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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mirrorrorrim" data-source="post: 9085685" data-attributes="member: 7040132">How does this work in a mundane fashion? And why wouldn't a rogue (expert at traps), or a druid or barbarian (wilderness survivalists), or some other class with an appropriate background, be able to do the same thing? Let's have an exercise that provides a challenging situation.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">DM: You are being pursued across the desert by the gnoll hunting party, maybe a dozen of them, who are about 1000 feet behind you. You are cresting a low dune and are about to be out of their site for maybe 1 minute. As you crest the dune, you see that the terrain continues for another mile before you reach the oasis camp. You have allies awaiting you there. Would you like to keep running? Or use the dune as a bit of cover to come up with a plan? You have maybe 1 minute of planning/preparation before the gnolls get to the point where they will be able to see you again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome Illusionist: I'm not as fast as you guys. I'm a wheezing whizard, here. I'm not going to make it a mile.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human Life Cleric: We're running because their archers have been very effective and I'm low on healing. We need to get the macguffin to the oasis. But Gnomerun is right.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarf Champion: I agree with Hugh, man. I say we stop here and make our stand, surprising those dudes as they come over the dune.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf Hunter: Dwar, friend, you are right. We fight. DM, I want to improvise some sort of snare to hinder them as best I can.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">DM: You are running through sand and there is no vegetation nearby. Despite the ground being sand, I'll rule that if you have pitons and a cord in your inventory, you can make a tripwire and hope it slows 1 down, knocking them prone on a failed save, and they have to stand back up. But that's it. You might prevent 1 round of attacks from that one guy if they fail their save.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf Hunter: Can I set a snare that immobilizes one for longer?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">DM: You have a rope, pitons, and sand with no trees, and 1 minute. Wow me with an idea.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome Illusionist: Can't you use the Snare spell, "El Forester"? Wait, did you get those bear traps?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf Hunter: The Snare spell sucks. I've never prepared it. And no to the bear traps. Why would I carry an extra 20 lbs of wrought iron? That's inelegant.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome Illusionist: Either would be useful now. It'd be awesome if the Snare spell took only an action so you could set a couple magic snares that lifted them in the air.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf Hunter: Make that suggestion to the designers of the primal universe. sigh I guess I make a tripwire in the sand.</li> </ul>How does one write a mundane improvised "trap/snare" ability that works in any terrain? What does it do, and why? Remember in order for it to be a rule, it has to be written to make sense in any appropriate environment.Now if you make it a Primal supernatural ability, that is fine! But what makes that different than a spell?</blockquote>

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