Loose Stairs

 

Stone stairs lead down into the cellar.

Mechanical Trap

The stairs are loosely stacked stone slabs and are not supported. They collapse then used. A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the stairs are not held together by anything. When a target steps on the stairs, they must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they fall as the stairs collapse, taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage and falling prone. In order to bypass the stairs, they will have to be collapsed first, which can be done with a DC 12 Strength check from the top.

Snake Ladder

A ladder leads upwards.

Magical Trap

The ladder sides and rungs turn into snakes. When a target gets halfway up the ladder, the rungs and sides turn into snakes. All targets on the ladder must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or fall, taking 2d6 falling damage. Those that save will be attacked by 1d4 snakes each round. Each snake makes a +2 melee attack for 1d4 damage. On a successful hit, the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or lose 1d2 points of CON. The target may release at anytime as a free action and fall. Climbing down the snakes requires a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check. Each round the target is on the snake ladder, they are subject to the snakes’ attacks. A detect magic detects an aura of transmutation on the ladder.  The ladder can be neutralized with a dispel magic.

Slow Cooker

Here is another installment of exTRAPaganza, our Thursday over-the-top trap series. 

These caves smell slightly of Sulphur. As the party descends into the cave, it slowly gets hotter. After the first hour, each  person in the cave must make an average Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target gains one level of exhaustion. Each hour, the save must be made again, getting progressively harder, adding 1 or 2 to the DC each time.

Falling Trees

 

A small path winds through the thickly wooded forest.

Mechanical Trap

Two of the trees have been cut and placed back on their stumps. They are connected together by a low hanging rope, concealed beneath underbrush. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the pile of leaves and underbrush ahead looks unnatural. A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check spots that two of the trees appear to be misaligned with their bases. When a target walks through the pile with the rope underneath, the two trees fall inward. The target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage. Simply cutting the rope and/or pushing the trees over neutralizes the trap.

Springboard

A wooden balcony hangs from the top of the tower.

Magical Trap

The balcony has been enchanted for the boards to warp when a target nears the edge. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals evidence that the area near the edge has been stressed, as if it had been bent or something like that. When a target gets within 5′ of the edge, the boards warp and spring back. The target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be thrown from the balcony, taking 4d6 falling damage and is knocked prone. A detect magic detects an aura of transmutation on the balcony.  The balcony can be neutralized with a dispel magic.

Splintered Floor

 

The wooden floor is heavily splintered.

Mechanical Trap

A pressure plate is at the far end of the room that causes all the splinters to fire. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check notes that the grain of the splinters does not exactly match the flooring. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a slim, rectangular outline in the floor in front of the exit. When the pressure plate is stepped on, it activates a bellows which causes all the splinters on the floor to shoot upwards. All targets in the room take 3d6 piercing damage, with a DC 14 Dexterity save halving the damage. Additionally, targets that failed their save are distracted by the splinters lodged in them. They have the poisoned condition until they can spend 10 minutes removing the splinters. The pressure plate can be disabled with a DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Failure by 5 or more sets off the trap.

Stone Limbs

The door pull has a stone hand attached to it.

Magical Trap

The door pull has been cursed to turn the target’s hand to stone. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that the stone hand has wounding consistent with being cut off. If the target pulls on the hand or the pull to open the door, they must make a DC 14 Constitution save or have their hand become stone. The hand is attached to the door pull and cannot be removed. Only a greater restoration spell can turn the hand back to flesh. The hand can be removed by chopping it off. The target takes 2d6 slashing damage if the hand is removed. A detect magic detects an aura of transmutation on the door.  The door can be neutralized with a dispel magic (DC 14).

Falling Grave

 

Offerings lay on top of this grave.

Mechanical Trap

The gravestone is over 10 feet tall and made of solid granite. It falls on any would be grave robber. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check notes that the offerings are all confined to a small area on the grave.  If anything is removed from the grave, the target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 6d6 bludgeoning damage from the falling grave and is knocked prone and becomes restrained. It requires a DC 14 Strength check to free oneself, or the target can spend 1d6 rounds digging their way out of it. If the offering area is examined, it requires a DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to find a small ridged platform that contains the offerings. Failure on this check sets off the trap. The trap can be disarmed with a DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Failure sets off the trap.

The Ugly One in the Mirror

Something strange is stirring in the mirror up ahead.

Magical Trap

The mirror switches visages with the target, and the one in the mirror ain’t pretty. When a target is within 30′ of the mirror, they must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be compelled to walk towards the mirror and look into it. When the target is within 5′ of the mirror, they get a second DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they switch faces with the ugly person in the mirror. This causes the target’s Charisma bonus to drop to -3 (although their score remains the same for the purposes of ability damage). While walking towards the mirror, if another character tries to intervene, the target can make a second DC 14 Wisdom save to stop. Once the faces have been swapped, the target can only be put back be a remove curse. When that spell is cast, the face inhabits the nearest mirror, and that mirror is now identical to the one that cursed them. A detect magic detects an aura of transmutation on the mirror. A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals an arcane presence inhabiting the mirror. The mirror can be neutralized with a dispel magic, however, as above, the face moves to the next nearest mirror. In order to keep the face from moving, the only way is to banish the mirror to another plane, as the face cannot jump across planes.

Slicing Sphere

Here is another installment of exTRAPaganza, our Thursday over-the-top trap series. 

The room is a giant sphere. Several small landing, connected by ladders are on each side of the sphere. These landings are made of razor thin metal, and are very strong.

The sphere rotates 90 degrees after the party enters. Not only does this cause the party to fall, it also causes the landings which are now on the ceiling to fall.

All targets on the landings take 3d6 falling damage as they fall, along with the metal sheets. They must also make a hard Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling on the metal sheets below. On a failure, they take moderate slashing and piercing damage. Additionally, the falling sheets make an average melee attack for heavy slashing and piercing damage.