bobcat_grad
First Post
I was inspired reading a couple of traps in dmg and dmg2. Has anyone ever run an encounter made up of only traps? Perhaps like a gauntlet type event?
Trap only encounter?
- Thread starter bobcat_grad
- Start date
the Jester
Legend
Sure have!
I've run a solo trap encounter as well as an encounter consisting of multiple traps. I'll post them:
85. Door into Time
Encounter Level 15 (6600 xp)
This series of rooms has been consumed by entropy until they have lost their definition and have gradually fused into an open space. At the center of this chamber is the Door into Time; throughout it are several hazards, as noted. The Door into Time looks like many different portals simultaneously, some open, some closed. They seem to blur and blend into one another, constantly changing. One thing remains the same, however: the door is encircled by runes scriven in the stone floor.
When the pcs enter this chamber they will start to have strange flashbacks and flashforwards, first simply seeing images of themselves as they were when they were younger or as they will be when they grow old.
Hazards and Traps: This encounter includes hazards and traps. Note that the chronal drift and the pillar of entropy are visible to pcs regardless, as is the effect (though not necessarily the source) of the tempest fugit. The following traps and hazards are included in this encounter:
Chronal drift (C) (level 14 obstacle)
Tempest fugit (throughout the room) (level 15 obstacle)
Moment of Agony (red line) (level 17 warder)
Pillar of Entropy (P) (level 15 blaster)
Circle of Repulsion (shares space with the Door to Time) (level 17 obstacle)
Features: The chamber’s features are all parts of the various hazards or the trap, with the exception of the Door into Time.
Door into Time: If characters manage to penetrate this door, they find themselves in area 86 on sublevel 6B.
CHRONAL DRIFT--- Level 14 Obstacle
Hazard--- XP 1000
Something like a cloud that seems to shift and shimmer as it moves, yet is a strange, silver-green color. Somehow both solid and ephemeral, the cloud drifts through space swiftly, yet somehow still at a leisurely pace.
Hazard: The chronal drift is a 3x3 square zone that moves throughout the room, attracted to awareness.
Perception
No Perception check is required to notice a chronal drift.
Arcana
DC 21: The character can tell that the cloud is some sort of temporal phenomenon. DC 25: The character realizes that it will pursue intelligence. DC 31: The character recognizes that the cloud is suspended sand, and concludes that weighing the sand down with water or the like might be an effective counter. In addition, the character believes that cold could play a role in disabling the chronal drift.
Initiative: +16
Trigger: The chronal drift rolls for initiative as soon as a character enters the chamber, and moves and attacks on its initiative each round.
Attack
Standard Action--- Close burst 1
Effect: Before the attack, the chronal drift shifts 5 towards the nearest creature with an intelligence of at least 9.
Targets: Each creature in burst
Attack: +15 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d6+6 damage, plus target is slowed (save ends).
Countermeasures
The chronal drift can be slowed itself by at least 5 gallons of water or 15 points of cold damage in a single round. If this is done, the drift shrinks to a 2x2 zone and its attack changes so that it only shifts 2 squares towards the nearest creature with an intelligence of 9.
A chronal drift can be disabled completely for 1d4 rounds if it is already slowed and either it suffers an additional 20 points of cold damage in a round, or if adjacent characters make 2 successful Arcana or Nature checks, DC 26, in the same round.
TEMPEST FUGIT--- Level 15 Obstacle
Hazard--- XP 1200
The room itself is full of the seething of the time flow. All is subject to a deadly hazard known as a tempest fugit.
Trap: The tempest fugit runs wild throughout the chamber.
Perception
No check is needed to perceive the tempest. DC 30: The character spies the spinning zone of silver sand that is the focal point of the tempest fugit (T).
Nature
DC 23: The character can tell that significant temporal distortions are occurring throughout the chamber. DC 27: The character senses that the tempest fugit will reflect their efforts to move through it, so that the harder they try to break through the tempest, the harder it becomes to succeed.
