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DM Question: How can I keep my players from taking 3 days to check a room?
- Thread starter Thebalrog
- Start date
IceBear
Explorer
Again, I must have a good group of players as they don't go around Taking 20 everytime they enter a room.
Maybe it's because they know that if there is a trap it'll be in a logical area and there is usually some clue that there's one there. Once they think there is a trap, they may Take 20 then, but it's usually in a focused area so it doesn't take too much time.
As for secret doors, they don't normally look for them either until they've got a better idea of the layout of the dungeon and thus get a better idea of where to look.
Sure, they do searching at other times, but it's rarely a "Let's search this room upside down Taking 20" type searches.
Now, I'm sure if I placed a lot more traps and tons of hidden doors and stuff, that attitude might change. I don't, normally, put in a lot of traps because most dungeons are homes to intelligent creatures and too many traps would be a nusiance to them. Also, if I go through the trouble of placing an item in the game, I normally want the PCs to find it so I don't make it too, too hard. But that's just me, and I'm sure others will disagree, but we've been having fun with it.
IceBear
Maybe it's because they know that if there is a trap it'll be in a logical area and there is usually some clue that there's one there. Once they think there is a trap, they may Take 20 then, but it's usually in a focused area so it doesn't take too much time.
As for secret doors, they don't normally look for them either until they've got a better idea of the layout of the dungeon and thus get a better idea of where to look.
Sure, they do searching at other times, but it's rarely a "Let's search this room upside down Taking 20" type searches.
Now, I'm sure if I placed a lot more traps and tons of hidden doors and stuff, that attitude might change. I don't, normally, put in a lot of traps because most dungeons are homes to intelligent creatures and too many traps would be a nusiance to them. Also, if I go through the trouble of placing an item in the game, I normally want the PCs to find it so I don't make it too, too hard. But that's just me, and I'm sure others will disagree, but we've been having fun with it.
IceBear
Uller
Adventurer
My group is the same way, IceBear.
Here is how we work it: When the party enters a room(or after they kill the monster), it is assumed that they do a cursory search of the room and notice anything that is lying in plain sight or is not hidden very well. No one rolls. No one says: I search X. I just tell them stuff like "You notice there is something solid under a stack of papers on the desk." to give them a clue that there is something interesting about the desk, for instance. Then they might search it.
Generally traps, secret doors or anything worth finding is in a logical place and there are clues to its existance. Once the PCs pick up on the clues they search. My players are usually most interested in advancing the story, not finding every trap or whatever...besides...why would you search for traps in a corner of the room you don't otherwise intend to tread upon?
Here is how we work it: When the party enters a room(or after they kill the monster), it is assumed that they do a cursory search of the room and notice anything that is lying in plain sight or is not hidden very well. No one rolls. No one says: I search X. I just tell them stuff like "You notice there is something solid under a stack of papers on the desk." to give them a clue that there is something interesting about the desk, for instance. Then they might search it.
Generally traps, secret doors or anything worth finding is in a logical place and there are clues to its existance. Once the PCs pick up on the clues they search. My players are usually most interested in advancing the story, not finding every trap or whatever...besides...why would you search for traps in a corner of the room you don't otherwise intend to tread upon?
Note for GM...
taking 20 is your freind not your enemy.
So lets look at a small room 20x20. 16 squares, 32 minutes to search with a take 20. that gives you a concrete number you know ahead of time. You should have a list of "found on a take-10 and found on a take-20. the room search took maybe 2 minutes game time. isn't that better than having the players actually go thru this with you in all those cases where there is nothing of worry?
Ok so when is this not feasible.
Simply putm when time matters.
Time matters in many ways that the PCs should be aware of and its your job to show them.
First... local events and creatures... if they are in a populated structure then taking a half hour here and there gives the NPCs actions. Does someone notice the guards are not on post? Does someone come down the hallway? etc. There is plenty of incentive to not take-20 like this when adversaries still abound.
Second... spells run out. Food runs out. Even if they are "safe for now" using 32 minutes now means that invisibility spell is running down. A few more encounters later and poof.
Finally, even if they are in a "dungeon" and have cleaned it out fully so they now feel for instance safe enough to rest here and thus safe enough to spend boatloads of time taking 20, there is still the "living world" issue. If they stay an inordinately long time, like a couple extra days, then when they get back to town have things advanced two days. if your world ia alive and things happen in town and npcs change then they start having to think not of "whats two days if we get to take 20" but rather"well do i want to spend two days here in this smelly dungeon hoping for hidden loot or do i want to go back to town, catch up with Lawanda for some fun and try my luck at the gaming tables." or "is it worth spedning two more days here when Denoro and his minions are doing Oghma knows what in crockport while we root for a few hidden coins?"
if your dungeon features "static" npcs or if the adventure begins and ends with the dungeon, then you have set the stage for take-20 to be desirable.
if the mission is over and done i know my elf sorcerer wont normally abide sitting for a couple days to do extrenme searches.
taking 20 is your freind not your enemy.
So lets look at a small room 20x20. 16 squares, 32 minutes to search with a take 20. that gives you a concrete number you know ahead of time. You should have a list of "found on a take-10 and found on a take-20. the room search took maybe 2 minutes game time. isn't that better than having the players actually go thru this with you in all those cases where there is nothing of worry?
Ok so when is this not feasible.
Simply putm when time matters.
Time matters in many ways that the PCs should be aware of and its your job to show them.
First... local events and creatures... if they are in a populated structure then taking a half hour here and there gives the NPCs actions. Does someone notice the guards are not on post? Does someone come down the hallway? etc. There is plenty of incentive to not take-20 like this when adversaries still abound.
Second... spells run out. Food runs out. Even if they are "safe for now" using 32 minutes now means that invisibility spell is running down. A few more encounters later and poof.
Finally, even if they are in a "dungeon" and have cleaned it out fully so they now feel for instance safe enough to rest here and thus safe enough to spend boatloads of time taking 20, there is still the "living world" issue. If they stay an inordinately long time, like a couple extra days, then when they get back to town have things advanced two days. if your world ia alive and things happen in town and npcs change then they start having to think not of "whats two days if we get to take 20" but rather"well do i want to spend two days here in this smelly dungeon hoping for hidden loot or do i want to go back to town, catch up with Lawanda for some fun and try my luck at the gaming tables." or "is it worth spedning two more days here when Denoro and his minions are doing Oghma knows what in crockport while we root for a few hidden coins?"
if your dungeon features "static" npcs or if the adventure begins and ends with the dungeon, then you have set the stage for take-20 to be desirable.
if the mission is over and done i know my elf sorcerer wont normally abide sitting for a couple days to do extrenme searches.
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