Craft Trapmaking

[feydras]

I have a rogue character who is taking ranks in Craft: trapmaking with the intention of setting snares and simple trigger traps. Nothing permanent, and nothing elaborate. Some examples would be a net trap, collapsing tunnel, spring blade hidden in brush, dirt or water, etc...

The core rules don't seem to account for this. The costs for materials and time are set up for building in permanent traps to strongholds. They are far more expensive then i am looking for. We play in a low treasure campaign.

Also the time frames seem far too long. Any ideas?

- Feydras

 

[Orm]

Step 1:
Base price for traps is 1000gp. Apply some cost modifiers for simple trigger, lower DCs (Search, Disable Device, Reflex safe) and attack bonus. Now you have a simple snare, lying on the ground, maybe tied to an elastic tree. It´s easy to detect, it´s easy to avoid and it wouldn´t deal much damage. Should be basically for free. You only have to provide a length of rope.
Step 2:
Convince your DM to forget this phrase from the SRD

The minimum cost for a mechanical trap is (CR x 100) gp.

 

[CCamfield]

Sadly, this sort of thing just isn't supported in D&D. You're going to need your DM to approve something custom; assure him that you don't want to be able to create permanent stone traps (i.e. you want "Craft: Simple Traps" or "Craft: Wilderness Traps") and maybe he'll be more lenient.

There was a simple Craft: Trapmaking in the AEG (3.0) book Mercenaries, covering simple traps based on trpwires and other mechanical triggers. (I don't think collapsing a tunnel would be possible with this, as presented.)

It takes an hour of work and the proper materials, the skill check result is the DC to avoid, to detect, or to disarm, and for traps that make an attack, like a rigged crossobw, they have an attack bonus equal to +1 for every 5 points above 10 rolled with the skill. If the skill check result is <10, the trap will fail to function, and on a <5, it goes off while you're setting it.

I think this might be too good, in the sense that someone with a high skill could make a trap that would be harder to detect than carefully crafted dungeon devices. But it might do as the basis for something your DM will approve?

 

[feydras]

Good suggestions. Thanks.

Orm - my DM is more than willing to work with me, perhaps too willing. i am the one concerned about game balance, especially as i am the usual DM in the setting just stepping into the role of player for a handful of sessions.
Your suggestion is a good one but still requires a good deal of time if you play it by the books, and the DC is 20 for the simplist trap. My 8th level rogue has 5 ranks in craft trapmaking + INT 16 + will buy masterwork tools (should mw thieve's tools count for this?). This makes a DC 20 pretty unreliable. Next level i think i will pour a bunch of ranks into it and have a good shot.

CCamfield - the book sounds promising. the basic concept sounds workable. i'll have to see if i can take a look at the book. hopefully they have some examples listed.

the core rules are pitiful in this area. i was going over them last night and saw that it would take a skilled rogue (say 8 or 9th level w/ maxed ranks in trapmaking) about 5 1/2 days and 3000gp to set up a basic net trap!

- Feydras

 

[CRGreathouse]

DC is 20 for the simplist trap. My 8th level rogue has 5 ranks in craft trapmaking + INT 16 + will buy masterwork tools (should mw thieve's tools count for this?). This makes a DC 20 pretty unreliable.

You know, you can just Take 10... 5 ranks + 3 (Int) + 2 (mw tools) = +10, which would let you Take 10 and hit 20.

 

[robberbaron]

I think the critical phrase is "mechanical trap". This implies gears, springs and all sorts of metal fiddly bits.

A trap should be as expensive to make as the bits used to make it - snare = cheap, poison dart keyhole trap = expensive.

 

[feydras]

Agreed. But i still want rules for how to set and increase the basic 'attack mod' or reflex save.

I like the idea of Search and Disable DCs being set by the trapmaking skill. As noted, this could get into some very high DCs however. Not sure how to balance this.

Maybe it would make more sense to have the search DC determined by the trapmaker's hide roll. This would also make it more likely that a rogue, ranger or expert would make a good trap over another class less likely to have both hide and craft as skills. Still have the same problem with high DCs.

- Feydras

 

[MerakSpielman]

Truly basic snares and deadfalls should be included under the Survival skill. Any intelligent creature would be able to notice and avoid them, though.

 

[CCamfield]

CCamfield - the book sounds promising. the basic concept sounds workable. i'll have to see if i can take a look at the book. hopefully they have some examples listed.

Nope, no examples, it's just an entry in the Skills chapter.

Off the top of my head, reasonable DCs for quick traps might be 10 + 1/2 the trap setter's skill in Craft: Trapmaking. A bit like a spell saving throw. The bonus to hit for a spear/projectile trap could still be based on your roll.