Search – The Binding Topic

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Just to be clear, the original post above isn't intended as a list of suggestions to modify the search rules, it is intended as a suggestion to completely replace the existing search rules, so whilst you may choose to try it or not, it is a complete mechanism for searching rather than a pick 'n' mix. I do generally prefer small tweaks to remove flaws, inconsistency and lack of clarity, but as I have said before in this particular area of the rules there are so many flaws that a small tweak for each one adds up to a greater change that a complete rewrite.

Of course those all sound nice, not so much to make the game any simpler, but they would certainly make the game EASIER.

if I recall correctly, only two types of traps do instant, unblockable damage (and only two leave a "permanent hazard" though one does leave a persistent hazard that can be later disarmed if desired). Heroes already have to roll dice to see if the other types of traps really do damage, and so you'd be giving them yet another chance to avoid damage (and even remove the trap, which is unnecessary in the case of all but the persistant hazard traps, meaning basically a Pit or Fallen Block trap and to a lesser extent the Swinging Axe trap).

Under Second Edition rules, if you search an area for traps, then the traps are found and either automatically "made safe" or in the case of the Falling Block and Pit, the corresponding feature is placed on the board (if they are placed as a result of a search then they don't do any damage, generally). Only if you choose to 'disarm' (i.e. remove these two features) them under Second Edition is there a risk of damage.

Under North American Edition rules, if you search an area for traps then the position (and in some cases the type) of any traps is revealed. You then get the choice as to whether to avoid, jump or disarm them. Attempting and failing to jump or disarm them leads to the trap being activated. This means that typically a trap gets activated on a failed jump (a skull so 50%) or a failed disarm (a skull so 50%).

My proposed rules above as standard you need a 5+ on a D6 to "detect and disarm" a trap so you fail 4/6 times (67%).
Also under North American edition rules if you search for and find a trap then you have the choice of letting someone else deal with it, maybe you have low BP and don't want to take that risk, under my rules if you search or just move onto the trap then you have to handle it so I'm not convinced that this would make the game easier across the board (although it might in certain circumstances, such as a trap behind a door that in the official versions is undetectable)

I do think that it makes the game simpler, replacing three different sets of "search" mechanisms under the North American edition, treasure, traps and secret doors each of which has slightly different 'criteria', on of which involves the treasure deck and two of which don't, one of which can only be done in rooms, the other two in both rooms or corridors, replacing all this with one unified consistent "search" mechanism seems simpler to me

As Zargon I am perfectly fine with reminding the heroes if they already searched a room, so there will never be a problem with having to search for traps or secret doors multiple times (except on those very rare quests where special rules limit searches, see Forsaken Tunnels of Xor Xel).

I don't think, and I'll check as there are quite a few flaws listed previously on this post, that I included searching for traps and secret doors multiple times as a problem.

A hero searching a room for treasure isn't going to trigger floor traps, only active furniture traps.

Are you saying that a hero can stroll around the room searching every nook and cranny for treasure without any risk whatsoever of stepping on a floor trap located in that room?

I don't require players to walk up to a piece of furniture to search it or obtain the treasure contained therein.

This is a rule edition difference, I play Second Edition when you do need to be adjacent to a chest (or door) to open it (or disarm a trap on it), you play North American edition where you don't need to be adjacent to a chest to open it (but you do need to be adjacent to a door to open it, and you do need to be adjacent to a trapped chest to disarm it, possibly...)

It is a very rare case (I think two instances come up, both within the Frozen Horror, which I consider to be errors due to lack of playtesting) where the Disarming function can be used to "cheat" and avoid a trap one might otherwise trigger if one had to use movement squares to reach the trap in question.

I don't know what you mean here, could you please provide a little more information on this point.

EQP & BQP are fond of the "undetectable" traps, but even there my one concession (not required by the base rules) is to say there is some sense of danger (without noting the specific square). This alerts them at least that they should probably be jumping squares, but there is no guarantee they will avoid the trap, it simply gives them another "chance" to avoid them, using an existing, and even planned mechanic from the draft notes. Most heroes don't think to use it, so I have yet to come across any "bunny hoppers." Rolling a white shield is rather difficult, so jumping two squares (in the hopes that they are not traps) is not much of a cheat, in my mind.

My issue with "blind jumping" and "double blind jumping" isn't so much that they are a cheat, just that they are unnecessary and inefficient.

Both the disarm and jump mechanisms are existing mechanisms, the difference is that the North American edition expanded heroes ability to jump (previously restricted to pits only in SE) so that it covered discovered but not yet disarmed or activated traps (because there was no other way under NA rules for heroes that were not the Dwarf or didn't have a tool kit to handle them), my version covers this same gap by extending "disarm" so that all heroes can use it. This avoids the need for heroes to jump detected but not activated traps, and squares that may or may not have a trap on them, and even double squares of which one or the other or both or neither may or may not hide traps (a situation that is possible on every square on the board). My mechanism is far simpler, step on the square, if there isn't a hidden trap then you carry on, if there is a hidden trap you get a chance to make it safe, fail and it is activated.

So yeah, you choose you how play, I don't think I'll implement any of those. The one idea I think appealed to me was the one where if you happen to step on the exact square of a secret door tile, you find it, but to me that simply removes the need to expend an action to search... that will just encourage heroes to walk around the perimeter of each room, and doesn't end up saving any real time. Most heroes I see just move through a room, they don't stop to maneuver around unless they are doing so in combat.

You are adding your assumption to my proposal, that it is intended to save time, and then disagreeing with your added assumption. The purpose of these proposed changes isn't to save time, it is to simplify, clarify and fix flaws within the existing search mechanism.

Occasionally I will get heroes who like to role play walking up to chests, but I have had the interesting fact of heroes regrouping to reduce the impact of Wandering Monsters. These packs LOVE to give them in multiples... so edging your hero into a corner, and the other heroes providing a protective screen (or at least bunching up in corridors) helps prevent them getting picked off and killed in this fashion (especially the poor Wizard!). That to me is just good strategy to beat what was put out before them. I could simply rewrite the quest to remove all the times they'd want to use that I suppose, but I'd rather see if they can win it the way it was written.

I agree it is a valid tactic, the issue that I have with this particular exploit is that it doesn't make sense. The monster cannot sneak up and attack me because I am boxed into a corner protected by a wall of heroes, fine, so how did I remain in that position of safety whilst searching the whole room?