Lockpicking minigame! | D&D Homebrew 

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"minimum 60 seconds to pick" *Lock picking lawyer has entered chat*

Personally, I'd like to have the durations in 6 seconds increments so that it can be easily used in combat as well. But it is a fun addition nonetheless

This is in line with Sid Meier’s "A game is a series of interesting choices". I like it.

I shared this video with my group and they loved it. The only feedback that might make it better was having to roll 1d6 at a time and having to spend rerolls immediately on a 1 to build tension. There was also the suggestion that 2 rolls of a 1 in a row could cause a lock pick to break.

A change to make the system more combat friendly: Roll one dice each turn. A 1 resets your progress and forces you to start over. If you roll a 6 you get to roll the next dice in the same turn for free. Rerolls can be used either to reroll a 1 or to continue to roll the next dice in the same turn. Two ones in a row and it becomes tamper evident, 3 in a row it's jammed and can't be opened even with the key.

When my group first started playing, we didn't realize that you needed thieves tools to pick locks, we just went with regular lock picks. Even then, our party forgot to bring some into our first dungeon. So of course I manage to find a rusty nail on the ground and somehow manage to use that to pick most of the locks in the dungeon. Now that we know more how lockpicking works, I can't use the nail on more complex locks. But i can still use it on simple locks with disadvantage. My "Trusty Rusty Nail" as we've come to call it, still picks locks 😂

Just wanna say, i like how wholesome your videos and your style are. I gotta be honest, at first I didn´t like your way of presenting, but now i find it very relaxing. Thx for your videos :)

“5e lockpicking has no tension” I see what you did there

I like this, although I might change from the "number of sneak attack dice" to "number equal to your proficiency bonus". Yes it's not scaling with levels in Rogue specifically, but it fits in with the way Wizards is doing subclasses nowadays better.

While the books don't give an explicit listing of how long picking a lock takes in the general rules I count it as the use an object action. The main reason I do this is because Thief and Arcane Trickster can explicitly do it as a bonus action, and most of the stuff they can do as a bonus action is normally an action. I also don't want other rogues to require 10-60 seconds when 2 rogue subclasses can pick locks in a split second. It also seems weird to me that a rogue with proficiency and potentially expertise doesn't have any advantage on getting a success initially on the first roll. So a level 1 fighter with no proficiency or dexterity mod has the same chance as a level 20 rogue with expertise and reliable talent to unlock a DC 30 lock on the first attempt.

D20 player discovers D6-systems for the first time.

Gotta say I just discovered your channel as someone who used to play D&D back in high school and college (I'm in my 40's now) and wanting to get back into it and I love the channel so far... Also, I'm actually a locksmith of almost 16 years, who specialized in antique and historic lock opening, keymaking, and restoration, (as well as industrial and physical security testing) and this system makes more sense than pretty much anything else I've seen for "picking locks" in games... because that's kinda how it works IRL... You CAN break stuff if you don't know what you're doing, (ESPECIALLY with antique locks) you can even break stuff if you DO know what you're doing.... and then it's GOING to take more time, and some professional level knowledge and the right tools, to even get the lock open, or repair any damage, because you're dealing with a broken lever spring, or a pick that broke off that now you have to extract before you can even make another attempt... Well done!!!! .

This highlights a homebrew i incorporated... magic Tools. Everything from enchanted for speed to +1/+2/+3 tools.

This is awesome. I’ve always had an issue with just, rolling a d20 for something that should be interesting. I am DEFINITELY saving this. Thanks Bob!

Man, Oblivion's lockpicking was brilliant.

Damaged lock, cast mending. Add a chance not to notice, or non-jamming damage (scratches on the lock plate)?

Lockpicking is simplified but I don't think there is any need to overcomplicate it in a standard game. It's not fun but it gets out of the way fast. Your system is fun but has several problems that will show up later. Such as anyone who isn't a rogue being terrrible at lockpicking due to only having 1 reroll and any rogue being a God as soon as level 5 with 4 rerolls. A lvl 5 rogue here can break a DC 30 lock easy in this system, all he needs is to roll 4 or less 1's in 10 d6's and math says that is very likely. Meanwhile anyone who is not a rogue always has a hard time. I also don't understand the sneak attack damage loss optional rule by picking a lock, feels gamey: "I had trouble picking this lock so now I can't backstab?" It also removes progression as a lvl 20 shadow monk is as good at lockpicking as a lvl 1 as he still only has 1 reroll from his tools. One fix would be to increase the difficulty of locks by more d6's for higher levels (10d6 to 12d6 locks should be a thing) and allow a number of rerolls equal to proficiency so the characters actually get better. Rogues or PC's with expertise use double proficiency instead for twice the rerolls. Finaly remove the sneak attack rerolls those just mean only rogues can lockpick and everyone else should just sit out.

