daemonaetea
2013-01-05, 10:29 AM
In the next session of the game I'm running the primary enemy will be a group of kobolds and hobgoblins that will be using guerrilla tactics against the party. The problem I've run into is there doesn't seem to be much information... ok, any information... about outdoor traps. Everything seems to be with a dungeon focus, with prices that are completely out of line for something made outdoors. A simple pit trap, requiring only a shovel, netting, and leaves to hide the whole thing should not cost thousands of gold.
I can always just wing it, of course, but I generally like to at least see the ways others have handled it first to see if what I'm thinking of is in line. At the moment I'm thinking of taking the booby traps from the Trapsmith prestige class (Dungeonscape) and the combat traps from the Combat Trapsmith prestige class (Complete Scoundrel) and making them available to the kobolds without actual levels in those prestige classes (as I'm hoping to make them all be between 2nd and 4th level, and thus none of them would qualify). Does this sound about right to all of you? Also, I'm thinking 1d4 traps/encounters per day while they make their way, until they've managed to inflict enough damage on the attacking force that they can no longer continue (25 kobolds and 15 hobgoblins, will retreat once the force is reduced by half; will be mostly hit and run, but the party can still bring enough damage to bear that they should be capable of killing a handful per encounter, more if they try to chase them down (they will)).
Also, there is a trap not from a book I hope to use, and I was hoping to get your thoughts on CR of the trap, how the DCs or effects should be modified, etc. The trap will be basically an artificial sinkhole created in the middle of the road they're following, made by tunneling under a section of it and then placing a few planks of wood - enough to keep it from collapsing when a horse goes over it, but not the fully loaded carriage it's drawing. I was thinking a Search DC of 20 or a Perception DC of 25 to see it, with about a CR of 4. The main effect of such traps would be to force them to take 2d6 x 10 minutes to get the carriage back out and repair any damage to the axles and wheels and such, as well as losing 1d4 potions that the wizards in the coach were working on. Since they are currently in a time constrained situation (the 10 days it'll take them to reach they're destination is exactly when they need to be there for an important meeting) a loss of time will really hurt. It's late fall in the campaign, so they only have about eleven hours of daylight. They will, of course, have the option of travelling into the night to make up for the time, but then they'll be even more open to raids as they travel and less able to see any traps ahead.
Couple last notes: they actually do need to protect as many of the people they're travelling with as possible - low level wizards who are going to assist with the defense of the city they're trying to reach. Also, this is a 3.P game, with more emphasis on the 3.5 than the P, but Pathfinder is still welcome. Last, the party is 6th level, consisting of: Catfolk Beguiler, Dwarf Monk/Psion, Lizardfolk Paladin, Silverbrow Human Barbarian, and Human Wizard/Cleric with Devil Bloodeline. Reasonably optimized, with a few houserules in effect that benefit them, and well armed. I generally throw EL 8-10 encounters at them and they power through with only perhaps a moment or two of panic.
As always, thanks for any help.
I can always just wing it, of course, but I generally like to at least see the ways others have handled it first to see if what I'm thinking of is in line. At the moment I'm thinking of taking the booby traps from the Trapsmith prestige class (Dungeonscape) and the combat traps from the Combat Trapsmith prestige class (Complete Scoundrel) and making them available to the kobolds without actual levels in those prestige classes (as I'm hoping to make them all be between 2nd and 4th level, and thus none of them would qualify). Does this sound about right to all of you? Also, I'm thinking 1d4 traps/encounters per day while they make their way, until they've managed to inflict enough damage on the attacking force that they can no longer continue (25 kobolds and 15 hobgoblins, will retreat once the force is reduced by half; will be mostly hit and run, but the party can still bring enough damage to bear that they should be capable of killing a handful per encounter, more if they try to chase them down (they will)).
Also, there is a trap not from a book I hope to use, and I was hoping to get your thoughts on CR of the trap, how the DCs or effects should be modified, etc. The trap will be basically an artificial sinkhole created in the middle of the road they're following, made by tunneling under a section of it and then placing a few planks of wood - enough to keep it from collapsing when a horse goes over it, but not the fully loaded carriage it's drawing. I was thinking a Search DC of 20 or a Perception DC of 25 to see it, with about a CR of 4. The main effect of such traps would be to force them to take 2d6 x 10 minutes to get the carriage back out and repair any damage to the axles and wheels and such, as well as losing 1d4 potions that the wizards in the coach were working on. Since they are currently in a time constrained situation (the 10 days it'll take them to reach they're destination is exactly when they need to be there for an important meeting) a loss of time will really hurt. It's late fall in the campaign, so they only have about eleven hours of daylight. They will, of course, have the option of travelling into the night to make up for the time, but then they'll be even more open to raids as they travel and less able to see any traps ahead.
Couple last notes: they actually do need to protect as many of the people they're travelling with as possible - low level wizards who are going to assist with the defense of the city they're trying to reach. Also, this is a 3.P game, with more emphasis on the 3.5 than the P, but Pathfinder is still welcome. Last, the party is 6th level, consisting of: Catfolk Beguiler, Dwarf Monk/Psion, Lizardfolk Paladin, Silverbrow Human Barbarian, and Human Wizard/Cleric with Devil Bloodeline. Reasonably optimized, with a few houserules in effect that benefit them, and well armed. I generally throw EL 8-10 encounters at them and they power through with only perhaps a moment or two of panic.
As always, thanks for any help.