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I am actually not at all fond of the traditional "traps", by which I mean various mechanical-or-otherwise contrivances placed just to fuck up an unwitting PC's (and sometimes player's) day -- especially when there's so many littered around, or the traps are so all-encompassing, the suspension bridge of my disbelief just snaps in half when I try to fathom how a dungeon's inhabitants function at all.
Also, there's not often nuance there. You avoid the trap (whether by not stumbling onto it, disarming it, or steering clear of it) or you get nailed by the trap. NPCs and critters and the like might chat or fight or bargain or need help or be planning a betrayal or nearly anything, but a trap is a trap.
Meh.
But, in the spirit of not bailing on the second to last prompt, here are some things and commentary aside from my navel-gazing up there:
* Hazards, weird happenings that trigger by action or manipulation, and yes the occasional deliberately-set contrivance all qualify as "traps" to me for the purposes of detecting them, disabling them, etc.
* All PCs have a chance to detect/identify such a trap; give it a Save of 14, say. (bonuses to the roll, of course, apply, be they Expert skill bonus, PC background, WIS or INT modifiers, etc.)
* Disabling the thing will have a variable Save, no less than 14 unless it's really painfully simple. Some can't be "disabled" (floor conditions, say); others can be dealt with without requiring a Save, if it's a straightforward task.
And, to finish off, a small table of hazards and the like --
01. the corridor/room sports brilliant slime molds that ignite easily (2-in-6 chance of 1d6 gout of flame if a torch is brought within 10', each action)
02. ridiculously mirror-smooth stairs. Save (14) or slip (1d4 hp, -1 on rolls for an hour) unless moving extremely slowly
03. rotating pavers: some flagstones are on rollers and spin underfoot, sending on tumbling. 2-in-6 chance of losing action each action until area is left behind
04. elemental mites outbreak: an otherworldly infestation, tiny crawlies that coat the skin and one vulnerable to elemental damage until washed off -- kicked up in a cloud as the party passes
05. false well. the water is acidic (1d8), or an illusion concealing a shaft
06. the treasure chest is chained to the floor via a channel in the flagstones; lift chest, pull chain, ring bells and alert critters
07. Opening a door triggers a second sliding door to slam into place when a trigger-plate in the doorway is walked across
08. if a series of glass orbs are not touched in sequence, floor begins to electrify (1d4/1d6/1d8 each subsequent action)
Also, there's not often nuance there. You avoid the trap (whether by not stumbling onto it, disarming it, or steering clear of it) or you get nailed by the trap. NPCs and critters and the like might chat or fight or bargain or need help or be planning a betrayal or nearly anything, but a trap is a trap.
Meh.
But, in the spirit of not bailing on the second to last prompt, here are some things and commentary aside from my navel-gazing up there:
* Hazards, weird happenings that trigger by action or manipulation, and yes the occasional deliberately-set contrivance all qualify as "traps" to me for the purposes of detecting them, disabling them, etc.
* All PCs have a chance to detect/identify such a trap; give it a Save of 14, say. (bonuses to the roll, of course, apply, be they Expert skill bonus, PC background, WIS or INT modifiers, etc.)
* Disabling the thing will have a variable Save, no less than 14 unless it's really painfully simple. Some can't be "disabled" (floor conditions, say); others can be dealt with without requiring a Save, if it's a straightforward task.
And, to finish off, a small table of hazards and the like --
01. the corridor/room sports brilliant slime molds that ignite easily (2-in-6 chance of 1d6 gout of flame if a torch is brought within 10', each action)
02. ridiculously mirror-smooth stairs. Save (14) or slip (1d4 hp, -1 on rolls for an hour) unless moving extremely slowly
03. rotating pavers: some flagstones are on rollers and spin underfoot, sending on tumbling. 2-in-6 chance of losing action each action until area is left behind
04. elemental mites outbreak: an otherworldly infestation, tiny crawlies that coat the skin and one vulnerable to elemental damage until washed off -- kicked up in a cloud as the party passes
05. false well. the water is acidic (1d8), or an illusion concealing a shaft
06. the treasure chest is chained to the floor via a channel in the flagstones; lift chest, pull chain, ring bells and alert critters
07. Opening a door triggers a second sliding door to slam into place when a trigger-plate in the doorway is walked across
08. if a series of glass orbs are not touched in sequence, floor begins to electrify (1d4/1d6/1d8 each subsequent action)
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