Traps and Search

Water Bob

Adventurer
Here's another "How do you run it in your game" question....



Consider a trapped chest. There's a mechanical trap on it that fires darts if/when the lid is opened without deactivating the trap with the key. There are small holes (the barrels for the darts) that can be detected in the lid of the chest, along the side edge, on a DC 14 Search check.

Do you automatically give this check to the PC that approaches the chest and starts to mess with it? Maybe by giving them a Take 10 Search check?

Or, do you insist that the player must ask for the Search check in order to find the trap?
 

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That's a search and a spot check. A spot check to notice something's up, a search check to figure out what that is.

Search checks tend to be more voluntary, spot checks tend to be more involuntary. You might actively try to spot something, but on the whole it'll be "It caught my eye", at which point you'd investigate and that's when you search.
 

Characters must attempt search tests. Spot is automatic and generally opposed, for noticing things trying not to be noticed. Search is for finding objects that won't be noticed otherwise. Ignoring these differences in the skills is like giving away free skill points.

Both have high value; you want as high as possible spot to not be surprised. And at least one person in the party needs to have maxed search since being able to take 20 on the skill means the ruleset set Seach DCs assuming the character WOULD be taking 20.
 

I'd make them search to find the trap. That's half the fun of putting traps on chests in the first place. If they don't search for traps and trigger this one, they will search the next one.

I do think you can take 10 or even 20 on a search check though but once again the PC has to declare that's what they are doing.

Traps are for the PCs to find, not for the DM to point out to them.

Course I'm old school that eventualy after setting off enough traps the PCs will start to search things like doors, chests, hallways and other places where traps are readily present. And if they don't learn from their mistakes and a trap kills them well they had lots of chances before this one. Even my retard of a Fire giant is getting tired of kicking in doors to end up with a foot full of spikes or zapped with a cone of cold..lol
 

I'd make them search to find the trap. That's half the fun of putting traps on chests in the first place. If they don't search for traps and trigger this one, they will search the next one.

I tend to agree with you. If a Search check is required, it means that it's not easily noticable. Therefore, I'm leaning towards a player having to say, "I look the chest over real good before I touch it. Do I notice anything out of the ordinary--unsual about the chest?"

If I hear that, the player's character gets the Search check. Otherwise, if the character goes straight to trying to open the chest or pick the lock, there's no check. And, the trap is sprung.
 

Characters must attempt search tests. Spot is automatic and generally opposed, for noticing things trying not to be noticed. Search is for finding objects that won't be noticed otherwise. Ignoring these differences in the skills is like giving away free skill points.
I agree with frankthedm.
 

Yep a player has to call for a Search check.

Spot checks should not be used for traps. RAW specifies the use of spot, and it is not for traps.
 

If there is a trap, the PC must state that he is using Search on a 5-ft square where either the trigger or target area of the trap is located in order to discover its presence. Search is not an automatic or passive check. It is something that a PC must actively state he is using.

Spot does not apply to finding traps in the RAW, ever. Now, I have been known to rule zero that a character with trapfinding who is about to step into a trap can make a Spot check to notice that something is unusual, but only if it is the kind of thing that might be noticed with a casual glance. I might include a tripwire, since it is something that is out of place, but a pressure plate seamlessly blended into the floor as a flagstone would require a Search check always.

As a side note, I generally only make a Spot check automatic when there is imminent danger to a PC. For example, at the start of the encounter with a sneaking opponent, I will allow the PCs a Spot (and Listen) check to detect the enemy launching a surprise attack in order to give them a chance to act in the surprise round. Now if a player has stated his character is deliberately standing watch, I might give him a Spot (and Listen) check earlier. But generally, unless there is some immediate threat to a PC, I treat Spot as an active skill as well.
 


I prefer to treat all skill checks as Active, but I'm not always sure that's a fair way to go.
It isn't really fair to do so, because a lot of times that would mean automatic surprise in ambushes. Some skills rather require some sort of passive prompt for a roll, but they are few.
 

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