D&D General How are locks so hard to open?

[Quickleaf]

One thing I'd like to see more dungeons do is have locks (and secret/concealed doors) integrated into the overall design. For example, locks become more significant if there's a need for secrecy or a chase scene later on.

It's pretty common for a lock to appear with meager description (e.g. your DC 20 to pick the lock example) in a place with low stakes/urgency.

I just was converting an AD&D Dungeon magazine adventure by Chris Perkins, "Dragon's Delve" (in #62), and I like its judicious approach to locked doors. There are only three locked doors in the fortress:

• One is the prison cell with the captive dwarven emissaries that PCs are trying to rescue. The keys are on the jailer.
• The other two are in the throne room, connecting it to the vaults and guest chambers. These either serve as alternate routes for the PCs who find the keys / open the doors, or as an escape route for a villain who has keys to both.

It also has some nice secret doors where the mechanism of action is well described, usually with a clue about what that mechanism is, but not so obscure that players can't figure it out with a bit of experimentation.

However, the adventure repeatedly falls into the same trap that most D&D adventures do with locked chests: there's no tension, no urgency, and no consequences. Here's an example:

The padlock securing Rhorvald's chest is very sturdy and can be broken only by a single blow inflicting 12 hp damage or more. It is also well-made, imposing a -15% penalty to a thiefs open locks attempt. Inside the chest is a sack of 154 gp, a gem-studded beard comb (worth 225 gp), and a pair of well-oiled dwarven gauntlets wrapped in sheep skin.

 

[Ancalagon]

Lack of standardization may be an issue - especially "advanced" locked, where each highly skilled locksmith has developed their own tricks to make their locks tricky or difficult. So every time the lockpicker tries to defeat a lock, there is always a chance that it's something they have never seen before and they have to figure out how to do it.

Now add to that the stress of not knowing if the lock is trapped with a poison needle or some deadly blasting magic...

 

[Warpiglet-7]

This is an interesting discussion.

I have struggled with this issue but feel like I am getting it figured out with some ideas generated here.

One thing I know is that castles did not keep invaders out with locks. A lock on a flimsy door is still only as strong as the door.

Time pressure and drawing attention as you lumberjack through a door are the way to go. I was just thinking about a locked door at the and of hall. You could really get pinned in by making a lot of noise.

A stone or metal door notwithstanding…

 

[Fanaelialae]

One thing I'd like to see more dungeons do is have locks (and secret/concealed doors) integrated into the overall design. For example, locks become more significant if there's a need for secrecy or a chase scene later on.

It's pretty common for a lock to appear with meager description (e.g. your DC 20 to pick the lock example) in a place with low stakes/urgency.

I just was converting an AD&D Dungeon magazine adventure by Chris Perkins, "Dragon's Delve" (in #62), and I like its judicious approach to locked doors. There are only three locked doors in the fortress:

• One is the prison cell with the captive dwarven emissaries that PCs are trying to rescue. The keys are on the jailer.
• The other two are in the throne room, connecting it to the vaults and guest chambers. These either serve as alternate routes for the PCs who find the keys / open the doors, or as an escape route for a villain who has keys to both.

It also has some nice secret doors where the mechanism of action is well described, usually with a clue about what that mechanism is, but not so obscure that players can't figure it out with a bit of experimentation.

However, the adventure repeatedly falls into the same trap that most D&D adventures do with locked chests: there's no tension, no urgency, and no consequences. Here's an example:

I think, back in those days, breaking open a chest risked destroying delicate treasure (like potions), which would have to make a saving throw. So it's possible that the chests are working around that logic.

Admittedly, that particular chest doesn't contain any potions, but it's still a choice if the players don't know that. If picking the lock fails (back then I think you couldn't retry, although I may be misremembering), you can either break it open and risk delicate treasure or try to come back for it so you can drag the entire chest off somewhere you could take your time and carefully disassemble it.

 

[MockingBird]

I planned a “con” for my family and friends but the pandemic hit. We have barely used this stuff since my friends have dm’d and I have just been playing.

But I used my prototype for sunless citadel. I used spray paint on foam and melted it but used the “rough walls.” I hand painted these with modpodge and paint mixed. Durable!

View attachment 264517

This looks awesome. I'll try to get some pics of what I have. The first thing I built was big stone structure they used to get down to the dungeon.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

This looks awesome. I'll try to get some pics of what I have. The first thing I built was big stone structure they used to get down to the dungeon. View attachment 264531

That is really cool! I need to make more “features” like stairs or platforms. I also don’t yet have curved walls…

Here it is stored. I have enough doors and straight pieces for sure!

 

[MockingBird]

That is really cool! I need to make more “features” like stairs or platforms. I also don’t yet have curved walls…

That was my first attempt at terrain. I found black magic craft on YT and me and my wife went overboard. Got a proxon foam cutter and that made life easier. I really like your floors, did you use a roller? I've been hand cutting tiles and bricks lol.

Sorry for the derail everyone!

 

[Warpiglet-7]

That was my first attempt at terrain. I found black magic craft on YT and me and my wife went overboard. Got a proxon foam cutter and that made life easier. I really like your floors, did you use a roller? I've been hand cutting tiles and bricks lol.

Sorry for the derail everyone!

Haha! I used the proxxon cutter and bought rollers…

Yep, Black Magic Craft! But I have some doors locked in there so now we are back on topic

 

[MockingBird]

Haha! I used the proxxon cutter and bought rollers…

Yep, Black Magic Craft! But I have some doors locked in there so now we are back on topic

Yeah reading ahead I was pretty sure they weren't going to be able to unlock the door in the south chamber. My wife got a lucky roll, the dragon door stopped them though. I was able to build a few more rooms then we had an weekend long game session and they got ahead of my building speed. I think from now on I'm just going to build a few set pieces for the bigger fights lol.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Yeah reading ahead I was pretty sure they weren't going to be able to unlock the door in the south chamber. My wife got a lucky roll, the dragon door stopped them though. I was able to build a few more rooms then we had an weekend long game session and they got ahead of my building speed. I think from now on I'm just going to build a few set pieces for the bigger fights lol.

Totally cool. And on topic—-

My group did not get in that door to see the skinny green sleeping guy all because I did not handle doors well.

I must keep in mind hitpoints of materials and their hardness.

9/10 times these hard to open doors will be coming down. But at a cost…

Occasionally I pick up a good nugget from ENWorld that changes my play.

I like 5e but there are areas like this one which are needlessly opaque.