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NEW TRAPS article!
- Thread starter Rechan
- Start date
Old Gumphrey
First Post
Oh boy! Level 7 traps with DCs under 20. Can't wait to nail my players with these...oh wait, the level 6 ranger has a passive perception of 24, he will see all of these traps automatically unless he is blind.
kaomera
Explorer
The article contains a URL (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ru20050810b) that seems to go nowhere...
The errata has lowered DCs overall to the point that specialized characters (and not even just highly-specialized ones) have over a 50% success rate at most skill checks. Overall I don't think that's a problem, but combined with passive Insight or Perception checks it means that there's likely one PC at least in every party who just automatically succeeds in such situations. The only possible alternative I can see would be to call for automatic active checks in such cases...
The errata has lowered DCs overall to the point that specialized characters (and not even just highly-specialized ones) have over a 50% success rate at most skill checks. Overall I don't think that's a problem, but combined with passive Insight or Perception checks it means that there's likely one PC at least in every party who just automatically succeeds in such situations. The only possible alternative I can see would be to call for automatic active checks in such cases...
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
The idea is that a trap is just like a monster. A single, normal monster is not really much of a threat to a party. It's only solo elites that are challenges on their own.
So - it's not like a trap challenge goes "Party scout sees trap, party scout yells out to stop. Trap monkey disables trap, party proceeds". It should go "Party sees foes. Some members don't see some foes/traps. Party either avoid trap or hold off monsters while trap monkey disables it. Monsters actively make use of trap."
The party being aware of the trap can actually enhance the tension. Remember, traps for the most part aren't just "Fire once and forget". They're supposed to be engaged. They are Obstacles to get past, not a one-shot ninja waiting to stab them in the face.
Have other enemies actually trigger the trap. A good ol' "Lever across the room" from a watch-monster will do. Enemies can push them into the traps too. Or monsters can lead them into the trap - the party chasing a fleeing monster into the trapped area.
SEEING traps is good. Its been argued by some that players should SEE most traps automatically. A trap you see is part of an interactive encounter in which you try to figure out how to bypass/ deal with the trap. A trap you don't see is a wandering bit of damage that hits you and moves on.
Especially since a trap that is not part of an encounter and which does damage (traditional zap trap) will only have one of two effects: It will kill you (only desirable if you are going Old school Tomb of Horrors) or it will just slow play and cost a healing surge. Neither is particularily 'fun'.
But a trap that requires the player to figure out how to bypass it leads to gameplay and thus 'fun'. And the first step of that process is that the trap be seen.
Carl
I think generally I agree with the "they see the traps" and as long as you don't have them always in a vacuum with no monsters around it won't be such of an issue. It would appear that the DCs are made so that they are just a bit out of reach for someone who doesn't have a higher Wis bonus and no training in Perception. I'm pretty ok with the character who has a ridiculously high Perception being able to shine with the ability to spot danger. Now throw in a monster that pushes people into the danger after they already know about it and you're golden.
If you think about it in movies, it seems like the hero oftentimes knows about the traps and sees them, but something else (sometimes a more difficult or dangerous trap) causes him to then go through the traps he knew about. Indiana in the Raiders, the temple starts to fall apart and he runs across the poison dart trap for example.
Tellerve
If you think about it in movies, it seems like the hero oftentimes knows about the traps and sees them, but something else (sometimes a more difficult or dangerous trap) causes him to then go through the traps he knew about. Indiana in the Raiders, the temple starts to fall apart and he runs across the poison dart trap for example.
Tellerve
Nail
First Post
I'm with you on this.
With passive Perception checks, PCs will now perceive most traps...and I'm not sure that's a good thing. Instead, I'd like only active Perception checks to have that role.
Using an ancient temple as an example, I'd like the PCs actively looking for the traps they know must be there, rather than passively strolling along, waiting for the DM to tell them there's a trap.
(I'm not talking about a featureless hallway "gotcha" trap, FWIW.)
The only problem with that is you might come into the "I don't move unless I check this square for a trap" problem.
I'd suggest one perception check per room.
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