This is a great idea Bob! I’ve been DMing since 1981 and picking locks has always been a bugbear of mine. Excellent work.

I've been watching lockpickinglawyer for about 5 years now. I can pick locks now. True story. Turning tool plus pin poker equals success... or a rake. Rakes are cool too.

I am digging the live demo aspect included in this video; don't just tell, but show.

I think the best part of this is the addition of obvious tampering. I’m so used to seeing pass/fail & breaking tools, all of which stop the encounter with the lock entirely if they fail. This however is a good sensible negative consequence that allows the encounter to continue

Love your idea and I'm shamelessly adopting it for my Pathfinder (1st ed.) campaign. In Pathfinder I'm basing the number of rerolls on a Disable Device check and maybe some specific feats the players have chosen. I notice that you reroll the 1's per single die. I did some math and maybe it is more interesting to reroll all dice. This makes sense from a roleplay perspective (you have to fiddle back all tumblers after a failed attempt) and a mechanical stance as well. A DC30 lock with 6 tumblers should be a challenge. A rogue who can reroll a 1 three times has a chance to succeed of 95%; rerolling all dice limits this to 80%. I hope this tweak makes the minigame still interesting at higher levels.

Nearly 40% of your goal in 4 hours, awesome! I'll definitely be sharing this video, I love the mini game!

I love this. I think I might say that someone working without thieves tools (the equipment, not the proficiency) needs to roll d4s instead of d6s.

1000 likes in 24hrs, looks like your community and reach continue to grow Bob, which is just great to see.

Someone who is proficient in thieves tools doesn't always have to be a rouge. I suggest this alternative for the minigame. If you are trying to pick the lock, you get no re-rolls. If you have thieves tools, you get 1 re-roll. If you are proficient with thieves tools, you can re-roll an additional number to times equal to your proficiency modifier. You get a success if you roll a 3 or higher on the dice roll. If its a 2 or 1, then you get a failure and you have to re-roll.

Great idea! This definitely solves some problems with the D&D lock picking as it is.

Hello Bob, great video and topic. Mini games are always fun. @1:54 you make a great point about there being no tension with lock picking. I wished you would have covered that list. 5e is so broad and open that's what makes it so attractive, anything can happen. Thanks Bob you have a wonderful day!

I really like this method for lockpicking! My only concern is with the re-rolls and proficiency. In my mind, proficiency with thieves tools would mean you are trained and less likely to have problems from the beginning. Using it as a re-roll mechanic means that whether or not you are trained or untrained, the odds are the same to initially pick the lock. Personally I would rather have the character roll the d6 from thieves tools proficiency WITH the original attempt (in this case 4d6 + 1d6 for Thieves Tools) and drop the lowest result. This would demonstrate they are a bit better than your average Joe and are more consistent with the initial lockpicking attempt! Either way though great video Bob! I love this homebrew change!

At first, I thought this was going to be adding more dice mechanics just for a single action. Glad I kept watching because this is great! More dice in a single roll that's easy to read and packed with drama. Nice!

Love it! Two small suggestions: Instead of multiples of 10 seconds, maybe multiples of 6/rounds? That way it can blend into combat more easily. I'm imagining a scenario where the rest of the party has to defend the rogue while they furiously try to pick the lock to get out of there, one d6 per round! And secondly, maybe a specific note that expertise with thieves' tools gives you two rerolls? The rogue in my party is so excited about this, thanks for making a great tool!

I know this is unrelated but your videos really help me through when I have anxiety, the way you explain things and are always smiling makes me think you're the Bob Ross of D&D

The only problem I have with this is the same problem I have with most dice pool systems -- the more dice you roll, the more likely you'll end up with a given number, like a 1. I would rule that 6s cancel out 1s just for speedier gameplay. If all the 1s are eliminated, no rerolls are required. But I love what you do on your channel. Alternate rules, real-world testing and step-by-step lair-building are why I come here. That, and your laid-back attitude is very calming.

