Design example: Trap method

[Herobizkit]

I should add that I'll be in an E6 mindspace when designing this, but I won't be doing statwork by and large.

What in the [censored] is an "E6 mindspace"?

 

[Ry]

What in the [censored] is an "E6 mindspace"?

Follow the sig to the thread about it in house rules.

 

[Herobizkit]

*sheepish grin*

 

[Ry]

Tar Ipna, the Farrier's daughter... that sounds rather horrible...

We'll Trap her instead. Isn't that nicer?

Threat: When the village is attacked by gnolls, one particularly canny gnoll (Warrior4) will try to take cover in Topp's house. He will try to knock Ipna out and try to escape with her as a hostage. He can also trade her release for his escape if he is cornered and needs to bargain.

Reward: Inside the cellar one large slab of rock is actually a secret door; it is heavy enough that the rats have not penetrated it at all. Hidden inside is an ornate clock - the clock is made with many precious metals. This clock's value should be sufficient to pay off the family debt unless it is in Javeed's hands.

Asset: Ipna keeps a number of carrier pigeons, and is operating as part of a messenger system sponsored by several merchant houses. This is bringing in some extra funds, but all are going towards the family debt.

Problem: The barn across the field has long stood unused, but there is a cellar beneath it that is filled with junk. Ipna resolved to clean it out, but upon getting down there found it swarming with rats. Some rats are actually dire rats - in fact, the cellar has become a pen for a goblin tribe that lives in caves that stretch under most of the town.

 

[Ry]

OK, now we're up to 40 elements. I can add more and more and more but it's important to stay organized. So what I'd do now is organize them into stages, like:

Javeed vs. the Master
Gnoll Attack on Iova's Tryst
More town stuff (dinner invitation, assassin, sisters, barn cellar)
Returning the sword
Yupz attacks the party

Although I know that all bets are off as soon as players interact with my game, I've got lots of stuff to play with and a good idea of how to approach an actual session.

 

[Ry]

As you go back through your list, you'll see some connections and those give you more to play off of. Maybe the goblins under Iova's tryst are allied with the wererats that are after Bertram Kang.

 

[Ry]

Do you guys want to see more? If there's something that you'd like to make sure you'd have before the game ran (besides statblocks) throw it out here and I'll do a TRAP around it.

 

[jjsheets]

Problem: The barn across the field has long stood unused, but there is a cellar beneath it that is filled with junk. Ipna resolved to clean it out, but upon getting down there found it swarming with rats. Some rats are actually dire rats - in fact, the cellar has become a pen for a goblin tribe that lives in caves that stretch under most of the town.

TRAP the goblins and their rats... food or pets? Or... both?

BTW, about how long does it take you to come up with a TRAP element? With and Without other TRAPs to build on?

 

[Ry]

Typically takes me about a minute or two per. I mean, I'm just sitting here going "hmm... problem... problem... rats in the cellar... that's a problem." I just have been doing some other stuff besides EN Worlding the last few days.

The whole thing goes faster when you add in things like random generators; TRAP makes for a great postprocessing system.

 

[Ry]

That said, I often find it's hard to do in a void. It's much easier when you know there's interest in them. For example, if the players enjoyed interacting with an NPC last session, or an enemy got away, or if they thought a particular dungeon or situation was cool I'll build another TRAP around that.