Traps

Traps can be found throughout dungeons, lairs, and other locations where people don’t want others to enter. They range in all different styles, from ones that cause damage, to ones that ensnare you, to ones that release a horde of monsters, and more. Each trap has a difficulty rating for avoiding its effects and another for disarming or deactivating it.

Traps comprise two components: the trigger and the trap itself. Triggers are interchangeable between traps, as they are what activates the trap if sprung.

When avoiding traps, you are avoiding the trigger of the trap and disarming or deactivating the trigger. The trap remains in place and is harmless after the trigger has been removed. Unless you are specifically wanting to remove a trap in order to take it for your own use, it is assumed they remain in their original locations.

When creating traps for your dungeon, combine the trigger and trap effect. Then place it in your dungeon where you feel it will work best. The trigger will let you know how the trap is activated and the trap effect will tell you what happens once the trap is triggered.

Avoidance Difficulty Rating (ADR)

This is the difficulty rating you must beat to avoid an activated trap.

Disable Difficulty Rating (DDR)

This is the difficulty rating you must beat in order to disable or deactivate the trap.

Self-Resetting Traps

Traps that can reset themselves have to have some source of power in order to retract itself and reset the trigger. Typically, the power source is a steam canister but can be a battery canister. This means they have a specific number of resets before their power source has expired. The Quality of the trap depends on the power source used and how any bursts it would have. All traps require two bursts to reset and use large canisters.

2 bursts are required for a trap to self-reset

Canister	Bursts	Manufacturer
Steam Tank	20	Tinker’s Constructs
HWA-LC	24	Hammer & Wrench Armory
Sapo III	22	Hotton Industries
Mirego	20	Tsumeta Steam

Disclaimer from Technology Companies

The manufacturers of these power sources are not responsible for how their products are used once purchased.

Paragon Traps & Triggers

Traps and triggers that have been crafted with the highest possible quality are known as paragon traps or triggers. These are the best traps and triggers available and have a +2 to their difficulties.

Paragon traps that cause damage also have their damage increased by one additional die. So, if the trap causes 1d6 damage, as a paragon trap it would cause 2d6 damage.

Triggers

Nearly anything can activate a trap; however, the following are the most used.

Trigger	DDR	DU
Button Lever or Switch	18	4
Door Handle	20	3
False Floor Wall or Ceiling	16	0.5
Hinges	20	4
Pressure Plate	22	3
Trip Wire	12	–

Button, Lever, or Switch

Like the door handle, these levers, switches, and buttons activate the trap when pulled or pressed.

Door Handle

A special door handle that, when the latch is activated, so is the trap. A variant of this is a bar that secures the door closed. Once the bar is removed, the trap is sprung. Door handles can also apply contact poisons where the poison is the trap.

False floor, wall, or ceiling

These are parts of an interior that looked real but are made of a thin material that can be easily broken.

Hinges

These triggers are built into the hinge of doors, chests, and other objects that open. Once opened wide enough, the trap is activated.

Pressure Plate

A special piece of flooring or wall that is spring loaded to activate the trap when pressure applies to the plate. Pressure plates come in all different sizes.

Trip Wire

A thin piece of metal or twine that is nearly invisible to the naked eye. Typically, they are placed in hallways and doorways. Trip wire triggers are one time use and cannot be used with trap effects that have the mechanism to reset themselves.

Trip wires can become traps by using a special wire that is razor sharp. These trip wires are known as razor wire traps.