Love this idea and love "games within games" in 5e. Another excellent video, Bob.

I really enjoyed watching this week’s „lock picking“ video. I especially like the idea of rolling for each pin of the lock cylinder individually and thus bringing the lock-picking event to the next level. That’s great! Thank you so much! However, I am under the impression, that with the re-rolling allowed, it might turn out that the success-rate increases significantly. And there is even more influence possible for lock-picking within the rule books (e. g. expertise, proficiency, tools). Especially intelligence, since it’s first of all important to understand how a lock works before trying to pick it. Another idea is to allow any character-class a lock-picking try, but give significant advantages to the rogue-class. So here’s a draft of an extension for the lock-picking mini-game, which I have written a small piece of Java-code for in order to verify the success ratio by simulating with several millions of test iterations and different settings. Maybe later I will define some WebUI to allow playing around with the numbers. The key features are: * Use a d20 instead of d6 for the pins (allows for more adjustability). * Reuse the pin-base of 5 for difficulty-class, as you suggested. * Add attribute values for intelligence and dexterity to influence the outcome. * Add proficiency bonus (rogues only) * Add rogues expertise * Add a significant success-bonus when using tools. * Allow for re-rolls iterations based on proficiency (only for the rogue-class, this will increase with levels of experience) -------------------------------- STEP-BY-STEP Here are the steps (where the outcome of 1-4 normally won’t change, so pre-sum it): 1) Identify the bonus for the d20-rolls starting with 0 2) add the sleight-of-hand bonus, including dexterity (within the list of skills), e. g. +5 3) if thief-tools are available, add a (fixed) bonus of +4 4) if the character has expertise with using the tools, add +2 5) roll an intelligence-check on the DC of the lock in order to try understanding, how this specific lock works. Apply Intelligence- and proficiency bonuses if applicable. When under time-pressure, do on disadvantage, if plenty of time is given, do on advantage a) natural 1: -4 b)on failure: -1 c)on success: +1 d) natural 20: +4 6) calculate the roll-bonus total (1-5), then subtract that total from 21 (20 sided die plus 1, that is), this is the success-level for the individual rolls on the pins. Minimum outcome is limited to 2, maximum to 19 (success and failure should be guaranteed by 1 or 20). 7) roll a d20 for each pin of the lock. The roll succeeds, where greater or equal to the level calculated in 6). If any roll fails, the lock won’t open. 8) when the attempt failed, the character (rogues only) may now re-roll according to the proficiency bonus. (This has great impact on the success-probability) 9) a lock can get jammed, when a certain amount of failures occur. However, a lock of DC0-10 cannot get jammed, for it’s to simple. A lock of DC10 and higher gets jammed, when 2 or more failures occur. A proficiency-re-roll slot can be used for unjamming a lock (thus, reducing the total of the rerolls by 1). Roll against success-level calculated in step 6) -------------------------------- USE-CASE Here is an example using the stats of a young rogue („Gene“) within my DnD group. She has a dexterity of 17 (+3 bonus). Gene owns thief’s-tools (+4) and has expertise in using it (+2). Furthermore, she is skilled in „sleight of hands“ (+2). This is step 1-4: roll-bonus is 11 so far. This one stays constant until leveling up or loosing the tools etc. Gene has intelligence 15 (+2 bonus) and does the intelligence check on DC15 with another +2 for proficiency. Therefore any roll of 11 or higher succeeds. Given a success adds another +1 to the roll-bonus: it would be 12 now, actually (21-12=9) rolling a minimum of 9 for each pins in the first line would already allow for success. With 3 rolls required for a DC15 lock, this calculates to an initial success-rate of 21,6% without re-rolls (this might seem low given a lock of DC15 and a quite skilled rogue). Nevertheless when taking the 2 re-rolls into account, that Gene would possibly do, this leverages to an approximate 60% success rate (based on the 10m iterations I did for testing). When applying the "unjam" first, the overall success would be around 50%, which I find suitable for a DC15 lock and a to some extend still unexperienced Rogue. This would result in making the lock picking a „rogue-thing“ again, for the rogue’s probability of success outnumbers the attempt of any other character class due the bonuses and re-roll options he/she receives. However it is not an impossible task to solve for a, say, fighter or wizard (the latter having advantages due to his/her most likely higher intelligence). -------------------------------- even MORE USE-CASES (average success-percentages calculated with 1 million iterations each): with the same attributes as above only changing the lock DC results in the following overall success-probabilities: DC-05: 92% DC-10: 77% DC-15: 49% DC-20: 34% DC-25: 19% DC-30: 11% same given an intelligance of 10 "only" (... noticed the slight impact of the lesser int-attribute value especially at higher difficulty grades...? ): DC-05: 92% DC-10: 75% DC-15: 47% DC-20: 29% DC-25: 16% DC-30: 9% same, returning to intelligence 15 but without tools (see: almost impossible to open complex locks without tools...): DC-05: 79% DC-10: 46% DC-15: 20% DC-20: 8% DC-25: 2% DC-30: 1% a non-rogue-class with intelligence 15 and dexterity of 17 (as Gene) having tools (statement is: these guys can only pick simple locks to some extend if they have tools ... otherwise leave it to the expert...): DC-05: 39% DC-10: 15% DC-15: 4% DC-20: 1% DC-25: 0% DC-30: 0% if the above character would not have tools (...horrific ... though probability is never exact to zero, but VERY unlikely to be honest when it comes to DC15+ ...) : DC-05: 19% DC-10: 3% DC-15: 1% DC-20: 0% DC-25: 0% DC-30: 0% a level 15 rogue instead, having pushed dexterity to 20 and having a proficiency bonus of 5 using tools (...even difficult locks are now within reach, but not easy-peasy ...): DC-05: 99% DC-10: 95% DC-15: 87% DC-20: 72% DC-25: 55% DC-30: 41% -------------------------------- WRAP-UP So all in all, you have a decent chance for an adequate outcome based on a whole bunch of parameters, still allowing for „surprises“, if the DC5-lock keeps shut when the rogue actually failed to understand how this one is working. Maybe at this point, the group’s wizard still can do the job :-) Thanks for reading 'til here :-) Maybe this is of benefit to the community. Greetings from Germany and enjoy the weekend.

