Non-standard Combat Surface

[JimAde]

That's a good idea!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to find 2" square blocks, but I'm not running this any time soon, so maybe I'll be able to ...

Thanks, Aluvial!

Legos!

Just snap together enough to make a block a little less than 2" on a side (so you can fit them next to each other easily) and tall enough to be to scale. They'll even look "machine-ey".

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'd make them go last, but make sure the PCs know something is up. The floor could "loosen" a bit, with certain 10' areas rising or sinking a few inches and bouncing a bit. Grinding gears can be heard underneath as well as a quick clicking sound that abruptly stops.

I love the lego idea, too. Good ol' legos.

 

[blargney the second]

Another way to do it would be to have the trap react randomly to the PC's movement.

When the PC moves over a new blobk, roll 1d4 to determine which direction the block goes. If the block can't move in the direction specified, it stays in place. Use Reflex saves as normal to avoid the damage.
1 = stay in place
2 = move up one (possible squooshing damage)
3 = move down one (falling damage)
4 = move up two or down two (squooshing or falling damage)

I think the lego block idea is brilliant!
-blarg

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Another way to do it would be to have the trap react randomly to the PC's movement.

I don't think I'll do that for a couple of reasons:

1. The difficulty of figuring that out in real time, rather than with a pre-calced pattern, speaks against it.

2. The "trap" isn't actually responding to the actions of the things walking across it, so I'd prefer to avoid making it look like it does.

3. I want the PCs to be able to figure out the pattern, given enough time, and so be able to maneuver across the room easily.

There are two real reasons I'm putting this "trap" into the forgotten temple. The first is that I think it sounds like it would be a fun place to have a fight.

The second, and slightly more subversive reason, is that in my current campaign, I've got a character who has very high scores in Tumble, Jump, Balance, and Climb. I was moving towards the Thief Acrobat PrC from Complete Adventurer before the DM nixed the book (not because the book was unbalanced, just that he didn't have time to read it). Anyway, it occurs to me that I've got a character who has spent a great deal of his skill point allotment in these mobility-based skills, and the only one I ever really get to use is Tumble.

So, I wanted to create a room wherein characters who are mobility-based can move about relatively freely, while those who have not spent skill points in such a way are at a relative disadvantage. In short, I wanted to give the other players a chance to use these oft-useless skills.

 

[Aluvial]

I don't think I'll do that for a couple of reasons:

1. The difficulty of figuring that out in real time, rather than with a pre-calced pattern, speaks against it.

2. The "trap" isn't actually responding to the actions of the things walking across it, so I'd prefer to avoid making it look like it does.

3. I want the PCs to be able to figure out the pattern, given enough time, and so be able to maneuver across the room easily.

There are two real reasons I'm putting this "trap" into the forgotten temple. The first is that I think it sounds like it would be a fun place to have a fight.

The second, and slightly more subversive reason, is that in my current campaign, I've got a character who has very high scores in Tumble, Jump, Balance, and Climb. I was moving towards the Thief Acrobat PrC from Complete Adventurer before the DM nixed the book (not because the book was unbalanced, just that he didn't have time to read it). Anyway, it occurs to me that I've got a character who has spent a great deal of his skill point allotment in these mobility-based skills, and the only one I ever really get to use is Tumble.

So, I wanted to create a room wherein characters who are mobility-based can move about relatively freely, while those who have not spent skill points in such a way are at a relative disadvantage. In short, I wanted to give the other players a chance to use these oft-useless skills.

Your next encounter should be with Bluff, Gather Info, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Intimidate.... Have them have to learn of the arguments of both sides of a conflict, and then have the two conflicting sides come together in a third way. Good role-playing should award bonuses to the rolls.

Aluvial