Traps and Search

[airwalkrr]

There are at least a few low-level traps in the DMG with DCs of 20 or lower. They are not unheard of.

 

[Water Bob]

There are at least a few low-level traps in the DMG with DCs of 20 or lower. They are not unheard of.

Yes, and it came staight out of a low level WotC D&D adventure called Scourge of the Howling Horde, an adventure I "Conan-ized" for my game.

That same adventure allows a 30' move with a Hide check without taking the huge penalty indicated under the skill in the rulebook.

 

[airwalkrr]

Scourge of the Howling Horde was meant to be a simplified introduction of rules mechanics to attract new players in some sort of last ditch effort. That isn't to say it doesn't have its merits. But I was referring to the low DC traps in the DMG. There are at least a dozen sample traps with a Search and/or Disable Device DC in the range of 20 or lower. And the rules allow for crafting of such traps at higher levels too if the DM realizes there is no rogue in the party and wants to give the PCs a shot at finding things.

 

[Water Bob]

Scourge of the Howling Horde was meant to be a simplified introduction of rules mechanics to attract new players in some sort of last ditch effort.

I "Conan-ized" it. Howling Cave has become a hide out for a rival Cimmerian Clan, the Grath. I threw out the giant weasel, the young black dragon, the Shrieker, and the other D&D nonsense. Then, I replaced the Hobbies, goblins, and bugbear with Grath Barbarians and Hyperborean Soldiers.

I kept the guard dog and the giant spider. If I capture the PCs, they'll be sent to see "Mog", which means locked into the spider area that the NPCs have fenced off, and the PCs will be wearing nothing more than a loin cloth.

The ancient dwarven shrine has become a shrine to an ancient people long forgotten by the Cimmerians. Caves like this do not exist in Cimmeria--so this is a unique experience for the Barbarians in my campaign.

And, the undead that was in the Wizard's room--I did something neat with that. Before the PCs got here, they killed a few Grath along the way. Scouts and what not. Well, I had the Grath stand up from their death poses after a little while and just start walking.

The PCs don't know it yet, but where the dead walk to is the Wizard's room in Howling Cave. There, they'll see some men they've already slain, in zombie form.