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ChellGame
2016-12-05, 11:20 PM
Hi folks,
New DM to 5th edition here. One of my players wants to play a rogue, focused on setting traps and luring enemies to their death, so we've been working to try to create a home brew rogue archtype to really suit the character and are looking for some feedback. As I'm new to 5th Edition any balance feedback/tweaks would be appreciated, also as this is my first time making something like this so if any of the wording is unclear/confusing please let me know. Im not very experienced with alot of the terminalogy/style for writing homebrew and would be thankfull for any tips on how to clean up the presentation. With all that said here is,


The Trap Smith

Set Trap:
Starting at 3rd level you may place a trap. The trap takes 1 minute to arm and occupies a 5 foot square. Anyone who enters the square must make a Dexterity saving throw DC (8+Prof+Int Modifier) or take damage equal to (your sneak attack damage) slashing damage, half damage on save. You may use this feature 2+Int Modifier times per long rest. After taking a long rest your previously created traps become dysfunctional from disrepair. Disarming or detecting a trap has a DC equal to (12+Prof Modifier+Int Modifier).

When crafting you trap you may select a modifier you know to apply to the trap. You know 2 modifiers to start with and gain knowledge of an additional modifier each time you would gain a new sneak attack die. You may add an 2nd modifier at 9th level and a 3rd modifier at 18th level.

Modifiers
Basic Modifiers

Area: The trap deals damage in a 30 foot circle, cone, or 60 foot line, from the point of origin
Hair Trigger: Increase the DC to detect and disarm the trap by 4.
Detonator: This trap does not activate when stepped on. Instead you may activated the trap by spending your bonus action on your turn.
Alarming: This trap makes a loud noise when activated that can be heard from half a mile away. Enemies who fail their save against the trap are deafened until the end of their next turn.

Trap Types Modifiers (You may only choose one of these modifiers per trap.)

Arrow Trap: The trap's damage type changes to Piercing. Instead of forcing a save the trap makes an attack roll against the targets AC. The attack bonus for the attack is equal to the Trap Smiths (Proficiency Modifier + Intelligence Modifier).
Crushing Trap: The trap's damage type changes to Bludgeoning and uses d8s instead of d6s for damage.
Fire Trap: The trap's damage type changes to fire and enemies who fail their save are set on fire taking an additional 1d6 damage per round till they make a successful Dexterity save.
Poison Trap: The trap's damage type changes to Poison, and enemies must make a Constitution save instead of a Dexterity save.. Enemies who fail their save must make a second Constitution on their next turn, or take poison damage equal to half the original damage dice of the trap. Enemies who succeed their first save take no damage instead of half.
Explosive Trap: The trap's damage type changes to to Thunder, enemies who fail their save are knocked back 10 feet and fall prone.
Freezing Trap: The trap's damage type changes to to Cold, enemies who fail their save have their speed reduced by 30 feet, till the end of their next turn.
Corrosive Trap: The trap's damage type changes to Acid, enemies damaged by this trap have the AC of any non-magical armor they are wearing reduced by 2. Any armor which has its AC reduced to 10 this acid is destroyed.


Salvage:
Starting at 3rd level each time you successfully disarm a trap without activating it you regain one use of your Set Trap class feature.

Fine Tuning:
Starting at 9th level your expertise with designing traps has honed them to where they can threaten the most monstrous of beasts. Your traps count as magical for the purpose of bypassing magic resistance.

Trap Seer:
Starting at 13th level your immense experience with Traps gives you an uncanny sense for detecting and avoiding them. You gain advantage of any perception check to to detect traps and against all saving throws against them. Traps that make and attack rolls against you have disadvantage on the attack.

Booby Trap:
Starting at 17th level you may place one of your traps onto your own body. The next time you take damage you may use your reaction to activate the trap. If the trap has the area modifier, you are immune to the effects of the trap.

