A Sample Table from the Malign Magic and Mechanisms Chapter
Packed with practical guidance, easy-to-incorporate rules, and ready-to-play options, this chapter makes populating locations with all manner of magical and mundane dangers a breeze. Whether you need a bonechilling curse, a persistent environmental hazard, a wickedly malign mechanical trap, or anything in between, these sections have you covered. Included are catalogues of premade curses, hazards, and traps ready to slot into a campaign or inspire a new creation.
Trap Builder
Trap Type
Roll
Result
1
mechanical
2
mechanical complex
3
magic
4
magic complex
Trap Severity
Roll
Result
1 - 2
setback
3 - 4
dangerous
5 - 6
deadly
Trap Placement
Roll
Result
1
on a lock (attached to a chest, door, diary, etc.)
2
on an entrance or exit (a gateway, a trapdoor, top of a staircase, etc.)
3
on an item (a statue, a painting, a chest, etc.)
4
on an area within range of a specific piece of terrain or structure (a flower patch, a fountain, an altar, etc.)
5
on a specific area within a larger area (a section of
floor, part of a wall, etc.)
6
on the entirety of a room or other confined space (a hallway, a cavern within a cave complex, etc.)
Trap Trigger
Roll
Result
1
touching an item
2
running out the clock
3
stepping on a pressure plate
4
entering an area
5
failing a check
6
inputting an incorrect solution
7
tripping a wire
8
defeating a monster
Trap effect
Roll
Result
1
deals damage.
2
inflicts a disease.
3
activates a hazard.
4
inflicts a curse.
5
delivers a poison.
6
creates a barrier.
7
summons creatures.
8
inflicts a condition.
9
destroys an item.
10
casts a spell.
11
triggers a different trap.
12
triggers an alarm.
Trap Detection
Roll
Result
1
is detected via passive Perception
2
allows navigator to notice with a Perception check
3
is detected magically via a spell like detect magic
4
is detected by PCs actively studying or looking around an area via passive Investigation
5
is noticed by PCs actively searching for traps with an Investigation check
6
is detected by finding or deciphering a warning
Trap Deactivation
Roll
Result
1
deactivated with a command word
2
disabled with thieves' tools
3
deactivated with dispel magic
4
bypassed with a key (literal key or keyed item)
5
turned off with a mechanism (flip a switch, pull a lever, etc.)
6
physically disabled without thieves' tools (remove a piece, place a countereweight, nail shut, etc.)
7
deactivated by inputting a correct solution or solving a puzzle
8
defeating a monster
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