Option to bash open doors and chests

[Badmojo]

One thing that always annoys me in games is that if you do not have a key and the thief skill is not powerful enough, you cannot open a chest, nor break open a pathetic door. Yet you have a mage that can shoot lighting and fireballs from his fingertips, and musclebound warrior who eats ogres for breakfest, yet this door/chest cannot be open, cannot be scratched, like the gods themselves have decreed it so. So, I would like the option to bash open a chests/locks/doors instead of just having to pick them or find the key. Different doors/chests should have different difficulties, a simple wooden protection should be easily broken, however a steel door would take time, a bank like door, you need dynamite or it will take a very long time (but should still be doable). What should happen though, is in that when you bash, it should make a loud noise and draw any gaurds/enemies. Also, in the case of chests, there is the risk of it destrying some of the items in it. I cannot remember which game, but there was a game that allowed this and it worked really well. The items had health/damage score you had to bring down, and sometimes you had to attack it multiple times. It gave you a percentage of success without damaging the items in chest. Sometimes you made it, sometimes some of the items were destroyed. It was still more practical to use a lockpick or find the key, but I loved that you had the option.

[MReed]

Ehhhh... If this was going to be implemented, I'd only want it with two major caveats:

 

1) Bashing open a chest should destroy / ruin most of the contents inside, and 100% of anything fragile (basically anything other than weapons, armor, and gold) and

2) Bashing open a door should both damage the player doing the bashing and force that player (only) 15-20 feet into the space beyond the door.

 

However, I really don't think this should be included at all -- mostly because it is highly useful for quest related reasons to have doors and chests that can only be unlocked if you find the right key. Once you've conceded that "plot-locked" items are required (and can't be bashed) then why not make all locked containers un-bashable? As a secondary factor, making non-plot-locked doors and chests bashable dramatically reduces the value of the thief class, and that's a class that is (generally speaking) looking desperately for something to do anyway, so...

[JadedDM]

I know the Eschalon games made by Basilisk Games has a feature that allows you to bash in doors and chests. If the doors/chests are made of very sturdy stuff (reinforced with metal, for instance, or just really thick and sturdy) you'll likely destroy your weapon in the process (bashing weapons are able to take more damage than slashing or piercing, so it's better to use a hammer or mace than a sword or dagger).

[Pangur]

Also, in the case of chests, there is the risk of it destrying some of the items in it. I cannot remember which game, but there was a game that allowed this and it worked really well.

Speaking of Obsidian games, both KOTOR2 and NWN2 had this.

And yes, I think bashable doors and chests really make sense. At least, wooden doors and chests.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Pangur

[Ashram]

I agree. Nothing more annoying than having to force yourself or a party member to be a rogue when you have a 22 strength behemoth who could do the job. As far as breaking things inside in the proces ..meh....maybe they break or pry the lock off. That can be done.

[PsychoBlonde]

I find most "plot doors" where you have to go through some ridiculous rigmarole just to get through to be utterly ridiculous. I do like having an option to attempt to bash, but I don't mind if some things can't be opened by brute strength (such as an enormous stone door, or a magical portal).

 

I also think that if you need exclusive locks and traps to justify the existence/inclusion of an entire character class, that character class is badly designed.

[Starwars]

For containers, sure, but a lot of the things within should be destroyed (including potentially valuable items, not just "junk items").

 

As for doors, I am not sure if I like this mechanically speaking. Sure it makes sense realistically speaking but if you have a skill, or skill-set, that includes lockpicking then that skill needs to be important and meaningful. As such, I would much prefer it if doors were unbashable if it would make a lockpicker be able to access unique content/bypass certain things. I don't have much problems overlooking the "logical" side of things.

 

Basically, it would depend a lot on how the skills system is designed in the first place. But yeah, if you have a lockpicking skills AND the ability to go through locked doors with force, then there needs to be a *really* big drawback to bashing them.

[Infinitron]

Nobody remembers this, but the Infinity Engine games had bashing too! It wasn't very useful, though.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Infinitron

[Dorateen]

I think there should be a dialogue upon clicking on a locked door, giving the player the option to Listen, or Bash, or let the thief try to Pick the lock.

 

The party should also have dialogue options for how they choose to approach an encounter, whether to Parlay, Fight, or Flee.

 

Harumph!

[Volourn]

"1) Bashing open a chest should destroy / ruin most of the contents inside, and 100% of anything fragile (basically anything other than weapons, armor, and gold) and"

 

It should only potentially destroy things are logically destroyable not most. Potions obviously get ruined but coins dom not. (your second aprt is better)

 

 

"2) Bashing open a door should both damage the player doing the bashing and force that player (only) 15-20 feet into the space beyond the door."

 

Why should a character get damaged if he is hitting a door with a weapon? That doesn't make nor does it amke sense to forcefully move the player anywhere. Breaking a door should attract nearby creatures though and obviously depenmding on types of traps they could be set off thoguh bashing certain thinjgs could be suefult oa void certain traps - ie... a small needle trap likely won't hit someone hitting a chest with a great sword or axe.

[DanMan3395]

Why was this not implemented? This functionality existed in Balders Gate games, Icewind Dale games, and Neverwinter nights games... I don't get why its not in PoE.

[Mdalton31]

Yes this needs to be put in

[TrueMenace]

My Eder has this door shield that is enchanted with "bash" but I have no clue how to use it? It's the shield you get from completing Gilded Vale's smith quest.

[averagedog]

Purrhaps bashing would require or do damage to a player's fatigue?

[Sykriss]

My Eder has this door shield that is enchanted with "bash" but I have no clue how to use it? It's the shield you get from completing Gilded Vale's smith quest.

Bashing occurs automatically when he goes into combat. Pretty useful, too, as he'll bash and then quickly attack with the main weapon afterwards.

[DanMan3395]

Purrhaps bashing would require or do damage to a player's fatigue?

seems to me they could just put similar stat and level requirements on it as lockpicking but cause it to destroy anything perceptibly fragile.