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<blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 8825037" data-attributes="member: 6779196">For the reasons I enumerated earlier. It reduces waffling, it helps the DM call for rolls when there is actual uncertainty instead of just because an action was declared, and it avoids potential mismatched expectations.Neither of us tell the players directly that there’s a hazard present. I just insure that it’s possible to determine that there’s a hazard present based on the description of the environment. Another benefit of this approach is that it rewards players for paying attention to the description of the environment.Ok. We’re talking about dungeon traps though.I would say the lack of dust on the section of floor is a sufficient telegraph for the illusory floor trap, or would have been, if you had actually mentioned it in your description. If the dust in the rest of the hall was heavy enough that non-trackers could tell at a glance nobody had been there, it should be heavy enough that its absence on a section of the floor should be conspicuous at a glance to non-trackers as well. I would also consider adding something to the description to hint at the presence of the secret door, though maybe the lack of dust on the floor could serve double-duty there. Lack of dust on the floor to indicate a hidden door is a pretty familiar trope. But telegraphs also don’t have to be that direct. With good environmental design you can use a dungeon to create telegraphs by context and implication, the typical example being the secret room telegraphed by the apparent empty space on the map left by the room it conceals.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Charlaquin, post: 8825037, member: 6779196"] For the reasons I enumerated earlier. It reduces waffling, it helps the DM call for rolls when there is actual uncertainty instead of just because an action was declared, and it avoids potential mismatched expectations. Neither of us tell the players directly that there’s a hazard present. I just insure that it’s possible to determine that there’s a hazard present based on the description of the environment. Another benefit of this approach is that it rewards players for paying attention to the description of the environment. Ok. We’re talking about dungeon traps though. I would say the lack of dust on the section of floor is a sufficient telegraph for the illusory floor trap, or would have been, if you had actually mentioned it in your description. If the dust in the rest of the hall was heavy enough that non-trackers could tell at a glance nobody had been there, it should be heavy enough that its absence on a section of the floor should be conspicuous at a glance to non-trackers as well. I would also consider adding something to the description to hint at the presence of the secret door, though maybe the lack of dust on the floor could serve double-duty there. Lack of dust on the floor to indicate a hidden door is a pretty familiar trope. But telegraphs also don’t have to be that direct. With good environmental design you can use a dungeon to create telegraphs by context and implication, the typical example being the secret room telegraphed by the apparent empty space on the map left by the room it conceals. [/QUOTE]

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