Will they ALL die?!

[Plane Sailing]

I think that this trap will probably kill every character who is in medium armour or more, and is likely to kill some of those who are not.

The drowning rules are hideously lethal. IMO they ought to be reworked to be based on hp damage like most other things. After all, hp are already an abstraction, right?

Cheers

 

[Sanackranib]

traps

gotta say i like the idea though. you cant defeat it with swords

 

[radferth]

I suggest you forgo the save entirely and just allow them to start holding their breaths. Its still lethal enough, and having anyone start drowning immediately will cause no end of complaints. It will make it seem like you are using DMs fiat to kill a few characters that fail their saves. The last thing you want at the begining of a campaign is an arguement on the pseudo-physics of stepping through a magical portal.

 

[Nifft]

One way to make the trap less harsh would be to start them out in only a foot or two of water (but with no support, so they sink immediately).

Reflex save DC 10 allows them to take a full breath.
Spot check DC 10 allows them a quick glance around the room before they sink.

Even if they fail the Reflex save, they still have d% of thier breath held. This won't start them drowning immediately, but will reward good reflexes (which traps should reward), and will reward good Con scores.

They still have to get out of a very sticky situation, but they're not "in over thier heads" with no chance of getting out.

-- Nifft

 

[smetzger]

I suggest you forgo the save entirely and just allow them to start holding their breaths. Its still lethal enough, and having anyone start drowning immediately will cause no end of complaints. It will make it seem like you are using DMs fiat to kill a few characters that fail their saves. The last thing you want at the begining of a campaign is an arguement on the pseudo-physics of stepping through a magical portal.

I agree, assuming you are not _trying_ to kill one or more characters. This will still make it a memorable encounter that will cement the group together as a team.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I may be mis-remembering it, but if you compare and contrast the maximum amount of time that someone can hold their breath, and the minimum time it takes to wriggle out of armour... and the swim check penalty which armour provides - I don't think any armoured guys are likely to make it.

 

[Stalker0]

I'd also go with just allowing everyone to hold their breath at the start. That way, you give everyone a fair chance right off the bat. If they mess up, its not that you screwed them with a death right off the bat, they just didn't work quickly enough.

and if it turns out to be cake, you can always introduce the shadow to increase the difficulty.

 

[Sanackranib]

traps

One way to make the trap less harsh would be to start them out in only a foot or two of water (but with no support, so they sink immediately).

Reflex save DC 10 allows them to take a full breath.
Spot check DC 10 allows them a quick glance around the room before they sink.

Even if they fail the Reflex save, they still have d% of thier breath held. This won't start them drowning immediately, but will reward good reflexes (which traps should reward), and will reward good Con scores.

They still have to get out of a very sticky situation, but they're not "in over thier heads" with no chance of getting out.

-- Nifft

thats a really great idea I think that is what I will do when I use this idea in my game