Rabbitbait
Adventurer
I think a very high stress situation is a good reason to allow rerolls as well. One of the very fun encounters in my campaign involved the party being stuck down a dead end alley, with the town guards pouring in to kill them all.
The only escape method viable for them all to escape was to pick the lock of a door at the end of the alley. However the rogue kept on failing round after round. It took him 3 rounds to succeed (very unlucky dice) but I was able to narrate it as sweaty palms, getting knocked by his companions as they tried to protect him and just the stress of the situation.
Meanwhile his companions were trying to hold back the guards as he attempted to open the door. There was a cheer of relief when he eventually did open the door, the group were able to disengage and they fled through the door - still being chased, but no longer trapped.
I think the argument is a good one that in a lock picking/bar bending/manacle snapping type situation you shouldn't be able to try again unless - 1. Something changes, 2. It's a highly stressed situation, or 3. It makes sense narratively.
The only escape method viable for them all to escape was to pick the lock of a door at the end of the alley. However the rogue kept on failing round after round. It took him 3 rounds to succeed (very unlucky dice) but I was able to narrate it as sweaty palms, getting knocked by his companions as they tried to protect him and just the stress of the situation.
Meanwhile his companions were trying to hold back the guards as he attempted to open the door. There was a cheer of relief when he eventually did open the door, the group were able to disengage and they fled through the door - still being chased, but no longer trapped.
I think the argument is a good one that in a lock picking/bar bending/manacle snapping type situation you shouldn't be able to try again unless - 1. Something changes, 2. It's a highly stressed situation, or 3. It makes sense narratively.