kwith
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Post by kwith on Dec 21, 2013 23:34:48 GMT
Hey, I just signed up to the forums here. Just started getting into crafting, already making my first dungeon terrain and pieces for the rooms. I noticed this forum and I just had to give my two personal favorites that drive the PCs crazy:
1. Illusionary Floor Trap - Basically the PCs walk along a corridor and the floor gives way to show a spike pit. The PCs naturally jump back to avoid it. This then gets them to jump over the pit. This is where the trap is, the floor on the other side of the pit is actually an illusion covering the REAL spike pit. The next thing the PCs see is their friend falling THROUGH the floor into the spike pit.
2. Reverse-gravity room - This room's roof is lined with spikes. This causes the PCs to assume the spikes fall. They throw items into the room to attempt to trip the trap. They cautiously enter the room keeping an eye on the roof seeing if any spikes come loose and fall towards them. Once they reach the middle of the room, a small proximity spell activates and the gravity in the room is reversed.
Anyone else have any ideas for other "evil" traps that can cause paranoia and distress to the PCs?
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Post by indigo777 on Dec 21, 2013 23:44:36 GMT
My favorite trap is one from the old Grimtooth's traps books called "Permanent Rope Burn." It involves a barbed chain wrapped in thin rope fiber being suspended 50 feet above a spiked pit. Takes a pretty high DC to tell the rope isn't a real rope and most players won't actually examine the rope, instead only giving it a light tug to make sure its secure, which isn't enough to activate the barbs.
The last time I used it the party decided to have the heaviest character test the rope first, which was a warforged, whose adamantine plating I decided made him immune. I told the players the rope is surprisingly sturdy and the warforged swings safely over the gap. The cleric then decided to give the rope a try and had to make a fort save to hold onto the rope as it gashed his hands and thighs to bits, or fall into a pit of spikes below.
If you can find a copy of the Grimtooth's traps books I highly recommend them. They are great reads with tons of interesting traps in them.
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Post by 1999robur on Dec 23, 2013 22:09:07 GMT
My favourite trap is a very simple one: An Acid Pit *Whill Wheaton goes: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!*
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slurpy
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Post by slurpy on Dec 27, 2013 1:01:10 GMT
The Grimtooth's book is fantastic. I found a copy at Half Price Books two years ago, and it's what got me back into gaming.
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dmshane
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Post by dmshane on Dec 27, 2013 1:48:19 GMT
Sorry Grotto Sweepers, those traps are dependent upon the adventures just walking blindly into them, and in the case of rope burn example above; a little dm fudge for xmas. An evil creature w/ access to level 7 wizard spell will not waste her time w/ a simple spike pit , same w/ an illusionary wall /floor. However, to Spread the Word of Evil Traps I will endow you w/ My Wisdom... A long staircase leads down to a basement with a sandy/dirt floor and a domed stone ceiling. There is a ring of "nordic" runes around the edge. A single barred wooden doorfaces you across this 30' round room. Use an illusionary wall spell as a ceiling depicting the above description, this hides a second level with room enough for the whole room to be surrounded. Place whatsoever you wish( I had a few wizards w/ wands up there) Add a sliding door to this (activated either by a trapped floor plate, or manually released by someone up there{in the second case it would not be detectable by a find traps spell as it is not triggered})) and as for what is behind the door, don't matter...cuz its fake/locked/trapped/ just slow them down... Reverse Gravity spell...use it to trap and capture a player charctor or to eject them to another level of the dungeon . Hope this helps :-)
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kwith
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Post by kwith on Dec 27, 2013 17:10:19 GMT
dmshane, Illusory Wall is a level 4 spell not level 7. That's a level 7 wizard which could be dispatched with a group of 4 or 5 level 5 - 6 characters with some effort. Also, the purposes I use these traps for is to not make the adventurers walk blindly into them, it's to encourage them to not take their surroundings for granted. I also enjoy instilling a sense of paranoia in my players. I'm not the "me vs the players" DM, but that doesn't mean I can't torment them and cause psychological scars from time to time.
If you want to talk evil traps I think I have one that takes the cake:
The players proceed down a dark corridor anxious from their last encounter to finish the mission they were tasked to complete. The thief notices something odd near the floor. It appears to be a thin wire stretched across the corridor. Clearly seeing this is a typical kobold trap, the thief draws her dagger, slices the wire and stands up. No sooner does she stand when the floor under the players becomes slanted and sends them down a long chute. They are deposited into a room filled with tiny colored blocks littering the room. Also, for some strange reason, their shoes have been magically removed. Under closer examination of the blocks they are able to discern 4 letters: L E G O. There is a door 20 feet away from them and no other traps appear in the room. The players begin to walk.......
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Post by wilmanric on Dec 27, 2013 17:23:09 GMT
The players proceed down a dark corridor anxious from their last encounter to finish the mission they were tasked to complete. The thief notices something odd near the floor. It appears to be a thin wire stretched across the corridor. Clearly seeing this is a typical kobold trap, the thief draws her dagger, slices the wire and stands up. No sooner does she stand when the floor under the players becomes slanted and sends them down a long chute. They are deposited into a room filled with tiny colored blocks littering the room. Also, for some strange reason, their shoes have been magically removed. Under closer examination of the blocks they are able to discern 4 letters: L E G O. There is a door 20 feet away from them and no other traps appear in the room. The players begin to walk....... Could also be a floor covered with d4's...
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slurpy
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Posts: 197
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Post by slurpy on Dec 27, 2013 17:47:13 GMT
One of the Grimtooth traps of which I am really fond is the completely dark room guarding the main baddy's inner sanctum. When the PCs walk in, they hear a rustling, somebody lights up a torch or casts Light, and the caged Medusa on the side of the room is illuminated for all to see. . .
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Post by miltonmurphy on Dec 27, 2013 19:09:05 GMT
One of the Grimtooth traps of which I am really fond is the completely dark room guarding the main baddy's inner sanctum. When the PCs walk in, they hear a rustling, somebody lights up a torch or casts Light, and the caged Medusa on the side of the room is illuminated for all to see. . . Right on slurpy! I love those books.
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kwith
Cardboard Collector
Posts: 3
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Post by kwith on Dec 27, 2013 19:37:27 GMT
The players proceed down a dark corridor anxious from their last encounter to finish the mission they were tasked to complete. The thief notices something odd near the floor. It appears to be a thin wire stretched across the corridor. Clearly seeing this is a typical kobold trap, the thief draws her dagger, slices the wire and stands up. No sooner does she stand when the floor under the players becomes slanted and sends them down a long chute. They are deposited into a room filled with tiny colored blocks littering the room. Also, for some strange reason, their shoes have been magically removed. Under closer examination of the blocks they are able to discern 4 letters: L E G O. There is a door 20 feet away from them and no other traps appear in the room. The players begin to walk....... Could also be a floor covered with d4's... Ahh yes, the dreaded "Path of 10,000 d4's". A torture far worse than waterboarding and a fate worse than death.
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