Minimal-Intervention balance fix (PEACH)

[Yitzi]

Even my level 20 barbarian is supposed to make an attack roll to smash apart a chest

Actually, that would probably be a strength check, and a level 20 barbarian might be able to succeed there with a "take 1".

[Deepbluediver]

Actually, that would probably be a strength check,...

Technically yes, if I'm trying to rip something apart with my bear hands, then it would be a strength check, but if I want to smash it with a weapon it would be an attack roll.
After rereading the rules I found I can guarantee getting a hit if I make my attack a Full-round action, but the wizard can still cast either Knock or Fireball (depending on what spells he's prepared and how badly he wants it open) as a standard action with no roll at all. And in terms of versatility, magic can do far more than hitting something with a weapon, so my point still stands.

...and a level 20 barbarian might be able to succeed there with a "take 1".

Not against the dreaded DIRE Treasure Chest!

Treasure Chest, Dire
Size/Type: Large Construct
Hit Dice: 10d12+30 (95 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 0 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +5 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+0
Attack: 1d3+1
Full Attack: 1d6+2 non-lethal
Special Attacks:
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Construct traits
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 0, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 25
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: ancient ruins, abandoned castles, and goblin war-camps
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Double, but there is a 30% chance the chest will be empty instead
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Combat
On a normal attack, you get a nasty splinter in your fingers from handling the rough wooden chest; you bleed for 1 HP every round for 3 rounds. Heal check DC 15 to bandage it and stop the bleeding.

On a full attack you strain a muscle trying to open or move the chest and suffer one Strength damage.

At any time before the chest is opened, any character within 30 ft with an Intellect of 3 or greater must suceed on a DC 20 Will save or be dazzled.
When the chest is opened, any character within 30 ft with an Intellect of 3 or greater must suceed on a DC 30 Will save or be Dazed for 1 round.

[Yitzi]

Technically yes, if I'm trying to rip something apart with my bear hands, then it would be a strength check, but if I want to smash it with a weapon it would be an attack roll.

Actually, if you're trying to smash it in one blow rather than hack it apart, it's always a strength check.

After rereading the rules I found I can guarantee getting a hit if I make my attack a Full-round action, but the wizard can still cast either Knock or Fireball (depending on what spells he's prepared and how badly he wants it open) as a standard action with no roll at all.

I think sacrificing a 2nd or 3rd level spell slot to open it as a standard rather than full-round action really isn't that unbalanced. There are other problems with Knock, but that isn't one of them.

And in terms of versatility, magic can do far more than hitting something with a weapon

This is true.

Not against the dreaded DIRE Treasure Chest!

With 0 in ability scores, that "monster" is automatically helpless, so that CR is 8 too high.

[Deepbluediver]

I think sacrificing a 2nd or 3rd level spell slot to open it as a standard rather than full-round action really isn't that unbalanced. There are other problems with Knock, but that isn't one of them.

OK, I think I've allowed myself to be sidetracked on the irrelvant part of this example. Mechanically, a caster is no more likely to fail at using Knock to open a locked door than they are to fail when creating their own personal miniature plane of existence. That feels weird, especially when you can fail at something as simple as jumping over a crevice in the ground if your skill check is low enough.

My goal was to find the simplest way to give magic a chance of failure, similar to what practically every other action you ever take in the game has.
The fact that you can make (theoretically) unlimited attack rolls or skill checks is not enough by itself to balance the potential power of many high level spells.

With 0 in ability scores, that "monster" is automatically helpless, so that CR is 8 too high.

Since it's typed as a construct, the zero for constitution and intellect don't mean anything; the only real problem is the zero for dexterity, which renders the giant imobile object....paralyzed!

It was meant as a joke, pulled together in less than 5 minutes by copy-pasta-ing the stat-block from an Animated Object; I'm sure there are plenty of other glaring errors with the various stat-calculations.
Dazzled probably isn't the right effect for what I was going for, if some one really REALLY wanted to use this as a part of their campaign they can PM me and I'll actually put effort into fixing it.

Still, now that I'm thinking about it, I should probably add a DC in for picking the lock...

[Yitzi]

Since it's typed as a construct, the zero for constitution and intellect don't mean anything

If you want it to be a non-ability, it has to be a score of Ø, not of 0. A score of 0 means an ability at 0, which leaves it helpless (or dead for CON), a score of Ø is a nonability.

; the only real problem is the zero for dexterity, which renders the giant imobile object....paralyzed!

A nonability for DEX requires that STR be a nonability as well.

It was meant as a joke, pulled together in less than 5 minutes by copy-pasta-ing the stat-block from an Animated Object

Obviously, that's still no excuse for such obvious errors.