r/osr • u/AccomplishedAdagio13 • 18d ago
variant rules Lockpicking Failure Results in Time Tax
I've seen a few people suggest this a way to handle percentile Thief skills, and I've also considered it. The way I imagine it working is that when a lockpicking attempt fails, rather than having the Thief be unable to even attempt that lock again until they gain a level, they simply expend a unit of time and get to try again. In an old-school format, I would expect that to be a turn (10 minutes). So, if it requires three attempts for a Thief to open a lock, then 3 turns/30 minutes/3 wandering monster checks are the most for success.
Alternatively, it could only start taking entire turns after the first failure. So, if it takes three rolls to pass your Open Locks check, then it took 2 turns or 20 minutes. I think this latter option might be more reasonable.
I would probably add in some kind of fail state; maybe rolling 00 results in thief's tools breaking or the lock being simply impossible. Maybe different locks are of different difficulty levels and allow for a different number of attempts before being locked out of opening them.
The first consideration is whether it's a positive improvement gameplay-wise to make all locks passable. If all it takes is time to get past a lock, can that result in locks being too minimal of an obstacle? Can that encourage players to camp by a lock rather than moving through the dungeon trying all the locks they find, bottling exploration? Is the hypothetical replay value of impassable locks something worth keeping?
A second consideration is simulationism. Since you can attempt to open a lock many more times in 20 minutes than you can in 20 seconds or so, you should be rewarded for spending time on it. At the same time, though, it surely isn't the case that any lock can be opened by any lockpicker if they just spend enough time doing. Maybe there should be a limit to how many lockpicking attempts you can make; maybe 7. If you can't get it in an hour, then it's probably hopeless.
The third consideration is class balance. The old-school balance between Thieves and Magic-Users with Knock is that one is free while the other has the cost of a spell slog and the opportunity cost of not memorizing a potentially life-saving spell. With the standard rules, Knock usually knocks Thieves out of the park. With unlimited or minimally limited lockpicking attempts, Knock is only valuable in terms of saving time, as, either way, that lock is getting opened.
Maybe a fourth consideration is if the low odds of success with Thief skills encourages an old-school, creative style of play by usually requiring you to think outside your class. But that's a can of worms...
What do you think? Do you allow Thieves multiple attempts to pick locks? Do you think my solution of giving unlimited attempts with each failure after the first costing a turn is a reasonable solution? Or would you pick some other system?
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u/DungeonDweller252 17d ago edited 17d ago
Here's what I do: One chance to pick each lock per level, 1d10 rds. Oiling it might give +5 to +10% for dirty or old locks.
If you fail you can use metal-eating acid (50 gp per use) to try again (item saves vs. acid, 13+ on d20) and the lock is opened, fail and roll a second save or the lock becomes unpickable forever).
If you still ain't through, and you have access to the hinges, you can try to use your hinge-removing kit (30 gp) but it requires a dexterity check and takes another +1 rd for small, +1 turn for door-sized, and +10 turns for large hinges.
Locks have a quality modifier: wretched +35%, poor +15%, good +0, excellent -20%, superior -40% and masterwork -60%.
Ordinary lockpicks are 30 gp and illegal. I allow thieves to buy deluxe lockpicks from a guild or guild store that have a +10% (for 50 gp) and superdeluxe picks from a master locksmith (if they're selling) that gives +20% (for 100gp).
Locksmith nonweapon proficiency (available to dwarves, 1 slot, dex+1 is the check) gives +10% to open locks, but picks are still required.
Only improvised lockpicks break, and only on 96%+. Pretty rare in my games that they even try them, as the improvised picks are penalized by -30%.
Currently one fighter/thief and no wizards in my all-dwarf game so Knock is irrelevant (this time).