Just subscribed cuz you feel like you have the exact kind of tips and tricks I want to make my first campaign as a DM as fun and unique as possible. Thanks!

This is a great mini game. Simple, has consequences. I'm using it!

I've made my thief keep and buy lockpicks and, like ES, they break lockpicks when they fail. I like this A LOT more.

Interesting that you claim 5e has a bunch of math (literally adding 3 numbers) but then you have a full table to pick the lock for your version( dc/5 then add the d6s to the mix then for a chance of 1 on the d6 you add having to unjam the lock ect). 5e makes this much simpler than your version so I'm not sure the benefits of your system in this instance.

Hey Bob, I'm new to being a Dungeon Master and you're videos have been such a great help. I plan on using this next session. Thank you!

As a lockpicking hobbyist, I can absolutely appreciate this system! If I were to take it one dimension deeper (I am, watch this), I'd even go so far as to designate which tools are present in the thieves' tools set. Since a simple lockpicking toolset includes a turning tool, a rake, and some fashion of hook pick at the bare minimum, I'd give the potential picker the option to choose a rake for a quick attack on a DC10 and below "lock", defining "lock" as anything other than a simple hook and latch that - as was illustrated - can just be mechanically lifted out of the lock position. This would give the picker the added benefit of cutting down on time if successful, since raking is the basic "quick and dirty" method for opening simple locks like padlocks. Locks with, say, five or more tumblers would require the use of individually picking each tumbler to the shear line in order to achieve a successful pick, and would obviously consume more time in order to successfully pick the lock, which further adds to the tenuous situation of losing precious seconds before the guard comes patrolling around the corner or the time-delayed trap is sprung on the mechanism, etc. But, assuming none of the player characters are The Lockpicking Lawyer or Bosnian Bill, I think adding this dimension allows the player to really feel like they're working the lockpick inside the lock and the clock is ticking, so quick decisions have to be made, and there's left very little margin for error lest there be consequences! For what it's worth, this video earned you my subscription! Thanks for posting, and I'll be watching all your videos!

One nice thing about lockpicking is we have a very good picture of what lockpicking looks like in the real world. It's an advantage we don't have as easily in say, hacking challenges, especially in future or alien systems. It's always possible that locks are suitably alien in your setting, but if they are like real world locks I would say we can take a few easy ideas to help ground our game design. 1. Locks can be picked very quickly. It may take a long time to pick a very complex lock, but a simple, familiar design one may take a relatively experienced locksmith just a few seconds. Easily within 1 round of combat. 2. More complex locks definitely add time as well as complexity. You accounted for this, that's great, but maybe over estimate how long a lock will take. 3. Retries also vary in time according to that same difficulty. If you have to stop and try again on that easy lock that normally takes 4 seconds per attempt, that is a lot faster than trying again on a complex lock requiring a lot of precision and foreknowledge. A single reattempt may take a full minute in that case, but it might take far less.

