Related Information to Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub

Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub - Page 36

(laugh) Easy to keep up after some time. You check the rules once, twice, three times and after that you just remember it. But, of course, I have to check again often just to be sure I'm not doing any mistake

Hub Players Dragons and Dungeons Bruconeros

Just a caveat on the composite bows...a [Strength] 12 Composite Bow requires a minimum of [Strength] 12 to draw it back, but also only adds up to +1 bonus to damage (same as the modifier for [Strength] 12). So even if you have [Strength] 20, the [Strength] 12 bow will still just add +1 to damage. Higher [Strength] bows require higher [Strength] scores and will add the appropriate modifier damage for their rating.

Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub Archive Pathfinder / D&D

I have a question for anybody willing to provide an answer. Reading the updates in Kit's game, I got curious on how picking locks and disarming traps is managed in 3.5e. I checked the Open Lock skill examining different sources but I'm still unsure.
Does picking locks allow for retries in 3.5e? In 2nd edition (the one I always used in the old times) failing to pick a lock would mean being unable to try it again unless the character made a level or raised his skill in another way but I didn't find anything like this in the 3.5 rules. It means anybody can try over and over until a successful roll comes out? And what about jamming or breaking the mechanism? That was a show stopper in 2nd edition but, again, I didn't find any reference to it. Lastly, is that true that a rogue can now try to pick a lock even if he doesn't have lockpicks and just getting a -2 penalty on the roll (would open with what, his fingers?).

Page 36 Hub Players Dragons and Dungeons Bruconeros

Research done, but I'm still not satisfied with the result. The official sources are very vague and don't have any detailed reference on how to deal with certain particular situations (looks like a constant since they created the d20 open source system). I payed a visit to a couple of forums I like to consult at times and discovered that the Open Lock skill in 3.5e left more than a Dungeon Master uncertain about the right way to handle it.
After reading the experiences and different solutions adopted by some of them, I decided to introduce the following house rules in our game:

-Characters will not be allowed to take 20 when using Open Lock or Disable Device (the reason for this is different for the two skills but the result is the same: taking 20 is not an option)

-Each lock will have a chance of getting jammed, broken or to damage the tools at any failed attempt (the chance will increase at every new attempt and will be calculated as a percentage that will depend on how far is the roll from the desired result. Example: 5 points below the DC, 10% 10 points below the DC, 20% and so on).

-No chance of picking a lock without the proper tools (unless the player can explain me EXACTLY how he intends to do it and how he will use the home-made or improvised tool. I expect a very detailed explanation of how the tool is made also, if the player made it by himself).

-Different subject. After deep meditation and many sleepless nights (yes, yes, I'm exaggerating. It took me 10 minutes to decide it, but this way looks more cool (laugh)) I decided to change the rule about critical hits. A 20 will be always a critical while an extended critical (19, 18, 17 depending on the weapon used) will only be a "Threat" and will have to be confirmed by a second roll (as for the rules).

If anybody wants a detailed explanations of why I decided to adopt these rules, feel free to ask. I plan to collect all the house rules in a single post that I will put in the Scenario Thread but I need to collect my thoughts since I will not be able to edit it if new rules will come out. I will just take my time for that.

Edited: Bruconero on 12th Feb, 2013 - 11:56am

Hub Players Dragons and Dungeons Bruconeros

I saw KittenPunk roll for spot, listen, search.... Isn't it that you make those rolls or should I have been making them? I thought you did not need rolls until you asked for it?

Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub

If I need a roll I usually ask for it or roll it by myself. Should be like this: "MyLovelyCharacterXXX looks around to see if he spots anybody approaching or hiding in the woods, listens carefully to detect any unusual noise and takes some time to search the area (5x5 area for search so not very useful in the open unless one wants to invest hours searching the plains). If I need the number I will ask for it.

After some time, you guys will understand which rolls I accept from you and which not. As I tried to explain, I don't want rolls for actions in which the character can't realistically know the result. Hide: did they spot me or not? You don't know until they spot you. Spot: am I alone or I failed to notice the Ogre hiding under that small pebble? You don't know, you spot nobody so you think you are alone until the ogre comes with a "Pickaboo". Poor ogre if you saw that 5 on your roll so even if your character didn't see him you still suspect he is there.... Ok, I'm joking now but I hope you guys got what I mean. Some examples of skills for which I roll: Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Listen, Search, Survival (in some cases).... Skills for which you can roll: Survival (when hunting), Open Lock, Disable Device, Climb, Jump.... In general, if the character realistically can tell right away a failure from a success, you can roll. If not, I roll. The point is: even if the roll is a 1 or 2 I still want you to act like if it was a 20 because the character would do that.

But that's not a problem. When a player submits rolls, I have two choices: using them or ignoring them. I almost always go for the second but they are useful nontheless because these rolls become part of my statistics for each player. I write down every single roll the players submit and then I calculate the average roll for each of you. Every roll is also assigned a value, depending on how important it was (if somebody is always above 15 on Save Throws and only roll 5 or 6 on listen or useless attacks that doesn't change anything). I can't see the dice so I need a system to spot anybody that is trying to be too smart. Like somebody that is not in the game anymore....just for example.

Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub - Page 36

Half of the party didn't post anything yet since the last update. I will give them time until tomorrow then I will move the game taking into consideration the decisions of the active players.

Bruconero's Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Player's Hub D&D / Pathfinder Archive - Page 36

Hey just noticed an error on 2 of my skills. Also I'm at school so Internet is a rare thing. Will reply when I can.