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<blockquote data-quote="Slobber Monster" data-source="post: 3101434" data-attributes="member: 27687">Take 20 is an excellent mechanic. It models reality reasonably well and it speeds up play by eliminating pointless dice rolling. It's a great way to handwave through something that will always be accomplished given enough time and dilligence.I think the above take on wandering monsters is a strawman. In the manner it's framed then of course it's a silly crutch, but adventure design can easily include random encounters and remain logical. They're particularly useful in large site-based adventures with multiple paths of access to a given area. Wandering monsters aren't the only way to provide time pressure, but they're often a useful and sensible way to do so. If the PC's figure out a way to avoid them by blocking paths of access or remaining undeteced - then good for them.The bottom line is that without time pressure Searching just isn't likely to require die rolling or induce much excitement. Heck, it's not exactly a fun task in real life (&quot;I know my keys are in this house somehwere! Just have to keep looking until I find them...&quot;). When designing adventures I always assume that the PC's will find everything so long as they look in the right places. After all there's no drama in the failed Search roll from the players perspective - only the DM knows that something was missed. The trick is to give them reasons to think about where they should bother to look, and then give them interesting decisions to make about whatever they find.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Slobber Monster, post: 3101434, member: 27687"] Take 20 is an excellent mechanic. It models reality reasonably well and it speeds up play by eliminating pointless dice rolling. It's a great way to handwave through something that will always be accomplished given enough time and dilligence. I think the above take on wandering monsters is a strawman. In the manner it's framed then of course it's a silly crutch, but adventure design can easily include random encounters and remain logical. They're particularly useful in large site-based adventures with multiple paths of access to a given area. Wandering monsters aren't the only way to provide time pressure, but they're often a useful and sensible way to do so. If the PC's figure out a way to avoid them by blocking paths of access or remaining undeteced - then good for them. The bottom line is that without time pressure Searching just isn't likely to require die rolling or induce much excitement. Heck, it's not exactly a fun task in real life ("I know my keys are in this house somehwere! Just have to keep looking until I find them..."). When designing adventures I always assume that the PC's will find everything so long as they look in the right places. After all there's no drama in the failed Search roll from the players perspective - only the DM knows that something was missed. The trick is to give them reasons to think about where they should bother to look, and then give them interesting decisions to make about whatever they find. [/QUOTE]

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