Trap questions- Antimagic trap

[RUMBLETiGER]

So I offered a suggestion in the Grappling Monk thread, of carrying an Antimagic Trap, from Dungeonscape p.132. It is a repeat use, self-resetting trap triggered by a True Seeing visual trigger in response to detecting magic, projects a 10' radius of antimagic for 110 minutes. It costs 66,000gp.

The real question is, can a person carry around an active trap on themselves? Traps are intended to be stationary and a part of the landscape, not a carried item. However, traps come in various sizes, characters can carry inactive traps with them to set and activate in short order, and two PrC's exist for this purpose. Without a mechanical action or magical attack, this trap simply triggers by activating a field, so it should not interfere with a character, nor be interfered by a character.

I realize this is by no means the intended purpose for this item, but could one do this?

As a side question, is there a more efficient constant effect, Antimagic field item for an equal or cheaper price than this one?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

No one wants to touch this one, eh?

 

[Jackinthegreen]

I guess I'll bite.

Since casters are so powerful in D&D, having a way to negate that helps even the playing field between casters and non-casters. Allowing a character to use it as an equipped item adds some nice spice to the game. For that price it had damn well better get used!

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I guess I'll bite.

Since casters are so powerful in D&D, having a way to negate that helps even the playing field between casters and non-casters. Allowing a character to use it as an equipped item adds some nice spice to the game. For that price it had damn well better get used!

Thanks @Jackinthegreen .

Let me make this easier by asking very specific questions:
1) What sizes do traps come in, according to source material?
2) Based upon the answer to #1, what size might an Antimagic Trap be?
3) What is the basic distinction between carry-able traps and traps that are permanent fixtures?
4) Based upon the answer to #3, which would an Antimagic Trap be?
5) How easy are carry-able traps to use, for classes that do not specialize in traps?
6) Based upon the answer to #5, how easy might it be to use a constantly active trap, self resetting, with likely no moving parts like Antimagic Trap?
7) is carrying a continuous-effect Antimagic field around that costs 66,000gp a blatant abuse of the system?
8) Based upon the answer to #7, is it so much an abuse that the idea should be restricted or banned from gameplay?

 

[Jackinthegreen]

1) What few mentions of trap size are in the DMG or DSc only mention how big of an area the trap needs to work. They don't even include bear traps, although Paizo made rules for those at Advanced Gear.

1a) The Combat Trapsmith (CSc) and Trapsmith (DSc) give additional ways to create traps, but nothing quite like what you seem to want. Many of these "improvised traps" would probably be considered small objects though.

2) The description for an Anti-Magic trap heavily suggests it should be paired with other traps. I admit, my first thought upon seeing the combat use of this trap was just a magic bear trap or something. I'd suggest it be a DM's call whether the Antimagic trap can be added to a bear trap, since so far that's the only trap truly meant to be portable.

3) Everything I've read in the DMG and DSc suggests traps are permanent fixtures, although the resources to create them aren't necessarily. There is an entry, however, where it says a chest was trapped and the chest itself could be hauled away while still having the trap in it.

4) As mentioned, the text heavily implies an Antimagic trap should be made as part of another trap. My guess (which admittedly wants the idea to work) is that such a trap has little to no actual size since the effect area is what matters. One image I have in my head of what it could be is just a small (read: diminutive or fine sized) orb or something that triggers its effect when it sees something. Such a thing could easily be wrapped up so it doesn't see anything, then brought out when the effect is to be used.

5) All traps have some kind of trigger, so triggering them to go off is easy enough usually. The problem comes from actually setting up the trap. Mechanical traps often have a Craft: Trapmaking skill check requirement to set/create. The bear trap example requires a DC 20 strength check to pry open the jaws when they aren't attached to something, and then setting it up from there is likely quite simple. A magical trap would require the Craft check to create, and maybe a Spellcraft or Knowledge check to set if it doesn't reset on its own. If it does reset on its own, then creating it is the only issue.

6) Based upon an Antimagic trap being magical and self-resetting, using it likely requires no effort whatsoever. Just let its trigger happen and it's working.

7) It is probably abusing the intent of the trap, yes.

8) Is it so much an abuse to restrict or ban outright? To me, no. I find the idea to be totally awesome and well within the acceptable possibilities for typical campaigns. That's my opinion though. The cost of it is restriction enough I'd say.