Key Rework Idea

Keys will “break” into a broken key while channeling the key at a default 5% chance per charge/second. Once a key permanently breaks, the key cannot be used to unlock the hatch. If a key has more than 10 seconds left when it breaks, then the key is set to a maximum of 10 seconds. The breaking of a key makes an audible sound audible to all nearby players. The Dull Key will automatically break once all of its charges are consumed. The Skeleton Key will have a 50% chance to break per second after it reaches 10 seconds remaining (10 or more second remaining still has a default of 5% chance). Key charges are unaffected. Taking a broken skeleton or dull key out of the trial will convert the key into a Broken Key (or perhaps a new version of a “broken” key). Taking a unbroken key out of the trial will keep it in its current state as a Skeleton or Dull Key. Keys that are dropped from a sacrificed survivor’s hook or are forcefully dropped (Franklin's) will have a 75% chance of instantly breaking.

• Justification: This rework idea is intended to prevent keys from being able to both provide a quick escape out of a trial and survivor/killer aura reading that could go up to 45 seconds (Skeleton Key plus yellow beads). With a chance of a key breaking while actively using it, keys will have a 64.15% chance of breaking by the time it reaches 20 seconds of use (Geometric, p=0.05, P(x<20) = 0.6415). If the last 10 seconds of the Skeleton Key is used, then the probability of the key breaking is almost guaranteed. If the 15 second addon increase is used, the probability of the Skeleton Key breaking within the first 35 seconds is 83.39%. This would discourage survivors from actively using the key if they plan on escaping through the hatch too. In other words, survivors who use keys will either have to save the key for the hatch or risk it breaking beforehand. If a survivor dies with a key, there will a high probability that the key will break which would reduce the effect of keys despite killers sacrificing survivors. Furthermore, this won't affect Keys that are found in chests during a trial unless Ace in the Hole is used.
• In addition, if the probability of the Key breaking is too high, then the default probability could be reduced to 0.01 per charge (second), but equipping Blood Amber would increase the probability to 0.05.