Traps - Overpriced?

[Wippit Guud]

I was looking through the traps section of the SRD, and my jaw hit the floor... is this what traps cost? This is insane? Lets take the first trap as an example:

Basic Arrow Trap: CR 1; mechanical; proximity trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (1d6/x3, arrow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 2,000 gp.

So, for a CR 1 difficulty, I have a trap that can be found at DC 20 (typical 1st level rogue finds on a 14+), disarmed at DC 20, and not only does it shoot only once (note the manual reset), but it could end up missing the character!

And to put it in perspective, for 185 gp I can pay for an animate dead (150), give the skeleton a bow and 100 arrows (35), stick it behind a murder hole, and it'll shoot a lot more than once.

[Kantolin]

Nevermind how long it takes you to make traps, due to the way the crafting system works in conjunction to the ludicrously expensive traps.

Apparantly it takes several weeks to tie a string across a hallway...

Edit: Well, to be more blunt... I agree, traps are entirely too expensive for feasibility. Perhaps just to keep them out of the player's hands?

[Yuki Akuma]

Can skeletons use bows?

[Amiria]

A skeleton has all the weapon proficiencies of its base crature. With a human warrior as the base creature a skeleton can use a bow.

[Yuki Akuma]

Interesting.

It makes no sense whatsoever, but it's still interesting.

[Thomas]

The most ridiculous bit is that for their CR, the magical traps are almost always more effective and cheaper. Gah.

[Thiel]

Yes, as far as I can see it cost about 500gp to dig a hole and cover it with branches

[Cubey]

I agree, traps are entirely too expensive for feasibility. Perhaps just to keep them out of the player's hands?

I believe this is, in fact, the official explanation. Or at least a widely-accepted conclusion.

[Bouldering Jove]

The prices apparently assume you're melting down the gold pieces to use as raw materials.

Why would any BBEG do this?

Because they can.

[Saph]

But you see, traps only cost money when the players make them. Bad guys can magically conjure them to fill the halls of their lairs and the traps will just appear, assuming that they're of an appropriate CR to the party about to encounter them.

So the only reason to have a price on traps is for when players want to make them. In which case the price is going to be ridiculously high, to motivate the players to stop messing around with tripwires and flasks of acid and get back to the adventure.

Hence, expensive traps.

- Saph

[Zincorium]

The prices apparently assume you're melting down the gold pieces to use as raw materials.

Why would any BBEG do this?

Because they can.

Because the BBEG does not fall into the wealth by level bit, barring an overly literal DM. Honestly, traps are a good way to ostentatiously guard a place, without including anything the pcs might decide to run off with (I don't use adamantine doors for this reason).

Yeah, that pit might be five hundred gold to buy, but the PCs can't sell it for even a pittance, presuming they can figure out a way to take it with them (And I wouldn't put it past 'em).

[Telonius]

Yes, as far as I can see it cost about 500gp to dig a hole and cover it with branches

I suppose it could be considered a starter dungeon, though, so that makes sense.

[Telonius]

The prices apparently assume you're melting down the gold pieces to use as raw materials.

Why would any BBEG do this?

Because they can.

Hold on a minute! I think we've finally figured out that crazy piece of D&D economics. Allow me to present it in theoretical form.

C=T(ext)

where C= the cost, in gp, of trade goods produced by means of Cheese (such as hacked-off iron walls, salt created from flesh-to-salt'ed cows, etc)
and T(ext) = the extra cost beyond sane prices, in melted-down gp, of Traps used in BBEGs' lairs.

[Meat Shield]

I can't read this thread (and that last bit about starter dungeons) without posting this Nodwick link

[Fax Celestis]

I personally divide trap prices by 10 and cut crafting time for those with Craft (Trapmaking) of at least 5 to "30 minutes-Craft check".

[Thiel]

A variation of the classical 10ft by 10ft room with an orc guarding a chest.
The 10x10ft pit trap with an orc guarding a chest.

[Lapak]

A variation of the classical 10ft by 10ft room with an orc guarding a chest.
The 10x10ft pit trap with an orc guarding a chest.

Indeed, if traps are that valuable:

An orc guarding a 10x10 pit trap.

[Quietus]

Just in case the PCs decide they want to take it with them?

[TheOOB]

Just make all your traps magical. You don't even need skill ranks or a feat to make magic traps.

[Lapak]

Just in case the PCs decide they want to take it with them?

I can't have PCs walking off with my 500g investment, can I? It needs a guard!

[Fax Celestis]

This gives me an idea for a variant of the portable hole: the portable pit trap.

[Telonius]

This gives me an idea for a variant of the portable hole: the portable pit trap.

So, standard Portable Hole with "Permanent Image" applied to it?

[Thiel]

Imagine all the practical jokes you could have with one of those

[Fax Celestis]

So, standard Portable Hole with "Permanent Image" applied to it?

Yes, of an orc sitting on a chest.

[Quietus]

I've considered doing that myself... as a somewhat related question, do oozes need to breathe?

[Fax Celestis]

I've considered doing that myself... as a somewhat related question, do oozes need to breathe?

Ooze Type
An ooze is an amorphous or mutable creature, usually mindless.

Features
An ooze has the following features.

10-sided Hit Dice.
Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Dice (as cleric).
No good saving throws.
Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the ooze has an Intelligence score. However, most oozes are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.
Traits
An ooze possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Mindless: No Intelligence score, and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Blind (but have the blindsight special quality), with immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
Some oozes have the ability to deal acid damage to objects. In such a case, the amount of damage is equal to 10 + ½ ooze’s HD + ooze’s Con modifier per full round of contact.
Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
Proficient with its natural weapons only.
Proficient with no armor.
Oozes eat and breathe, but do not sleep.

Yes, they breathe. Oddly.

[Quietus]

Damn. There goes my "Portable Hole with a Permanent Image over it, and a Gelatinous Cube in it" idea.

[Inyssius Tor]

And how exactly can you tell if you've smothered an ooze?

I would think that the goo is still both acidic and paralytic, and that your own weight will push you in far enough to Engulf; in fact, I would make a case for resurrecting the Cube if it got food less than 1d6 days after suffocation.

[Fax Celestis]

It stops burbling.

[Arceliar]

My favorite trap of all time:

15 ft wide chasm (too short to waste Fly for) over a sufficiently deep drop to kill the party (or the bottom is somehow dangerous. Possibly spikes. Or gelatinous cubes.)

Perfectly smooth walls/floor so there's no obvious reason to attempt using a grappling hook.

And just before the far edge of the chasm you place a permanent Wall of Force. Early on it's an almost guaranteed way to show your PCs you don't mind killing off their meatshield or skillmonkey.