The DMG has provisions for the GM treating a prolonged search as a roll of a 20, but that's it. Of course, unless the GM says otherwise, nothing stops you from just rolling the die until you get a 20.
The DMG has provisions for the GM treating a prolonged search as a roll of a 20, but that's it. Of course, unless the GM says otherwise, nothing stops you from just rolling the die until you get a 20.
And so if you're the GM, just let players take 20 when they might be able to do that. Like, say, opening a lock when you've got several minutes to work at it.