Several questions (3.5)

[Harperfan7]

1. Say a chest is locked and trapped. Would opening the chest with the key trigger the trap?

2. You can use disable device to rig saddles and wagon wheels to fail after a certain amount of time, and I was wondering, could you do that to a crossbow? I know there isn't anything written about that, but wouldn't it be reasonable?

3. Does anybody else notice how knowledge checks overlap on subjects? I mean, the first parenthetical reference for knowledge history is royalty (...nobility & royalty?) . Also, weather is listed under knowledge nature, but predicting weather is survival? What does knowledge geography cover that local/nature/history/nobility & royalty doesn't (and that a pc could possibly benefit from)? Where is the line between knowledge history/arcana/local/whatever and bardic knowledge?

4. Can you power attack with a spear set against a charge? If so, is the bonus doubled from using it two handed?

5. Say a wizard has a tower, and in this tower is a table that is covered in a magical replica of the tower and the surrounding mile of terrain and airspace, and anything that exists within a mile of the tower shows up on this table as it comes and goes. What spells would the wizard need to make this possible?

6. Say I want to homebrew drugs into my D&D campaign. They are basically potions that cost less, are generally illegal like poison, and subject the user to a fortitude save vs. addiction. How would addiction and withdrawal function?

7. How would you represent radiation and radiation sickness in D&D?

[Shades of Gray]

1) Depends on the trap
2) Makes Sense
4) I believe so.
6) BoVD had drug rules. Addiction would be a will save, methinks.
7) With an abacus.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

1. Say a chest is locked and trapped. Would opening the chest with the key trigger the trap?

Depends on the trap. There's almost certainly a bypass, but if you're paranoid, why not set it up so that the key isn't the only thing needed to open it?

2. You can use disable device to rig saddles and wagon wheels to fail after a certain amount of time, and I was wondering, could you do that to a crossbow? I know there isn't anything written about that, but wouldn't it be reasonable?

Yes, with a similar DC most likely, and probably a check to notice the manipulation due to the fact that it is literally right in front of their face before use.

3. Does anybody else notice how knowledge checks overlap on subjects? I mean, the first parenthetical reference for knowledge history is royalty (...nobility & royalty?) . Also, weather is listed under knowledge nature, but predicting weather is survival? What does knowledge geography cover that local/nature/history/nobility & royalty doesn't (and that a pc could possibly benefit from)? Where is the line between knowledge history/arcana/local/whatever and bardic knowledge?

Role whichever check is relevant that you have skills in. There's a lot of synergies among them that are not reflected, but a lot that are as well. Bardic Knowlege is for pretty much whatever you want to roll it for. I've heard it caled BK:BS before.

4. Can you power attack with a spear set against a charge? If so, is the bonus doubled from using it two handed?

Yes and yes. PA applies on all attacks made for one round, and is always doubled if THF.

6. Say I want to homebrew drugs into my D&D campaign. They are basically potions that cost less, are generally illegal like poison, and subject the user to a fortitude save vs. addiction. How would addiction and withdrawal function?

Check BoVD. It has decent rules on them.

7. How would you represent radiation and radiation sickness in D&D?

Basic radiation I'd make an hourly save against disease, with an increasing save. Radiation sickness functions as a con drain disease(that cannot be Remove Diseased) hitting with a save every 24 hours, with a penalty for every hour you spend in an irradiated area. The DCs and amount of Con drain depend on how irradiated you're thinking of.

[Devils_Advocate]

3. Does anybody else notice how knowledge checks overlap on subjects? I mean, the first parenthetical reference for knowledge history is royalty (...nobility & royalty?) . Also, weather is listed under knowledge nature, but predicting weather is survival? What does knowledge geography cover that local/nature/history/nobility & royalty doesn't (and that a pc could possibly benefit from)? Where is the line between knowledge history/arcana/local/whatever and bardic knowledge?

Who says there's lines between 'em? I say, if somethin' falls into multiple Knowledge categories, allow checks for each one, possibly at different DCs. (Something might be more obscure within one body of knowledge than another.)

Makes more sense than pretending that the Knowledge categories are mutually exclusive when the clearly aren't.

Edit: Consider Bardic Knowledge a Knowledge category for the purposes of all that stuff I said above.

