Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DMDaddy 10-05-06, 06:39 PM	The DMG gives lots of good ideas on doors but it also says whatever the imagination can think of. I've never cared too much about a detailed description of doors. So, 1. How do you utilize/use doors in your dungeons? 2. What special doors have you designed? 3. What was fun in door design for the players? 4. Anything else about door I should know? Me, I've never focused too much on doors. They have always been "just" doors. Sometimes I do describe elaborate doors, but very rarely. I think doors can add to the experience, but have never really taken much effort to use them.
Seeker95 10-05-06, 09:25 PM	1. I use lots of them. Secret, concealed, regular, etc. And almost all doors in my dungeons open only one direction, making for some fun in determining how easily escape through a door can be. Opening a door toward you is a standard action. Opening a door away from you can be done as part of your move action. (House rule) 2. This might be kinda like above. But some of the other door types I have include: Vertical doors - slide up into ceiling. Vertical hinge top - pushes through like a doggy door. Vertical hinge bottom - pushes down like a drawbridge. Center hinge - a revolving door. 3. Special doors usually require special circumstances. Like the directiona door opens is important mostly in trying to escape or block it. As such, the "specialness" of it is dependent upon the entire encounter. Then again, that is the key to every game element!
DMDaddy 10-06-06, 04:23 PM	I guess most DMs just use doors of no special variety. You know, -wooden, stone, or iron -either locked, trapped, reinforced, barred, magically sealed, and/or stuck However, the DMG says "more than just mere entrances" even suggesting that they be handled as encounters. How have some of you DMs done this in the past? Here's some of the ideas presented in the DMG. festooned with carvings; gargoyles, leering faces, carved words. some might have a lock with no key; combination of nearby levers, right symbol must be pressed on a keypad, riddle carved on the door requesting answer Secret switches, hidden levers Some may speak to explorers, or need special keys My first 3.5 Door/Encounter: 1. A circular stone door 10' wide and tall. 1ft thick, must be rolled to the left on tracks. On the wall around the door are ancient Orc symbols: "keep your hands off" (Knowledge arcana or religion DC20 and must speak orc.) On the door are several Orc head carvings with opened mouths (handles for rolling the door). In order to open the door, either break it DC 32 Hardness 8 hp180, or, roll it by the orc head handles (Fortitude DC16 1d6 piercing damage). The object of this encounter (door) is to make the characters think it's dangerous to stick their hands in the orc mouth handles. Does anyone else want to contribute to this discussion?
bruiserdeck 10-06-06, 06:41 PM	that sounds cool... but personaly as a player... i hate when a DM puts in an encounter that feels thrown in for the characters. what i mean is. if this is some sort of orc temple why would they have a door that doesnt really make sence to the average inhabitants? would it make sence for the primary means of opening the door include inflicting damage on the standard patrons? if opening the door was some kind of ritual and the pain is some kind of sacrifice, would it make sence for the door to say "keep your hands off." I may not have all the facts and you can of course run your campeign how ever you like. but personaly and in the eyes of many savey players these kinds of details are the difference between a DM making stuff up as they go along and creating an immersive world in which the players are a part of tht world, central characters in the story but still part of a bigger world.