D&D 5E Toll the Chest

[Crimson Longinus]

According to the OP, because they're "suspicious the chest might be a mimic". If they had noticed the mimic, they would know it's a mimic.

They suspect it to be a mimic. They won't be surprised that it is a mimic, that's what they expect!

You don't have to know things are a threat. You just have to notice them.

They have noticed a thing they suspect to be a threat.

Seriously, your ruling completely disregards the actual fictional situation, the player intent and the character attitude. It is, frankly, a terrible ruling, and this sort of thing would result the players simply not engaging with the environment or trying to do anything clever, assuming they would continue to play, which I wouldn't.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They only noticed an ordinary chest

They haven't noticed an ORDINARY chest. They have no way of knowing that the chest is ordinary.

 

[Hriston]

They suspect it to be a mimic. They won't be surprised that it is a mimic, that's what they expect!

To avoid surprise they actually have to notice it. Suspicion is not sufficient. Adventurers go around all day expecting monsters to pop out from behind every corner, and yet when they do not detect one, they are surprised.

They have noticed a thing they suspect to be a threat.

Right, but they haven't noticed a mimic.

Seriously, your ruling completely disregards the actual fictional situation, the player intent and the character attitude. It is, frankly, a terrible ruling, and this sort of thing would result the players simply not engaging with the environment or trying to do anything clever, assuming they would continue to play, which I wouldn't.

Okay, not every game is for everyone.

 

[Hriston]

They haven't noticed an ORDINARY chest. They have no way of knowing that the chest is ordinary.

From the OP:

There is nothing in the chamber that suggests anything weird is going on - it's pretty nondescript.​

I.e. they haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so all they have noticed are things that are ordinary.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

From the OP:

There is nothing in the chamber that suggests anything weird is going on - it's pretty nondescript.​

I.e. they haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so all they have noticed are things that are ordinary.

But how do I know the chest is ordinary?

 

[James Gasik]

But how do I know the chest is ordinary?

The Mimic tells you, matter of factly! "It's in my stat block that I'm perfectly ordinary, so don't mind me!"

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The Mimic tells you, matter of factly! "It's in my stat block that I'm perfectly ordinary, so don't mind me!"

Do I get an insight check to see if I think the mimic is telling the truth?

 

[James Gasik]

Do I get an insight check to see if I think them mimic is telling the truth?

You do, but since it really is in his* stat block, you only think he's lying if you fail it!

*or her, or it, or however a Mimic refers to itself has. Do shapeshifters even have genders?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Do shapeshifters even have genders?

Changlings can change their gender at will, but I think mimics reproduce by some sort of binary fission, and therefore have no gender.

 

[James Gasik]

Changlings can change their gender at will, but I think mimics reproduce by some sort of binary fission, and therefore have no gender.