Trigger: The tempest fugit affects each creature in the room at the start of its turn.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee special
Target: Creature starting its turn in the room.
Effect: The character takes 10 points of damage and slides a number of squares towards the entry through which it came into the room equal to the number of squares it moved or shifted on its last turn.
Countermeasures
A character that moved only 1 square on its last turn and took no other actions (including immediate or opportunity actions) escapes the tempest fugit’s attention and is not attacked at the start of its turn.
A character trained in Acrobatics that only shifted during its turn may make an Acrobatics check to reduce its slide at the start of its turn as an immediate interrupt. If it hits DC 26, it may reduce its slide by 1; at DC 30, by 2; and at DC 35 or higher, by 3.
A character that is aware of the focal point of the tempest can attempt to dispel it for an hour with a skill challenge, requiring 4 successes before 3 failures. Usable skills are Arcana (DC 25), Nature (DC 25) or Thievery (DC 28). If the character obtains 3 failures, the skill challenge resets.
MOMENT OF AGONY--- Level 17 Warder
Hazard--- XP 1600
Warping through the room is a curtain of time that has trapped sheer agony within it.
Trap: The moment of agony curves through the room, as indicated on the map.
Perception
The moment of agony cannot be detected until a character is within 1 square of it. DC 34: The character feels the pain of old wounds and hurts start to rise in time to stop before crossing the curtain. DC 39: After approaching the curtain and detecting it, the character can see the parts of the moment of agony within 4 squares with a minor action.
Insight
The moment of agony cannot be detected until a character is within 1 square of it. DC 30: The character feels old emotions, heartbreak and loss start to rise in time to stop before crossing the curtain. DC 32, or DC 30 if the character crosses the curtain: The character realizes that the moment of agony can be combated by taking its pain in willingly. DC 35: The character can feel the location of the curtain.
Trigger: A character crosses the plane of the moment of agony.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee
Targets: Creature crossing the moment of agony.
Attack: +25 vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 2d10+6 damage and target falls prone.
Effect: Make a secondary attack against the same target.
-Secondary Attack: +25 vs. Will.
-Hit: 2d6+6 psychic damage, plus target is dazed (save ends).
Countermeasures
The moment of agony can be countered by characters willing to drink up the pain and deal with it. A character can attempt to do so by making an Endurance (DC 30), Insight (DC 28) or Religion (DC 29) check. A character who successfully does this suffers damage equal to their bloodied value and the moment of agony is destroyed.
PILLAR OF ENTROPY--- Level 15 Blaster
Trap--- XP 1200
A pillar that is crumbling into dust, yet never fully decays, fires blasts of necrotic energy at creatures that approach it.
Trap: The pillar of entropy fills four squares in the southern end of the room.
Perception
No check is necessary to see the pillar. DC 26: The character notices the control panel.
Initiative: +10
Trigger: The pillar of entropy rolls for initiative as soon as a living creature enters the room.
Attack
Standard Action--- Range 10
Target: One random living creature within range.
Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 3d10+6 necrotic damage, plus ongoing 10 necrotic (save ends).
Countermeasures
An adjacent character can disable the pillar by making 2 successful Arcana (DC 30) or Thievery (DC 26) checks. A failed check results in the pillar making an attack on the triggering character as an immediate reaction.
Characters can attack the pillar (AC 25; other defenses 20; hp 50; regeneration 10). Destroying the pillar ends the pillar of entropy effect.
CIRCLE OF REPULSION--- Level 17 Obstacle
Trap--- XP 1600
A circle of magical runes encircles the portal, sending approaching creatures spinning away from it.
Trap: The circle shares the space of the Door to Time.
Perception
DC 32 when within 4 squares of the Door to Time, or 36 when entering the room: The character notes the runes surrounding the portal.
Arcana
DC 35: Just before entering the circle, the character detects it.
Trigger: A character approaches within 1 of the circle/Door to Time.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee
Target: Triggering creature.
