What CAN'T you take 20 on?

[Aluvial]

What checks can't you take 20 on?

Aluvial

 

[IceBear]

Any check were there is a penalty for failure (other than just not succeeding )

I *think* that the skills where you can't Take 20 explicitly mention that (but I could be wrong there)

IceBear

 

[Mr Fidgit]

a check where there is a penalty for failure (like climbing, there's a danger of falling) PH pg 61

 

[Aluvial]

How about disabling a trap?

Aluvial

 

[IceBear]

Well, if you fail to disable a trap you set it off, so that's a penalty for failure right? Thus, no, you can't Take 20 on disable device.

And to answer your next question, searching an area to find a trap does not set off the trap if you fail to find it so you CAN Take 20 on searching. You can actually search a square from 5ft away (if I remember correctly) so the actual act of searching doesn't necessarily trigger the trap.

IceBear

 

[Mr Fidgit]

How about disabling a trap?

definately can't take 20. the trap is the inherent danger and the 'penalty for failure' is setting it off

 

[hong]

How about disabling a trap?

No, because if you fail by 5 or more, you set off the trap.

Think of taking 20 as if you were rolling the skill check over and over again. The take 20 mechanic represents how, if you do this for long enough, you'll eventually roll a 20. It's a convenience thing.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i think we're on the same page with this thread, Icebear!

"You generally must be within 10 feet of the object or surface to be searched" (PH 73)

 

[0-hr]

And keep in mind that taking 20 takes 20 times as long as just trying once. So if you REALLY need to succeed right away, then taking 20 isn't going to work.

But anywhere where they player could try, fail, and just try again ad infinitum, they can take 20 to save some dice rolling.

If time is important, or if something bad could happen if they roll poorly, then you need to actually toss the dice.

 

[maddman75]

Here is something that I use as a guide. Taking 20 is explained as rolling 1, then 2, then 3, etc. all the way to 20. So the first round is the same as rolling a 1. Is that a bad thing?

First example - can you take 20 on disarming a trap? Well, that first round you roll a one, which is certainly misses the DC by five. This sets the trap off.

Second example - can you take 20 on open locks? The first time around you roll one, but that isn't any big deal. So you can take 20 on that skill.