Another gem from Bob "Ross" Worldbuilder I'll be implementing into my games.

As someone who knows how to lock pick. Its actually one of my favorite minigames to play in video games

Cool - I'm gonna borrow some concepts here. Basically, mine would be a series of contests. How I would setup - # of dice and what type of dice. A simple lock is a 1d4, a medium lock might be 3d6, and a hard lock would be 5d8. The game is to roll a number exactly to what the DM rolled, with exceptions. So, on a 3d6 lock, the DM rolls a 1, 3, and 6; the lock picker must also try to roll a 1, 3, and 6. Any "rerolls" take time figuring out the tumblers. Proficiency in theives' tools, you get a spread on those numbers equal to the player's proficiency bonus. So you don't have to roll exactly a 1 - at level 1, you could roll a 1, 2, or 3 and apply it to the DM's 1.

I like the idea of making lockpicking more interesting. This level of complexity for a mechanic that unlocks a lock doesn't appeal to me.

PIn and tumbler locks are about 2000-ish old, but not mass produced as they are today. So there were a lot of variations on lock designs. The picker has to determine if they recognize the nature of the lock (possibly even the maker specifically) then how to defeat that lock, and then employ tools and experience/skill to defeat the lock. The Open Organization of Lockpickers may be the best resource on locks and lock attacks - and the DefCon lockpicking village the best place for crash courses on most locks.

Never thought about this, and though I'd probably change the system up slightly, thanks for giving me a great structure to springboard off!

This is awesome because it's so simple and engaging! Thanks a lot for the material. 👍🏾

For what it is worth, I was about to like this video BEFORE being incentivized to do so. Cool idea!

This is a great mechanic! I would add a few other possible modifications that would add uniqueness to each lockpick, along the sneak attack dice consumption and limit of rerolls per short rest. * The DM could rule that difficult locks (maybe ones with magic) are actually d4s, and easier ones (simple locks for rogues of a certain level) are d8s - d4s having a higher rate of failure * Some locks could also require a higher result on the d6 to be considered a success. Maybe after each reroll, one extra number becomes a failure (I picked this up from another comment actually). Anyway, if anyone has got any feedback on this I'd love it!

LOVE the reroll opportunities provided by the sneak attack dice. Can't wait to test this out!

Thanks! I've been thinking lately about how I can modify lockpicking to make it more of a minigame, but I would never have come up with something this fun and unique!

A really great mechanism. Thanks for the idea. I've adapted the concept for Foundry VTT using it's "Card Stack" system instead of rolling dice. Gives a huge amount of flexibility to create a separate deck for each player - if there is time! Characters draw Success or Failure cards from their shuffled deck. Same principle as the video with respect to overcoming mechanisms in the lock based on DC etc. Just now adding additional cards like Delay (lose a success card), Broken Lock, Open Lock (just springs open!) and so on. Not too complex but adds a little tension for sure.

Great idea and wonderful way to challenge the community

I like this idea, I had a similar problem with it being too simple for my taste in the past and I came up with this idea at the time: Every lock has a DC and a Damage State. The DC of the lock remains static but the Damage State makes things tougher (or easier if you're clever). All locks also have a jammed range. For the players rolling, they roll 1d20 and add their prof bonus + a reroll if they have proficiency with thieves tools. The DM can also grant special bonuses depending on player creativity. Locks have 5 states, 1 being undamaged and perfect while 5 is near impossible to function. Jamming makes the damaged state go up by 1. A lock at 5 cannot be opened with a key or pick. Example: Lock DC 18, Jammed Range 1-5, Damaged State 2. Player with TT proficiency rolls a 14+3 but chooses to reroll to get a 17+3 and opens the lock. It's not a simplified version but I like it and the group I mainly run for really likes minigames like this I just haven't had a chance to use it in their current story arc.

Love this.def will try and use this.

