Eyes of Thoth Question

[kiralon]

Would you allow eyes of Thoth to break encryption.

[Kraynic]

For me, I would say probably not by itself. However, it is going to ensure there is no language barrier to solving it.

I guess it would depend on how you saw the cypher working based on where/who it came from. Is it only using hidden meaning in the words? If so, then maybe it would. If the cypher is built from specific words or letters scattered in the sequence, then I tend to use mathematics as the skill needed to crack it since the literacy is covered. Sometimes I have allowed the use of writing prose and poetry to allow insight into hidden messaging. It just depends on what type of cypher you decide it is.

[kiralon]

It's a simple symbol substitution cypher, and as it's a simple one it's aimed at the players solving it themselves, but i can see the side where they might try eyes of thoth. Was just after some feedback

[ShadowLogan]

No, I would not allow EoT to break an encryption*.

That would defeat the purpose of an encryption scheme, even a simple one, since its purpose is to obfuscate the written word into message not intended to be legible. EoT's purpose to allow you to understand a written language that is intended to be legible IMHO.

*I would allow someone with the Cryptography Skill to "read" a known cypher to them without needing to take the time to decode when EoT is cast on them, but they'd still have to know what cypher is being used.

[Library Ogre]

I'd say no.

This invocation enables the character to read and understand ALL written languages, modern and ancient, including runes and magic symbols.

If we're going to parse it closely, it lets you understand written languages. Codes and cyphers are not languages. You might pick up some things that you wouldn't otherwise (like magic symbols), but if those symbols are being used in weird ways (i.e. the symbol for magic, in context, means poison. The poison. The poison for Kuzco, the poison chosen especially to kill Kuzco, Kuzco's poison), then it's not going to tell you the meaning behind the symbol.

By way of example (though it's spoken), my work has a self-service machine. It's a PITA whenever people put cash in it, which is rarely. So, when it doesn't have cash, we'll let the staff know by saying "The kiosk is correct." If that were written out (or heard through Tongues), you wouldn't have the context that makes it make sense, you'd just know that the kiosk was correct. It won't tell you who "-B", "her nibs", or "Fred" is on a note, despite all of those possibly being coded references.

[kiralon]

Cheers, that's the way I was inclined to go myself but players like to get things to do more than the description says. I try to go with, the spells will do what it specifically says it does, and generally if you are asking then it doesn't say it specifically so no, but it can seem harsh sometimes.

[Library Ogre]

Cheers, that's the way I was inclined to go myself but players like to get things to do more than the description says. I try to go with, the spells will do what it specifically says it does, and generally if you are asking then it doesn't say it specifically so no, but it can seem harsh sometimes.

Hackmaster's Rule #1 is "If the rule is ambiguous, and one interpretation heavily favors the player, rule against the player."

[kiralon]

Lol, I like that one.

[Library Ogre]

Lol, I like that one.

"The OCC says weapon of choice, which is why I started with a greater rune weapon" was the one I saw most often in Rifts.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Would you allow eyes of Thoth to break encryption.

No.

[NMI]

Would you allow eyes of Thoth to break encryption.

No.

Please expand on your one word answer.

[Goblin-Jack]

Would you allow eyes of Thoth to break encryption.

No.

Please expand on your one word answer.

NMI is back and feeling frisky!

Btw, I agree with the answers above; EoT would not crack an encryption, but a priest of Thoth could, via direct appeal, ask for Thoth to crack it through them (emphasis on "could" and "appeal," no guarantee Thoth would do so, though I suspect he'd find the work of cracking an encryption interesting enough to have a better than 50-50 chance of granting a prayer to do so).

[drewkitty ~..~]

Eyes of Thoth only translates languages.
Codes and encryption and scrambles are not languages.

Or to say, It only sees what is plainly there to see, not what is concealed.

It might decode a simple letter replacement encoding. (just writing the text with letters from a different language without actually changing the language being written in. Like using 26 letters from the alphabet to replace the english alphabet while still writing in english.)

But anything more complex would flummox the spell's translation ability.
It totally wouldn't break the type of encryption presented in the Mystic China gamebook. For the reader would have to have knowledge of what chinese history the writer is referencing in the note.