The dumbest place you have seen a trap.

[Olaf the Stout]

The Dwarven self-destruct level takes the cake so far. I take it that you didn't let that guy DM for the group again? And how long had you been playing your characters up to that point?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Crothian]

City of the Spider Queen. A lethal trap in an empty cell (one of many empty cells), with a higher CR than the guards guarding it.

What's wrong with that?

 

[adwyn]

Stranded in a hostile castle we were short of food and searching through the pantry. The flour bin had a puzzle key lock that dumped anyone trying the wrong combination into the Astral Plane. The barrel of herring contained a mimic, the massive fireplace had a port-a-cullis that trapped the inquisitive inside while they were crushed by sliding walls yet somehow left the massive cauldron unharmed and the illusionary cookies at the bottom of the jar concealed spinning knives.

All of this in a supposedly functioning kitchen that had been staffed just hours before!

After that we ousted the DM and threatened to trap his home but could never find any traps that conveyed our opinions without leaving him maimed.

 

[Crothian]

All of this in a supposedly functioning kitchen that had been staffed just hours before!

What's wrong with that? It explains what happened to the Kitchen Staff!!

 

[Huw]

What's wrong with that?

It's in a cell, to affect anybody who goes in, rather than, say, at the entrance to the cellblock. It's certainly nowhere of strategic importance. Why waste the resources of a CR10 trap on something which you're not interested in protecting? (The module has an explanation - the drow like sadistic jokes. But it still seems dumb.)

 

[Crothian]

Why waste the resources of a CR10 trap on something which you're not interested in protecting?

Well, moduels don't have resources to waste. It isn't like modules get 1200 points for monsters, traps, and things so putting a trap sacrifices something elsewhere. I like the traps in places like this becasue adventures search everything. So, it is based on knowing that fact.

 

[Rystil Arden]

We were recently exploring an old abandoned gnomish colony when we came across what was obviously a classroom for children. Desks, a chalkboard, the whole nine yards. We entered the classroom through a secret door, and when we tried to leave via the main entrance, the rogue was blasted with four consecutive frost bolt traps. Nearly killed him. Apparently these gnomes really had an attendance problem!

Another trap which wasn't so much dumb as it was amusing was in a Dragonlance game. We were in a dungeon corridor which ended in a door. The halfling ranger was sick of getting blasted by traps, so he went back to the opposite end of the corridor and put his back against the wall. Sure enough, when the door was opened, the trap was sprung.

A spear launched from the wall behind the halfling, killing him.

If that's the Jzadirune I think it is, they give you tons of warning about that ahead of time, and anyone who was supposed to be in there would have a rod that disabled the trap.

 

[Storyteller01]

Gypsy wagon, but only after we left...

It started as an evil house of mirrors in the fun house. Walk in, kill the creatures, expose the mastermind, etc. We go through killing gorgons, trolls, and all manor of beasties while gaining much booty.

When we finally make it out (walk through the mistic mirror), we find ourselves near dead in a moving and locked wagon. We knock and yell, with the proprietor of the 'funhouse' lets us out.

Turns out, the whole bit was a giant illusion in the mirror. That's the amusement he runs. No monsters, no evil bad guy, and worst of all... no treasure.

We were about ready to lynch the DM until he reminded us that none of us, NOT A ONE, bothered to attempt to disbelieve. The whole thing was just one gigantic trap set by the DM for sh!#s and giggles.

Stupid razifraggin illusions....

 

[Storyteller01]

It's in a cell, to affect anybody who goes in, rather than, say, at the entrance to the cellblock. It's certainly nowhere of strategic importance. Why waste the resources of a CR10 trap on something which you're not interested in protecting? (The module has an explanation - the drow like sadistic jokes. But it still seems dumb.)

Anyone here remember the Winchester Mystery house?

 

[Slife]

We were about ready to lynch the DM until he reminded us that none of us, NOT A ONE, bothered to attempt to disbelieve. The whole thing was just one gigantic trap set by the DM for sh!#s and giggles.

Stupid razifraggin illusions....

The appropriate response, of course, is for each of the players to say "I disbelieve" once a minute for the rest of the time he's GMing.