Tome of Prowess (3.5e Sourcebook)/Devices

Devices

The devices skill is an applied skill that helps you bypass dangers. With it, you can disarm mechanical traps, disable waiting magics, open secured locks, and sabotage complex devices. Those with advanced training in devices can even trap magical items, lay false traps to slow pursuit, and even disable spell effects like arcane lock or wall of fire.

Key Attribute: Intelligence

Check Modifiers

Condition	Check Modifier	Example
Rushing a 1d4 round action to a full-round action	−3	Finding and disabling a trap in 1 round. Note that this reduces the action to search for a trap to a swift action.
Attempting to hide your work	−5	Disabling a trap, but making it hard to see that you have done so.
Device has been tampered with	−5	Attempting to disable a device after someone else has done so. If they attempted to hide their work, you may suffer this penalty without knowing it. You do not suffer this penalty on your own retries, however, assuming you know that the previous attempt was a failure and actually need to try again.

Untrained Uses

Smash Simple Devices

Remember, Players Roll All the Dice

Even though there may be temptation to make these checks yourself so players don’t know how well they do, you really should let players roll them. You don't need to tell them the disable DC, all you need to tell them is if they learn how it works, believe they have disabled it, or have set it off. If they roll catastrophically low, they probably set it off and know it. If they roll very well, they know how it works and how to bypass it, so there’s not much suspense there. The middle case is the fun one; since they don’t actually know how they did compared to the DC, they may open the still-trapped door. In this setup, you don't actually lose anything by allowing your players to roll their own checks. Your players retain control over their actions and their rolls and you still get to surprise them once in a while when they roll poorly. Everyone wins!

While anyone can point a spike into an arrow trap they've found to prevent it from coming out or dip a lock in acid to get it to open, it takes a check to disable simple things with less brute force. This ability allows you to find and disable obvious, relatively simple stuff without triggering it, like trip wires. This also includes simple bits of sabotage, such as jamming a lock so it is unusable rather than smashing it into bits. With this level of training, you may disable any device or perform an act of sabotage with a base DC of 10 or less.

The base DC for this check is the search or disable DC, whichever is higher, of the lock, trap, or desired sabotage. It is a move action to search a 5' by 5' area for a trap. If one is present, it can be disabled in 1d4 rounds; the move action spent looking for it counts towards this time. Your check is made at the beginning of this time, with the presence or absence of a trap determining how much time you actually spend. Your check result indicates whether you complete the task, and is modified by conditions as above.

Since you don’t actually know the disable DC of a particular device, you can attempt to disable anything you want with this ability. Attempts to disarm tricky devices (DC 11 to 20) are treated as attempting to use the rank 1 Disarm Tricky Devices ability, and subject to the standard disable length and a −5 check penalty. Any attempt to disarm fiendish devices (DC 21 and above) is treated as an attempt to use the rank 4 Disable Fiendish Devices ability, which you automatically fail regardless of how well you roll and spring the trap immediately. If you're not certain about the difficulty of the trap or sabotage, you may want to leave it to a professional.

Base DC: Device's disable DC (which may not exceed 10 with this ability)
Check Result:

• DC+0 and above: You find any hidden devices in the area, if present, and have disabled them. If you were attempting to sabotage the object, you have completed that. Good job.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You find any hidden devices in the area, if present, and believe you have disabled them, but really haven’t. If there are no hidden devices in the area, you recognize that instead. If you were attempting to sabotage an object, you believe you have succeeded, but really haven't.
• DC-6 and below: You find any hidden devices present, because you have triggered them. If you were attempting to sabotage a device, it triggers, breaks, or otherwise does the worst possible thing for you. If you were attempting to damage a gear so that a gate stayed closed, for example, you have instead damaged the lever and stuck the gate in an open position. This is generally not repairable without substantial time and effort or handy replacement parts.

Rank 1 Uses

Disarm Tricky Devices

You know a bit about how mechanical traps, locks, and other devices work, and can successfully disable more difficult devices. This means you can disarm tricky devices, mechanical traps with DCs between 11 and 20. You can also complete more complicated acts of sabotage. Straightforward sabotage of mechanical devices like weapon handles or wagon wheels rests in the DC 11-15 range, while more delicate sabotage like bowstrings that snap on first use are between 16 and 20.

