D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] How many times can I try to pick a lock?

[reveal]

In 3.0, we houseruled that a character can try to pick a lock three times in a row before it became impossible. Thinking something might have changed in 3.5 to clarify, we looked it up but couldn't find anything that specified how many times a character can try to pick a lock before they fail and can not try again. Does anyone know, specifically, how many times they are allowed?

 

[dcollins]

There is no limit.

 

[Orm]

There is no limit.

As long as there´s no trap or you brake your tools and disable the lock.

 

[CRGreathouse]

In 3.0, we houseruled that a character can try to pick a lock three times in a row before it became impossible. Thinking something might have changed in 3.5 to clarify, we looked it up but couldn't find anything that specified how many times a character can try to pick a lock before they fail and can not try again. Does anyone know, specifically, how many times they are allowed?

A character can take 20 with Open Lock, and can retry as often as desired.

 

[AuraSeer]

As the other posters said, you can retry as often as you want.

In previous editions a thief always had a chance, however small, to pick an ordinary lock. The retry limit existed to prevent munchkins from sitting at the rolling and rerolling until they got 00 on d% (or whatever), wasting real time and boring the whole group.

3E doesn't need a retry limit because there's no automatic success for skills. If you're not skillful enough to pick a certain lock, you simply can't open it no matter how many 20s you roll. Therefore there is no benefit to rerolling over and over; just take 20, and either you succeed or you know it's impossible.

 

[HeavyG]

In effect, if the DC of a lock is within 20 points of your Open Locks bonus, then it is within your reach and you will get it open eventually (or in two minutes in you take 20).

Rolling for Open Locks is only necessary when time is of the essence or there are monsters on the other side that will hear you fiddling with it eventually.

 

[AnthonyJ]

Note that the GM is under no obligation to tell you that there's monsters on the other side that will hear you fiddling with it...if you take 20, it means you're taking your time and being careful, not necessarily that you're trying 20 times, so the odds are something will be noticed.

Realistically, some locks will be damaged by badly failed attempts to pick them, at which point they will become more difficult or impossible to open, even if using the key. That's pretty much up to GM discretion, though in this case you should warn the would-be thief, as it will normally be fairly obvious.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I suspect the DCs of open lock were put ther eunder the assumption you'd use take 20. They get really high quick so take 20 is really your only option.

Take 20 can only be done when there is no penalty for failure, not being able to retry is a penalty. And at least in 3e take 20 was sometimes described by some designers as effectively rolling a 1 then rolling a 2 then rolling a 3 etc. Or in other words enough attempts that yes eventually you roll a 20.

 

[peedy711]

Note that the GM is under no obligation to tell you that there's monsters on the other side that will hear you fiddling with it...if you take 20, it means you're taking your time and being careful, not necessarily that you're trying 20 times, so the odds are something will be noticed.

Realistically, some locks will be damaged by badly failed attempts to pick them, at which point they will become more difficult or impossible to open, even if using the key. That's pretty much up to GM discretion, though in this case you should warn the would-be thief, as it will normally be fairly obvious.

My take on being heard picking a lock is that rolling Open Lock doesn't necessarily mean they are trying to be quiet. Being quiet is under the purview of move silently. SO if the rogue decided to pick a lock, but didn't say he was trying to do it quietly, the dm should probably make a listen check vs. the rogues dex. (because he's not really trying) Or just assume they heard. If the rogue tries to pick quietly, allow him to take 20 on the pick, but roll the move silently (as there is penalty for failure) If he fails the move silently, he is probably interrupted before he can finish, or the creatures on the other side have a trap set for them.

 

[peedy711]

As long as there´s no trap or you brake your tools and disable the lock.

there arent any rules set in place currently (that I can see) where a rogue could possibly break his lock picks. A natural 1 does not incur a critical failure on skill checks. (if there were, there would be no such thing as taking 20, as there always would be penalty to failure)