Players break the doors-chests what ever

[RefinedBean]

Well, if the players REALLY enjoy breaking stuff, they should be allowed to break stuff. But the DM also has a stake in the game, and maybe Smashy McSmasherson & Co. are ruining the tone/flavor of the game he wanted to play.

"Say yes" doesn't mean "Shut up and let the PCs do anything they want."

Me, I'd have them be ambushed by a very pissed-off group of Dwarves who are seeking out this particular group of adventurers who keep destroying good dwarven craftwork for no good reason. Have them be led by a Paladin of Moradin, or even Erathis...

 

[jodyjohnson]

Another possibility is have the chests, containers, doors be the treasure.

 

[RefinedBean]

Another possibility is have the chests, containers, doors be the treasure.

Fighter: I found this empty sack, so I made a puppet out of it! See?! My fingers are the arms!
Puppet: "Hello, Mr. Wizard! How are you today?"
Wizard: You...you just made a puppet out of a Bag of Holding.
*Fighter looks at the puppet thoughtfully*
Puppet: "Are you calling me shallow?!"
(rimshot)

Good times.

 

[Nail]

"Say yes" doesn't mean "Shut up and let the PCs do anything they want."

Now there's a good quote.

 

[Benly]

"This" why? Why in the world would you want to discourage players from doing what they consider to be the most fun or the best choice for them? Is there something morally superior about "more subtle" solutions? Where's the rule that says that a lock HAS to be picked, on pain of getting "discouraged" by the DM?

Nope. And if they want, next time there's a chest after that they can smash all they like - but they'll be aware that there's a risk vs. reward element involved. The reward of "less effort expended" by using the "easy" route of smashing it open with an axe is balanced by the risk of there having been potions, glass wands, magic spectacles/figurines/crystal masks or other fragile treasure inside. Or, for that matter, the wealth being in the form of art objects rather than piles of gold and silver.

There's nothing morally superior about using another solution, but it does have its advantages over applying an axe every time. It's perfectly reasonable to want to reflect those advantages and disadvantages so that the players have to think about which they want to use.

 

[chronoplasm]

After carefully picking the lock, the players find that the treasure chest is full of bottles of Alchemist's Fire.
"Woo. Good thing we didn't smash that."

I'm not saying do this to discourage players from smashing chests; just to make things interesting.

Heres a magic item idea inspired by Gauntlet: Legends...
Maybe have the players find a magic pair of glasses that allow them to identify the contents of a treasure chest so that they can make a tactical decision to smash chests or not.

 

[balard]

Fighter: I found this empty sack, so I made a puppet out of it! See?! My fingers are the arms!
Puppet: "Hello, Mr. Wizard! How are you today?"
Wizard: You...you just made a puppet out of a Bag of Holding.
*Fighter looks at the puppet thoughtfully*
Puppet: "Are you calling me shallow?!"
(rimshot)

Good times.

In one of my games I put a bag that i think a saw in Undermountain, full of a magic dust that makes new coins and gems everyday if there always some inside it. They pick the bag, look at the coins and the dust, and turn it inside out I never thought they'd do that! I laugh sooo much. Then I told then that what was it, its power and how rare it was. And said that it would be the first and last they gona find EVER in one of my games. You should see their faces...

Put about the breaking, just say they do. Unless there are a time limit to break something by doing damage, they will always do it...

 

[nittanytbone]

If the barrier or container is meant to be a challenge, use page 42 to set a DC. If they succeed they get through ok, if they fail they may get through but break their treasure, alert guards, set off a trap, etc. If the barrier is just a barrier, let them get past it however they want to, and move on to the fun stuff.

This is my solution too. Loss of a healing surge works too. "Your violence causes part of the cave to collapse, and you each lose a healing surge." Or, "the ruckus attracts some guards. You dispatch them fairly easily, but all lose a healing surge."

 

[Tenniel]

What is the limit for these type solutions ?

There are only two limits: the imagination of the players and the judgement of the DM.

I was a player in a campagin with 3 players, so we opted to do without a thief. We carried a large mallet for doors and a hammer and chisel for chests. We often lost surprise and a few potions.

 

[James McMurray]

If you think smashing doors is bad, just wait until they decide to start carrying picks and digging new tunnels in your dungeons.