I'm discussing this because I want a few questions answered and a general discussion about the new lockpicks. The first thing I want answered, is:
A) why was this mechanically implemented?
B) What was the roleplay aspect and purpose of implementing this into the system to where my character would need to break her stealth in order to put a pin in a lock.
Was it so Rogues and rogue type people would join in groups more rather than going off on their own, and 'ninja looting'? Everyone who knows me, knows that I play a rogue.
This rogue that I play does rogue activities and yes, that means delving into dungeons and unlocking chests. So in order to do her roguely activities she now has to break her stealth, purposefully to pull out her extremely long and extremely loud lockpick from her pocket to pick a lock.
Is the same mindset as setting traps which also, I am told, breaks stealth and invisibility or is it more like a loud crowbar now? The purpose of a rogue is to be quiet. And my question to the general populace is why do I have MS and Hide if I can't properly use it when she needs it, being unlocking chests and doors, as that is what lockpicks are used for. The general idea of a lockpick is to -be- quiet. Which leads to my next question.
What roleplay sense would this serve? All rogues try to be sneaky and it would be non-conducive to the roleplay in general for them to purposefully break their stealth so that they could open a lock. It is what they do. There is a way to roleplay this in the proper light if it comes to it. It is basically what every rogue signs up for when they begin their journey as a rogue. The whole deal with a rogue is that they don't want to get caught. A rogue that gets caught is a very bad rogue. So with these new lockpicks, I and my character are not allowed to roll for hide and MS, not even given the chance to do such but rather the lockpick is now used as a 'mechanical' tool or an activation item. After the stealth has been broken, the tool has been used to 'inspect' the lock to see if the door is locked, only then do we roll open lock.
When I walk up to a door it says <<target is not locked>> or otherwise. Why would I need to break stealth to figure that out in a roleplay aspect? So in essence, my character needs to purposefully break stealth in order to see if the door actually locked, stand up and jiggle the handle? And then go about using the 'open lock' skill. I have tested this out many times on a few doors and it simply makes no sense to me. As well as how you can't roll a 20 on it so even if I use a '+3 lockpick on the door I have to roll a 17 to be higher that I would have gotten without a tool and that would be ONLY a 15% likelihood of that.' ((quote from Legion)) Was this an oversight? And can we expect changes in the next hak?
So there is a solution to this, there is a skeleton key that you can buy from X for X amount of coin. But 'keys' are louder than lockpicks. Of which still brings up and is a concern of the above.
Let's face it, rogues have gotten much weaker since a few years ago. This new aspect of the lockpick really takes away from a core of what the rogue is. What the rogue does. Many of the new dungeons have enemies that can see straight through stealth with true sight so there is a limited number that our characters can steal from. I ask these questions really to anyone in general who might know more than I do about this. Is it to steer more toward the new PRC, crypt dweller?
I would like thoughts on this. And as usual, please stay on the topic which is lockpicks and their mechanical and roleplay uses for a rogue for better or worse. Thanks guys.