Disable device - making it "more fun-er-er"

[Wraith Form]

So, my player's rogue has very high Spot, Search and Disable Device scores. She's not a very experienced player, and the character is just hitting 2nd level now. When she looks for traps, she often takes 20 while doing it, thus easily getting around the trap (unless I make it an abnormally high DC).

Any suggestions to make finding / disabling traps a little less, "Yup, you found that one, too....*yawn*" and a little more....I dunno....Indiana Jones at the beginning of the first Raiders movie (the gold idol on the weight trap).....?

Any suggestions are welcomed. Thank you!

 

[3d6]

Well, you can't take 20 on Disable Device checks, because there is a penalty for failure (a failed check can set off the trap), so there should be at least one roll when removing traps.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Well, how's about you with playing by the rules. You can't take 20 on a trap as there's a penalty for failure. Namely, the trap going off.

 

[Wraith Form]

Ah, maybe I've been DMing that one incorrectly, then. I'm a n00b DM.

Thanks for answering part of that question...

 

[Stalker0]

Also keep in mind that dd isn't just for traps. You could disable weapons in an armory to fail when used, disable a door frame so the door can't be opened, etc.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Any suggestions to make finding / disabling traps a little less, "Yup, you found that one, too....*yawn*" and a little more....I dunno....Indiana Jones at the beginning of the first Raiders movie (the gold idol on the weight trap).....?

Any suggestions are welcomed. Thank you!

If you really want that Indiana Jones feel, make the golden idol thing into a puzzle. Give the players a chance to figure it out (even if they don't have DD; make it a group effort) and if they do, then translate that into a circumstance bonus to the rogue's DD check. If they don't figure it out, make it a minus. And set the DC high enough that the bonus or minus are significant.

If you don't want to go through that much trouble (designing good, fun puzzles isn't easy) then just ask the player to describe the DD attempt. Treat it like Diplomacy, and give circumstance bonuses or penalties to the roll depending on what the player says.

Circumstance bonuses are the DM's best friend.

-z

 

[Wraith Form]

Also keep in mind that dd isn't just for traps. You could disable weapons in an armory to fail when used, disable a door frame so the door can't be opened, etc.

Thanks, good idea. Stuff like that will make me a real Rat Bastard DM..!

 

[Wardo]

One way to make search/disarm more dramatic and fun is to remove the "take 10/20" option every now and again by enforcing stress and a time limit. Sometimes there should be something huge and scary chasing the players / they're about to be spotted by the guards / the fighter is holding the narrow hallway but he can't hold out much longer, and it's essential that the rogue get that door open / disable that trap / find the secret passage ASAP.

The repeated rolls will seem a lot more exciting then; everyone around the table will be watching to see how they turn out

 

[Wraith Form]

One way to make search/disarm more dramatic and fun is to remove the "take 10/20" option every now and again by enforcing stress and a time limit. Sometimes there should be something huge and scary chasing the players / they're about to be spotted by the guards / the fighter is holding the narrow hallway but he can't hold out much longer, and it's essential that the rogue get that door open / disable that trap / find the secret passage ASAP.

The repeated rolls will seem a lot more exciting then; everyone around the table will be watching to see how they turn out

Sweet. I just thought of that one myself, a few minutes before I read your post. I actually have a small army of undead that I can use for this in my upcoming game. Sadly, my PCs are currently unarmored and unarmed.....so they're going to have to slay some zombies in order to get weapons, while also disabling traps! Thanks!

 

[Jhulae]

Well, how's about you with playing by the rules. You can't take 20 on a trap as there's a penalty for failure. Namely, the trap going off.

You can certainly take a 20 on a Search check to *find* the trap.

You can't take a 20 on the Disable Device check to disarm it.