Attack: +21` vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 2d12+6 force damage, and the target is pushed 8. On a critical hit, the target is also knocked prone.
Countermeasures
An adjacent character (ending up adjacent to the circle can be very tricky!) can attempt to disable the circle with a skill challenge, requiring 4 successes before 3 failures. Useable skills are Arcana (DC 35) and Thievery (DC 29). Failure results in the skill challenge resetting.
7. GRAVEL PUZZLE
Encounter Level 6 (250 xp per character)
You find yourself in a long hall, about 25’ wide and 60’ long. The ceiling vaults 20’ overhead. The long walls are painted with frescoes of Grandfather, slain enemies trodden underneath his feet. However, the short walls are markedly different. One of them has a high arch that takes up a good third of it. The archway is blocked by a sheet of green, sickly-looking energy of some kind, and to either side of it are images of chains and bindings. The other shows Grandfather looking at his blood-covered hands in horror, with the Key to War clutched in one of them. The Key to Peace is under his feet, in the skull of one of his defeated foes.
Near the middle of each long wall is a small table stacked with some kind of small pieces of wood. Set upright in the long walls near each table is some kind of wooden board with markings all over it.
Perception DC 15: There is writing blended in with the fresco of Grandfather in an aspect of regret. DC 27: The ceiling has dozens of holes in it, slightly smaller than a human’s fist.
Arcana DC 22: The greenish curtain of energy is necrotic in nature. DC 25: There appears to be some connection between it and the wooden blocks and boards.
The writing blended in with the frescoes says the following: The Key to War is the Key to Peace, but the Key to Peace is the Key to War. Without the strength to defend the state, one cannot have peace. Bloodshed is a regrettable necessity, or so I found it. At the end I wished there had been another way, even at great cost. If you come for the keys, I pray your intent is better than mine was. Solve the puzzles to earn a great boon.
The wooden blocks and boards are a puzzle whose intent is to allow only the worthy- and morally upright- to pass. To add impetus to the party, the room contains a very deadly trap that activates whenever a piece is inserted into either of the puzzles, or when anything crosses the plain of the necrotic field blocking the archway (see Features, below).
Trap: This chamber contains only one trap, but it is a multi-piece, area effect trap; in essence, it is a solo trap.
GRAVEL TRAP--- Level 6 Solo Blaster
Trap--- XP 1250
Gravel and sand fall down into the room, pounding creatures within it and slowly filling the room and suffocating everyone in it.
Trap: The trap covers the entire room, and each round it attacks each pc.
Perception: See above.
Additional Skill: Arcana will detect the connection between the trap and the puzzle; see above.
Initiative: +6
Trigger: The trap activates when either a piece of the puzzle is inserted into one of the wall boards, or when anything breaks the plane of the necrotic field blocking the archway.
Initiative +6
Attack
Standard Action--- Close
Targets: All creatures in the room.
Attack: +10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage.
Effect: The secret door swings shut and locks (unless it has been spiked open!) and the room starts to fill with sand and gravel at a rate of 4”/round (one foot depth in three rounds); in fifteen rounds, the gravel is 5’ high and the puzzles can no longer be worked. In 60 rounds, the trap fills the room with gravel and sand.
Countermeasures
A pc with a shield can spend a minor action each round to hold it overhead, gaining a +4 AC bonus against the trap. As a standard action, he can hold it over another character instead. (This stacks with the AC bonus for taking a total defense action.)
If the pcs solve both wall puzzles, the trap stops and the necrotic field becomes navigable. This requires a successful skill test. The wooden pieces are essentially jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit into the wall (each puzzle has about 30 pieces altogether, but they are semi-abstract symbols making up a larger image by suggestion). If a pc makes a Religion check, DC 17, she can tell that the symbols are religious in nature. Solving a puzzle involves a skill test: 8 successes before 3 failures; Insight (DC 22), Religion (DC 22) or intelligence check (*remind the pcs that they add half their level to this check!) (DC 17); can use Arcana, Dungeoneering or Thievery to aid with no risk of gaining a failure. If the characters fail the skill test, they can try again, but the clock is ticking. If the pcs successfully solve both puzzles, the trap halts, the secret door unlocks and the necrotic field changes to blue in color. Close examination with Arcana or Religion, DC 22, can determine that the field is no longer necrotic, but can’t tell what the new one does. (See Features, below.)
