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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greg K" data-source="post: 6187046" data-attributes="member: 5038">I don't know about Pathfinder, but in D&D 3.0a) Being specific about where you search can give you a circumstance bonus of the roll or reduction in DC which is from 2-20 (DM's Best Friend)b) If your character search an area for traps, secret doors, etc, it doesn't matter how well your skill check is. You are not going to find what is not there.c) there was mention of a special gate that the characters could only open by figuring out a correct sequence of levers spread throughout the dungeon.Based upon this, I have handled search checks as follows:1. You can't find what is not there.2. You can find a secret door with a successful search check if you search the correct area, but that does not, necessarily, mean you found the mechanism to open it if the mechanism is elsewhere.3. You can find the mechanism to open a door or deactivate certain traps with a successful search check, but that doesn't, necessarily, tell you where the secret door or trap is. However, pulling the level, the sconce, the book from the shelf, etc or , will do what is supposed to.4. If you say your are searching the book case and there is a book that, when, pulled opens the secret door, I may give the player a bonus on the check depending upon the size of the book case. If it is too big, I will give a bonus based upon time spent or when they get to the right area.  If the dust in front of the book has recently been disturbed, I would tell the player. They would still have to pull the book.If the they searched a wall with a secret door, I would tell them about disturbed dust (if recent), bricks with scratches, a small seam in the wall.  Depending upon how it is opened, the players would have to figure out how to open it (pull a sconce on the wall, search the room for a mechanism, destroy the wall, etc.)In either case, a player stating they are pulling the sconce, pulling all the books off the shelves, etc. would open the secret as stated above.In the case of the rogue, he might note a false bottom. Does he find it? It depends on the chest. He might just get a bonus to detect  it and a good one. You might just tell him  However, he still has to figure out how to open the false bottom and deal with any traps.</blockquote>

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