D&D (2024) Searching and Safely Triggering Traps and Secret Doors

[aco175]

While looking for a meme from the D&D movie about the trapped bridge puzzle I came across this on Roll20. It is only a page long and has a couple ideas.

 

[tetrasodium]

I think that right now there are just too many parts of 5e designed to make sure that traps don't matter until they veer into DCC funnel type analogs. That makes it hard to easily answer how "safely triggering traps & secret doors should work" The bonkers 6-8 encounter grind that PCs are equipped to handle coupled with ultra trivialized recovery & anemic monsters incapable of really challenging PCs in tier 2-3 on ensures that it simply doesn't matter now & there are too many pieces keeping it that way (some of them single handedly). Cantrips are probably another factor as well.

 

[pukunui]

Sort of. After awhile it becomes a game of search a thousand books and turn everything to the right to try to open the door.

I wouldn't mind an Investigation roll revealing the solution. I just want to have something specific so it's not just "OK, you've found the secret door and it opens to reveal ..." I want WotC's writers to put some effort into thinking about (and then communicating) how their dungeons actually work. They're generally much better about this with traps than they are with secret doors.

 

[payn]

I wouldn't mind an Investigation roll revealing the solution. I just want to have something specific so it's not just "OK, you've found the secret door and it opens to reveal ..." I want WotC's writers to put some effort into thinking about (and then communicating) how their dungeons actually work. They're generally much better about this with traps than they are with secret doors.

While I agree with you, I think GMs can put some effort in running adventures too.

 

[Vaalingrade]

While I agree with you, I think GMs can put some effort in running adventures too.

I feel like that's not really encouraged and supported though.

Adventures are presented in much the same way as instant cake mix: You're kind of just expected to use them as is for the basic experience and at best you'll get the little recipe on the side for the one variation, but you're going to have to look elsewhere for how to really use it to make something special.

 

[payn]

I feel like that's not really encouraged and supported though.

Adventures are presented in much the same way as instant cake mix: You're kind of just expected to use them as is for the basic experience and at best you'll get the little recipe on the side for the one variation, but you're going to have to look elsewhere for how to really use it to make something special.

Ha, I love this. I am a decent cook, but a terrible baker. I have never been able to follow the rules entirely, but I can skirt them and make something delicious. I am never quite sure where this "run it as is with no deviation" idea came from. Though, I totally understand the disappointment in an instant cake mix tasting like an instant cake. When there is no effort, there is no flavor.

 

[Clint_L]

As a cook and baker, the two experiences are night and day. If you're making a pasta, experiment away. If you are making pastry, follow the recipe exactly, unless you really, really know what you are doing.

That said, I have never had any problem completely gutting and reworking a published adventure, so I think they are more like a pasta than a pastry.

 

[bloodtide]

I think traps and secret things should be made into full blown encounters. "Semi non combat" encounters. And just like monster encounters each character type would have an advantage vs one or more types, be average at some, and be horrible at others.

Like Barbarians are good at natural, strength and ones that can be smashed. Rangers get natural, hunting and target critical hit types. Wizards get general magic, ancient magic and magic trickery types. Clerics get divine magic, religious magic, and positive/undead types. And so on.

The idea would be a group of 4-5 players will have something to do for most traps or searching for things.

 

[Zaukrie]

I think traps and secret things should be made into full blown encounters. "Semi non combat" encounters. And just like monster encounters each character type would have an advantage vs one or more types, be average at some, and be horrible at others.

Like Barbarians are good at natural, strength and ones that can be smashed. Rangers get natural, hunting and target critical hit types. Wizards get general magic, ancient magic and magic trickery types. Clerics get divine magic, religious magic, and positive/undead types. And so on.

The idea would be a group of 4-5 players will have something to do for most traps or searching for things.

Truth

 

[Azzy]

Perception should be noticing a foe hidden or something else being "off" about something. But once you notice something or have decided to search something, Investigation should take over.

Isn't that the way it currently works (see DMG, pp 103-104 and 120-121)?