A character can attempt to disable the trap at the puzzles, as well, but this is a separate skill test (Arcana, DC 27, or Thievery, DC 22). In this case, the pcs need to gain 12 successes before 3 failures.
Another approach is to attempt to disable the necrotic field itself. This involves yet another skill test, requiring 10 successes before 3 failures; appropriate skills include Arcana (DC 25) and Thievery (DC 22).
Finally, a skill test can unlock the secret door (Thievery, DC 25; 4 successes before 3 failures.) If the pcs fail, the secret door is blocked by rubble and will no longer open.
Features: The necrotic field is extremely dangerous. If a pc passes through it, they are attacked: Hit: +25 vs. Fortitude; 4d12+7 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened and loses a healing surge; Miss: half damage, and the target loses a healing surge.
Once the field turns blue, any character passes through regains a healing surge and gains a special “blue” action point. This action point is not lost when the pc takes an extended rest; it lasts until used. It works just like a normal action point, except that is gives the action taken with it a +2 bonus.
I've run a solo trap encounter as well as an encounter consisting of multiple traps. I'll post them:
85. Door into Time
Encounter Level 15 (6600 xp)
This series of rooms has been consumed by entropy until they have lost their definition and have gradually fused into an open space. At the center of this chamber is the Door into Time; throughout it are several hazards, as noted. The Door into Time looks like many different portals simultaneously, some open, some closed. They seem to blur and blend into one another, constantly changing. One thing remains the same, however: the door is encircled by runes scriven in the stone floor.
When the pcs enter this chamber they will start to have strange flashbacks and flashforwards, first simply seeing images of themselves as they were when they were younger or as they will be when they grow old.
Hazards and Traps: This encounter includes hazards and traps. Note that the chronal drift and the pillar of entropy are visible to pcs regardless, as is the effect (though not necessarily the source) of the tempest fugit. The following traps and hazards are included in this encounter:
Chronal drift (C) (level 14 obstacle)
Tempest fugit (throughout the room) (level 15 obstacle)
Moment of Agony (red line) (level 17 warder)
Pillar of Entropy (P) (level 15 blaster)
Circle of Repulsion (shares space with the Door to Time) (level 17 obstacle)
Features: The chamber’s features are all parts of the various hazards or the trap, with the exception of the Door into Time.
Door into Time: If characters manage to penetrate this door, they find themselves in area 86 on sublevel 6B.
CHRONAL DRIFT--- Level 14 Obstacle
Hazard--- XP 1000
Something like a cloud that seems to shift and shimmer as it moves, yet is a strange, silver-green color. Somehow both solid and ephemeral, the cloud drifts through space swiftly, yet somehow still at a leisurely pace.
Hazard: The chronal drift is a 3x3 square zone that moves throughout the room, attracted to awareness.
Perception
No Perception check is required to notice a chronal drift.
Arcana
DC 21: The character can tell that the cloud is some sort of temporal phenomenon. DC 25: The character realizes that it will pursue intelligence. DC 31: The character recognizes that the cloud is suspended sand, and concludes that weighing the sand down with water or the like might be an effective counter. In addition, the character believes that cold could play a role in disabling the chronal drift.
Initiative: +16
Trigger: The chronal drift rolls for initiative as soon as a character enters the chamber, and moves and attacks on its initiative each round.
Attack
Standard Action--- Close burst 1
Effect: Before the attack, the chronal drift shifts 5 towards the nearest creature with an intelligence of at least 9.
Targets: Each creature in burst
Attack: +15 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d6+6 damage, plus target is slowed (save ends).