The base DC for this check is the search or disable DC, whichever is higher, of the lock, trap, or desired sabotage. It is a move action to search a 5' by 5' area for a trap. If one is present, it can be disabled in 1d4 rounds; the move action spent looking for it counts towards this time. Your check is made at the beginning of this time, with the presence or absence of a trap determining how much time you actually spend. Your check result indicates whether you complete the task, and is modified by conditions as above. You may retry this check if you have reason to believe the check failed and a retry would still be appropriate, like when you test a door and find it still locked.

If you attempt to hide your work, the DC to notice your tampering is equal to your check result +5. If this is lower than the search DC of the device, it is obvious to anyone who discovers it. If it is higher than the search DC of the device, it is only obvious if their Devices check exceeds the DC you set; the search DC to discover the trap remains unchanged, though.

Since you don’t actually know the disable DC of a particular device, you can attempt to disable anything you want with this ability. Any attempt to disarm fiendish devices (DC 21 and above) is treated as an attempt to use the rank 4 Disable Fiendish Devices ability, which you automatically fail if you only have 1 rank in Devices. If you have 2 ranks in Devices, you suffer a −15 penalty to your check, and if you have 3 ranks in Devices, you suffer a −5 penalty to your check. If you're not certain about the difficulty of the trap or sabotage, you may want to leave it to a professional.

Base DC: Device's disable DC (which may not exceed 20 with this ability)
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You find any hidden devices in the area and understand how they operate, including how to simply bypass it if you want. You can deactivate the device if you like, leave it active and just walk past it (along with anyone else you want to direct), or temporarily disable it so that you can re-enable it later on with only a swift action. If you were instead attempting to sabotage the device, you have done a very fine job of it.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You find any hidden devices in the area, if present, and understand how the device operates. You can deactivate the device if you like, or leave it active and just walk past it (along with anyone else you want to direct). If you were instead attempting to sabotage the device, you have done a very fine job of it.
• DC+0 and above: You find any hidden devices in the area, if present, and have disabled it. If you were attempting to sabotage the object, you have completed that. Good job.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You find any hidden devices in the area, if present, and believe you have disabled it, but really haven’t. If there are no hidden devices in the area, you recognize that instead. If you were attempting to sabotage an object, you believe you have succeeded, but really haven't.
• DC-6 and below: You find any hidden devices present, because you have triggered them. If you were attempting to sabotage a device, it triggers, breaks, or otherwise does the worst possible thing for you. If you were attempting to damage a gear so that a gate stayed closed, for example, you have instead damaged the lever and stuck the gate in an open position. This is generally not repairable without substantial time and effort or handy replacement parts.

Rank 4 Uses

Disable Fiendish Devices

You’ve got all the basics down and can attempt to disable anything you run across, mundane or magical. You can attempt to disarm any mechanical trap with a DC of 21 or higher, as well as perform complicated, precision sabotage. You can also disarm magical traps, which makes you fun to take into wizard tombs.

The base DC for this check is the search or disable DC, whichever is higher, of the lock, trap, or desired sabotage. The base DC for magical traps is 15 + caster level. It is a move action to search a 5' by 5' area for a trap. If one is present, it can be disabled in 1d4 rounds; the move action spent looking for it counts towards this time. Your check is made at the beginning of this time, with the presence or absence of a trap determining how much time you actually spend. Your check result indicates whether you complete the task, and is modified by conditions as above. You may retry this check if you have reason to believe the check failed and a retry would still be appropriate, like when you test a door and find it still locked.

This ability otherwise functions as the Disable Tricky Devices ability.

Base DC: Device's Disable DC (for physical traps) or 15 + caster level (for magical traps)
Check Result: As Disarm Tricky Devices ability above.

