I need trap help

[BRKNdevil]

So i want to challenge my players with traps, but they haven't really released any yet. I'm thinking of raiding some of my 3.5 books for traps but I was wondering how i should re-adjust the DC of the traps if they exceed 20 or so. What is everybody's suggestions?

On a side note, the poison listed in the book kind of sucks, how should i deal with a player with a wanting of poisons? Should i raid by 3.5 books? what should the pricing of those introduced poisons be?

[Ghost Nappa]

So i want to challenge my players with traps, but they haven't really released any yet. I'm thinking of raiding some of my 3.5 books for traps but I was wondering how i should re-adjust the DC of the traps if they exceed 20 or so. What is everybody's suggestions?

On a side note, the poison listed in the book kind of sucks, how should i deal with a player with a wanting of poisons? Should i raid by 3.5 books? what should the pricing of those introduced poisons be?

Remember the DC of the 5E Skill checks. (PHB p. 174)

5 is supposed to be "Very Easy" and you should probably skip it. Think the eraser or bucket of water on a door.
10 is supposed to be "Easy." Probably a very crude and easy to avoid to dismantle or avoid, but not immediately obvious. The dart shooter activated by the hidden tile on the floor.
15 is supposed to be "Medium" difficulty, and is probably the standard-faire.
20 is "Hard."
25 is "Very Hard."
30 is "Nearly Impossible."

Also keep in mind that should be a reason that they are functioning traps in place. If no one has been around to maintain them for awhile, some of them might already have been dismantled or broken from age.

[rlc]

The lost mines adventure has some traps in it and I'm guessing that the Dragon one does, too. Those are probably the best places to get ideas for traps and their DCs.

[EvilAnagram]

Fill a room with easy to find pressure plates. While the thief is investigating the ground, he fails to notice the ooze that's clinging to the dark ceiling above the pressure plate.

A piece of parchment found on the corpse of a dead adventurer says, "The words of the prophet shall light the way..." On entering a room, the party sees a statue of a man in robes holding a scroll for all to see. If they investigate, they find that the scroll says, "I prepared explosive runes."

In the temple of Bane, there is a room in which there are three pedestals. At the foot of the pedestals are the skeletal remains of some poor soul. On each pedestal is a chalice, and above the words, "Drink only from the cup of Bane or perish," are carved into stone. The first chalice is gold and covered in gems. The second is pure diamond. The third is carved wood. In the middle of the pedestals, there is a pool of water. If the players drink out of any of the cups, they take 3d8 poison damage and ongoing 1d8 poison. If they drink using the skull, they may pass unharmed.

In an empty room, there is a single switch on the wall and a large statue in a recess. There does not appear to be any mechanism in the room that correlates with the switch. There is a sign that says, "Do not activate switch," near the switch. If a player activates the switch, the stone golem in the recess walks over to the PC and clobbers him, then returns to his position.

[pwykersotz]

Fill a room with easy to find pressure plates. While the thief is investigating the ground, he fails to notice the ooze that's clinging to the dark ceiling above the pressure plate.

A piece of parchment found on the corpse of a dead adventurer says, "The words of the prophet shall light the way..." On entering a room, the party sees a statue of a man in robes holding a scroll for all to see. If they investigate, they find that the scroll says, "I prepared explosive runes."

In the temple of Bane, there is a room in which there are three pedestals. At the foot of the pedestals are the skeletal remains of some poor soul. On each pedestal is a chalice, and above the words, "Drink only from the cup of Bane or perish," are carved into stone. The first chalice is gold and covered in gems. The second is pure diamond. The third is carved wood. In the middle of the pedestals, there is a pool of water. If the players drink out of any of the cups, they take 3d8 poison damage and ongoing 1d8 poison. If they drink using the skull, they may pass unharmed.

In an empty room, there is a single switch on the wall and a large statue in a recess. There does not appear to be any mechanism in the room that correlates with the switch. There is a sign that says, "Do not activate switch," near the switch. If a player activates the switch, the stone golem in the recess walks over to the PC and clobbers him, then returns to his position.

Beautiful. :smallbiggrin:

All are hilarious, but I'm really fond of the 'cup of Bane' trap. Very nice.

[BRKNdevil]

So something like a double pitfall trap with some odd visual reference for the first one with an easy DC 10 Passive Perception, but a Thieve's Tools Check or Investigation Check DC 20 to 25 followed by a second pitfall right next to it, with a DC 20 Passive Perception and a DC 15 to disable?

[EvilAnagram]

So something like a double pitfall trap with some odd visual reference for the first one with an easy DC 10 Passive Perception, but a Thieve's Tools Check or Investigation Check DC 20 to 25 followed by a second pitfall right next to it, with a DC 20 Passive Perception and a DC 15 to disable?

Yup. That works, though in my original post it was simply a monster clinging to the ceiling. Anything small to medium in size from the ooze family should work, since it will try to engulf the PC investigating the pressure plate. This will be especially fun for you because the PC it engulfs will take damage when they attack the ooze.

Also, the easy-to-see pressure plate should be at least a 13 DC. You want them to know that it's there, but you only want someone skilled in Perception to see it, or they might realize something is up.

And if they roll for active perception, make them specify where they're looking. Don't just give it up.