I think its reasonable that it takes like 20 to 30 seconds to "sweep
the room" I can assume you guys do that in most rooms. Basically, a once over of the room checking
nooks and crannies for dangerous stuff. Kinda like the secret service sweeping
the room before the president walks in.
Well maybe not that dramatic but you know what I mean :)
The Time Pool:
· Each time a 10-minute turn
goes by I'll place one 1d6 in a plastic cup.
· Once 6 turns have passed (and 6 dice are in the cup) I'll roll all the dice. Any result of a 1 is a “bad thing” happening which
could be a random monster encounter or something relevant to the time and place
you are. (Orc patrol makes its way around the corner etc.) (A skeleton pops out
of the pile of debris you didn't check)
· Once 6 turns have passed
all torches have burned out and a new one will need to be relit.
· If you have a dangerous
encounter (find a monster in a room, fall into a trap) before the 6 dice are in
the cup (6 turns have passed) I will remove one die from the cup.
· We could use that as a
tool for resting as well. If you want to
rest for an hour, we can roll 6d6, any result of a 1 is a wandering asshole
monster disturbing your rest. Once it is
dispatched you can continue your rest and regain some HP.
Rewarding player skill (clever description of what you do) rather than
character skill (standard die roll) in searching for a trap or a secret door
would be a good way to play.
The rolls should take a turn. Searching without rolls (clever description)
should basically be in real time and take no turn. The die roll can be a last
resort. We can play just fine without
search rolls each time. Rather, if a player is stumped they can roll the die
and might get lucky with a result.
If they roll we can just have the roll cover a small room, or a
significant section of a larger area, and they can only do it once per that
area for that day. Still one turn passes
but that would also cover each person doing their own thing as well if they
wanted to at the same time. Maybe we can
have another person "assist" a search or trap check and just have
them make a roll as well.
The DM will give a description of the room that possibly hints at the
secret door/trigger mechanism/telegraph for a trap. As the group asks about the
room and examine it, they get more information, assuming their described
actions justify that. If they tell me that they are searching for a hidden door
or trap, I ask what they do. If they describe something that involves them
hitting the trigger, it opens and they find the door, no need for a roll. They
can roll as a last resort, if they can't figure it out based on description and
player action, then they roll. (A roll means a turn passes) Each player can do
the check, and if that fails, that's it, unless they figure out the trigger on
their own later.
Here are some examples of how I imagine one can describe what they are
doing in real time vs a die roll:
[I feel along the north wall, trying to see if there are any cracks that
might make the outline of a door or compartment.(no dice roll)] You feel a
breeze coming from the other side of the wall and are able to push the wall
inward opening a door.
**Real time check, no turn passes
[I pull down on that torch sconce on the west wall.(no dice roll)] The
door on the east wall opens.
**Real time check, no turn passes and know there is a door.
[I check for secret doors in this room.(roll dice)] You find a door on the
west wall
**You pass your roll and know there is a door. One turn passes.
[Search for traps (roll dice)] Yeah, that doorway doesn't look right.
Something is off but your not sure what.
*You pass your roll and know there is a trap.
[Gently reach through the doorway, feeling for trip wires (no dice roll).]
As you reach out with your hand, you come into contact with a nearly invisible
thin wire that sits across the threshold. (tripwires are present.)
*Great descriptive trap check, no need to roll.
[Use staff to push down on flagstones around the doorway (no dice roll).]
Tapping with your staff, you don't detect any loose stones or pressure plates.
(tripwires are present).
*You described the place and what you are looking for, unfortunately it
wast right.
[Check for pressure plates and tripwires (roll dice).] You tap around with
your staff and wave your hands in front of you, but you don't find anything.
(tripwires are present.)
*You failed your roll and don't see the trap.
[Check for pressure plates and tripwires (roll dice).] You tap around with
your staff and reach forward through the doorway, you come into contact with a
nearly invisible thin wire that sits across the threshold. (tripwires are
present.)
*You passed your roll and find the trap
I do plan on giving you details when you are in the room if there are any. Sometimes you have to say you want to search the north wall and as you get closer I can describe details you wouldn't have otherwise seen from far away. I don't want to waste everyone's time on it but realistically I would think that you have to decide how you enter a room and look in it. most doors are not trapped but some are. You have to decide how you want to handle that. As for how you search a wall. I understand, if there is nothing of note when you get close to it I wont waste your time. If there are flagstones that are loose or shaped funny I will tell you that. Then you can tell me what you want to do with that information. If you simply want to roll the search that's OK too. If you think you rolled and found nothing because of a bad roll everyone else can do the same thing. Lets play around a little bit with it. If there is a torch sconce on the wall Ill tell you when you walk in. If there is a small crack on the north wall you cant see, Ill tell you when you get closer.
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