i have already brought this up in alpha 1 a couple of weeks ago, but i find it worth mentioning again (especially since there was no response to the thread). So here we go:
The elf's and dwarf's "auto-detect" feature for secrets/stonework(the part "may make a search check as if actively searching for...") should be removed or changed. Reason:
As a GM i have to constantly roll the dice when my player's enter a new area (and I have 1 elf and 2 dwarves in my group). This is rather annoying. Second: I forget to roll more often than not and my players constantly remind me to throw the dice. Very game-flow stopping. The characters walk the circumference of each room because this lousy ability only has a range of 10 feet (formerly in 3.5 only 5 feet for elves but luckily this was changed to make both abilities work at a unified range.)
So what can we do about this:
1) leave it because you are one of those people who like it as it is
2) change it to an automatic detect features (no check)
3) change the range to cover "1 room" regardless of size
4) remove the auto-detect part
5) other options?
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i have already brought this up in alpha 1 a couple of weeks ago, but i find it worth mentioning again (especially since there was no response to the thread). So here we go:
The elf's and dwarf's "auto-detect" feature for secrets/stonework(the part "may make a search check as if actively searching for...") should be removed or changed. Reason:
As a GM i have to constantly roll the dice when my player's enter a new area (and I have 1 elf and 2 dwarves in my group). This is rather annoying. Second: I forget to roll more often than not and my players constantly remind me to throw the dice. Very game-flow stopping. The characters walk the circumference of each room because this lousy ability only has a range of 10 feet (formerly in 3.5 only 5 feet for elves but luckily this was changed to make both abilities work at a unified range.)
So what can we do about this:
1) leave it because you are one of those people who like it as it is
2) change it to an automatic detect features (no check)
3) change the range to cover "1 room" regardless of size
4) remove the auto-detect part
5) other options?
I prefer one of two approaches, both work pretty well. The first approach is simply treat these auto-detects as taking 10 for the check. The other is for everybody's secret checks, have your players roll the d20, say 10 times. Write those numbers down and whenever you want them to make a check but you don't want them to know whether or not they succeeded, use a number from that bank.
As the DM, you should have a pretty good idea of what those character's Perception mods are. Just make yourself a note about those things for any secret doors or the like.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32
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I prefer to actually remove these abilities from the dwarf and the elf. However, I realize I am probably in the minority on this. :)
Alternatively perhaps give them a heft bonus when looking for secret doors. Say, +3 or +4.
Which would make dwarves usually the better secret door finder, at least in stone ruins. A +2 for the stone plus the +3 for the ability. +5 right off the bat.
Bobby
I am all for removing them.
Elves living in the woods but "detecting" secret DOORS?!
All this 10 feet stuff is just time-eating and unnerving.
Just stick to bonus given and let them search the usual way.
Actually, I'd like to see everyone get a chance to notice a trap/secret door when they get close to one. My experience with traps/secret doors is like this:
10 players forget to mention checking for traps
20 players fall into a trap
30 play slows to a crawl for a while as players constantly search for traps every 5'
40 GOTO 10
After thinking about it, I would say, take their perception rank +10.
If it's enough to beat the objects/doors/traps/whatever DC they find it, otherwise they miss it.
Done.
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I like to make my players paranoid...at least that is how they become. Generally I ask for rolls and random times, or when the enter a room. I'll give them the one blanket roll for that entire room...please not everytime I ask for this I don't explain what it's for, I just ask them to roll a d20. I keep a card on my side with each characters HP (Max and Current), AC, Perception Mod, Class, Align, Race and Gender...I've found this saves me time from having to ask the most basic of questions all the time, or very helpfull during surprise rounds etc.
But that's my opinion.
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After thinking about it, I would say, take their perception rank +10.
If it's enough to beat the objects/doors/traps/whatever DC they find it, otherwise they miss it.
Done.
Kinda' sorta' like taking 10, only passive. Characters have a static number, Perception+10, that the DM compares to DCs. That's really simple. Good idea.
I do like the idea of everyone having some chance of detecting traps and secret doors, though. Building on the idea above, for characters without racial or class auto-detects, the DM could just compare their Perception to the DCs. At first, most would fail, but as Perception scores got higher some PCs would start to notice more and more hidden things.
This is also why I would like to see Search stay separate. Perception is passive. Someone with a low Perception isn't going to automatically notice a secret door, but someone with even a low Search might get lucky, roll a 20 and stumble on a secret door that was beyond their ability to Perceive.