Urzamax
2016-12-06, 01:08 AM
Hi folks,
New DM to 5th edition here. One of my players wants to play a rogue, focused on setting traps and luring enemies to their death, so we've been working to try to create a home brew rogue archtype to really suit the character and are looking for some feedback. As I'm new to 5th Edition any balance feedback/tweaks would be appreciated, also as this is my first time making something like this so if any of the wording is unclear/confusing please let me know. Im not very experienced with alot of the terminalogy/style for writing homebrew and would be thankfull for any tips on how to clean up the presentation. With all that said here is,


The Trap Smith

Set Trap:
Starting at 3rd level you may place a trap. The trap takes 1 minute to arm and occupies a 5 foot square. Anyone who enters the square must make a Dexterity saving throw DC (8+Prof+Int Modifier) or take damage equal to (your sneak attack damage) slashing damage, half damage on save. You may use this feature 2+Int Modifier times per long rest. After taking a long rest your previously created traps become dysfunctional from disrepair. Disarming or detecting a trap has a DC equal to (12+Prof Modifier+Int Modifier).

When crafting you trap you may select a modifier you know to apply to the trap. You know 2 modifiers to start with and gain knowledge of an additional modifier each time you would gain a new sneak attack die. You may add an 2nd modifier at 9th level and a 3rd modifier at 18th level.
(You may only choose one modifier with the word “trap” in it. You may only apply one "Trap Type Modifier" to each trap you craft.)

Modifiers
Basic Modifiers

Area: The trap deals damage in a 30 foot circle, cone, or 60 foot line, from the point of origin
Hair Trigger: Increase the DC to detect and disarm the trap by 4.
Detonator: This trap does not activate when stepped on. Instead you may activated the trap by spending your bonus action on your turn.
Alarming: This trap makes a loud noise when activated that can be heard from half a mile away. Enemies who fail their save against the trap are deafened until the end of their next turn.

Trap Types Modifiers (You may only choose one of these modifiers per trap.)

Arrow Trap: This trap damage type is changed to Piercing. Instead of making forcing a save the trap makes an attack roll against the target's AC. The attack bonus for the attack is equal to the Trap Smith's (Proficiency Modifier + Intelligence Modifier).
Crushing Trap: This traps damage type is changed to Bludgeoning and uses rolls d8s instead of d6s for damage.
Fire Trap: The traps damage is changed to Fire. Enemies who fail their save are set on fire and take an additional 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. They can make an additional Dexterity saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a success, the effect ends. until they make a successful Dexterity save
Poison Trap: The damage type changed to Poison, and enemies must make a Constitution save instead of a Dexterity save. Enemies who fail their save must make a second Constitution on their next turn, or take poison damage equal to half the original damage dice of the trap. Enemies who succeed their first save take no damage instead of half.
Explosive Trap: The damage type of the trap is changed to Thunder. Enemies who fail their save are knocked back 10 feet and fall prone.
Freezing Trap: The damage type of this trap is changed to Cold. Enemies who fail their save have their speed reduced by 30 feet until the end of their next turn.
Corrosive Trap: The damage of this trap is changed to Acid. Enemies damaged by this trap have the AC of any non-magical armor they are wearing reduced by 2. Any armor which has its AC reduced to 10 reduced to AC 10 by this acid are is destroyed.


Salvage:
Starting at 3rd level each time you successfully disarm a trap without activating it you regain one use of your Set Trap class feature.

Fine Tuning:
Starting at 9th level your expertise with designing traps has honed them to where they can threaten the most monstrous of beasts. Your traps count as magical for the purpose of bypassing magic resistance.

Trap Seer:
Starting at 13th level your immense experience with Traps gives you an uncanny sense for detecting and avoiding them. You gain advantage of on any perception check to to detect traps and against on all saving throws against them. Traps that make and attack rolls against you have disadvantage on the attack.

Booby Trap:
Starting at 17th level you may place one of your traps onto your own body. The next time you take damage you may use your reaction to activate the trap. If the trap has the Area modifier, you are immune to the effects of the trap.

Cool class, reminds me of 2e's Bounty Hunter. You may find it to be a bit too specialized to be useful though, unless you expect to have plenty of encounters which she can prepare for ahead of time where her traps could be helpful, and plan to have a few mechanical traps in most of your dungeons. Up to you, and I could be wrong. If you do want to run a number of traps, be sure to tell the other players ahead of time--some people really don't like traps.
Also, what's the process for crafting a trap? Does it occur during the placing/arming of the trap, or is it a separate process? If the latter, please detail it appropriately.
Can she only place traps on the floor, or can she trap the walls and ceiling too? If the latter, does she need to employ a trip wire or pressure plate, or will the traps trigger as soon as a creature gets close enough? What about trapping treasure chests, gold piles, or corpses?
If you choose not to activate the Booby Trap the next time you take damage, can you still choose do so at a later point (albeit still tied to the damage trigger), or is the trap wasted? If you do trigger the trap and it doesn't have the Area modifier, does it hit everything within 5 feet of you, or just the thing directly in front of you (and also 5 feet away)?
Concerning the Area Modifier, do you set the direction of the line/cone when you arm the trap?
Do you have to roll in order to disarm your own traps?
And finally, IIRC the appropriate way to phrase the "Trap Type Modifiers" damage change is "The trap's damage type changes to...etc".
Oh, and welcome to 5th edition! Hope you're enjoying the system.

