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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Amal Shukup" data-source="post: 1630046" data-attributes="member: 6291">Not automatically, of course. Some will escape detection, some will elude his efforts to disarm. Some will simply exceed his abilities. Absolutely, some traps will not be bypassed...HOWEVER, Rogues can ABSOLUTELY attempt to bypass/disarm Magical and Spell Traps. It is a Rogue Class ability. Called TrapfindingIF a spell is being used as a trap, it IS a trap (waddle, waddle... Quack!) and  the Rogue has a shot at detecting and disarming it unless explicitly noted otherwise in the description of the spell (such as, fer instance, Spike Stones, which explicitly notes that it CAN be detected, but not disarmed) . 100% Black Letter, Rules as Written, Not really open to interpretation...Moving from the absolutely objective and un-assailable to the subjective (something I've been trying to avoid):Note: I edited out some stuff below that, upon rereading in the cool light of morning, seemed like it could be seen as attacking an individual rather than an idea. That was never the intent, of course, but still - it could have been so construed. I apologize for any offense given.Also, just to be clear, the following subjective element of this post is directed exclusively at the 'idea' that Alarm is not a trap (and therefore sidesteps the mechanics for resolution presented in the rules). I do not agree with that idea.IMNSHO: No 1st-level spell should automatically thwart every rogue in existence (IN THEIR CORE AREA of COMPETENCE) because its "just an 'Alarm', not a 'Trap'". It's a check: D20+mods vs a DC. Whole point of the D20 system. Things rarely auto-succeed or auto-fail. These mechanics exist to resolve the opposed efforts of those trying to kill the Orc and get the Pie and the efforts of those trying to protect the Pie... In my opinion, to arbitrarily deny that process undermines the whole premise of the game.Spellcasters can overcome magical and mechanical traps through the use of magic. It's not even their primary function - but hey, casters are both typically more powerful and expected to be utility infielders, so that's okay. Rogues are limited to using Skill(s) instead but have been granted (in the wisdom of the designers) the EXCLUSIVE class ability (Trapfinding) to apply those skills towards overcoming magical and mechanical traps. This is particularly apt as this IS THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION. I STRONGLY feel that arbitrating that capability away (and giving casters supremacy in the Rogue's principle area of utility) because of a phenominally narrow definition of the word 'trap' is just, well, incorrect. Alarm (the simplest and least of the spell traps) has the non-trivial DC of 26 - both to detect and disarm. A Rogue can't take 20 on checks of this sort (consequences). Even a fully twinked low-level Rogue needs to roll very well TWICE IN SUCCESSION to get past it. And it's his job. This is what Rogues are FOR. Where they're supposed to shine...Hey, the guy misses the check? Hey, too bad, Mr. Rogue, no Pie for you today! That's allright. We rolls the die, we takes our chances... But to not give him a chance? No chance at all?? I do not think that would be a fun way to play.A'Mal</blockquote>

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