Ultimately, a traps’ function is one of protection. Many things deserve protection; it all depends on the perspective of the traps’ buyer. The altar and its various ceremonial and sacred items are cherished by clerics, and thus they often build the hand of god trap in their temples. Hand of God Trap “From the temples’ …
Magic defeats magic. This simple rule explains why trapsmiths refrain from using it in their designs. If any wizard’s apprentice can detect the trap, what is the point of using it? For instance… Burning Hands Trap CR 3; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (burning hands, 5th-level wizard, 5d4 fire, DC 11 …
Clang! The grate slams to the floor, sealing the exit — and alerting every monster in hearing distance…. Most traps are active defenses, contesting every foot of the dungeon. However, a passive defense can be a valuable deterrent as well. Two entry-level passive traps are the portcullis and the razor-wire trap, which we’ll re-design this …
The box looks like a fat, heavily pregnant woman with fangs instead of teeth. Her copious belly contains a rather grotesque image of an infant with three heads, each with an open mouth like a key-hole. No ordinary receptacle will do for treasure in the Land of Gothic Horror. The infuriating Ustalav Doll Casket is …
No one can deny the destructive qualities of fire, but sometimes a designer of traps wants something insidious, something unexpected: the unrelenting force of water. [More…]
Bursting into the chamber, your triumphant shout of “I have you now, villain!” dies in a surprised gasp. This room is a mass of turning cogs, swinging pendulums, and immense gears. Your enemy laughs, ducking behind a giant spring and into an obscuring burst of steam. “Foolish heroes,” he says. “I told you that my …
T’was the night before Christmas and throughout the guildhouse, no thief was stirring, not even the king mouse…. In the second year urchins’ dormitory, the children gathered within a fortress of pillows and blankets and discussed the imminent heist. “He enslaves elves,” someone whispered. “I heard he’s an Eladrin,” claimed another, “that’s how he gets …
Doors, rooms and corridors need not be the only trapped things in an adventure. Likewise, curses need not be the only dangerous thing attached to items. Traps have their place here as well. The following items can find their way into PC’s possession in the usual ways. An evil merchant agent of the primary villain …
Most traps aim to kill or maim, overlooking the importance of capturing victims intact. Fur traders use mantraps to protect their investments, but not many creatures intent on protecting their stronghold do the same. Typical traps and snares used for game must be modified to catch larger and more intelligent humanoid victims because — especially …
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