Traps Revisited
The ruJes for traps in the Dungeon Master's Guide pro-
vid e the basic information you need to manage traps
at the gam e table. The material here takes a different,
m o r e elaborate approach- describing traps in terms of
their game mechanics and offering guidance on c reating
traps o f your own using these new rules.
Rather than characterize traps as mechanical or magi-
cal, these rules separate traps into two other categories:
simple and complex.
A simple trap activates and is thereafter harmless or
easily avoided. A hidden pit dug a t the entra nce of a
goblin lair, a poison needle that pops from a lock, and
a crossbow rigged to fire w he n an intruder s teps on a
pressure plate are a ll simple traps.
ELEMENTS OF A SIMPLE TRAP
The description of a simple trap begins with a line that
gives the trap's level and the severity of the threat it
poses. Following a general note on what the trap looks
like and how it functions are three paragraphs that tell
how the trap works in the game.
Level and Threat. A trap's level is actually a range of
levels, equivalent to one of the tiers of play (levels 1- 4 ,
5- 10, 11 -16, and 17 - 2 0), indicating the appropriate time
to use the trap in your campaign. Additionally, each trap
poses either a moderate, dangerous, or deadly threat,
based on its particular d e ta ils.
Trigger. A simple trap activates when an event occurs
tha t trigge rs it. This entry in a trap's description givesthe location of the trigger and the activity t hat causes
the trap to activate.
Effect. A trap's effect occurs after it activates. The
trap might fire a dart, unleash a cloud o f poison gas,
cause a bidden enclosure to open, and so on. This en-
try specifies what the trap targets, its attack bonus or
saving throw DC, and what happens on a hit or a fa iled
saving throw.
Countermeasures. Traps can be detected or defeated
in a variety of ways by using ability checks o r magic.
This entry in a trap's description gives the means for
counteracting the trap. It also specifies w hat happens, if
anything, o n a faile d attempt to disable it.RUNNING A SIMPLE TRAP
To prepare for us ing a simple trap in play, start by mak-
ing note of the characters' passive Wisdom (Perception)
scores. Most traps allow Wisdom (Perception) checks
to detect their triggers or other elements that can tip off
their presence. If you stop to ask players for this infor-
mation, they might suspec t a hidden danger.
When a trap is triggered, apply its effects as specified
in its description.
If t he characters discover a trap, be open to adjudicat-
ing their ideas for defeating it. The trap's description is
a starting point for countermeasures, rather than a com-
plete definition.
To make it easier for you to describe what happens
next, the players should be specific about how they want
to defeat the trap. Simply s ta ting the desire to make a
check isn't he lpful for you. Ask the p layers w here their
characte rs are positioned and what they intend to do to
defeat the trap.