Epic Traps Creation: a proposal

[Trainz]

I am really getting the hang of epic DM'ing, but the one thing I still struggle with are epic traps. The sample traps in the DMG stop at CR 10. Some are still interesting, even at epic levels (Wail of the Banshee... a roll of one is a roll of one), but the players smirk and grumble when I give the XP reward for it...

SO....

I'm trying to devise a SIMPLE system to calculate epic traps. I've got it pretty much down, but I want you guys to check it out and feedback it so that I can tweek and adjust it:

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Trap Design (Epic, CR20+):

First, set trap CR, then consult following parameters. Note that epic poison traps are somewhat pointless because most epic characters aren’t bothered with poisons anymore (heroe's feast and somesuch).

Attack: attack bonus=CR+10, Damage CR+20/d6
Touch Attack: attack bonus=CR, Damage CR+15d6
Inescapable damage group: CR+5/d6
Inescapable damage single target: CR+10/d6
Savable Damage group *: CRx2/d6, ST DC CR+15, Caster Level: Trap CR+5
Savable Damage single target *: (CRx2)+10/d6, ST DC CR+15, Caster Level: Trap CR+5
Lethal Spell effect: ST DC CR+15, Caster Level: Trap CR+5
Non-Lethal Spell effect: ST DC CR+20, Caster Level: Trap CR+5

Magical Trap Search/Disable DC: CR+25
Non-Magical Trap Search/Disable DC: CR+15

* includes damage spells such as fireball and horrid wilthing.
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I hope this doesn't sound too stupid. Keep in mind that I'm designing a QUICK and SIMPLE system, something that can be calculated on the spot when preparing an adventure.

Thanks for any and all feedback !

 

[Kerrick]

It's an interesting idea... but it's very hard to make traps with a CR greater than 10 (believe me, I've tried). But why are you starting with CR 20? I would think that CR 11+ would be epic - look at the spells and damage values used for CR 9-10 traps: 9th-level spells, insta-kill traps, deadly poisons, etc. I was working on a trap system myself, based on the existing one (more of an expansion, really) but I dont have my notes here so I can't refer to it. What you have looks workable. I'd be interested to see how it actually worked out.