Open door as part of a move

[XCorvis]

One of my players suggested allowing characters to open doors as part of a move action instead of as a separate move action. It would consume movement, say 10'. Obviously, these are unlocked, unobstructed doors with very simple latches that are designed to be opened easily and quickly, like the doors inside a house.

The regular way, a character within 10' of a door must move up, using a move action, open the door using his second move action and stand there until next round.

Using this house rule, a character with 30 movement within 10' of a door can use 10' of movement to move up to the door, 10' to open it, and then 10' to step through, and still have an action remaining.

Thoughts? I don't see it as being unbalancing, since everyone else can use it too. It weakens doors as an obstacle, but my players also pointed out that climbing a 10' wall takes less "time" (in game) than opening a door, which doesn't seem right.

Another way to think about it is that a closed door is a terrain feature that costs double movement for only the first person who moves through it. (That's actually slightly different mechanically, but similar.)

 

[accipiter]

Interesting. We have always played that opening a standard closed door is part of a "reasonable" move action, but then, we're kind of loose about stuff like that where it seems logical. I mean, can't you draw a weapon as part of a move action? That doesn't seem that dissimilar to turning a knob and pushing?

 

[robberbaron]

Sounds reasonable to me, though I think you'd have to lose at least 20' of movement if you run up to the door, open it and then run through.

Maybe simplify it to lose half a move opening the door (15' of a normal move, 30' of a run). Opening a door during a full move, i.e., 2 move actions spent moving, loses 15'.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Another option would be to take a leaf from star wars saga edition and making opening a door a swift action... thus you could move to door, swift action to open it, and then move beyond the door.

Or you could treat it as restricted movement/10ft movement to get through when charging the door down, and leave the rules as-is for cautiously opening the door.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Treating the door as difficult terrain for the first person makes the most sense, IMHO. Basically this ruling burns 5' of movement opening the door {which is generaly a 'lift latch' instead of 'turn knob', but I digress} and negates charging/running through closed doors.

Perhaps an additional rule for charging 'through' light material, such as some doors, would suffice for the 'bash door in and attack' mentality .... ?

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I allow opening a door to "interrupt" another move action. Thus, in your example, a character with a speed of 30 could move 10 feet to a door, open it, and then continue his move up to 20 feet. The movement and opening the door still consume a move action each, so the character would not be able to do anything else.

 

[XCorvis]

These are some great ideas, thanks guys. I'm pondering which is going to be most appropriate for my group, but keep 'em coming...

 

[eamon]

These are some great ideas, thanks guys. I'm pondering which is going to be most appropriate for my group, but keep 'em coming...

Most people would find it difficult to open a latched door and walk through it for a significant distance within 3 seconds. You might want to limit this to only refer to doors that can simply be pushed or pulled open. This variant reduces the tactical aspects of doors (which may or may not be a good thing ).

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Tavle of cost for movement based on sophistication of the door?

Simple door +5 movement
Latched door +10 movement
Double Latch +15 movement
Complex latch +20 movement
Double complex latch +30 movement


?

 

[Notmousse]

For most doors I simply tell them it costs 10' movement, and for swing doors (doors that open either way without any latch or knob) they may walk or run through at no penalty, but if you run into something you're flat footed against those foes. Anything more complex is at least a move action like normal.