Countermeasures
The chronal drift can be slowed itself by at least 5 gallons of water or 15 points of cold damage in a single round. If this is done, the drift shrinks to a 2x2 zone and its attack changes so that it only shifts 2 squares towards the nearest creature with an intelligence of 9.
A chronal drift can be disabled completely for 1d4 rounds if it is already slowed and either it suffers an additional 20 points of cold damage in a round, or if adjacent characters make 2 successful Arcana or Nature checks, DC 26, in the same round.
TEMPEST FUGIT--- Level 15 Obstacle
Hazard--- XP 1200
The room itself is full of the seething of the time flow. All is subject to a deadly hazard known as a tempest fugit.
Trap: The tempest fugit runs wild throughout the chamber.
Perception
No check is needed to perceive the tempest. DC 30: The character spies the spinning zone of silver sand that is the focal point of the tempest fugit (T).
Nature
DC 23: The character can tell that significant temporal distortions are occurring throughout the chamber. DC 27: The character senses that the tempest fugit will reflect their efforts to move through it, so that the harder they try to break through the tempest, the harder it becomes to succeed.
Trigger: The tempest fugit affects each creature in the room at the start of its turn.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee special
Target: Creature starting its turn in the room.
Effect: The character takes 10 points of damage and slides a number of squares towards the entry through which it came into the room equal to the number of squares it moved or shifted on its last turn.
Countermeasures
A character that moved only 1 square on its last turn and took no other actions (including immediate or opportunity actions) escapes the tempest fugit’s attention and is not attacked at the start of its turn.
A character trained in Acrobatics that only shifted during its turn may make an Acrobatics check to reduce its slide at the start of its turn as an immediate interrupt. If it hits DC 26, it may reduce its slide by 1; at DC 30, by 2; and at DC 35 or higher, by 3.
A character that is aware of the focal point of the tempest can attempt to dispel it for an hour with a skill challenge, requiring 4 successes before 3 failures. Usable skills are Arcana (DC 25), Nature (DC 25) or Thievery (DC 28). If the character obtains 3 failures, the skill challenge resets.
MOMENT OF AGONY--- Level 17 Warder
Hazard--- XP 1600
Warping through the room is a curtain of time that has trapped sheer agony within it.
Trap: The moment of agony curves through the room, as indicated on the map.
Perception
The moment of agony cannot be detected until a character is within 1 square of it. DC 34: The character feels the pain of old wounds and hurts start to rise in time to stop before crossing the curtain. DC 39: After approaching the curtain and detecting it, the character can see the parts of the moment of agony within 4 squares with a minor action.
Insight
The moment of agony cannot be detected until a character is within 1 square of it. DC 30: The character feels old emotions, heartbreak and loss start to rise in time to stop before crossing the curtain. DC 32, or DC 30 if the character crosses the curtain: The character realizes that the moment of agony can be combated by taking its pain in willingly. DC 35: The character can feel the location of the curtain.
Trigger: A character crosses the plane of the moment of agony.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee
Targets: Creature crossing the moment of agony.
Attack: +25 vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 2d10+6 damage and target falls prone.
Effect: Make a secondary attack against the same target.
-Secondary Attack: +25 vs. Will.
-Hit: 2d6+6 psychic damage, plus target is dazed (save ends).
Countermeasures
The moment of agony can be countered by characters willing to drink up the pain and deal with it. A character can attempt to do so by making an Endurance (DC 30), Insight (DC 28) or Religion (DC 29) check. A character who successfully does this suffers damage equal to their bloodied value and the moment of agony is destroyed.
PILLAR OF ENTROPY--- Level 15 Blaster
Trap--- XP 1200
A pillar that is crumbling into dust, yet never fully decays, fires blasts of necrotic energy at creatures that approach it.
Trap: The pillar of entropy fills four squares in the southern end of the room.
Perception
No check is necessary to see the pillar. DC 26: The character notices the control panel.
