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View Full Version : Review my traps!



Shnezz
2010-04-03, 04:52 PM
So, here we go. Neigh unlimited resources, time, and access to magic... let's see what GitP thinks of these: http://www.d20srd.org/ (Link for those who do not know the items I mention... search them there.)


Hall of Indestructible Mirrors, with 4x Mirror of Oppositions thrown in to spice it up.

Hallway, full of false-floor pit traps, tripwires that release ~10 arrows into the offender from the ceiling and from behind. At the end there is a locked door, though the "obvious" keyhole is a false for a trap. Arcana check to reveal it has a magical trigger, which will send two large spells (Likely some form of fire) at them through Ring Portals built into the walls on either side of the door. Perception check to find the real keyhole.

Well of red, glowing water. Arcana check will reveal that it has "Various conflicting magical properties", high enough will let them know all possible effects. Roll 1d8 for effect, as shown below.
1: Lose 10 hp.
2: Lose 5 hp.
3: Weakened, Dazed, -2 to all attacks for 1d4 hours (No save)
4: Gain 10 hp.
5: gain 5 hp.
6: +1 to all attributes for 24 hours.
7: +50% movement speed for 1d4 hours, gain 1/5 total health hp, +1 to all rolls of any kind for 1d4 hours.
8: Drop to 0 hp.


What do you think?

Lord Loss
2010-04-03, 05:11 PM
I espescially like the first one. The second one would make a very, very dangerous way for the PCs to boost themselves... or die. Overall, I like it. Maybe we've found the next Ravenwood...

Shnezz
2010-04-03, 05:21 PM
I espescially like the first one. The second one would make a very, very dangerous way for the PCs to boost themselves... or die. Overall, I like it. Maybe we've found the next Ravenwood...

The second one was the hallway of traps... how is that boosting them? :smallconfused:

Do you mean they would steal the Ring Portals, or something? Or did you mean the well one, which was my THIRD trap.

1: Hall of Mirrors
2: Hallway
3: Well.

Edit: Also, "Drop to 0 hp" Means that they're unconscious, but not dead. They just need to be healed. Perhaps try the water again? :smallamused: It's not like THAT could finish them off on a bad roll, or anything. :smallwink:

Raum
2010-04-03, 05:59 PM
Hall of Indestructible Mirrors, with 4x Mirror of Oppositions thrown in to spice it up. This seems more like an encounter than a trap, but whatever it's called, it has some potential.


Hallway, full of false-floor pit traps, tripwires that release ~10 arrows into the offender from the ceiling and from behind. At the end there is a locked door, though the "obvious" keyhole is a false for a trap. Arcana check to reveal it has a magical trigger, which will send two large spells (Likely some form of fire) at them through Ring Portals built into the walls on either side of the door. Perception check to find the real keyhole. Meh. This is just a hit point tax. Or a series of hit point taxes.


Well of red, glowing water. Arcana check will reveal that it has "Various conflicting magical properties", high enough will let them know all possible effects. Roll 1d8 for effect, as shown below.
1: Lose 10 hp.
2: Lose 5 hp.
3: Weakened, Dazed, -2 to all attacks for 1d4 hours (No save)
4: Gain 10 hp.
5: gain 5 hp.
6: +1 to all attributes for 24 hours.
7: +50% movement speed for 1d4 hours, gain 1/5 total health hp, +1 to all rolls of any kind for 1d4 hours.
8: Drop to 0 hp.
Not sure I'd call it a trap...it is an odd macguffin though. :) As a trap, I dislike it for one of the same reasons that make hit point tax traps bad - there's little or no interaction.

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On to traps in general...

I prefer to avoid traps with little or no PC interaction. If the PCs don't make choices in dealing with it (ie: interaction) then it's simply there to reduce PC resources. I don't find that very interesting or very fun.

Even a simple pit trap can be made interactive. Two possibilities include either making it obvious so the choices are about how to get around it, or making it bottle shaped, slick, etc so the interaction is in getting out of it. Either is far more interesting than randomly finding it or not, and paying your tax if not found.

Shnezz
2010-04-03, 06:11 PM
I don't make things such as the pitfalls "Your failed the check to notice this, and you stepped in it, take x dmg" I give them a roll to avoid it entirely (acrobatic style). Then I'd likely give them something to avoid the large spikes at the bottom of the pit, and land between two of them. Still, I get your points. I meant is the FRAMEWORK for these things okay? This isn't a final version.

Edit: Also, I admit the pitfall/arrows ARE hit point tax, but the person who triggered the trap isn't the one hit by all the arrows. Some from above, and some from behind. I want the party angry at each other for spreading the pain. And the door at the end of the hall is to see if they learned anything about traps on the way through the hall.