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<blockquote data-quote="Ariosto" data-source="post: 4765560" data-attributes="member: 80487">Also note that the Thief originally had no special ability to find traps. A Thief had a chance (10% at 1st level for a Human or Elf, 15% for a Hobbit, 25% for a Dwarf) to &quot;remove small trap devices (such as poisoned needles)&quot;.That did not make it incumbent on the DM arbitrarily to rule that other sensible measures were ineffective. Considering that even a 5th-level Dwarf Thief was as likely to fail as to succeed at trap removal, some other way to disarm, neutralize or avoid the effects of such devices (typically associated with treasure chests) might well be preferable.A Dwarf character had a special ability to note traps and other underground construction. That was not quantified, as I recall, until AD&amp;D. Again, it hardly negated the effectiveness of ordinary methods of investigation.As far as I recall, in no official D&amp;D rules set prior to 3E (if even therein) was it stipulated that only types with some special ability to do so could find or counteract traps. Such a limitation was not a rule of the game as designed, but a &quot;house rule&quot; in some groups. (I will gladly stand corrected by a proper citation of such a rule, knowing that my memory is not perfect.)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ariosto, post: 4765560, member: 80487"] Also note that the Thief originally had no special ability to [I]find[/I] traps. A Thief had a chance (10% at 1st level for a Human or Elf, 15% for a Hobbit, 25% for a Dwarf) to "remove small trap devices (such as poisoned needles)". That did not make it incumbent on the DM arbitrarily to rule that other sensible measures were ineffective. Considering that even a 5th-level Dwarf Thief was as likely to fail as to succeed at trap removal, some other way to disarm, neutralize or avoid the effects of such devices (typically associated with treasure chests) might well be preferable. A Dwarf character had a special ability to note traps and other underground construction. That was not quantified, as I recall, until AD&D. Again, it hardly negated the effectiveness of ordinary methods of investigation. [B]As far as I recall, in no official D&D rules set prior to 3E (if even therein) was it stipulated that only types with some special ability to do so could find or counteract traps.[/B] Such a limitation was not a rule of the game as designed, but a "house rule" in some groups. (I will gladly stand corrected by a proper citation of such a rule, knowing that my memory is not perfect.) [/QUOTE]

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