Door Opening During Fleeing

[everyfan]

I'm starting up an OD&D campaign soon, and I'm curious how others would handle opening doors in the dungeon while the party is fleeing in panic? I feel that, in that situation, it should be somewhat easier, to give players more of a chance. I'm waffling between either having doors open automatically for the players during such situations, or else having it be a die roll but allowing the entire party to have a turn rather than 3 at most (since they would all be taking turns at it in a blind panic). What do you think?

[tetramorph]

May 31, 2019 7:37:49 GMT -6 everyfan said:

I'm starting up an OD&D campaign soon, and I'm curious how others would handle opening doors in the dungeon while the party is fleeing in panic? I feel that, in that situation, it should be somewhat easier, to give players more of a chance. I'm waffling between either having doors open automatically for the players during such situations, or else having it be a die roll but allowing the entire party to have a turn rather than 3 at most (since they would all be taking turns at it in a blind panic). What do you think?

Let them suffer the consequences of fleeing in a direction they don’t know or failing to spike a door.

It is the risk that makes the game captivating.

Fight on!

[Deleted]

The OD&D rules EXPLICITLY say doors have to be forced open by player characters.

NO MERCY!

[geoffrey]

Keep in mind that dungeon doors are nothing whatsoever like the doors in one's home. This thread has some particulars:
odd74.proboards.com/thread/10454/dungeon-doors-big-8-wide

[asaki]

In Real Life, it always seems like doors are a little more difficult to open when you're in a fleeing panic. Horror movies would certainly be a lot less tense if the screaming teenager could escape the slashing maniac by effortlessly slipping past every obstacle in their way.

[everyfan]

So I see the consensus is that it should still be difficult! Perhaps I shall take your advice. My original thoughts had been that, in a game this deadly, fleeing from monsters is a very important strategy, particularly at low levels, and I felt that accordingly it should be at least a little easier to avoid combat. But maybe that would be *too* easy. Thank you very much for your thoughts!

[delta]

Jun 1, 2019 11:10:48 GMT -6 everyfan said:

So I see the consensus is that it should still be difficult! Perhaps I shall take your advice. My original thoughts had been that, in a game this deadly, fleeing from monsters is a very important strategy, particularly at low levels, and I felt that accordingly it should be at least a little easier to avoid combat. But maybe that would be *too* easy. Thank you very much for your thoughts!

I'd agree with the consensus. That said, I'd also support being transparent about the issue with your players. E.g.: Very explicitly point out that doors are swinging shut behind them. Point out when rolling door-opening that the same will be necessary on the way back through. Point this use-case out if someone asks about the spikes on the equipment list. Some version of that to your taste.

[derv]

If you think an encounter you have created is likely to cause the party to flee, consider providing one easy escape route without a door. Easy-peasy.

Of course the doorway will lead to a pit trap, lower level in the dungeon, or a dead end, to name a few possibilities

[delta]

"Sections which dead-end so as to trap players being pursued by monsters" -- Vol-3, p. 6.

[coffee]

Also, there might be a lot of corridors in your dungeon. The fleeing players might not need to go through a door; they might be able to turn down a side passage and wait quietly. (Of course, that might not work...)

In other words, there won't necessarily be a door in their way.

[gemini476]

You can actually see some of that sentiment in the very early dungeon design: the Sample Dungeon, Solo Dungeon Adventures generator and even the small glimpses we've seen of Castle Greyhawk's first level all like to have long, twisted corridors with the occasional doors into small room complexes.

Solo Dungeon Adventures seems to attempt to define this a bit, in fact: corridors tend to lead to chambers that lead to corridors, which tend to have doors adjacent to them rather than ending in doors. Doors lead to rooms, which tend to lead to more doors and rooms rather than corridors. It even creates "room mazes" at times, which is a fascinating little bit of D&D history that quickly disappeared.

This design philosophy didn't neccessarily survive into the published tournament modules, possibly because of the design constraints of that format, but it was a thing. If I'd have to point at a more expansive take on the concept, I feel like Judges Guild's Tegel Manor apes this design a bit just by having it be layed out like an actual large house (e.g. long interlinked corridors with rooms branching off).

[dicebro]

May 31, 2019 16:13:58 GMT -6 @gronanofsimmerya said:

The OD&D rules EXPLICITLY say doors have to be forced open by player characters.

NO MERCY!

What happened to “People have GOT to overcome their fetish for text.” ?? Lol

[derv]

Don't poke the bear

[doublejig2]

---

Beware the illusory floor on the other side of a panic driven, forced open door...

[Deleted]

Also, remember "Knock".

[dicebro]

Jul 27, 2019 19:04:11 GMT -6 derv said:

Don't poke the bear

Got it. Thanks. I’ve really been enjoying Gronan’s posts as you can read.