Search markers / disarm markers

[Jalapenotrellis]

Does anyone have a link to what they use to mark who has searched and what has been disarmed? I think this could help when a quest has so many and may help with discrepancies.

[Count Mohawk]

I don't usually have a problem with Heroes backtracking and forgetting what's been found in a room. Most Quests don't have all that many Traps and/or Quest-noted Treasures to find, and my Heroes like to search for Treasure early and often, so 'missing' a search happens only very rarely.
For Found Trap markers I usually use the Skull tiles usually used to mark monster damage.
I imagine if I really needed to note that a trap had been disarmed (or triggered, for that matter), I would probably cross it off on my Quest Notes.

[j_dean80]

Could always use a pencil on the quest map to keep note. Write lightly and erase it after.

[Jalapenotrellis]

I don't usually have a problem with Heroes backtracking and forgetting what's been found in a room. Most Quests don't have all that many Traps and/or Quest-noted Treasures to find, and my Heroes like to search for Treasure early and often, so 'missing' a search happens only very rarely.
For Found Trap markers I usually use the Skull tiles usually used to mark monster damage.
I imagine if I really needed to note that a trap had been disarmed (or triggered, for that matter), I would probably cross it off on my Quest Notes.

Skull tokens sound nice. Good idea. However I will probably want to get something printed. Arts and crafts for me.

[Maurice76]

We employ the skull markers from Battle Masters for that purpose. When a Hero searches for traps, all found traps are marked with such a marker on the corresponding tile. We house-rule as well that one-off traps like Spear Traps aren't disarmed on a search (unlike the official rules state), only found.

As for what room has been searched for Traps and Treasure ... we do it by memory. Most maps are travelled through in a fairly linear fashion, so keeping track is usually easy - especially since my players tend to search for Treasure as soon as a room has been cleared. I expect that will change with more and more damaging traps, though . Nearly killed the Wizard the other day when he neglected to search for Traps and opened a Chest that was trapped with a poison needle, dealing 3 points of damage to him.

[Pancho]

I also use the skull markers, and like Maurice, we rule that spear traps have to be disarmed like any other trap.

In regards to searching for treasure, I thoroughly recommend the following house rule; each room is only allowed to be searched for once. A separate treasure search is permitted for each piece of furniture in the room, and the Hero has to be stood adjacent to the furniture piece.

There are so many reasons why this rule improves the game in my humble opinion;
- You don't have the headache of having to remember which Hero has searched which room.
- Greatly speeds up the game if only one search is allowed per basic room.
- Makes the Heroes compete with each other to be the first in a room or to a piece of furniture.
- removes the ambiguity about how treasure chests actually work in the game (never properly explained in EU rules).
- traps in chests, cupboards and other furniture is now more meaningful.

[Maurice76]

In regards to searching for treasure, I thoroughly recommend the following house rule; each room is only allowed to be searched for once. A separate treasure search is permitted for each piece of furniture in the room, and the Hero has to be stood adjacent to the furniture piece.

Yup, I am in full agreement with this. Initially I didn't enforce having to stand adjacent to it, but it makes traps surrounding furniture (in particular Chests) less meaningful if one doesn't enforce it.

[Jalapenotrellis]

So far it has seemed that traps in front of a chest are there if the chest is also trapped...so in a way takes care of itself without rule adjustments. Obviously the alternatives mentioned are also good ways to play.

[Pancho]

So far it has seemed that traps in front of a chest are there if the chest is also trapped...so in a way takes care of itself without rule adjustments. Obviously the alternatives mentioned are also good ways to play.

That situation will change soon no doubt. There are lots of chests that are trapped and only mention it in the notes, including special exploding chests and things like that. I've found that its a good idea to bed in vital house rules early, rather than spring them on players as the need arises. My players are rather suspicious of me

[Jalapenotrellis]

My players are suspicious of me too. I think it just goes with the territory in this kind of game since the DM calls the shots.