A quick question about Magic Traps!

[Jon_Dahl]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/traps.htm#cr4BestowCurseTrap

How come the save DC is 14? It's a 3rd-level spell, so that makes it 10+spell level+ability modifier. How come the 5th-level cleric had Wisdom 12 or 13 when he/she cast the spell? I don't get it. Should I put the DC straight to 16? Other magic traps have the same issue.

[Inevitability]

Isn't there a rule the ability is always the lowest possible? So this cleric would have needed at least 13 wisdom for the spell, but nothing more. Math works out that way.

So: the cleric had 13 wisdom because the spell rules said he had.

[Duke of Urrel]

Isn't there a rule the ability is always the lowest possible?

Dire_Stirge is right. The Bestow Curse trap is a magic-device trap and follows the rules of magic items, including the following (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#savingThrowsAgainstMagicItemPo wers).


Magic items produce spells or spell-like effects. For a saving throw against a spell or spell-like effect from a magic item, the DC is 10 + the level of the spell or effect + the ability modifier of the minimum ability score needed to cast that level of spell.

[Jon_Dahl]

Ohhh, damn! I didn't know that! Unfortunately, some PCs have died because I have boosted the save DCs :(
Thank you for saving my PCs!

[Duke of Urrel]

Ohhh, damn! I didn't know that! Unfortunately, some PCs have died because I have boosted the save DCs :(
Thank you for saving my PCs!

Not to complicate matters at this point, but I believe the following rule (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) creates possible exceptions to the usual rule.


Using metamagic feats, a caster can place spells in items at a higher level than normal.