Planar Rift

The middle of the hallway is bisected by a transparent plane the seems to shift the optics of the rest of the hallway to the right by about a foot.

Magical Trap

The plane is a planar rift that has stretched the fabric of space in this locale. A DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the extra-planar nature of the plane. Any object, including the target that passes through the plane is immediately shifted one foot to the right. This causes damage to objects. Brittle objects will shear and break, while more malleable objects will bend and distort. A creature that passes through takes 10d6 force damage, with a DC 18 Consitution saving throw halving the damage. Spells that use line of sight have a 20% chance of missing the target. A detect magic detects the area to be wild magic. A dispel magic (DC 20) repairs the rift, returning it to normal. However, on a failure, the rift grows to fill a 30’x30′ cube, inflicting its effects on any that get caught.

Detachable Crenallations

The tower has crenallations on the top.

Mechanical Trap

The crenallations are rigged to fall outwards if force is applied. If a target observes the crenallations up close, it’s obvious that if force is applied outwards, that they will fall, including the blocks in-between. But from 60 feet below, this can only be ascertained by using some kind of magic or device to see closer. If force is applied to the top of the tower, such as from a rope or grappling hook, it falls. The target below must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage from the falling block.

Gem and Lenses

A glowing gem sits on a pedestal in the middle of the room with rays of bright light beaming outwards and upwards.

Magical Trap

When the gem is disturbed, invisible lenses are summoned to redirect the light at the target. The rays leaving the gem are warm to the touch but do no damage. If the gem is disturbed in any way or touched, the rays suddenly focus on the target, whether that target is physically next to the gem or at range. That target is blasted with searing rays of light and must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 8d6 hp of radiant damage. If the target takes damage and is holding the gem, the target takes 8d6 hp of radiant damage at the start of their turn until they have traveled 60 feet away from the pedestal. The rays stop emanating from the gem at that point. A detect magic detects an aura of evocation on the gem. A dispel magic (DC 15) destroys a single lens once the trap has been sprung. There are 8 lenses. Destroying a lens reduces the damage by 1d6. If the trap has not been sprung, this has no effect.

Icicles

Icicles have formed, hanging from the roof above the door.

Mechanical Trap

The icicles have formed on spring-loaded spikes that shoot downwards if the door is opened. A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check detects that some of the icicles have something inside, like a long spike. The door is locked and requires a DC 18 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to open. When the door is unlocked, the spikes with the icicles fire downwards. All targets within 5′ of the wall that is under the roof suffer a +8 ranged melee attack for 2d8 piercing damage. If the lock is examined, a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a small switch behind the tumblers. If this switch is flipped, the trap is disarmed. This requires another DC 18 Dexterity check, but must be done before the lock is unlocked.

Huge Golden Sphere

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

A large golden sphere is mounted up and off the floor. It must be twenty feet in diameter.

The sphere is actually a very special, enlarged delayed-blast fireball. When touched, the fireball goes off. All targets within 100′ take lethal fire damage, with a very hard Dexterity saving throw halving the damage.

If a dispel magic is cast, at a very high DC, the sphere disappears. However, if the DC check fails, this causes the sphere to explode as above.

Vertigo Staircase

A huge spiral stairway heads down along the walls of this shaft. The center seems to be an empty abyss.

Magical Trap

The staircase causes those who descend to get vertigo and fall. After a target has descended over 50 feet, all targets on the stairway must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw as the stairs seem to swirl about. Those who fail become dizzy and fall into the center, disappearing from view from those on the stairway. After the trap is triggered, the center becomes a small, infinitely high dimension. Target who fall into this dimension fall for all of eternity, until returned to another plane via one of the various planar travel methods. A detect magic detects an aura of conjuration on the staircase. A dispel magic (DC 17) destroys the trap on the stairs, while a 2nd casting at DC 20 destroys the ability of the center to change into another plane, simply becoming a 300 foot deep shaft.

Gas Torches

Several torches mounted on the wall light this barren slate hallway.

Mechanical Trap

The torches are fed gas from underneath. If removed, the gas explodes. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check detects that the torches don’t seem to be consuming themselves while burning. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the torches aren’t actually consuming themselves while burning, but several holes have been drilled in the top in which the flames emerge. If a torch is removed, the gas being fed to the torch from below ignites. All targets within 30′ take 6d6 fire damage, with a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw halving this damage. The gas shutoff is in another room. The only way a torch can be safely removed is for all of them to be extinguished within 1 round of each other.

Web Descent

A huge spiral stairway that resembles a spider web in design heads downwards.

Magical Trap

The staircase becomes filled by a web when descended. A DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check detects small sigils on a stair about halfway down. A DC 19 Intelligence (Arcana) check detects it as a sigil that summons a web. When a target steps on or over the stair, the entire staircase is encased in a web as the web spell, with the difference that the area of effect only affects the staircase. The DC is 15. The trap can be subverted by not physically entering the plane of the stair. A detect magic detects an aura of evocation on the stair. A dispel magic (DC 15) destroys sigil, as does a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check.

Shale Cliffside

Although this shale cliffside is almost completely vertical, there are plenty of crags and ledges.

Mechanical Trap

Several of the ledges break away when weight is applied. Each ledge has a 10% chance of being loose. If checked, a DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check detects that the ledge is loose and may give way. When a target is climbing and puts weight on a loose ledge, the ledge gives way. The target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or fall, taking the appropriate falling damage. The ledges cannot be reinforced. Climbing around a ledge adds an additional 15ft to movement.

Water to Wine

A tray sits on the table with a glass decanter. Next to the tray is a pitcher of water.

Magical Trap

The decanter converts water to wine, but has an area effect. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check detects some wine dregs in the bottom of the decanter. If a target pours water into the decanter, it immediately changes to wine. However, all targets within 30′ must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target gains 1d6 levels of exhaustion due to some of their blood being changed to wine. This also gives the target the poisoned condition until the exhaustion levels are removed. A detect magic detects an aura of transmutation on the decanter. A dispel magic (DC 18) destroys the decanter, but does nothing for ongoing effects.