Initiative: +10
Trigger: The pillar of entropy rolls for initiative as soon as a living creature enters the room.
Attack
Standard Action--- Range 10
Target: One random living creature within range.
Attack: +18 vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 3d10+6 necrotic damage, plus ongoing 10 necrotic (save ends).
Countermeasures
An adjacent character can disable the pillar by making 2 successful Arcana (DC 30) or Thievery (DC 26) checks. A failed check results in the pillar making an attack on the triggering character as an immediate reaction.
Characters can attack the pillar (AC 25; other defenses 20; hp 50; regeneration 10). Destroying the pillar ends the pillar of entropy effect.
CIRCLE OF REPULSION--- Level 17 Obstacle
Trap--- XP 1600
A circle of magical runes encircles the portal, sending approaching creatures spinning away from it.
Trap: The circle shares the space of the Door to Time.
Perception
DC 32 when within 4 squares of the Door to Time, or 36 when entering the room: The character notes the runes surrounding the portal.
Arcana
DC 35: Just before entering the circle, the character detects it.
Trigger: A character approaches within 1 of the circle/Door to Time.
Attack
Opportunity Action--- Melee
Target: Triggering creature.
Attack: +21` vs. Fortitude.
Hit: 2d12+6 force damage, and the target is pushed 8. On a critical hit, the target is also knocked prone.
Countermeasures
An adjacent character (ending up adjacent to the circle can be very tricky!) can attempt to disable the circle with a skill challenge, requiring 4 successes before 3 failures. Useable skills are Arcana (DC 35) and Thievery (DC 29). Failure results in the skill challenge resetting.
7. GRAVEL PUZZLE
Encounter Level 6 (250 xp per character)
You find yourself in a long hall, about 25’ wide and 60’ long. The ceiling vaults 20’ overhead. The long walls are painted with frescoes of Grandfather, slain enemies trodden underneath his feet. However, the short walls are markedly different. One of them has a high arch that takes up a good third of it. The archway is blocked by a sheet of green, sickly-looking energy of some kind, and to either side of it are images of chains and bindings. The other shows Grandfather looking at his blood-covered hands in horror, with the Key to War clutched in one of them. The Key to Peace is under his feet, in the skull of one of his defeated foes.
Near the middle of each long wall is a small table stacked with some kind of small pieces of wood. Set upright in the long walls near each table is some kind of wooden board with markings all over it.
Perception DC 15: There is writing blended in with the fresco of Grandfather in an aspect of regret. DC 27: The ceiling has dozens of holes in it, slightly smaller than a human’s fist.
Arcana DC 22: The greenish curtain of energy is necrotic in nature. DC 25: There appears to be some connection between it and the wooden blocks and boards.
The writing blended in with the frescoes says the following: The Key to War is the Key to Peace, but the Key to Peace is the Key to War. Without the strength to defend the state, one cannot have peace. Bloodshed is a regrettable necessity, or so I found it. At the end I wished there had been another way, even at great cost. If you come for the keys, I pray your intent is better than mine was. Solve the puzzles to earn a great boon.
The wooden blocks and boards are a puzzle whose intent is to allow only the worthy- and morally upright- to pass. To add impetus to the party, the room contains a very deadly trap that activates whenever a piece is inserted into either of the puzzles, or when anything crosses the plain of the necrotic field blocking the archway (see Features, below).
Trap: This chamber contains only one trap, but it is a multi-piece, area effect trap; in essence, it is a solo trap.
GRAVEL TRAP--- Level 6 Solo Blaster
Trap--- XP 1250
Gravel and sand fall down into the room, pounding creatures within it and slowly filling the room and suffocating everyone in it.
Trap: The trap covers the entire room, and each round it attacks each pc.
Perception: See above.
Additional Skill: Arcana will detect the connection between the trap and the puzzle; see above.
Initiative: +6
Trigger: The trap activates when either a piece of the puzzle is inserted into one of the wall boards, or when anything breaks the plane of the necrotic field blocking the archway.