Rank 6 Uses

Item Feedback

While arming your foe tends to not be an optimal strategy, it is significantly improved if you have rigged things in advance. You can use your knowledge of magical traps and items to rig magic items to backfire when next used. You can specify any parameters of the spell you like or set it to simply fail; other modifications may be made to other items if your GM allows it. This allows you to pre-determine the target of a sleep wand, change the spell activated from a staff, or cause the item to short out at next use and be inoperable for 1d4 minutes as if it had been dispelled. The DC for this check is 15 + caster level of the item, and doing so requires 1d4 rounds of work. Your check result is modified by conditions as appropriate.

Once an item has been trapped, it remains so for a period determined by your check result. If you attempted to hide your work, the DC to notice your sabotage is your check result + 5. Most people don't search their gear for traps, though. A trapped item can be disarmed like any other magical trap; the DC is equal to your check result + 5.

Base DC: 15 + item caster level
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You alter the functions of the device until your trap is disabled. That item won’t be much use for a while.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You successfully trap the item, and may extend your work to its next three uses if you like.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You believe you have successfully trapped the item, and this is in fact the case. When it is next activated, it behaves as you have set it.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You believe you have successfully trapped the item, but have in fact failed.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to trap the item, and instead simply drain it slightly. If it is a charged item, it also loses 1d4 charges. If it is a daily use item, it loses 1d2 daily uses. If it is a permanent or continuous use item, it becomes non-functional for 1d10 rounds. Depending on your goals, these might still be good things.

Rank 8 Uses

Pick Arcane Locks

Nothing is more annoying than a lock you can’t pick. You have learned how to disable the binding created from an arcane lock and similar spells in addition to regular locks. The DC to suppress an arcane lock is 15 + the spell’s caster level. You must spend 2d4 rounds working on the arcane lock before you make your check, but this may be rushed. Since you know when you've failed to crack the lock, you may retry this check as long as you have not caused the lock to seize.

Base DC: 15 + spell’s caster level
Check Result:

• DC+10 and above: You suppress the arcane lock for 10 minutes, or may re-key it so that it believes you are the owner for the next 24 hours.
• DC+5 to DC+9: You suppress the arcane lock for 5 minutes.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You suppress the arcane lock for 1 minute.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to suppress the lock. Since this will be pretty obvious after you attempt to open it, you’ll be able to retry again soon.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to suppress the lock, and also cause the door to seize. You may not attempt to suppress it again until the caster walks through it or it is suppressed in another fashion.

Look, A Trap!

Sometimes you need to buy some time, and people who are looking for and dealing with traps are people who are moving slowly. With a bit of work, you can make it look like an object or location is trapped. With 1d4 rounds worth of work, you add enough bits to fake a trap. Since the trap is intended to slow people down instead of actually harming them (which would be accomplished with an actual trap), this false trap is easy to find, requiring only a DC 10 search check to uncover. When an attempt is made to disarm it, the attempt is always successful, revealing the trap to be a fake.

Rank 10 Uses

Disable Active Spell

Spells waiting in traps are really just practice for active spells that are less forgiving. You are able to dispel magic that is active on objects or in an area, but you are unable to dispel magic that is active upon specific creatures. This would allow you to disable invisibility on an object, a wall of fire, or even an antipathy effect (since it affects an area), but not to remove a charm monster or sleep effect (which affects specific creatures in an area at the time of casting). The DC for this check is 15 + the spell’s caster level plus conditions of the job. The check is made after 1d4 rounds, though it may be rushed. You must be adjacent or in the same square as the spell to attempt this check, likely suffering under the effects of the spell for that time.

Base DC:15 + spell's caster level
Check Result:

• DC+5 and above: You disable the effect, ending it as if it entered an antimagic field or was disjoined if you so choose.
• DC+0 to DC+4: You disable the effect, ending it as if it were dispelled.
• DC-1 to DC-5: You fail to disable the effect, but can try again later if it doesn’t consume you first.
• DC-6 and below: You fail to disable the effect, but succeed in altering it such that you can’t actually try to end it with this ability anymore. It can still be dispelled, disjoined, suppressed by an antimagic field, or even disabled by someone else normally, though.

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