Avoiding Teleport Traps

[mehs]

This is for pathinder. My party is doing an old school mega dungeon, and I'm trying to find ways to not be affected by traps that teleport the victims, like one that teleports you to the negative energy plane or an underground cavern without air. The only thing i've really found is dimensional shackles, which are pretty pricey. Any suggestions?

[Crake]

Unfortunately, dimensionally locking yourself is about the only recourse you have against such traps. If you can anticipate the traps to a degree, dimensional anchor can cover you for a few minutes.

[mehs]

the cheapest magical solution i've found is based on a demonsorrow curve blade, which prices auto dimensional lock of all creatures within 60 ft of a certain creature type at 16,009 gp. If the enchantment is tuned to humanoids, than that would work for the party, but is on the edge of what is allowed by raw.

[Inevitability]

Summon something disposable (Mount lasts hours/level) and have it walk ahead of you?

[ciopo]

Have trapfinding, wiscrani ears, and the rogue talent for passive trap perception.
Plus whatever perception boost you can find!

[King of Nowhere]

the text for the teleport spell does not mention that the creature must be willing, and that trying to bring with you an object on another creature gives a saving throw. similar for planeshift, baleful teleport and a bunch of similar spells.
as such, it would seem a reasonable rai interpretation to give a will saving throw to avoid being teleported by a teleport trap.

if the dm disagrees with that, then yes, dimensionally binding you is the only thing you can do.

actually, my party also considered binding themselves with ropes, so that when one is teleported, the others will be teleported with him, so at least the party is not split. that, however, has a bunch of other problems; they gave up on the idea when I asked them how they intend to fight tied to one another.

[Eldonauran]

... You may also bring one additional willing Medium or smaller creature (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) or its equivalent per three caster levels. ...
Creatures must be willing to go with a typical teleport spell. That implies they forgo any saving throw they might be allowed. Teleport is a 'Personal' spell, and is usually only capable of being cast on the caster.

[Jack_Simth]

Plane Shift and teleportation circle, however...

Pathfinder? Just spam Detect Magic as you go.

[mehs]

Summon something disposable (Mount lasts hours/level) and have it walk ahead of you?

Dm ruled that you summon the same creature each time. Still wouldn't die, but potential for it to not like you if you use it like that. Potential to smuggle items that way, assuming you surgically implant it or summon the creature again before too long if taking the easy route (it still exists... somewhere, when not summoned and has biological processes). Not sure how serious vs joke that was. It being an old school campaign path that was of debatably quality of conversion to pathfinder, i'm fully expecting some no save teleports.

[Inevitability]

Dm ruled that you summon the same creature each time. Still wouldn't die, but potential for it to not like you if you use it like that. Potential to smuggle items that way, assuming you surgically implant it or summon the creature again before too long if taking the easy route (it still exists... somewhere, when not summoned and has biological processes). Not sure how serious vs joke that was. It being an old school campaign path that was of debatably quality of conversion to pathfinder, i'm fully expecting some no save teleports.

Slight setback, but at worst that turns the solution from Mount into Mount + Charm Animal.

[Jack_Simth]

Spamming Detect Magic is the simplest solution. Cantrips/Osirons are at-will in Pathfinder, and any casting class that gets 6th's or better can have detect magic at level 0. Teleport traps are pretty much always going to be magical. So have a rogue looking for traps, have a horse (from Communal Mount (https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Mount,%20Communal), so you have six of them to play with) going first after the rogue clears things, and run a constant Detect Magic as well. One of the three should find basically anything, and the horse is disposable.

If you're OK with spending some money, buy a couple of donkeys or mules (https://aonprd.com/EquipmentMiscDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Donkey%20or%20m ule) instead of using summoned horses. 8 gp each (pack saddles (https://aonprd.com/EquipmentMiscDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Saddle%20(pack) ) for them are 5 gp each, feed (https://aonprd.com/EquipmentMiscDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Feed%20(per%20d ay)) is 5 cp/day - and they can carry their own feed with the pack saddle). You'll need to invest in Handle Animal too, of course. Maybe a whip.

[Inevitability]

A question about summoned creatures:



Obviously that means they can't use their own teleportation abilities. But... could there also be some strange interactions when a summoned creature steps on a teleportation trap? (such as they just don't trigger them at all)

"Using teleportation abilities" and "Being teleported" are just as different as "Wielding a sword" and "Getting stabbed".

[Wintermoot]

"Using teleportation abilities" and "Being teleported" are just as different as "Wielding a sword" and "Getting stabbed".

Hang on... you might be onto something.

DM: "The bandit chief swings his halberd at you and does 14 damage"

Player: "Nope."

DM: "huh?"

Player: "I only have simple weapons. So I can't take damage from martial weapons"

Player2: "Hey yeah! As a druid, I can only use wooden weapons so he didn't damage me either!"

[rel]

Start by checking in with the GM outside of the game to make sure that bypassing the zany traps entirely Is the intended play style.

That said, a lot of old school traps are annoyingly specific in their targeting; only targets humanoids, targets creatures but only 25% of the time, targets medium creatures but only if they're flying, etc.

A powerful general approach is to try and foul the trap targeting:
play PC's with unusual types like undead, or unusual sizes like tiny.
Carry a bag of rats (one of the most overlooked sources of shenanigans) and yeet them into suspect areas to trigger and maybe even overload traps.
Don't kill the bandits or cultists, mind control them and use them for trap finding.
Default to an unusual form of locomotion like spider climbing across the ceilings.