it's not RAW. Taking 20 on a search, to me, implies taking out a magnifying glass and getting on hands and knees, not walking around.

How is that a variant rule? It's walking.

If anything it falls into the realm of DM interpretation. It's not a house rule.

 

[Rechan]

It only makes sense to put a trap on something that you don't want people to interact with regularly. Otherwise you run the risk of accidentally setting off the trap. Traps work best guarding back doors and treasuries.

This. I mean, what badguy puts traps on his toilet when he stumbles in in the middle of the night and ends up killing himself?

Or the window trap that someone in the building triggers when there's a fire and they're trying to get out.

Trapping the linen closet kills someone on your team faster than it does someone on the other team.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Except that they don't Have to. They don't Need to to beat the encounter.

But they can, and they can rest afterward, so they do.

That, and those spells aren't always useful - like the fireball versus the underwater zombies. Especially when you're in the middle of them.

Wouldn't it make more sense, if your highest spell level is 3, to cast Fly, thereby removing yourself from the danger zone to a more advantageous location? That uses a highest-level slot to approach the encounter in a sensible way.

I agree with Rechan that no matter what example someone posts, we'll be able to find a highest-level spell that makes sense to cast in that situation. I don't think it's going to turn out to be a productive line of argument.

 

[Psion]

You encourage taking 20 on every square? Yikes.

You what? Wear the numbers off of your dice. Or just hope that player impatience wears them down?

It's really simple. The downside of taking 20 is time. If the DM introduces no time pressure, then players not caring about time is pretty much the logical result.

 

[takasi]

By that logic then, the rogue could just intentionally trigger every trap since he's got the defenses.

Yes, he can. And?

Different strokes. I personally don't want to play Bomb Defuser Guy.

Hell, I'd much rather play a fighter/barb for their Trapsense and use Dungeoncrasher for that yummy +x to AC/Saves vs. traps, and just charge through setting them off, rather than stand around poking everything with a ten foot pole.

You're welcome to do that too. It's just a different playstyle. You're more likely to fail though.

 

[Rechan]

How is that a variant rule? It's walking.

It's walking really slow inside a building. Not the same as walking several miles in a day.

Employees at Walmart walk 8 hours around the store when they're on shift; should that be counted as a "forced march"?

 

[Psion]

If you don't have a chance to make it by taking ten, then I don't think it's an adequate CR for your level. Taking 20 for every trap just seems ridiculous to me.

Also, traps have CR. If you can just beat the trap by taking 20, that's free XP right there. There should be a chance of FAILURE.

Taking 20 on a search check doesn't defeat a trap. A disable check defeats a trap.

Secret doors and hidden items have search rolls too; they have no CR. It's obvious that the search check is not seen as the stressful part of dealing with trap. It's the disabling, the event that actually has threat in it, that has the CR.

 

[takasi]

This. I mean, what badguy puts traps on his toilet when he stumbles in in the middle of the night and ends up killing himself?

Or the window trap that someone in the building triggers when there's a fire and they're trying to get out.

Trapping the linen closet kills someone on your team faster than it does someone on the other team.

Unless you live there, you don't know if the linen closet is used or not. Or if the toilet is. That's what makes for clever trapmaking, putting a mine under the loo is genius.