Can you take 20 when searching for traps?

[Zulgyan]

They rules are not clear enought.

Thanks beforehand,

Z.

 

[shilsen]

Yes. You can't, however, take 20 when trying to disable a trap.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Yes. You can't, however, take 20 when trying to disable a trap.

I was just about to post the exact same thing. It's nice when I can occasionally answer, rather than ask, some questions on the rules forum!

Olaf the Stout

 

[nittanytbone]

Yes. You can't, however, take 20 when trying to disable a trap.

Agreed.

 

[Wish]

Yes, you can take 20 to search. And, as been noted, you can't usually take 20 to disable. You can take 20 to disable, however, if there is no consequence for failure to disarm the trap. Normally, setting off the trap would be a consequence of failure, but one can imagine certain circumstances under which that might not be the case.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

We had a rogue disarming a Symbol of Death trap while protected by a Death Ward spell. Who cares if it goes off if you're immune to it's effects?

 

[Jack Simth]

We had a rogue disarming a Symbol of Death trap while protected by a Death Ward spell. Who cares if it goes off if you're immune to it's effects?

Anyone else standing in range? Once activated, it's an emanation...

And if everyone's covered, it's simplest just to Sunder the silly thing and move on, letting the duration run out (even if it is Permanencied, this destroyes it).

 

[blargney the second]

I realize it's getting into house rules territory, but I wonder if the game might benefit if Search had the "fail by >=5 means boom" clause.
-blarg

 

[nittanytbone]

I realize it's getting into house rules territory, but I wonder if the game might benefit if Search had the "fail by >=5 means boom" clause.
-blarg

No, because then searching for traps would become:

1) Take 10 on Search check.
2) Roll the D20 multiple times if sketchy (takes 2 minutes OOC).
3) Conclude that there is nothing there and move on, or get unlucky.

Now it consists of:

1) Take 10 on Search check.
2) Take 20 on Search check if sketchy (takes 10 seconds OOC).
3) Spend 2 minutes in-game, conclude that there is nothing there and move on.

Introducing the house rule slows down the game a lot...

 

[Caliban]

Just remember that when you take 20 on Search, you are taking 2 minutes per 5 foot square. It would take an hour to search a 25 x 30 foot room (for example). Quite often the party will have buffs counting down, so you don't always want to take that much time.