A Thought for Thoughts: Bad thieving great gaming
RPGuru2 - are you trying to describe the notion of "failing forward"?
Wherein - despite a failure, it does not cause a 'full stop' to play, but, instead opens a new opportunity?
Example: If CharacterA falls off of a roof and hits the ground, they are sure to die. NPCb pushes CharacterA off of the roof.
- You first 'reward' (fail forward), by realizing - okay, so the Character didn't make any effort to save themselves, but, let's not write'em off just yet.
- You give the player a chance to make a saving throw or some such.
- - Okay, they forgot to cast the spell that would keep them from falling to their death (feather fall)... okay, so let's say CharacterA is not officially falling.
- Character describes that they fall end over end for a moment before letting themselves go feet first, they spot a pole or clothing line, or a awning within arm's reach...
- - Letting them "fail forward", you now grant them another chance catch themselves on said device (who cares that it was never originally described, it's group story telling = it's there now!)
If this is what you are shooting-for with your lock situation:
1) You fail to open the lock, but, in so doing, your foot slipped out of place, and you hear a metallic grating sound under the doormat where you were crouched (lift up mat - reveal key)
2) You fail to open the lock, and now whatever was on the other side is approaching the door (ostensibly to check what's happening on the other side). Yes, it's still failure, yes, it has a new danger, but, there's still a MEANS of getting through this door.