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Old 04-14-2017, 08:44 AM   #1
johndallman
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Default New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

It seems clear to me that my posting a single new Technique, or even a group of related ones, isn't enough to get a good discussion going. So this thread is another approach: an ongoing thread for discussing new techniques, the technique rules, and ideas that might be techniques. Because Optional Specialisations and One-Task-Wonder perks are closely related to techniques, they're also on-topic for this thread.

Edit: because I hadn't said it in this thread, my New Techniques effort is about non-combat techniques, because there already seem to be plenty of combat techniques.

The rules about Techniques are summarised here, and my index of techniques is here.

Last edited by johndallman; 05-29-2017 at 11:35 AM.
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:44 AM   #2
johndallman
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

Reserved in case of need.
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:45 AM   #3
johndallman
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

Also reserved against possible need.
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Old 04-14-2017, 09:12 AM   #4
johndallman
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Default Lock jaming/blocking - a technique?

This is making a lock very hard to open. There are all sorts of reasons why an adventurer might want to do this; I thought of it in the context of a time bomb in an artillery magazine. Glue is an obvious means, but may not stick to the oily insides of a well-maintained lock. For cylinder locks, inserting the tip half of a key that will go in the cylinder, but won't open the lock, works nicely. Other kinds of lock that use keys can be jammed with tiny stones or pieces of non-ferrous metal (so a magnet can't be used to remove them). It's not obvious to me how you'd do this to a combination lock.

The skills this would be based on are Lockpicking or Mechanic (Locks and Safes), from Pyramid #3/47. The obvious optional specialisations of those are different kinds of lock. Lock-blocking seems a bit narrow for an optional specialisation, but it would clearly make a One-Task Wonder perk.

A success would make it impossible to open the lock in the normal way, and the success roll is used in a regular contest with a Lockpicking or Mechanic (Locks and Safes) roll to open the lock. Taking extra time to open a jammed lock is common.

There are commercial devices for doing this, and methods for defeating them.

If this were a technique, it would probably be Average, default Lockpicking or Mechanic (Locks and Safes), with a limit of prerequisite+4.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:19 AM   #5
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Default Lock jaming/blocking - a technique?

Instead of glue, perhaps resin, epoxy, or caulk, something that dries as a solid mass that is the wrong shape? Depending on how tightly made they are this may work on some combination locks. Another option might be to remove the dial from dial type combination locks.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:28 AM   #6
johndallman
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Default Re: Lock jaming/blocking - a technique?

Quote:
Originally Posted by adm View Post
Instead of glue, perhaps resin, epoxy, or caulk, something that dries as a solid mass that is the wrong shape?
Filling space a key needs to occupy works in general.
Quote:
Depending on how tightly made they are this may work on some combination locks. Another option might be to remove the dial from dial type combination locks.
For combination locks - aha - gumming up the combination wheels works, as does jamming the opening handle or its mechanism for moving the bolts (a combination lock blocks that). So simply removing the dial, handle, or both works, although this is more obvious.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:48 AM   #7
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

Tour index missed the technique I posted in 'Skill of the Week:Stealth'

namely Quickstep (Stealth)-5 [6]

though Quickstep probably needs to be terrain specialized, (it's meant to buy of the penalty for moving silently faster than move 1)
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Old 04-14-2017, 12:14 PM   #8
johndallman
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by roguebfl View Post
Your index missed the technique I posted in 'Skill of the Week:Stealth'
Indexed, and written up in a little more detail in that thread.
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Old 04-14-2017, 12:50 PM   #9
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Default Re: Lock jaming/blocking - a technique?

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
Filling space a key needs to occupy works in general.

For combination locks - aha - gumming up the combination wheels works, as does jamming the opening handle or its mechanism for moving the bolts (a combination lock blocks that). So simply removing the dial, handle, or both works, although this is more obvious.
Something I thought I had mentioned but missed, is something expansive like spray foam insulation, you can buy it in spray cans fairly easily.
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Old 04-17-2017, 07:43 AM   #10
johndallman
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Default Re: New Technique of the Week: an ongoing thread

OK, how about this as a technique?

Lock-blocking (Lockpicking or Mechanic (Locks and Safes)). Average, default prerequisite, cannot exceed prerequisite+4.

This lets you buy up skill in making locks very hard to open. A success makes it impossible to open the lock in the normal way, and the success roll is used in a quick contest with a Lockpicking or Mechanic (Locks and Safes)* roll to open the lock. Taking extra time to open a blocked lock is common.

Equipment is important for this technique. Basic equipment is the tools of the prerequisite skill, plus some coarse sand and some kind of space-filling glue, resin, caulk or cement. Improvised equipment might be some clay and ordinary sand. Quality equipment would be modified keys intended to be broken off in the lock, or fluid glues intended to be infiltrated into a combination lock.

Removing the opening handle of a safe or the dial of a combination lock also works, although it's obvious. Setting off a safe or vault's relocker* is the best method, if it's available.

*See "Safes and how to Open Them", in Pyramid #3/47
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