That lock picking mini game was so hard for me as a child. Haha I remembered my frustration like it was yesterday when I heard that Oblivion audio. Haha

Last night I was looking at the jump rule thinking it was pretty boring. Then I looked at various homebrew approahe and thought the mechanics got complicated. I changed my tune and decided simple resolution is probably best. Same may apply here with locks. Or maybe have simple resolution for run of the mill locks, but have a special set of mechanics for special occassions.

I freaking loved this!!

I really like the idea of spicing up lockpicking so that things can be a bit more interesting, and your way of doing so is great. I have noticed a few small things, though: - What happens if the party cleric uses guidance to help the rogue which grants an extra d4 to any ability check? - What if the lockpicker has a bardic inspiration die? - What happens if the player has advantage on their lockpicking check? - If a lock has DC40, it's quite plausible you could achieve no 1s, especially with several rerolls, on 8d6. How many times has your party's sorcerer rolled well on lightning bolt? To avoid just raising problems without discussions solutions, here are some ways I'd solve this. - If you have guidance, you can roll a d4 in place of one of your lockpicking d6's (After the d6 has been rolled). - If you have bardic inspiration, you can roll their dice in place of one of your lockpicking d6's (After the d6 has been rolled) - If you have advantage, you just roll an extra d6 for every d6 you roll and take the higher. (you'd have to be deliberately roll each d6 so you can tell it's been rolled with advantage) - Establish a "Max lockpicking check" number for each character that equals their highest possible lockpicking check. This equals 20 + their Thieves' Tools check bonus. Any lockpicking DC that is 5 past this number is impossible for the player. What do you think?

Since you can also get Thieves Tool proficiency from Artificer class, custom backgrounds, and a few Feats, I would suggest having additional re-roll dice equal to proficiency modifier. Maybe Rogues get re-roll dice = Dex mod + Prof mod. The Sneak Attack(SA) dice equal re-roll changes is cool, but ignores all the other ways non-rouge characters can get Thieves Tool proficiency. So if I did that I would reward a player that went into the Thief subclass with that massive bonus, and not have SA= re-rolls for every Rouge subclass. Everything else about your Lock-picking mini-game I like, nice idea!

I have a better idea for tension. One of the wonderful things about lockpicking is the variety of pins around, such as trap pins. You can instead have ranges based on the difficulty , where the easiest can be no 1s, and harder ones can be, tumblr 1 is 2-3, tumblr 2 is 3-6, tumblr etc etc etc

Won't lie this is a nerdy ass topic ... AND I LOVE IT! I learned to pick locks several years ago after watching them do it the tv series Limitless. When can we get a fan play with Bob dnd raffle going?

Oh I love this method! So stealing this for a future campaign.

You got to add suspense. Players love to panic

This was really cool ! Love the d6 stuff , harkens back to BX. I also like how ICRPG does it , with the hearts system ,‘gradually “hacking away” at the lock’s heart rating. Combine that with the timer threat die could really build tension !

Love it. Makes it fun.

I do going to use this in my story. Thanks for the fun idea

Very cool idea, I think I will try this the next time my rogue player is trying to pick a lock.

