Reverse gravity trap

[Rip]

Hi I'm new to DMing in 3E. One thing I've never worked with is this reverse gravity trap. I notice that in a mod it has a disable device rating, which implies that a thief can disarm this trap.
But how does one go about a realistic and descriptive explanation to this? Is there a mechanism or such to disarm this trap? I want to give the players a good description of this, and I just don't see how this trap works? What does the thief see when he spots it, etc.
How would you describe the situation?
Thanx.

 

[Guillaume]

Hi I'm new to DMing in 3E. One thing I've never worked with is this reverse gravity trap. I notice that in a mod it has a disable device rating, which implies that a thief can disarm this trap.
But how does one go about a realistic and descriptive explanation to this? Is there a mechanism or such to disarm this trap? I want to give the players a good description of this, and I just don't see how this trap works? What does the thief see when he spots it, etc.
How would you describe the situation?
Thanx.

I don't know about the disarmement of the trap. However, as far as how the trap works, it has to be a magical trap. It is usually a hole in a ceiling or a room on which the spell reverse gravity has been cast. It is triggerd simply by having the characters move into the affected area where they promptly fall up.

As for searching and detecting such a trap, it could be because of shifts in air current, dust and smoke particles sunddenly start to flow up instead of falling down, things like that. Another obvious clue is often the presence of a pit in the ceiling. However, attempts to look up into the pit will generally bring the PCs over the edge.

That's the best I can do this morning.

Good luck,

Guillaume

 

[Piratecat]

Guillaume's comments probably apply more to detecting the trap - although they're really quite clever, and made me think of some sneaky stuff. Here's how I'd describe disarming such a trap.

Let's assume that such a trap picks a person up and flings them into the ceiling. Maybe there are spikes there, or a teleporter, or an upside-down pit of green slime, but it reverses gravity and up you go.

So the reverse gravity space must be bounded by something. Faint sparklings of gem dust, tiny carved runes in the rock, a complex mystical pattern interwoven with the wood grain of the floor, invisible magical sigils. A rogue trying to disarm the trap would use his skill to effectively short out these magical runes that have been powering the ongoing reverse gravity effect. If he succeeds, he ends the reverse gravity effect (maybe bringing all that green slime down on his head!) If he fails, he gets too close to it and is drawn in and upwards.

Work for you?

 

[coyote6]

What P-cat said. It's about marking out hidden (possibly invisible) sigils & runes, adding symbols to the mix to counteract the magical effect, negating wards with prayers to the gods of stealth & thievery, and generally performing the arcane equivalents of the actions of a high-tech cat burglar in a modern caper movie.

As far as I'm concerned, a sufficiently advanced Disable Device skill modifier implies some (very specialized) knowledge of magic.

 

[megamania]

Disarming a trap could be just how to aviod it. Also, often I have runes or the such carved/painted to the floor/wall that empowers the trap. Erase or damage the rune and no more magical/psionic trap.

 

[Rip]

Yes all of the above helped clear things for me greatly! Thanx.

 

[demon_jr]

If caught in a reverse gravity trap, would a feather fall spell be able to negate it, since the feather fall spell description states that it can be cast as a a free action and quick enough to be cast if the caster falls suddenly?

How about being able to tumble to reduce the damage of the fall?

 

[Guillaume]

Guillaume's comments probably apply more to detecting the trap - although they're really quite clever, and made me think of some sneaky stuff. Here's how I'd describe disarming such a trap.

Yes, I was talking about detecting the trap. That's what I get for trying to write a post five minutes before I leave for work.

Since compliments are flying around, I really like your idea for disarming the trap. I hadn't thought about sigils and other similarly arcane stuff. That reminded me that the magic must be bound to something in such a trap. Good catch.

Originally posted by demon_jr
If caught in a reverse gravity trap, would a feather fall spell be able to negate it, since the feather fall spell description states that it can be cast as a a free action and quick enough to be cast if the caster falls suddenly?

How about being able to tumble to reduce the damage of the fall?

I don't see why not in both cases. Your are still falling, just not in the usual direction. IMC, I'd allow it.

Guillaume