[Wafflecart]

1. Say a chest is locked and trapped. Would opening the chest with the key trigger the trap?

Depends on the trap, when in doubt, yes.

2. You can use disable device to rig saddles and wagon wheels to fail after a certain amount of time, and I was wondering, could you do that to a crossbow? I know there isn't anything written about that, but wouldn't it be reasonable?

I would say yes.

3. Does anybody else notice how knowledge checks overlap on subjects? I mean, the first parenthetical reference for knowledge history is royalty (...nobility & royalty?) . Also, weather is listed under knowledge nature, but predicting weather is survival? What does knowledge geography cover that local/nature/history/nobility & royalty doesn't (and that a pc could possibly benefit from)? Where is the line between knowledge history/arcana/local/whatever and bardic knowledge?

Give this a try, rolling knowledge geography to locate vantage points and strategic high-ground in battle for circumstance bonuses.

4. Can you power attack with a spear set against a charge? If so, is the bonus doubled from using it two handed?

Sure, why not.

5. Say a wizard has a tower, and in this tower is a table that is covered in a magical replica of the tower and the surrounding mile of terrain and airspace, and anything that exists within a mile of the tower shows up on this table as it comes and goes. What spells would the wizard need to make this possible?

Unless this is a PC, I'd just say he has it.

6. Say I want to homebrew drugs into my D&D campaign. They are basically potions that cost less, are generally illegal like poison, and subject the user to a fortitude save vs. addiction. How would addiction and withdrawal function?

Sounds freaking amazing...next time I DM I'm adding drugs.

7. How would you represent radiation and radiation sickness in D&D?

Not quite as awesome as the drugs, still sounds funny.

Comments: I am not a DM, I am a player and a fan of DM v. PC, I think it's hilarious, i.e. the chest trap comment.

[Quietus]

1. Say a chest is locked and trapped. Would opening the chest with the key trigger the trap?

Yes, UNLESS the trap is built to be bypassed when the proper key is used.

2. You can use disable device to rig saddles and wagon wheels to fail after a certain amount of time, and I was wondering, could you do that to a crossbow? I know there isn't anything written about that, but wouldn't it be reasonable?

I'd allow it.

3. Does anybody else notice how knowledge checks overlap on subjects? I mean, the first parenthetical reference for knowledge history is royalty (...nobility & royalty?) . Also, weather is listed under knowledge nature, but predicting weather is survival? What does knowledge geography cover that local/nature/history/nobility & royalty doesn't (and that a pc could possibly benefit from)? Where is the line between knowledge history/arcana/local/whatever and bardic knowledge?

I consider Bardic Knowledge to act much like a Knowledge (anything) ability, within reason. As for the overlap, I'd say things like your Survival example would work along the lines of : Survival lets you predict the weather. Knowledge (Nature) would not. Knowledge (Nature), however, would let you know what color hibiscus flowers are and why, and what traits a cumulonimbus cloud would have, while Survival would not. I'd allow both skills to tell you whether or not a berry is poisonous.

4. Can you power attack with a spear set against a charge? If so, is the bonus doubled from using it two handed?

Yes, you can power attack with it. And since a spear set against a charge does Double Damage, then yes, you'd calculate your normal total damage, then double that, so the Power Attack bonus would be increased.

5. Say a wizard has a tower, and in this tower is a table that is covered in a magical replica of the tower and the surrounding mile of terrain and airspace, and anything that exists within a mile of the tower shows up on this table as it comes and goes. What spells would the wizard need to make this possible?

Off the top of my head, I'd make it an extraordinarily expensive, stationary, magical item of the Wondrous category. It'd require spells such as the Scrying spell, or (Greater) Prying Eyes.

6. Say I want to homebrew drugs into my D&D campaign. They are basically potions that cost less, are generally illegal like poison, and subject the user to a fortitude save vs. addiction. How would addiction and withdrawal function?

As mentioned, the Book of Vile Darkness covers Addiction and drugs.

7. How would you represent radiation and radiation sickness in D&D?

The con drain idea above me seems a pretty good method, in my opinion. Not sure on how I'd rule Remove Disease with it, though. I'd probably allow it, personally.

[Wafflecart]

Just read BoVD on drugs...so funny...must have in campaign...