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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 6727706" data-attributes="member: 37579">Originally posted by wrecan:Here, let me adjust that for you:Old SchoolScenario 1"You enter the room. It is 20x20. There is an iron door across from you with a grill looking out into a hallway. A large statue of a winged devil sits next to it. It has four arms, each holding a gem. The gems are a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire, and a topaz."PLAYER1 : "I slowly search the room looking for traps. Are there traps on the floor in front of me?"DM: No.PLAYER2: Can I do something?DM: Are you a Thief?PLAYER 2: No.DM: Are you a Cleric with a Find Traps spell prepared?PLAYER 2: No.PLAYER 3 raises his hand.DM: Shh. You aren't either.PLAYER 1: I cautiously go up to the statue. I search for traps along the statue.PLAYER 2: I'm going to order a pizza. Anybody want something?PLAYER 1: Shut up. The last three creatures we fought didn't even have backs for stabbing. This is the only thing I ever get to do.PLAYER 3: I'll go with you.PLAYERS 2 and 3 leave.DM: okay... You check the status and find a trap on the feat.PLAYER 1: Awesome. What about secret panels.DM: (rolling)...PIZZA GUY: Oh, Players 2 and 3, good to see you. Is it game night already? Player 1's checking for traps, eh?Scenario 2:PLAYER 1: I cautiously go up to the statue. I search for traps along the statue.DM: You failed your Find/Remove Traps Roll. The trap kills you.PLAYER 2: Sorry about that Froddo IV.PLAYER 1: Whatever (rolls dice). Hi, everyone, I'm Froddo V, looking for me cousin. oh, he's dead? Too bad. Mind if I join you? (To DM) I cautiously go up to the statue. I search for traps along the statue.(Continue with reference to Scenario 1.)Today:"You enter the room. It is 20x20. There is an iron door across from you with a grill looking out into a hallway. A large statue of a winged devil sits next to it. It has four arms, each holding a gem. The gems are a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire, and a topaz."PLAYER 1: "I walk up to the statue and grab the gems."PLAYER 2: No!PLAYER: Hellz yes. If it's trapped what's it going to do? About 20 points of damage maybe? I have 55 and all my healing surges, so I basically have about 210 hit points. Piece of cake.Player takes the damage and is dazed by the trap. which also calls the three kobold slingers in the next room.DM: The eyebeams from each of the gems is now searching the area while the kobolds begin to toss a weird viscous fluid.PLAYER 1: I use my one action to disarm the trap (Thievery check)PLAYER 2: I use a minor action to analyze the fluid (Nature) and a standard action to call up an arcane shield.PLAYER 3: I will tumble over to the statue, using it as cover against the slingers (Acrobatics), then I'll use this power to give the Rogue an additional save against the daze effect.(Everyone rolls dice.)PIZZA GUY: How come nobody comes by any more? <img src="http://community.wizards.com/tools/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-cry.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The difference is that while static traps are, at best, fun for the thief, the fun in 1e had nothing to do with the deadliness of the trap, but that it shined a spotlight on 1 PC. Which isn't much fun for the others. Of course, that was okay because if you were a fighter, you had the spotligh on you for the first 7 levels. If you were a wizard you had the spotlight on you for the levels after that. If you were a cleric, you were probably someone's younger brother shanghaied into playing the cleric, and you really couldn't expect a spotlight ever.Now, the goal is everyone participates equally. Death comes not because of a single failed die, but because of a lack of teamwork or a really bad string of unluck. Traps are not the equivalent of Russian Roulette, but actual hazards that interact with the players. I've plated both. I prefer the latter.</blockquote>

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