Trap Effects

Trap	DR	DU	Damage
Battering Ram	14	10	2d8
Boulder	16	15	2d12
Elemental Spray	14	5	2d6
Multi Elemental Spray	14	5	2d6
Murder Holes	16	–	1d6*
Pit Acid	14	–	2d6 per sec.
Pit Empty	14	–	Fall Damage
Pit Lava	14	–	2d8 per sec.
Pit Monster	14	–	Fall Damage*
Pit Snakes	14	–	Fall Damage*
Pit Spiked	14	–	1d8*
Spear or Blades	17	4	1d8*
Swinging Axes/Blades	17	8	1d10 per swing

Battering Ram

This trap is like the Swinging Axe/Blades trap because it swings out from hiding in order to slam into the intruders. The difference is that this trap swings towards the location of the trigger and can either retract back into the ceiling after a single swing or continue to swing back and forth. If retracting back into the ceiling, this trap can reset and be triggered again.

Boulder

A specific trap designed to block and crush intruders. Typically, this type of trap is found in narrow corridors that have a slight incline in order to allow the boulder to roll down the corridor.

Elemental Spray

This is a magical trap that, when triggered, shoots out a cone of the element the trap maker initially setup. Typically, it is a fifteen-foot cone, but can be larger or smaller based on its location and purpose. While the trap is magical, the trigger used to activate the trap is not.

Multi Elemental Spray

A variant to the elemental spray trap is a rotating Elemental Spray. It has rune stones that each has an element infused in it. They are all placed on a disk that rotates past the hole. When triggered whichever elemental runestone is at the hole activates and shoots out a cone of that element. This trap effect has a built-in reset mechanic that allows the trap to be activated repeatedly.

Murder Holes

Many small holes hidden from sight that when triggered, shoot out projectiles. Typically, these traps are built into walls but can be built into floors or ceilings. Any small projectile about the size of an arrow or smaller can be shot from the holes. Often poison tipped needles are used.

This trap requires a special roll to see the number of times the intruder is hit. Roll 2d20 – your reaction instinct (minimum 2) to see how many have successfully hit the target.

Spear or Blades

A spear trap is like a murder hole. Victims of the trap are impaled by spears or blades that shoot out of small holes in the floor or ceiling. This trap has a mechanism that allows it to be reset once the spears have fully extended.

This trap requires a special roll to see the number of times the intruder is hit. Roll 2d20 – your reaction instinct (minimum 2) to see how many have successfully hit the target.

Swinging Axes/Blades

Large axe heads or blades that hide in the wall and ceiling, attached to a pendulum. The axes or blades swing back and forth, blocking the path.

Pits

Acid

A hole filled with acid. Typically, there is only about a foot of acid in the pit, but more can be used. The pit itself is only five to ten feet deep.

Empty

A hole in the ground that is commonly covered by a false floor. This pit is empty but can be anywhere from a few feet deep to a hundred feet deep or more.

Lava

Like the acid pit, the lava pit has molten lava in it. However, unlike the acid pit, the lava is five to ten feet deep.

Monster

This pit is home to a monster(s) that were tricked into going into the pit. It is an angry monster that is also trapped in the pit. Anything that falls into this pit will have to deal with a murderous monster. After the initial fall damage, any additional damage caused by the monster is based on the monster’s attack abilities.

Snake

A snake pit is an empty pit filled with snakes. To increase the threat, the snakes could be poisonous. After the initial fall damage, any additional damage is based on the snake’s attacks.

Spike

This pit isn’t deep because of the long spikes at its bottom. The spikes impale anything that falls into it.

This trap requires a special roll to see the number of times the intruder is hit. Roll 1d20 – your reaction instinct (minimum 1) to see how many have successfully impaled the target.

Energetic Traps

These are example traps that use energetics (spell effects and other energetic aspects) as the trap effect. The triggers for these traps vary based on how the trap was originally designed. These are only examples and can be changed to better serve your purpose in using them.

Foxfire Trap

Small balls of light are scattered on the ceiling. Each (or multiple) connected to pressure plates in the floor. When the plate is triggered, the ball(s) of light streak down towards the target who must make a reaction check versus DR 14 to avoid the ball of light. Each orb requires its own reaction check. If the check fails, the target takes 2d6+5 fire/piercing damage. The balls of light produce five feet of light while on the ceiling.