Lockpicking

Changes and extensions to the OSE game rules
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Locks

  • It is said that "locks keep honest people honest" - they are not foolproof mechanisms, but they can dissuade the casual, the curious or the easily tempted from prying where they are not wanted
  • The intent of a lock is to slow or prevent access to a thing or area. A lock may be capable of being bypassed, but doing so may be too time consuming or noisy to make the attempt practical
  • Locks can be made in a wide range of qualities, though the manufacture of complex locks is especially difficult and carries a corresponding cost
  • Most locks are not especially sophisticated unless warranted by what they are securing
  • Some locks contain traps that are triggered when an improper key (or lockpick) is inserted, even if the lockpicking attempt is successful

Lockpicks

  • Are a specialized tool used to open locks without access to the key
  • Are usually sold and used in pairs to simulate the complex shape of a key. To keep things simple, a "lockpick" is treated as a single item, but is actually a pair of these tools designed to work together
  • Are made of firm but pliant metal, are of delicate and precise shape and contain various ridges and notches that, in the right hands, can be used to simulate a key
  • Are small and lightweight enough to be carried in bulk or hidden on one's person
  • Are generally illegal, depending on the factors discussed below, and may mark the owner as a thief or some other untrustworthy person
  • Using a lockpick successfully takes a mix of skill, patience and familiarity with locks
  • While theoretically all locks can be picked given a great deal of time, the game rules are designed to cover situations where a lock must be picked while time is of the essence
  • It is possible for even a capable lockpicker to fail to pick a lock - whether it is bad luck, low skill, a tricky lock or insufficient time, it is possible for a lock to appear to be "unpickable", at least in any reasonable timeframe

Access to Lockpicks

  • The availability of lockpicks - whether they are available at all, the quantity available, their price and the overall mechanism to obtain this item will be defined by the Referee
  • The degree to which laws are enforced, the number and type of locks in an area, the know-how to construct the devices and many other factors will influence this decision
  • Possession of lockpicks may result in confiscation of the picks, fines or imprisonment depending on campaign details

Using a Lockpick
Assuming a character has at least one lockpick at hand, use the following procedure to determine if a target lock can be bypassed with the lockpick

Prerequisites

  • At least one lockpick
  • A location free of physical distractions, combat and jostling
  • At least a modicum of light - while lockpicking is done mostly "by feel", some light is required to help guide and angle the tools. Insufficient light will prevent (or provide penalties to) the lockpicking attempt
  • Lockpicking requires intense concentration - it fully occupies the attention of the would-be lock breaker. A lockpicker cannot maintain concentration on spells, hold conversations or keep watch; their attention is consumed by the intricacies of the effort at hand

Process

  • Make a DEX or COMP check. Usually the choice of the check is left to the player, but the Referee may require one or the other depending on the lock
  • The Referee may ask that this check be made at some penalty or bonus based on lock quality or other circumstances
  • The Referee will secretly roll 1d6. This is the number of Turns of continuous work needed to pick the lock

On a Successful Check

  • After the requisite time has passed, if the DEX or COMP check was passed, the lock has been opened
  • Note that some trapped locks may still have their trap triggered even on a successful lockpicking attempt

On a Failed Check

  • If the DEX or COMP check failed, the requisite time still passes, but the lock does not open
  • Any traps protecting the lock will likely have triggered
  • The character that failed the check must roll a d6. On a 1, they broke or otherwise ruined the lockpick in their failed attempt
  • If the lockpick breaks, roll a second d6. A roll of 1 indicates that the lockpick has broken off in the lock. The lock is ruined and can no longer be picked or opened with the proper key

If Interrupted

  • Should a lockpicker be unable to spend sufficient time to pick the lock (they are attacked, must hide from patrolling guards or whatever), the effort must be begun anew
  • Re-roll the COMP or DEX check and re-determine the time secretly
  • An interruption of this nature does not count as a Failure for purposes of a retry

Retrying a Lock

  • Assuming a lockpick is still available, a failed attempt to pick a lock can be retried by the same or a different person
  • If the same person retries the lock, the check is made at some penalty as determined by the referee and the time to pick the lock is re-rolled and doubled
  • This process continues until the lock is picked or the would-be lock-breaker gives up. Each subsequent attempt doubles the time from the previous attempt (roll a d6 and double, quadruple or the like)
  • A fresh pair of hands and eyes can attempt the same lock that did not yield to a previous attempt. Restart the process as if the lock had not been attempted before