Treasure/Trap Search

[Weltenlaeufer]

Hey everyone,

I wanna have the players create a basic dnd character with the basic attributes for every hero so I can roll certain tests when the situation requires.

I was thinking about having players roll a perception check once they search for treasure for example, so the treasure search becomes a bit less of an automatic outcome situation.

Does anyone here use a similar method for searches or does it clog up the gameflow?

[Maurice76]

I guess it depends on what the players in your group like. The simplicity of simply announcing the Search and then hear the result does keep the game flowing at a steady pace. Adding dice rolls will slow it down, but may add flavor too. We don't use any special rules, in any case, because our focus is on performing the Quest demands and the actual combat against the bad guys in the dungeon.

[Weltenlaeufer]

I guess it depends on what the players in your group like. The simplicity of simply announcing the Search and then hear the result does keep the game flowing at a steady pace. Adding dice rolls will slow it down, but may add flavor too. We don't use any special rules, in any case, because our focus is on performing the Quest demands and the actual combat against the bad guys in the dungeon.

Yeah thanks Maurice, I guess I gonna try it out and see how it flows. I kinda like the idea that a search doesnt automatically resulst in a reveal. Same with traps....so players are a bit more on their toes. Its a bit of a random element, which I like....lets see how it goes.

[mitchiemasha]

The card deck is the dice roll, sometimes good sometimes bad. And for traps, searching only tells you something looks suspicious, it's a caution. Rolling to jump it is the check. So it's already in the game, no need to add another roll!

The best idea is to limit treasure searches to 1 per room, plus item of furniture in it. A bookcase, treasure chest in a room, would get 3 treasure searches. I also add, if searching a room for treasure before searching for traps, if it features a trap, place the Hero on the trapped square.

It would of been a good idea to comment this in one of the many threads already, that way we could easily requote our replies/ideas so we don't have to keep repeating oursleves. It keeps everything organised and connected. Quite few of us here have already gone into a lot of details for why and what considering the searches. Other ideas like a dice roll could have progressed those pages. Others new would also get to see the build up.

[Weltenlaeufer]

The card deck is the dice roll, sometimes good sometimes bad. And for traps, searching only tells you something looks suspicious, it's a caution. Rolling to jump it is the check. So it's already in the game, no need to add another roll!

The best idea is to limit treasure searches to 1 per room, plus item of furniture in it. A bookcase, treasure chest in a room, would get 3 treasure searches. I also add, if searching a room for treasure before searching for traps, if it features a trap, place the Hero on the trapped square.

It would of been a good idea to comment this in one of the many threads already, that way we could easily requote our replies/ideas so we don't have to keep repeating oursleves. It keeps everything organised and connected. Quite few of us here have already gone into a lot of details for why and what considering the searches. Other ideas like a dice roll could have progressed those pages. Others new would also get to see the build up.

Oh that makes sense. Point taken, gotta check the search function

[Daedalus]

Hey everyone,

I wanna have the players create a basic dnd character with the basic attributes for every hero so I can roll certain tests when the situation requires.

I was thinking about having players roll a perception check once they search for treasure for example, so the treasure search becomes a bit less of an automatic outcome situation.

Does anyone here use a similar method for searches or does it clog up the gameflow?

I like this idea since automatically finding concealed elements is a shortcoming in a game of exploration, in my opinion. While I'm already OK with the randomness of the Treasure Card deck, I wish to add more gameplay with the search for traps and the search for secret doors. (I use the NA rules.) Though not yet playtested, I plan to implement this modification to the standard rules:

How A Hero* Searches For
Secret Doors
(*Does not apply to the Dwarf.)
x._♦XAs a Hero, you can only search for
xxx..secret doors if there are no monsters
visible to you.
x._♦XYou must first verbally declare your
xxx..search. Do so by saying, "I am
searching for secret doors," then roll 1
Combat Die. If you roll a skull, Zargon will
then disclose any secret doors located in
the room or corridor that you are in by
placing a secret door on the gameboard
square where the secret door is located.
If you roll either a Black or White Shield,
you find nothing. You may reroll if you don't
move or try again on future turns. Do not
move your Hero figure when you search.

How A Dwarf Searches For
Secret Doors
x._♦XAs the Dwarf, you can only search for
xxx..secret doors if there are no monsters
visible to you.
x._♦XYou must first verbally declare your
xxx..search. Do so by saying, "I am
searching for secret doors," then roll 1
Combat Die. If you roll anything but a black
shield, Zargon will then disclose any secret
doors located in the room or corridor that
you are in by placing a secret door on the
gameboard square where the secret door is
located. If you roll a Black Shield, you find
nothing. You may reroll if you don't move
or try again on future turns. Do not move
your Hero figure when you search.

The same Combat Die mechanic is intended for the Search For Traps action. The Dwarf's superior chances for success are inspired by the UK box and Advanced Quest wall chart information for the Dwarf: "A doughty and fearful warrior with a keen eye for secret doors and traps." Apparently, this kind of advantage was edited out from the prototype game, possible a result of Jervis Johnson's later input for streamlined gameplay.

Since adding an extra roll for both search for traps and Search for secret doors will slow down exploration, some kind of time pressure is needed to force Heroes to consider the value of rolling new attempts. (Rerolls in the same turn can be sped up by rolling 2 Combat Dice together.) An Evil Wizard deck with negative events can help with this as Zargon is more likely to draw a card on these future turns. The time pressure I plan to use puts the Monster Card deck into play with Wandering Monster patrols:

Begin a Quest with the Monster Cards as a face-down deck behind the Information Screen. If no Heroes are in a room or corridor with a monster at the start of M/Z's turn, draw a Monster Card. If the card matches the Wandering Monster for the Quest, place the matching figure on the gameboard just out of view of the Heroes, either immediately or else on the first possible M/Z turn. This patrolling Wandering Monster may move/attack as normal.

If the drawn monster instead matches the color-type of the Wandering Monster's plastic figure, place it's card next to the Monster Card deck. Should the Wandering Monster card be drawn later, one additional Wandering Monster for each of these cards is also placed and moved as part of the Wandering Monster patrol.

Other Monster Cards are returned to the bottom of the deck after drawing them, but shuffle all the Monster Cards together after the Wandering Monster is drawn. If new Monster Cards are introduced, a like number of standard Monster Cards should generally be swapped out.