PDA

View Full Version : BoVD Trap CR Needed!



Swordguy
2007-03-05, 11:42 AM
I'm at work and prepping stuff for tonight's game (and so don't have my stuff with me). The trap is as follows.

In a 10x10 room, there is a bookshelf, with glass doors and a very large lock (DC 30 to open). Upon the breaking of the glass or a failed lockpick attempt (by 10 or more), the trap goes off. It is a 2-stage magical trap. First, the Wrack spell is cast in a 10' radius at CL 12. Then, the Stop Heart spell is cast upon whomever broke the glass or failed the lockpick attempt. This is a 1-time effect (trap cannot be reset). Consider this a mechanical trigger. The party has no rogue or similar, to the DC to find/disable doesn't matter.

For those who don't have the book, these are the summed-up versions of the spells in question.

Wrack:
Clr 4
Duration: 1 rnd/lvl (ish)
Save: FORT negates
Effect: Subject is wracked with pain and blinded[i] for the duration of the spell. In addition, due to the pain, they are considered [i]Helpless for the duration of the spell. After the spell's duration, they are Shaken for 3d10 minutes.

Stop Heart
Clr 5
Duration: Instant
Save: FORT negates
Effect: Failing the save, the target' s heart stops. The target is immediately reduced to -8 hp, and bleeds out normally. A DC15 Heal check will stabilize the target, as will any effect that restores hp.


Given this set-up, what approximate CR would you assign this trap?
Thanks!

Fax Celestis
2007-03-05, 11:43 AM
Hm. CR...8, based solely on the spells in question.

Swordguy
2007-03-05, 11:48 AM
Hm. CR...8, based solely on the spells in question.

Is that based solely on the level of the spells, or the interaction between them as well?

Wrack goes off, everyone in the room is disabled (helpless). Stop Heart goes off, target dies in 2 rounds, but everyone in the room is helpless for 12...

Fax Celestis
2007-03-05, 11:52 AM
Both, actually, but considering the Fort Negates on both, the only people who're going to be hurting are the caster-types (and the rogue-types, who you have said they don't have).

What's the Save DC set at?

Thomas
2007-03-05, 11:53 AM
That's not a terribly significant interaction. The more people in the room, the better the odds one of them doesn't fail the save against wrack. Stop heart is most effective against a lone target, and then wrack isn't really necessary.

Anyway, that looks like one CR 5 and one CR 6 trap, to me. You could round that up to CR 8.

Swordguy
2007-03-05, 11:59 AM
Party of 3:

1 Fighter4/Wizard3 (evoker)/Spellsword2 (Con 12)
1 Kai Lord 9 (OGL-equivalent to a Psion3/Ranger3/Fighter3 with +1/+1/+1 save progression and 12 Con)
1 Bard 9 (Con 10)

EDIT: And no, if you haven't guessed, my party's never heard and doesn't want to hear about optimization. ;)

Save DCs are set as per the caster of the spell, right (again, at work - no reference books or SRD)? If so, they're cast by a 16th level Cleric with a +8 wisdom modifier (so 22 on the Wrack and 23 on the Stop Heart).

Thomas
2007-03-05, 12:12 PM
Yep, DCs are set by the caster's ability, but with DCs that high, the CRs would have to be higher. Comparing CRs to the DMG traps, CR 10 for stop heart wouldn't be inappropriate. Bump wrack up to CR 6, maybe.

Swordguy
2007-03-05, 12:17 PM
Yep, DCs are set by the caster's ability, but with DCs that high, the CRs would have to be higher. Comparing CRs to the DMG traps, CR 10 for stop heart wouldn't be inappropriate. Bump wrack up to CR 6, maybe.

OK, cool. Thanks!