When I have used Grim (which is both a shortening of his name and his character) the only time I have had him use the words "it can not be done" was when I asked him to heal my character. Tomi when he finds a chest he can't disarm says "no can do". Liu is just plain polite. When my henchmen have found chests they can't bash (and this includes the red tiger), they usually say something obnoxious. Liu even goes into Elven and then promptly apologies. The only thing I can think of is that your character is between them and the chest and they can't reach it. By the way Tomi and the bard just pick the locks, I have yet to see them bash any chests. Finally, why bother, the best way to open a trapped locked chest is a magic missile (of course my characters are sorcerers).
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