Trap design for noobs

[Atsull]

I'm currently designing a dungeon. I'm pretty new to dungeon design, since I normally make outdoor skirmishes. I feel pretty confident so far, but I have one thing that I've never done before: traps.

How do I keep traps interesting, but level appropriate? How do I make them a threat, but not as dangerous as the enemies in the dungeon?

[HMS Invincible]

4v4 encounter or even have the players outnumbered the enemies. Then add in a wall that drops down to separate the party. Wall is cr 1. Now it's 1-2 pc vs the whole group. Bonus trap: trapdoor to hide the PC bodies. Put on a hat of disguise and pretend to join the party.
Got this from someone on giantitp

[VoxRationis]

Well, as far as making them interesting goes, I'd recommend that you not put them randomly in hallways. It will just slow down the game as the rogue learns to search every 5-foot square of floor. Put traps in places where it makes sense: the people who live or work in the place should be able to easily remember where the trap is and how to avoid/bypass it.
I'd have at least a few encounters where the traps are used in conjunction with enemies. The trap becomes something which the rogue should try to handle without just making the party stop and wait for them to disarm it. (I'd also make the trap be a nuisance or threat during the combat, such that the party doesn't just wait until the enemies are dead before turning their attention to the trap.)

[OldTrees1]

Well the Dungeonscape book has a lot of good information including much better Trap rules. While there is a lot of good stuff in there, the main points were:

1) Traps can be defeated by being disarmed(disable device) OR destroyed(attacking squares).
2) Traps have a duration. It is not just "trigger-save-die?" it is now "trigger-save-react-save-react...".
3) Traps and enemies can be in the same encounter.

Ex:
There is a 30ftx30ft room with corpses, chunks of flesh, skeletons and scattered bones on the floor. As the PCs enter they might hear a click(DM rolls listen checks vs DC).
(The trap has a 1 round delay)
Late 1st round:The Skeletons(initative mod +0) stand up and attack the party.
Mid 2nd round:(initiative mod +3) supernaturally cold air is released from jets in the ceiling (a random* 12 5ft squares have to make Reflex saves vs Cold damage).
*Some method of randomization: 3 of the 9 10ftx10ft squares, one of 3 predetermined groups of 12 squares, ...
Each square can be disarmed(Disable Device DC) or destroyed(location hp).
There is a central control(Search DC) that will disable the entire trap if disarmed(higher Disable Device DC) or destroyed(higher hp).

After 6 rounds(after round 7) the trap shuts off.

[frost890]

Not all traps have to harm either. Some might be used as shortcuts, others can be used to hamper. Use a switch on a wall to drop caltrops thru out the room as the guard runs for help or shoots at them as they cross the room. Use a trap switch to heal the villain. Move walls to separate the party. I even made a trap on my monks wrapping that shoot a poison dagger out when I hit. It shredded the wrapping but the look on my GM's face was priceless.

[VoxRationis]

Was this a magical trap?

[Blackhawk748]

I also recommend Dungeuonscape, great book and i recommend looking at Traps and Treachery 1 and 2 (they're Legends and Lairs books) and they have some pretty fun traps

[Sam K]

My first thought was "monk" :(

[Averis Vol]

My first thought was "monk" :(

Thought the same thing when I saw the thread title.

If you really want some fun traps, look up grimtooths traps.

[Gnoman]

My favorite trap is the Pit of Infinite Falling. It's nothing more than a trapdoor with a teleportation trap at the bottom. The teleportation trap is aimed above the pit, so everytime you teleport, you fall into the teleporter again. It's hilarious without being too nasty.