ChellGame
2016-12-06, 02:03 AM
Cool class, reminds me of 2e's Bounty Hunter. You may find it to be a bit too specialized to be useful though, unless you expect to have plenty of encounters which she can prepare for ahead of time where her traps could be helpful, and plan to have a few mechanical traps in most of your dungeons. Up to you, and I could be wrong. If you do want to run a number of traps, be sure to tell the other players ahead of time--some people really don't like traps.

I considered allowing a quick trap modifier or class feature to allow characters to use the traps in combat rounds to make the class a little less specialized to setting up pre-combat, but I was worried that it my undermine the fantasy of the class as a trapper who lures enemies to their death and would push it more into tinker/mad scientist direction I did really want it to go. So I choose to keep the traps to pre-combat set up to give the class a different play style from a traditional rogue.

I think I will try to expand on the various trap modifier to give ore utility to the class. Since the rogue will have a limited number of modifiers learned, expanded the list would force them to make more choices in what types of utility they want.

Also, while the class is specialized, it has the ability to out damage most other martial classes in ideal scenarios as far as single round damage is concerned. Have a group of ambushed enemies set off multiple traps in a round has insanely high damage potential with the right set up. This becomes even more dangerous if paired with allies who can manipulated enemies into traps by controlling their movement/Illusions/etc. (I'm honestly worried about this outshining other character choices if the Trap Smith ends to many encounters in the first round from 3-4 area traps going of at once, though hopefully the limited amount of traps per long rest should help to keep this in check.)



Also, what's the process for crafting a trap? Does it occur during the placing/arming of the trap, or is it a separate process? If the latter, please detail it appropriately.
Can she only place traps on the floor, or can she trap the walls and ceiling too? If the latter, does she need to employ a trip wire or pressure plate, or will the traps trigger as soon as a creature gets close enough? What about trapping treasure chests, gold piles, or corpses?

Ill rewrite this section to be a little clearer on the characters options for setting up the Trap, when its crafted, etc. Not sure exactly how to phrase it now but ill go through it tomorrow. One thing I know for sure though is that the traps must be Immobile to avoid the "I trap the bag of gold and throw it at him" type shenanigans.



If you choose not to activate the Booby Trap the next time you take damage, can you still choose do so at a later point (albeit still tied to the damage trigger), or is the trap wasted? If you do trigger the trap and it doesn't have the Area modifier, does it hit everything within 5 feet of you, or just the thing directly in front of you (and also 5 feet away)?

The language here it probably to vague all around. I understand how I want it to work in my head, but the language of the Class feature doesn't really convey it. This feature may get replaced entirely if I find something that suits better. (See the previously mention not wanting this class to be a Tinkerer/Mad scientist archetype)


Concerning the Area Modifier, do you set the direction of the line/cone when you arm the trap?

When the trap is armed. Ill edit to specify this in the class feature.


Do you have to roll in order to disarm your own traps?

Yes, this is intentional so that the Trap Smith can regain uses of his Set Trap with the Salvage class feature when he disarms traps he made.

Snig
2016-12-11, 10:47 PM
This archetype is very close to what i've been looking to do with my dwarf rogue.

Does anyone else have any input? Does this look balanced to you?

Flashy
2016-12-12, 02:13 AM
The DCs are way too high. The DCs should be pegged to the standard 8+proficiency+modifier and hair trigger should be dropped to +1. DC 16 before adding proficiency or intelligence modifier is ludicrously high in 5e.

The number of known modifiers should also be sharply reduced. A new modifier each time you would gain sneak attack is very rapid progression.

Snig
2016-12-12, 07:17 AM
The DCs are way too high. The DCs should be pegged to the standard 8+proficiency+modifier and hair trigger should be dropped to +1. DC 16 before adding proficiency or intelligence modifier is ludicrously high in 5e.