Initiative +6
Attack
Standard Action--- Close
Targets: All creatures in the room.
Attack: +10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage.
Effect: The secret door swings shut and locks (unless it has been spiked open!) and the room starts to fill with sand and gravel at a rate of 4”/round (one foot depth in three rounds); in fifteen rounds, the gravel is 5’ high and the puzzles can no longer be worked. In 60 rounds, the trap fills the room with gravel and sand.
Countermeasures
A pc with a shield can spend a minor action each round to hold it overhead, gaining a +4 AC bonus against the trap. As a standard action, he can hold it over another character instead. (This stacks with the AC bonus for taking a total defense action.)
If the pcs solve both wall puzzles, the trap stops and the necrotic field becomes navigable. This requires a successful skill test. The wooden pieces are essentially jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit into the wall (each puzzle has about 30 pieces altogether, but they are semi-abstract symbols making up a larger image by suggestion). If a pc makes a Religion check, DC 17, she can tell that the symbols are religious in nature. Solving a puzzle involves a skill test: 8 successes before 3 failures; Insight (DC 22), Religion (DC 22) or intelligence check (*remind the pcs that they add half their level to this check!) (DC 17); can use Arcana, Dungeoneering or Thievery to aid with no risk of gaining a failure. If the characters fail the skill test, they can try again, but the clock is ticking. If the pcs successfully solve both puzzles, the trap halts, the secret door unlocks and the necrotic field changes to blue in color. Close examination with Arcana or Religion, DC 22, can determine that the field is no longer necrotic, but can’t tell what the new one does. (See Features, below.)
A character can attempt to disable the trap at the puzzles, as well, but this is a separate skill test (Arcana, DC 27, or Thievery, DC 22). In this case, the pcs need to gain 12 successes before 3 failures.
Another approach is to attempt to disable the necrotic field itself. This involves yet another skill test, requiring 10 successes before 3 failures; appropriate skills include Arcana (DC 25) and Thievery (DC 22).
Finally, a skill test can unlock the secret door (Thievery, DC 25; 4 successes before 3 failures.) If the pcs fail, the secret door is blocked by rubble and will no longer open.
Features: The necrotic field is extremely dangerous. If a pc passes through it, they are attacked: Hit: +25 vs. Fortitude; 4d12+7 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened and loses a healing surge; Miss: half damage, and the target loses a healing surge.
Once the field turns blue, any character passes through regains a healing surge and gains a special “blue” action point. This action point is not lost when the pc takes an extended rest; it lasts until used. It works just like a normal action point, except that is gives the action taken with it a +2 bonus.
bobcat_grad
First Post
Did you run the traps/hazards in succession? Or put the party in a place where all of the traps/hazards had a chance of being triggered?
I'm thinking of putting together a particular nasty section of a section of travel in the wilderness with vines, geysers, quicksand, etc. But each hazard has multiple trigger points. There would be a couple of safe paths through the gauntlet, but if they strayed, they would trigger the respective trap/hazard.
I'm thinking of putting together a particular nasty section of a section of travel in the wilderness with vines, geysers, quicksand, etc. But each hazard has multiple trigger points. There would be a couple of safe paths through the gauntlet, but if they strayed, they would trigger the respective trap/hazard.
the Jester
Legend
All the traps/hazards could be triggered together (or in rapid succession).
In both of these cases, the party ended up fleeing the first time, then coming back and dealing with the encounter again. The one with the Door Into Time, they took one at a time, very carefully the second time through.
In both of these cases, the party ended up fleeing the first time, then coming back and dealing with the encounter again. The one with the Door Into Time, they took one at a time, very carefully the second time through.
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
How did you avoid the gravel puzzle from turning into monotonous die-rolling (a problem with skill challenges in general if run by the rules)? It strikes me that the PCs basically have to pick one of the paths and then stand around soaking damage until they roll a lot of successes, because if they change tactics mid fight, they're just messing themselves up (because they effectively start over on a new encounter). It IS better than a normal skill challenge, because people who are bad at the skills in question have some other options, and the challenge is repeatable. It just seems to me that there's not going to be a lot of dynamics going on: everyone will choose an action and repeat it until they win or lose.
