Dumb Newbie question - find secret/hidden doors

[Obadiah]

Just a dumb question on how to resolve searches for secret doors. Is it just a Wisdom skill check (plus any racial modifiers)? If so, what sort of CL for low level adventurers to find these would be appropriate?

[Treebore]

It is a WIS skill check, modified as usual, including racial modifiers.

CL is set by you, the CK. As for what is appropriate, that is determined by how likely you want it to be for them to find it. If you think its very shabbily hidden because it was made by goblins, you could even set the CL at -2, making the base needed for a Prime WIS check a 10 instead of a 12.

CL for "low level" generally ranges from 0 to 5. So unless you think an exception should be made, such as my above example, CL 0 to 5 will be your range, which will then get higher and higher as the characters level.

All this is covered pretty thoroughly in the CK section of the book covering Challenge Levels. IF you have the 6th printing, which is what I am referencing, this material starts on page 164 over to most of 167.

[Obadiah]

Awesome...thanks

[Gundoggy]

Roll 1 on 1d6.
1-2 for elves

[spudeus]

Roll 1 on 1d6.
1-2 for elves

That's from Dungeon, isn't it?

[Penny-Whistle]

I like it when the CK rolls secretly instead of the player.

[Omote]

It is just a WIS check as the PHB spells out quite clearly, but I like to use WIS for checks where one might notice a secret door even if they are not looking. I also use INT checks when characters are specifically searching for hidden doors.

~O

[Buttmonkey]

I usually go old school and roll a d6 and say the PC found the (presumably existent) secret door on a 1 (or on a 1 or 2 if an elf) rather than use the SIEGE engine. The old way is rules liter, so I default to it.