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Poison needle traps
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<blockquote data-quote="Skyscraper" data-source="post: 7432273" data-attributes="member: 48518"><p>D&D 5E books have the following format for a power, trap or other game element. (see any class feature or monster description for example.)</p><p></p><p><strong>1) give a general description of the game element.</strong></p><p></p><p>For example, the description of the Barbarian's Reckless attack starts with "Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation." This is not meant as a rule that the character is under obligation to throw aside all concern for defense or else he's banned from barbarianhood. It's just fluff.</p><p></p><p>For the poison needle trap, this description states "[o]pening the chest without the proper key causes the needle to spring out".</p><p></p><p><strong>2) provide the mechanics of the game element.</strong></p><p></p><p>For the Reckless attack, this essentially includes benefitting from advantage on Strength melee attacks while granting advantage to opponents, for one round.</p><p></p><p>For the poison needle trap, the mechanics description includes <u>the only element</u> that will trigger the trap: "<u>nsuccessfully attempting to pick the lock triggers the trap." Presumably, this would include attempting to "pick" it with the wrong key, in as much as that is considered a lock picking attempt.</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>*******</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>This makes sense also. There is no mystical detection of a tool in the lock; it's just that if you tamper with the drums in the wrong way, you get stabbed by the needle. How does the mechanical trap recognize you have the wrong key? Because you didn't turn the proper drums. If you successfully pick the lock, you did turn the proper drums.</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>Plus, the user of that chest needs to open the chest to get stuff. That person uses the key. No need to disarm the trap. The key just opens the chest. Picking the lock successfully mirrors using the right key. It unlocks the chest and does not trigger the trap.</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>I agree that the wording of this trap could be improved. Notably, the wording in the general description of the trap does not mirror that used in the description of the mechanics. This is where the confusion originates. But, once you disregard the first part as a mechanic but rather as general description, to follow the format of all other game elements in this edition, it seems to make perfect sense to me.</u></p><p><u></u></p><p><u>That said, we're nitpicking pretty solidly here <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />, because in the end the DM does pretty much what the darn hell he or she wants with that trap in his or her dungeon <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></u></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Skyscraper, post: 7432273, member: 48518"] D&D 5E books have the following format for a power, trap or other game element. (see any class feature or monster description for example.) [B]1) give a general description of the game element.[/B] For example, the description of the Barbarian's Reckless attack starts with "Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation." This is not meant as a rule that the character is under obligation to throw aside all concern for defense or else he's banned from barbarianhood. It's just fluff. For the poison needle trap, this description states "[o]pening the chest without the proper key causes the needle to spring out". [B]2) provide the mechanics of the game element.[/B] For the Reckless attack, this essentially includes benefitting from advantage on Strength melee attacks while granting advantage to opponents, for one round. For the poison needle trap, the mechanics description includes [U]the only element[/U] that will trigger the trap: "[u]nsuccessfully attempting to pick the lock triggers the trap." Presumably, this would include attempting to "pick" it with the wrong key, in as much as that is considered a lock picking attempt. ******* This makes sense also. There is no mystical detection of a tool in the lock; it's just that if you tamper with the drums in the wrong way, you get stabbed by the needle. How does the mechanical trap recognize you have the wrong key? Because you didn't turn the proper drums. If you successfully pick the lock, you did turn the proper drums. Plus, the user of that chest needs to open the chest to get stuff. That person uses the key. No need to disarm the trap. The key just opens the chest. Picking the lock successfully mirrors using the right key. It unlocks the chest and does not trigger the trap. I agree that the wording of this trap could be improved. Notably, the wording in the general description of the trap does not mirror that used in the description of the mechanics. This is where the confusion originates. But, once you disregard the first part as a mechanic but rather as general description, to follow the format of all other game elements in this edition, it seems to make perfect sense to me. That said, we're nitpicking pretty solidly here :), because in the end the DM does pretty much what the darn hell he or she wants with that trap in his or her dungeon :)[/u] [/QUOTE]
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