D&D Question

[BigBuckBob]

I was mulling over an idea, when I was struck by an interesting thought. No doubt caused by my less then average understanding of D&D.

Suppose your character finds a map, reads it and finds the main control room, then proceeds to roll a natural 20 to successfully navigate his way there from where he is.

Now suppose the GM is a fan of the Evil Overlord's list and has mislabeled the map. A natural 20 is an automatic success, would that mean he successfully gets lost and ends up where the control room really is?

[HairyHeretic]

My take on that ... if you're character is stating that they are following the map and going to the room marked as control room on that map, that's where they'd end up, regardless of what the room actually is.

I can't think why you'd need to roll to follow a map of a building, unless it was a pretty crude map with only partial details though.

[BigBuckBob]

Makes sense.

Why I thought about rolling for a map: In my experience with maps, unless you have it from the start there is always bound for confusion. I.E. at Disneyland I  can get from the entrance to the Haunted Mansion using the map easily. But once I'm inside, I sometimes get turned around and take the long way around the Matterhorn to get to the Star Wars ride. So basically the roll was to make sure you weren't disoriented like me. Which makes my question seem pointless now that I think about it.

[kongming]

Incidentally, a natural 20 is not always a success, and a natural 1 is not always a failure. Assuming we're talking 3E/3.5 and not 4ail.

Attack rolls do always hit (and threat) on a 20, and miss (there are no fumble rules in core, it should stay this way on pain of the planet being virus-bombed by the holy Inquisition) on a 1.

Saving throws follow this rule as of 3.5, but they originally did not, and it would be better (and more consistent) to ignore this and go back to the 3E way. Basically, in the Deities and Demigods book of 3E, Andy "I'm on crack!" Collins made a feat (or an intrinsic deific power) that lets you succeed even if you roll a 1, as long as your bonus is high enough. Except that was the core rules anyway. Then either because he talked loudly enough about it being a good idea, or because other people read that little ability and made the mistake, it somehow found its way into 3.5

Skill checks and Ability checks are not affected by the magic of 1 and 20. Nor are Level checks, Caster/Manifester/Initiator/Your Mum checks, or whatever.

[Byron]

I agree on Heretic.

Not everything in dnd actually even has to use dice. I played out a three month long, two hours a day campaign, and aside from the battles and some random events there were no dice rolling involved.

Now if they got a map it's up to you to give them clue that they are going around in circles, like footprints and whishy robe tracks in the dust, or maybe one of them spit on the wall and they end up seeing it ten minutes (ingame) later. Things like that you could have them roll a spot check to find out.

But you should never have the characters find a map, say I'm gonna roll a d20, and then proceed to the end. Expecially if it was supposed to be as convoluted and confusing as you said.

[BigBuckBob]

The map thing was just the best way I could phrase myself without actually listing what I intended to do with the information. Thank you those who explained it to me.