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Post by kleefaj on Aug 17, 2020 12:59:24 GMT -5
How do you run PCs checking for traps or listening at doors? How do you award APs?
I mean when a player wants his adventurer to check a chest or a hallway or an altar for traps I will roll the saving roll for them and let them know if they succeed or not. If I can give them an idea of the difficulty I let them know. For example, they're checking for traps on a treasure chest that is under water I'll let them know that condition makes it harder to locate a trap.
I'd also do it the same way for listening at a door.
But if there was no trap and nothing behind the door, are APs awarded? If so do you award them during the game or at the end? The number of APs can indicate to the player some degree of success or level of saving roll.
Jeff
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Post by ProfGremlin on Aug 17, 2020 22:36:25 GMT -5
Hi, kleefaj. You might want to take a look at Matthew Finch's Quick Primer for Old School Gaming. Old school gaming is more role-play than roll-play. Modern games have a stat/attribute/skill/save/check for almost every situation. Want to find a trap? Roll Investigation and add your modifier. Old school games, well, it's more of a narrative. Want to find a trap? Ok, tell me how your character is searching. What are they doing to find any potential traps? How the player describes their character's actions can affect how difficult the process is. "I'm just going to look over the door" will receive a higher SR on Int than the person that tells me, "I'm going to carefully examine - without touching! - the door step and look for any wear marks or unevenness. I'm then going to use my lantern and light the door frame, handle and edges of the door itself looking for any small triggers or wires. If that looks safe, I'm going to carefully run my fingertips over the edge of the frame and the door. Lastly, I'll try using the door handle while wearing heavy gloves." Hope that helps. ~ Prof.
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Post by zanshin on Aug 18, 2020 3:09:06 GMT -5
Prof Gremlin has covered an old school approach really well.
I will throw in that if you use Talents (7e T&T onwards) and a character has a relevant Talent, it will give them a bonus to the roll and if I was GMing I would assume that a Talented character is doing the things a knowedgeable person would know to do.
I would probably use Intelligence or Luck for tests of perception, and Dexterity or Intelligence for disarming traps, Luck for escaping the consequences of a failed disarm or blunder into a trap.
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Post by kleefaj on Aug 18, 2020 7:44:34 GMT -5
Thanks, Prof Gremlin and zanshin.
I read the Angry GM's article, “Traps Suck” article as well.
zanshin, would you, the GM, roll or would the player roll? How to award AP without giving away the level of the roll, pass or fail?
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Post by kingofelfland on Aug 18, 2020 7:45:23 GMT -5
The above is probably better advice, but since old school DnD Listen at Doors is a d6 roll, you could just port it as is into T&T. 1 in 6 for most humans, 2 in 6 for starting thieves and demi-humans. But Save Rolls are so much more fun.
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Post by ProfGremlin on Aug 18, 2020 7:46:39 GMT -5
Good points, Zanshin. I had neglected the concept of Talents. To follow-up on Zanshin's suggestions for the various attributes for tests, it occurs to me that Devadasi's descriptions of Making that Saving Roll could really help here, as well.
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Post by ProfGremlin on Aug 18, 2020 7:59:47 GMT -5
You make a good point, kingofelfland. Your suggestion keeps in line with T&T's simplicity approach. There's nothing saying your game cannot have a set of house rules for such instances. In fact, house ruling is encouraged in T&T.
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Post by zanshin on Aug 18, 2020 17:40:43 GMT -5
Thanks, Prof Gremlin and zanshin. I read the Angry GM's article, “Traps Suck” article as well. zanshin, would you, the GM, roll or would the player roll? How to award AP without giving away the level of the roll, pass or fail? I don't see perception checks as worthy of XP unless particularly clever or plot relevant/important. I would have them roll and then tell them what they find (or not). I reserve XP awards for saving rolls for attempts to avoid harm and for attempts to do something cool.
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order99
7th Level Troll
Coffee-fueled Carrion That Walks Like a Man
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Post by order99 on Aug 25, 2020 19:52:21 GMT -5
Well, if the PC's are actively checking for traps then they are the ones making the IQ SRs. Award AP as normal.
If the PCs are not actively checking for traps, then they get set off. After that the PCs might get a Luck SR to mitigate some of the damage or just not die, CN to not succumb entirely to the poison, etc etc. Award AP as normal.
I don't do 'hidden' SRs because either the PCs are trying something, or the situation has already happened and the PCs are reacting. That doesn't mean that I have to tell them the SR Level( although I will if they take the time-or have the time-to evaluate the situation). They roll, I check the math, and whether they Pass or Fail they record the number of APs.
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