I like this. A bunch of comments have some really great contributions. Here’s my take that probably needs work… 1 die per tumbler (5 DC per tumbler) Must roll a 4 or higher to succeed at the tumbler 1s jam the tumbler leaving scratch marks showing tampering, 1s require thieve’s tools to unjam and two re-rolls of 4 or higher. Rolling two or more 1s on the same tumbler jams the lock, two successes per 1 required. Rolling another 1 on a tumbler resets successes for that tumbler. (Example below.) 2s and 3s are not successes, 2s and 3s require re-rolls, 2s and 3s do not count as successes to overcome a 1. A character not proficient with thieve’s tools uses a d4 per tumbler, 1 tumbler per round if in combat A character proficient with thieve’s tools uses a d6 per tumbler, 1 tumbler per round if in combat A character with expertise with thieve’s tools uses a d6 per tumbler, 2 tumblers per round if in combat (one tumbler at a time) Re-rolls: a character gains one re-roll for each +1 to Dex, a character proficient with thieves tools gains a number of additional re-rolls equal to their proficiency modifier, a character with expertise with thieve’s tools gains an additional number of re-rolls equal to twice their proficiency modifier. Re-roll count is per lock, once out of re-rolls for a lock may try again on that lock after completing a long rest. Re-roll count example: a level 20 Rogue with 20 dex and expertise with Thieve’s tools would have 17 re-rolls per lock per long rest (5 from the +5 Dex modifier, 12 from the doubled +6 Proficiency Bonus for Expertise with Thieve’s Tools). Example continued: DC 30 lock, 6 tumblers. Tumbler 1 - rolls a 6 (success), Tumbler 2 - rolls a 5 (success), Tumbler 3 - rolls a 4 (success), Tumbler 4 - rolls a 3 (requires a re-roll), rolls a 2 (requires another re-roll), rolls a 4 (success) Tumbler 5 - rolls a 1 (requires re-rolls until two successes of 4 or higher), rolls a 3 (requires a re-roll), rolls a 4 (one of two needed successes, continue re-rolling), rolls a 2 (requires a re-roll), rolls a 1 (successes reset, now requires 4 successes of 4 or higher to proceed), rolls a 6 (one of four needed successes), rolls a 5 (second of four), rolls a 3 (still need two more successes), rolls a 4 (third of four), rolls a two (still need one more success), rolls a 6 (forth success after two 1s, ready to move on) Tumbler 6 - rolls a 2 (requires a re-roll), rolls a 5 (success, the lock is picked) I’m tired but I think that required eleven re-rolls. Yes, a high level Rogue should be able to successfully pick a mundane lock eventually in my opinion. Most of us aren’t playing at that level so fewer re-rolls are going to be available. If that is too much use fewer tumblers. If we don’t want something lock-picked, secure it with something other than a lock otherwise a lock is an obstacle that requires time to resolve. Any lock can be gotten passed eventually. That’s my take on combining all the ideas and criticisms I read.

I'm not using your system, but it inspired me to build my own. Thanks, Bob!

"I failed to pick the lock, can I roll again?" Haha lockpicking needs some lifeblood and you are giving it!

Great idea! I’m going to be using this for sure!

Good thing you didn't start with Morrowind! 😜 Cool mechanic! I like the incorporation of sneak attack dice, nice touch.

This looks fun. Rerolls absolutely need to be limited use. You're so chill

I suppose the main problem with this would be the scenario of a really high level rogue being simply unable to speed pick a relatively complex lock. Trying to escape and need to unlock a door? No chance - it will always take at least a minute and your enemy will be upon you. That may well be more realistic for most instances but you only have to look at the lockpicking lawyer to see how fast skilled lock pickers can be.

Fun idea! I've always felt that locks are way too abundant in DnD. I realize that DnD isn't real life; but abundant locks is one of those things that itches in the back of my mind. If I used this system, I'd definitely make sure that my locks weren't overly common or ridiculously complex. I also feel that the Artificer should be every bit as good at picking locks as the Rogue. Artificers should have Reliable Talent (tools).

I really like this change, definitely adds more tension to Lock-picking and can really be modified so can work in variety of situations. One suggestion for time it takes is to use the Rounds/Turns mechanic that combat uses depending on where you are at, as well as increasing/decreasing die size for tension. "Oh, your in a dungeon where you never know if a monster is going to catch you, you die changes from a D6 to D4, D3, or even a D2." There are many ways to make this more dynamic, this is also something you could take from PbtA engine, where you start adding yes-buts, or no-buts, to the number of of success vs failures, and whither.

Your ideas are too fantastic, Bob. That's why your challenges get blown out of the water! I have one recommended addition: critical successes. Each 6 you roll reduces the time it takes you to pick the lock. This allows players to choose to reroll their successes for potentially better results and adds a bit of risk as well because those non-one rerolls could turn into ones from rushing the lock. That might interfere with the "rerolling takes more time" rule, though. Perhaps they can choose to use their rerolls _before_ rolling the initial die required. For example, when a character picks a lock that requires 2 die to roll, they preemptively roll 4 die, hoping to get an extra 6 or two to pick the lock in a single action. Doing so also risks a higher chance of rolling a failure as well. As far as risk verse reward go, it's probably not a great strategy (since critical success and failure have the same odds), but it could be an interesting change that emphasizes the delicate art of picking a lock verses forcing it.

This is a fantastic rework!

1k in the entire month? Broooo we want that pdf. Shoot for the sky with 10k next time and it might take a week lol. Great job on this system I am gonna give it a try for sure

This is a cool idea. Thanks for sharing.