The number of known modifiers should also be sharply reduced. A new modifier each time you would gain sneak attack is very rapid progression.

Well considering there are only 4 modifiers, it definitely needs to be looked at. Also, the area modifier seems like a must have. I can't imagine not taking it.

I really like the idea of this archetype. Allowing traps to use your sneak attack damage is a great idea that opens up some tactical options to the rogue. It feels very natural, but I think it needs some tweaking.

Any ideas for new modifiers?

Snig
2016-12-13, 12:31 AM
I've made a few changes in hopes of balancing this a little more and making it more streamlined. I'm not very experienced with this but I think i'm close. I took inspiration from other archetypes to try to keep this one on the same trajectory as the rest.

Let me know what you think. Some of the wording on the features are subject to change.

Set Trap:
Starting at 3rd level you may place a trap. The trap takes 1 minutes to arm and occupies a 5 foot square area, called the trigger area. When arming the trap the rogue chooses either a 10ft radius or 15ft cone as the area of effect (Have to talk to you about cones and radius). The trap effect is centered (for radius) or starts (for cone) on the trigger area. Anyone who enters the trap's trigger area, or interacts with the trap without disabling the it first will trigger the trap. Anyone caught within the blast radius must make a Dexterity saving throw DC (8+Prof+Int Modifier) or take piercing damage equal to the rogues sneak attack damage or half damage on a save.

You have 4 uses of the Set Trap feature per long rest and gain an additional us at 7th level (5 uses), and 15th level (6 uses).

Your traps can be detected and removed as normal a normal trap. The DC for detecting or disarming a is equal to (8+Prof Modifier+Int Modifier).

Trap Modifications:
Starting at 3rd level you learn two trap modifications of your choice, which are detailed under "Trap Modifications" below.

You learn two additional trap modifications of your choice at 7th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new trap modification, you can also replace one modification you know with a different one.

Fire Trap: The traps damage is changed to Fire. Enemies who fail their save are set on fire and take an additional 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. They can make an additional Dexterity saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a success, the effect ends.
Poison Trap: The damage type changed to Poison, and enemies must make a Constitution save instead of a Dexterity save. Enemies who fail their save become poisoned (disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks).They can make an additional Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a success, the effect ends.
Explosive Trap: The damage type of the trap is changed to Force. Enemies who fail their save are knocked back 10 feet and fall prone.
Acid Trap: The damage of this trap is changed to Acid. If a creature hit by the trap is wearing metal armor,weapon attacks against them has advantage for the rest of the encounter.
Precise Trap: The trigger area of this trap increases from a 5ft square area to a 10ft square area. In addition creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw against this trap.
Concussive Trap: This trap explodes with a loud boom that is audible within 300ft of you. The damage type changed to Thunder, and enemies must make a Constitution save instead of a Dexterity save. Enemies who fail their save become stunned until the end of their next turn.

Salvage:
Starting at 3rd level you can disarm (automatic success) and dissemble any trap you have set, is order to regain the materials and one use of your Set Trap feature.

Subterfuge:
Starting at 9th level, if you are hidden you can use your action to make a Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check to arm a trap during combat. On a failed save you may use your bonus action to try again, doing so at disadvantage.

Tricks of the Trade:
Starting at 13th level your immense experience with Traps gives you an uncanny sense for detecting and avoiding them. You gain advantage of on any perception check to to detect traps and on all saving throws against them. Traps that make an attack rolls against you have disadvantage on the attack. You also gain the ability to add the Detonator feature to any trap you create. The Detonator option allows the trap to be remotely detonated by the character, or someone he chooses, instead of when the trigger area is entered or interacted with. The detonator is an object the trap smith makes as part of setting a trap (a fuse, a pull string, etc...). The person detonating the trap must be within 30' of the trap and have line of sight with the trigger square(s) of the trap, and be able to interact with the trigger (detonator). In combat the person who is to trigger the device will usually take a Ready Action to detonate the trap when someone enters the traps AOE.

Demolitions Expert:
Starting at 17th level you may add two Trap Damage Type Modifications to a single trap. These damages are triggered at the same time. Certain combination do not make sense (example A fire and ice damage type on the same trap) The DM will decide if the damage combination makes sense.