D&D 5E The "General Nature" of a Trap

[AlexofBarbaria]

The 2e spell is much more useful and clear about what it does. It's clear that "general nature" essentially means whether it's a magical or mechanical trap.
Find Traps (Priest Spell)

 

[Swarmkeeper]

(I’ll show myself out)

 

[KYRON45]

Couldn't i as say a fighter just assume there is a trap in the hall way I'm about to walk down? This has the same affect of a spell telling me there is also a trap "somewhere" in the hallway that might do "something".
It's like Zone of Truth all over again!!!

 

[plecostomus]

If I need to find a physical trap or glyph I'll just cast Resistance on our toughest party member and make them run around. Which leaves the use case for this Level 2(!!) spell to find where an Alarm is attached- oh wait, it doesn't tell me where the Alarm is so I can Dispel Magic on it? Uhhh...

edit: Actually I might able to Dispel an Alarm just by knowing it exists? I've found a use for Find Traps! "Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends."

 

[Micah Sweet]

It finds glyphs of warding and the alarm spell.
Also convenient if you don't want to spend too much time searching for every inch. And if there is a lot on stakes, to make sure the rogue did not roll too low.

Fair enough, but I still want answers to the questions I asked about how the spell works.

 

[KYRON45]

If I need to find a physical trap or glyph I'll just cast Resistance on our toughest party member and make them run around. Which leaves the use case for this Level 2(!!) spell to find where an Alarm is attached- oh wait, it doesn't tell me where the Alarm is so I can Dispel Magic on it? Uhhh...

Not to mention that with 5e, you could just take the damage from the trap and then take a nap and you'll be fine.

 

[Tonguez]

It finds glyphs of warding and the alarm spell.
Also convenient if you don't want to spend too much time searching for every inch. And if there is a lot on stakes, to make sure the rogue did not roll too low.

then it should be +10 to perception checks or something (like Pass Without Trace works)

I also see no reason why a rogue cant detect that a surface has been modified by a glyph of warding (its only nearly invisible) and Alarm is another spell I'd nix and make skill use instead

 

[TiQuinn]

The problem lies in the traps not the spell. Boring traps that can be found and avoided/disabled with a die roll shouldn't exist at all. I don't remember who started the trend, but the idea that traps should be obvious and engaged with is the right way to go.

Indy knows that the holden idol is trapped and does his best to bypass it. When he fails, the cool stuff happens. That's what D&D traps should be like.

Agreed. I think traps are best when they are the centerpiece of a particular room. A hallway full of pit traps with spikes is boring. A menacing face with a mouth that has a stationary sphere of annihilation is memorable.

 

[Reynard]

Agreed. I think traps are best when they are the centerpiece of a particular room. A hallway full of pit traps with spikes is boring. A menacing face with a mouth that has a stationary sphere of annihilation is memorable.

Especially if that is at one end of the room and the other end of the room slowly begins to tilt toward the vertical.

 

[TiQuinn]

Especially if that is at one end of the room and the other end of the room slowly begins to tilt toward the vertical.

Even better!

And the thing is, game mechanics that simply bypass all of that with no true interaction from the player ends up feeling so unrewarding. It’s a perennial problem. Yes, you can disarm the trap. But how do you disarm it? If all it takes is a DC 15 check with no other thought, well then yeah, traps will become irrelevant.