Search for traps. How much information should be known?

[Shin Okada]

When a PC beats the DC for a trap on Search skill check, how much information should be known?

Should a DM give nature or look of triggering mechanism and such? How about the nature of traps? Are there any rules or suggesting articles regarding this?

I guess, say, "something bad will happen if you step on the pressure plate." will be reasonable. But I want to know if there are any suggestions regarding this topic.

 

[Thanee]

I would just base the information on the character who found the trap. A rogue with ranks in Disable Device will know more than a wizard with some appropriate Knowledge (engineering?) and even more than a paladin with no clue about traps at all.

And, of course, it also depends on the trap itself. In some cases it might be reasonable to find out what it does exactly, while in others 'something bad' will be as precise as it gets.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shin Okada]

I have been assuming the character to be a Rogue (or other classes with Trap Finding special ability). Of cause, other knowledges may interact with.

But assuming a character is a rogue, how much information should a DM handle? Can a rogue evaluate how dangerous or difficult to disarm the trap is? If he can, how precisely? The amout of information he can get will affect his next move. He may try to disarm, jam, or just ignore that trap.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I have been assuming the character to be a Rogue (or other classes with Trap Finding special ability). Of cause, other knowledges may interact with.

But assuming a character is a rogue, how much information should a DM handle? Can a rogue evaluate how dangerous or difficult to disarm the trap is? If he can, how precisely? The amout of information he can get will affect his next move. He may try to disarm, jam, or just ignore that trap.

As an option, you could allow a "figure it out roll" vs. the DC of the trap using Disable Device. If successful, the rogue can figure out what the DC he just rolled against was, which will tell him how hard the trap was to disarm. If unsuccessful, he gets no information. If he fails by more than 5, he mistakes the DC by 25% in either direction.

 

[Thanee]

I wouldn't give out DCs, but a rough difficulty (like easy, moderate, difficult, very difficult - based on his skill levels), yes, I think that's alright.

Bye
Thanee