Rogues and traps and their reason for existing...

[Nifft]

And lastly, in a universe where Beholders exist, do not rely too much on realism.

This is actually 2 good points.

1) Realism < Fun

2) Different critters have different movement modes. Why would a Beholder NOT comission pressure-plate traps? Even if it floats down a corridor 100 times each day, it's not going to set the traps off. Likewise with fiends who can teleport -- why not rig the area around your throne, if you know you'll always teleport or fly to it?

-- N

 

[Piratecat]

And technically speaking, D&D doesn't take place in a medieval setting. Magic changes way too many things for that to be realistic.*

* Unless you have jgbrowning's book, of course.

 

[Norfleet]

Yeah, traps in frequently used areas are kind of silly, so it's really up to the DM to place them correctly

Frequently used areas are the BEST places to put traps. If they're frequently used, people are going to go that way, so surely that's the best place to put them. For instance, in real life, I've put traps on the front door, the toilet, and countless other places that I frequently use. It keeps life interesting knowing that, should you flush it the wrong way, the explosives I wired to the flush lever will go off. And it'll be a nasty surprise for anyone who were to, say, try to use my toilet in an unauthorized manner. I put traps on EVERYTHING. If I can figure out how to put a trap on it, I'm going to. It's just not living until you've turned your personal residence into something truly personal, because it will kill or maim anyone else.

Of course, it helps that I live alone. I can't quite see doing this if I had a family, and this is precisely why I don't want one: They're a security risk.

 

[Umbran]

Reality check. Most of what you said makes sense. But consider real world. Landmines are in essence traps. Like you reasoned, they're nonsensical to use in areas frequently used. But still they're used.

Reality check. The home alarm system is, in essence, a form of trap. People come and go from alarmed buildings every day, repeatedly. They take a moment to disarm the trap as they pass through, and get on with their lives.

Simple point - traps don't have to be cumbersome to disarm, if you know how it is done. It isn't as if a person who knows the details of a trap's operation needs to use the Disable Device skill each time to get by. The skill is for those trying to get in illicitly, without knowing teh secret of the operation. Authorized personnel know where the secret switch is hidden, or have a physical key, or what have you.

 

[Trickstergod]

Reality check. The home alarm system is, in essence, a form of trap. People come and go from alarmed buildings every day, repeatedly. They take a moment to disarm the trap as they pass through, and get on with their lives.

Which actually goes along with my point, to a degree. Non-lethal traps are fine. However, most of the time I've seen somebody activating an alarm system of some sort, it's because they screwed up the numbers or the like - which is what drew my attention to it in the first place, while they were grumbling to themselves about getting it right, and possibly having to give somebody a call.

I'm just drawn back to the Yuan-Ti temple in Icewind Dale II. I just kind of shook my head and rolled my eyes at all the traps there, and just where they were placed, considering the number of people who constantly passed through those areas. It was the difficult to by-pass, instant death (or near enough), crushing wall trap placed within the one hallway necessary to move between the living quarters and the temple that particularly got to me.

Ahh well.

Not a fan of traps. My sense of fun is immediately diminished whenever I can sit up and shout out "That's stupid!" and can point out why.

As for the mines, well, there's some point in that, but I generally don't believe the mines are placed where you intend to advance, so much as you expect other people to. That, or they're placed in such a fashion to direct an enemy to a more defensible point that also serves as a safe path through the minefield for when you need to get through it. But, military tactics isn't quite my schtick most of the time.

 

[AnthonyJ]

There is one common type of trap in the real world. It's called the land mine. Looking at what mines are used for (slowing down and redirecting the enemy) says what traps are plausibly useful for.

Which is, well, mostly not in actual living areas. And, most mines are very cheap. In a DnD world, I'd expect the vast majority of traps to be either ones that can be very cheaply made (given large tunneling animals, probably pit traps; other than that, the pungi stake), quickly made (caltrops are a form of temporary trap), or magically smart and able to hit only foes (glyph of warding, etc).
I'd also expect them to be used in areas that aren't needed for actual travel, and in some cases watched (a major purpose of mine fields is to slow people down for artillery).

 

[alsih2o]

i think we need a magical version of the exploding ink canisters banks use.

that way you know who has been tinkering, cause they glow if you look at them when wearing the holy monocles of the Moe

 

[Umbran]

Which actually goes along with my point, to a degree. Non-lethal traps are fine. However, most of the time I've seen somebody activating an alarm system of some sort, it's because they screwed up the numbers or the like...

Yeah, and? For monsters and lethal traps, it's Darwinian selection time. Any dungeon denizen dumb enough to set off the trap gets what it deserves. Eventually, you get a collection of monsters who just don't forget or screw it up

 

[Trainz]

And to add to your Darwinian explanation, IRL we trigger our own alarms by mistake because the consequences of doing so are not dire. We become careless, and BEEP, oops, punch in code, call central, problem solved. I'm quite sure we would be much more cautious if the alarm would cause an M60 to drop from the ceiling and start shooting at us.

Once again, any analysis trying to compare RL to D&D is doomed to failure.

Q.E.D.

 

[Pbartender]

Don't forget that traps don't necessarily have to have been purposefully constructed...

A decrepit bridge with loose boards and rotting ropes... An ancient temple with crumbling pillars that could topple with the slightest touch... A cavern with needle-sharp stalagtites that could fall at the smallest sound... A thin crust of flooring that hides a deep sinkhole (filled with HOT LAVA!)... Cave-ins triggered by a misstep... Flashfloods triggered by a weak in a cistern or pipe...

Yeah, and? For monsters and lethal traps, it's Darwinian selection time. Any dungeon denizen dumb enough to set off the trap gets what it deserves. Eventually, you get a collection of monsters who just don't forget or screw it up

Feh...

Take a look at real life. If someone wants to guard an accessible area, they use an alarm, not a trap. If they plan on using a trap (especially a deadly one), they set it up in an almost easy to get to false entrance. The 'friendlies' never use that passage, whereas the 'enemies' see a convenient back door and get themselves killed.