I can see how the time room works out very well. I think in part that's because it's almost a fight against a monster in a trapped room: the chronal drift is close to being a monster - it moves semi-intelligently and it has hitpoints of a kind.
Colmarr
First Post
There's a trap-only encounter in Keep on the Shadowfell, but I can tell you from experience that it fails because it contains obvious dead zones where the PCs are safe.
If you want to make a trap-only encounter interesting, you need to ensure that the only way to be safe is to retreat altogether. If you really want to make it interesting, make sure retreat isn't an option at all (a la the garbage compactor scene in Star Wars).
If you want to make a trap-only encounter interesting, you need to ensure that the only way to be safe is to retreat altogether. If you really want to make it interesting, make sure retreat isn't an option at all (a la the garbage compactor scene in Star Wars).
bobcat_grad
First Post
It seems obvious, but that's a good point. I had started sketching out something, but kinda skipped that key point. If there isn't an compelling reason to go forward, why should they?
the Jester
Legend
The falling gravel helped, but yeah, that was the low point of the challenge/trap.
That was prolly my favorite encounter including a trap (or several!) in 4e so far!
It was fun, dangerous, made the pcs feel seriously threatened the first time through (heck, they retreated until they came into the room again, via another entrance) and challenged them even when they entered the second time with a lot of information about what was going to happen.I stuck one in my game a few weeks ago:
Traps! (Lvl 3 -- 775 exp total)
2 Pyrotechnics Traps (lvl 4 lurker)
Poison Mist Trap (lvl 4 lurker)
Hypnotic Glyph (lvl 6 controller)
Hypnotic Glyph
Perception: The glyph is obvious to anyone.
Arcana: DC: 19 – Provides a general idea of the nature of the glyph and provides a +2 bonus to disable it.
Trigger: When a character passes within 2 squares of the glyph, it pulses to life.
Attack: Immediate Reaction. Close Burst 3. Reset: 4,5,6
All targets in burst, +9 v. Will, 1d6+4 Psychic and the Target is pulled 3 squares.
Countermeasures: An adjacent character can disarm the glyph with a DC: 19 thievery check.
The traps were set up in a 20' wide hallway. The glyph takes up a 10' square in the center of the hallway, surrounded by the other traps.
I also like the encounter traps from the 3.5 Dungeonscape book. WotC dropped the ball not porting those rules more directly into 4E.
Traps! (Lvl 3 -- 775 exp total)
2 Pyrotechnics Traps (lvl 4 lurker)
Poison Mist Trap (lvl 4 lurker)
Hypnotic Glyph (lvl 6 controller)
Hypnotic Glyph
Perception: The glyph is obvious to anyone.
Arcana: DC: 19 – Provides a general idea of the nature of the glyph and provides a +2 bonus to disable it.
Trigger: When a character passes within 2 squares of the glyph, it pulses to life.
Attack: Immediate Reaction. Close Burst 3. Reset: 4,5,6
All targets in burst, +9 v. Will, 1d6+4 Psychic and the Target is pulled 3 squares.
Countermeasures: An adjacent character can disarm the glyph with a DC: 19 thievery check.
The traps were set up in a 20' wide hallway. The glyph takes up a 10' square in the center of the hallway, surrounded by the other traps.
I also like the encounter traps from the 3.5 Dungeonscape book. WotC dropped the ball not porting those rules more directly into 4E.
bobcat_grad
First Post
I kinda wish they'd come out with a small supplement of traps and hazards, honestly. Sure, I can make my own, but it always helps to have a template to start from.
I don't think they're given enough usage (at least in my play experience). I've started to use them more in my game and now have players taking time to look around and figure out the lay of the land first before just running into an area.
