Trapsmiths try very hard to impede, disable, and destroy intruders, but sometimes, trapsmiths wish that tomb robbers would just destroy themselves. The undead druid known as the “Thing at the Soul of the Mire” (see Kobold Quarterly #3) was one of the first to develop the painful lure trap: a trap where intruders cause their own deaths.

The Painful Lure Trap

Using a patch of brainstalk fungus and a simple spike stones spell, the painful lure trap targets the weak of mind.

As soon as the door of a large room opens (or a stony clearing in the woods is entered), a spike stones spell activates, originating at its center. Any creature moving on foot into or through the spell’s area moves at half speed. In addition, each creature moving through the area takes 1d8 piercing damage for each 5 ft. of movement through the spiked area…

At the center of the effect, the brainstalk fungus uses its psychic lure aura to attract victims. Those that fail their DC 12 Will saves will walk toward the fungus and through the spiked area. The creature uses its mind stun ability to disable all who resist its lure.

Painful Lure Trap CR 6

Type magical; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 29
Trigger visual (arcane eye); Reset automatic reset
Effect spell effect (spike stones); multiple targets (all who enter area)
Effect psychic lure (DC 12 Will save resists)
Effect mind stun (DC 12 Will save resists)

Defeating the painful lure trap. Destroying the brainstalk fungus is the easiest way to defeat the painful lure trap.

A deadlier painful lure trap. A basic painful lure trap uses only one brainstalk fungus in its design. However, by increasing the number of brainstalks, the DCs of the Will saves increase. The mind stun ability becomes available every round.

Number of brainstalks—New Will save DCs (all effects) (New CR )

• 2—DC 14 Will save (CR 7)
• 4—DC 16 Will save (CR 9)
• 8—DC 18 Will save (CR 11)

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