Question on Take 20 usage

[Albereth]

Looking at the rules and books it seems to me that you can Take 20 when trying to bash down doors (beat the Break DC that is). In the last session played I allowed the players to do that but would like to get others input on it. The lock picker had suffered an advanced for of mummy rot and the cleric did not have Remove Disease available so she died and horrible and sickening death, and then came back as a skeleton. Well without the rogue they would not be able to get into the buildings they needed to, and scanning the rules I could not think of a reason not to allow the Take 20.

Any and all comments for or against is welcome.

Albereth

 

[CRGreathouse]

Take 20 to break down doors is OK.

 

[flits3]

Yep... you just need the time and opportunity to go over and over and over the attemt untill you succeed. You can only do this when a failed skill check does nothing negative... like a failed jump check over a chasm.
Trying to open a door, spot a nice flower in the garden (if present) etc is all possible.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Taking 20 on battering down a door would have to make a lot of noise, though.

Somehow, I can't picture a way to spend two minutes slowly and carefully kicking a door in.

-Hyp.

 

[shilsen]

Perfectly acceptable. The primary reason to not take 20 at all times (if possible) is to avoid the time delay. Taking 20 while opening a door takes 2 minutes, so it's not a big issue. Taking 20 all the time while searching for traps and secret doors takes the same 2 minutes per 5 foot section of wall/floor/ceiling, so it's not likely to be viable.

 

[Trellian]

But you could take 20 on Search? even though it takes a lot of time? damn... I hope the rogue in my group doesn't know about this... hehe..

 

[dcollins]

But you could take 20 on Search? even though it takes a lot of time? damn... I hope the rogue in my group doesn't know about this... hehe..

That's, like, one of THE major examples for using Take 20: see PH p. 62, 1st paragraph.

 

[Omegium]

But you could take 20 on Search? even though it takes a lot of time? damn... I hope the rogue in my group doesn't know about this... hehe..

Don't worry. It is good it is possible, like in the example, it is a pitty if an adventure gets stuck on not finding a critical item, and it is strange if you can't find something even while you have the time to completely turn the place around. And don't worry about searching for traps in dungeons and taking 20. Ok, they won't be caught by traps, but if the enemies see them, they can just call everybody in the dungeon and ambush the players all at once. that will learn them to take 20