What do you do to make traps more interesting?

One thing I've never been really fond of in D&D is the way traps are handled... By default its a little bit too much of "roll to find, then roll to disable" and not a whole lot of flavor backing that up.

This has all been kind of crystallized by Dungeonscape, which includes a great concept - I think they called it the "encounter trap" which is a more involved trap that acts more as a full encounter, with multiple checks being needed to bypass each portion of the trap.

What kinds of things do you do to make traps more interesting, and to make them involve the entire party rather than just one person...

Kid Charlemagne said:

One thing I've never been really fond of in D&D is the way traps are handled... By default its a little bit too much of "roll to find, then roll to disable" and not a whole lot of flavor backing that up.

This has all been kind of crystallized by Dungeonscape, which includes a great concept - I think they called it the "encounter trap" which is a more involved trap that acts more as a full encounter, with multiple checks being needed to bypass each portion of the trap.

What kinds of things do you do to make traps more interesting, and to make them involve the entire party rather than just one person...

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In my C&C game I don't use traps often but when I do most of the time they are puzzle traps(logic puzzles, word puzzles, math puzzles, and even puzzles that stress the history or background of my setting). They can involve the whole party...Disable Device and other skill checks(Traps ability and ability checks in C&&C) can allow the PC's a clue to it's workings or logic if they get stuck(this way it doesn't nerf the Rogue), They allow for interaction and are just plain more interesting than just rollind dice.

Replace them with things that fight back.

I have traps within traps. Really gets the incautionous who just assume the trap they just found is the *only* trap in that particular location.

I also have some traps designed such that they can't be disarmed by conventional means because the trap mechanism is behind a barrier of some sort, like a door or wall. It means that the party has to be creative to bypass or negate the trap.

I like to have clues about a trap's presence -- bloodstains, scorchmarks, etc.

I like to have a decent explanation for how a mechanical trap works and especially how the trap resets itself.

I also like magical effects that don't just deal damage. Something that sows a little chaos (confusion, fear) or splits the party up can be a hoot.

Hm. I just ran an adventure with some traps; I was unhappy with both how I presented them and how they presented themselves.

The only ones that were of any interest, really, were the ones the party couldn't get around - they avoided a Lightning Bolt trap by avoiding the door (went through the wall, which is fun). The other "trap" wasn't a traditional trap; wererat rogues cut the lines on huge bells which then dropped at the party (Rflx Save - DC 15 to avoid damage but be under the bell, DC 20 to get out, or 12d6 damage).

Getting up into the belltower (heavily modified Speaker In Dreams) there were traps; but they were just...boring.

Eric is correct on what to add (which my tower traps lacked) - clues on presence, good explanations on mechanics, and alternate effects.

The "bells dropping" adds hong's concise comment - it's a trap-like mechanic controlled directly by conquerable opponents. Traps are a faceless foe; less automation and more lever-pulling by cackling villians add entertainment.

Some of it is dependant on DM and party; we have a very diplomacy-heavy kick-in-the-door playstyle. The puzzle-type traps or Grimtooth-style James Bond things just won't fly very often, and even standard DMG traps aren't seen as much more than a locked door - a die-roll-solved obstacle from the next plot or fight.

My next time with traps will be more along the lines of the underground complex in the Hellboy movie; party-splitters and path-blockers - they're things that don't have to (or can't) be disarmed, and they'll hopefully inspire a little more interest and/or brainstorming about solutions in the party.

And really, that's what they need sometimes. Imagine a party without a rogue - they have to avoid traps in ingenious ways, often after someone gets hit with it.

A table from the last room acts as a tower shield to block poison darts. Candlewax seals up exhausts for sleeping gas. All that fun *thinking* gets taken out back and shot by the Disable Device skill. Sure, a good rogue player will come up with that sort of stuff when making his roll, but often times Disable Device is like...Fireball. It's a "spell" the rogue "casts" to "kill" the trap, and the mechanics of the game support doing it that way.

Dunno how to fix that. (and wow, this got long.)

EricNoah said:

I like to have a decent explanation for how a mechanical trap works and especially how the trap resets itself.

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Koewn said:

Eric is correct on what to add (which my tower traps lacked) - clues on presence, good explanations on mechanics, and alternate effects.

(...) party-splitters and path-blockers - they're things that don't have to (or can't) be disarmed, and they'll hopefully inspire a little more interest and/or brainstorming about solutions in the party.

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I'd definitely go with the ideas of foiling the party rather than the old and tired "save or take damage" type of traps.

Although, generally, I like it when traps are described with a mechanism or a how to on how to disable it. That way I get to do some roleplaying with the Rogue character, and the player gets to describe to me how they go about disarming it. Depending on that answer, I can assign a bonus to the Disable Device roll - and if its close to the mark or spot on as to how to disable it, I give a generous bonus. Those players who do not want to roleplay it out and just want to roll dice I give no mods whatsoever, and maybe even penalties depending on my mood.

I'd like my players to get away from the mentality that all they need to do is roll dice.

Koewn said:

The "bells dropping" adds hong's concise comment - it's a trap-like mechanic controlled directly by conquerable opponents. Traps are a faceless foe; less automation and more lever-pulling by cackling villians add entertainment.

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Well, technically I said "replace", but I guess "supplement" works just as well.

When the Joker or the Riddler set up a trap for Batman, they can hardly resist monitoring his reactions, responses, and seeing "those wonderful toys!" Maybe your villains could do this, too, living for the effect that his insanity has on those toward whom he aims it.
Another thing that I've seen done is giving special attention to details. Describe exactly how the trap acts, giving some idea in the process as to how it might be thwarted. To me, that's what makes any aspect of a role-playing game come alive, bringing out the flavor of the situation. If you can't get your head into the situation, then it could leave you feeling a little flat, as a player or a DM.
Kind of a non-sequitur, but I once described to one of my players the exact details of what saved him from the fear-inducing effects of a "roar" by a lizard man. His character was a wizard, and he made his save roll, but just barely.
"For an instant," I told him, "you are terrified. But then, your inquisitive and studious wizard's mind suddenly takes in just how wide the creature's jaws have distended to release that enormous volume of sound. You become interested rather than afraid, and suddenly the whole fight is reduced to observation for you."
Maybe not the best example, and definitely not about traps, but the concept is the same. It helped my player, whose attention had been wandering a bit, get his head back into a combat that was running a bit long.

For a different perspective, I look at traps this way: they are yet another way to force the PCs to use up resources.

Your typical EL = APL monster encounter should be a relatively easy victory for the PCs, costing them roughly 20% of their resources (per the DMG).

Similarly, a trap of CR = APL should cost the party some resources... I don't think it's really 20%, but if the rogue fails to overcome it, then some party memebers will be injured and will require healing. Or if nothing else, it uses up time.

So I don't mind that (sometimes) the trap is solved with just a die roll. After all, combat is solved with just a bunch of dice rolls, yes?