KotS - Glyphs

[Oompa]

I'm at work now, and i don't have any books with me and i have a session after work and i forgot one thing to prep..

There is a chance my players will be going into area 5 (i think) of the first level of Keep on the Shadowfell..

That area has glyphs on the ground that trigger when someone steps on it..

Knowing my players they are likely going to make a somekind of board they can place over a glyph to travel over it..

But does the glyph also go off when they stand on the board on the glyph? I couldnt find it earlier in the text about the glyphs..

Anyone know this? Or any ideas?

 

[tmatk]

Here's the text -

[sblock]Terror Runes: Several runes are inscribed into the
floor of this chamber, as shown on the tactical map. A
DC 15 Arcana or Religion check allows a PC to realize
that the designs are charged with an effect triggered by
contact. A terror rune is triggered whenever a PC enters a
square that contains part of a design. When that happens,
the rune releases a ghostly scream. The noise draws the
zombies, plus it is a fear effect that strikes terror into the
heart of the individual who triggered it.
When a PC triggers a rune, have the trap make a +7
attack vs. Will against that character and each other character
within 10 squares. On a success, the sound deals 1d4
+ 1 necrotic damage and overwhelms affected characters
with terror, causing them to immediately take a move
action to run toward Area 7 (move speed +2 squares). A
PC can be affected by any single rune only once per day.
A character can jump over a rune with a DC 20 Athletics
check (DC 10 if a character moves at least 2 squares
before jumping).
The runes do not affect any of Kalarel’s allies (including
the undead and the goblins).[/sblock]

You know you can download that module for free at wizards.com, DND test drive

 

[Oompa]

A terror rune is triggered whenever a PC enters a square that contains part of a design.

Ok a jump does not trigger it, text clearly states it.. But what if a pc lies a plank over the rune and walks it. The plank makes contact, but the pc not..

Will it trigger then?

 

[Glyfair]

Ok a jump does not trigger it, text clearly states it.. But what if a pc lies a plank over the rune and walks it. The plank makes contact, but the pc not..

Will it trigger then?

Well, the trap does state...
[SBlock]... "A terror rune is triggered whenever a PC enters a
square that contains part of a design."

So, I say yes. The PC being in contact with something in contact is enough. In fact, just being near the runes seems enough (unless they jump in the air_.[/Sblock]

 

[Sebastrd]

Ok a jump does not trigger it, text clearly states it.. But what if a pc lies a plank over the rune and walks it. The plank makes contact, but the pc not..

Will it trigger then?

If a jump doesn't trigger it, I don't think a plank should. I say reward your players for being intelligent, and let them bypass what turns out to be a pretty negligible trap to begin with.

 

[Glyfair]

If a jump doesn't trigger it, I don't think a plank should. I say reward your players for being intelligent, and let them bypass what turns out to be a pretty negligible trap to begin with.

I, as mentioned above, wouldn't allow a simple plank to work. A raised plank that doesn't touch the runes (or get too near them), I would allow to work.

 

[malraux]

Once my players defeated the zombies, the traps seemed kinda irrelevant. I let them use a tarp to completely cover the runes to walk over them, rather than have to take wandering damage every time they left the lower level.

 

[Grydan]

My players conjured up a Tenser's Floating Disk to float over the runes, after having triggered one. I figured if jumping over them is supposed to be safe, then floating over them should be as well.

 

[JustKim]

Laying a plank over the runes is as much contact as laying a foot over runes. Stepping on a plank that touches the runes is only one layer of difference of contact between a PC's foot, sock and shoe and the rune.

I discourage players from trying to circumvent the rules by rolling diplomacy and trying to continue negotiation afterward, or using simple tools to pop a door out of its frame. I mean innovation is great, but there is a line between a great idea and using logic to circumvent the rules. In this scenario, it's not that difficult for the PCs to get around the runes. If someone touches the runes, it is not that bad. So think about the precedent you'd be setting if you allow rune traps to be bypassed by draping a piece of wood or a handkerchief over them. Suddenly rune traps are a joke.