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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 9895498" data-attributes="member: 11760">To accomplish a task, a character needs the following:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The time necessary to complete the task</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The tools necessary to complete the task</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The skills necessary to complete the task</li> </ol>If they have all three of those, there is no roll under normal circumstances, they're just able to do it. (Obviously, lockpicking the vault of the god of secrets or something would be an extraordinary case.)If they they don't have any of those, don't bother rolling. It's just beyond their capability. The cleric is not going to be able to pick a lock on the dungeon door with a hairpin while the group is taking fire from goblin archers.If they have two of those, they can roll, because the success is clearly possible, but will be challenging. (That cleric will probably still need to roll with disadvantage if there's no arrow fire, even with the dead thief's lockpicks, since they're figuring out how to do lockpicking.)In Shadowdark (this three-part test was created for B/X and OD&D style games), I'd say if you only have one of those, you roll with disadvantage. Even the thief, without their lockpicks and under fire from the goblins, is going to find it harder than usual to pick the lock.This test means you're not rolling the dice for stuff that PCs should obviously be able to do, so you don't end up with nonsense like low level AD&D thieves falling to their deaths trying to climb perfectly normal walls -- the roll only is required when they're under pressure.</blockquote>

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