One thing that DM's often forget is that they don't have to have just key locks. They can have puzzle locks, they can have multiple locks. They can have sequence locks the rogue has to figure out. Pressure plate Locks that you have to figure out the right weight to put on it to unlock. They can have trapped locks and doors that the player has to keep a look out for. Being a Rogue is being at least a bit schooled in all of these kinds of things. Get your Rogue's involved in more than just a little turning of a key lock. Lock Picking is not tied to a single stat. Give your Rogue a reason to have more than just Dexterity and Con as their stats and ignore everything else. Give them reason to have wisdom, Intelligence, Or perhaps even Strength. These are all the kinds of things you used to find in old shool D&D. As much as many people complain about how bad old school did things. They have a lot of hidden gems hidden in some of that stuff. Specially combined with the reduced Stat Locking of the newer systems.

Love this. The only thing I'd change (I know you said it's optional) is limiting the number per rest. One of my favorite things about the rogue, especially thief, is that there are no spell slots/uses per rest to strategize and track, so you can just play.

I love this! Def gunna steal it and adapt it to fit my games. I reckon I'll make it 6 sec increments per DC6 to fit the rounds of combat and remove sneak attack rerolls but say you can reroll a number of dice equal to your prof bonus but it doubles the time.

I'm sending this to my rogue to see if he likes the idea, sounds fun to me. A slight modification I'd include to make it more difficult to increase difficulty is to reroll all the dice, keeping the chances of failing the same instead of reducing them (as happens when you fail, as you fewer dice means less chance of failure). A different option is that if you need to reroll, the number you have to beat in the d6 increases. With normal rolls, it'd still be a 1, but once you fail it becomes roll over 2, and next time it's over 3 because once you've messed it up I feel things should be harder.

Piggybacking on other comments here...going to apply this to our upcoming Strahd campaign. Timing would be "10 seconds or 1 round during combat" to suggest a more hasty attempt while combat is going on in the other room for example. Also, thinking of applying it to disabling traps - same deal if say the player is a spellcaster to defeat a magic trap, re-rolls equal to their spellcasting modifier and proficiency in Arcana. Love the work here - thank you!

Yup, I'm using this. For security pins, I'd use 2+ rolls (spool pins, serrated pins, and etcetera).

This could be an excellent game changer!

Another option is the lockpicking from Errant! You need to select the correct lockpicking actions in order. The three actions are twist, tap, and turn. For example an Iron lock might need tap, turn, tap to unlock. If you use the wrong action, the lock becomes stiff. If you choose another wrong action it becomes jammed and can’t be unlocked. I might give a character with proficiency one extra wrong answer before it’s jammed. Each lockpicking action takes a Use an Object action in combat, so the Thief can use their cunning action to pick faster!

I'm a big advocate of tracking time passing and forced march. I do it like this: Player examines lock. 1d4 equals lock lvl. I tell them the formula for the gamble, They then decide to commit to the job or move on. Master locks only unlock with a key, and anyone can identify a master lock. High traffic areas, or dangerous areas, may result in ambush encounters depending on how long it takes. I usually make a percentage chance and roll percentile. 20 - (ROLL+SKILL+TOOL Prof) X (LOCK LVL) = Time it takes to pick If roll 20 or higher, it is 1min x lock lvl= time. So if a player rolls a 5 on a lvl 4 lock, it will take one hour to pick (15 x 4= 60) , resulting in downtime, short rest, or party split for the remaining members.

well done- love this-

Pathfinder 2e has it where there's base one check locks and also complex locks (the only ones statted) that require multiple successes to unlock and rolling really high can get you multiple successes. So it kinda has a tumbler element to them. And it's two of the three actions you can have per turn in combat, so while possible in combat it's likely to take you multiple turns, especially if it's a high end lock. However there's an ability you can pick up to make it faster, which will let a skilled picker get past a lot of locks in one turn. While this is more engaging with the degrees of success making progress faster or risking losing your pick, it's also kinda just doing a plain roll multiple times with a little more tension.

A system I'm testing is a game of "hot and cold" with each lock having a passcode, and the player having to guess it before X number of tries. It resolves quickly, and also is a lot more interesting than the d20+stuff roll.

You my friend, you rock!

Great idea! I think I'll base re rolls on proficiency/expertise plus dex bonus tho to make it more based on lock pick skill. Love the content

Interesting . . . gonna have to look into different kinds of locks. One of those things where the kind of lock really ought to affect how the minigame works, at the very least. Off the top of my head, possible consequences should include signs of tampering, noise that can attract attention, jamming of the lock, reset of progress, and damage to tools.

Oh man wow, I really want to implement this asap