Toxic Vault

A large metal door secures a vault.

Mechanical Trap

The inside of the vault has been filled with toxic gas. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check detects slight corrosion near the edges of the vault door. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the corrosion must be coming from inside the vault, as no other parts of the door are damaged. The vault requires a DC 18 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to unlock. Due to the corrosion, it then requires a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to pull open. When the door opens, a green gas cascades into the room, filling it up at the rate of 20′ per round for 1d4+2 rounds. Those within 20′ must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw immediately as the gas moves 20′ right away. On a failure, the target becomes poisoned for 1 hour and falls unconscious. On subsequent rounds, if any target is in the gas, they must make the saving throw. Unconscious targets must be removed from the gas and can be awakened with an action. Otherwise, they will wake up in an hour. Disarming the trap would require something to either drain the gas or keep it at bay, likely requiring magic.

Envy

The back room of the store contains many valuables.

Magical Trap

The contents are protected by a unique curse. When a target takes one or more valuables, they must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are cursed. Whenever that target is in the presence of an object within sight but not held by anyone worth more than 100gp x character level, they must immediately make another DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they will attempt to steal the object. A detect magic detects an aura of necromancy in the room. A dispel magic (DC 16) permanently disables the trap but does not remove any ongoing effects. Ongoing effects can only be removed via remove curse.

Large Boulder

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

A large cave leads to a vast underground complex. High above the cave, a boulder sits on the mountainside.

A hard Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the boulder is loose on the hillside.

A few rounds after the cave is entered, a faint explosion can be heard. This is the sound of a magical explosion dislodging the boulder, which rolls down the mountainside and blocks the cave entrance.

If anyone is near the cave entrance, they can get inside the cave with no check or saving throw. If they want to be on the outside, they must make a hard Dexterity saving throw or take massive bludgeoning damage.

The boulder is big enough to be immobile. Other means must be found to exit the cav

Kickplate

An iron kickplate is on the bottom of the door.

Mechanical Trap

The kickplate is spring-loaded and slams down on the target’s feet if the door is opened. A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the kick plate, is attached to a mechanical device attached to the door. When the door is opened, the target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained. The target’s foot can be removed by pulling out their foot with a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check, causing 1d4 slashing damage, or by lifting up the plate with a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. The trap can be disarmed by removing the plate. This requires a DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools and takes 10 minutes.

Safe Dropper

A large, standalone safe is in the back of the room.

Magical Trap

The safe teleports above the target and drops on them. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check detects from the marks on the ground that the safe has been moved a few times, and in other places, there are dents on the floor as if something heavy was dropped there. The safe requires a DC 16 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to open. However, when opened, the safe immediately teleports above the target and drops. The target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, or take 8d6 bludgeoning damage. A detect magic detects an aura of conjuration on the safe. A dispel magic (DC 15) permanently disables the trap.

Six Safes

There are six safes in the wall here.

Mechanical Trap

Five of the safes are false and trapped. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the handle and keyhole on one safe are more worn than the other five. Opening a safe requires a DC 16 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. If the real safe is opened, nothing happens. If one of the false safes is opened, it sets off a shrapnel bomb. All targets in a 30′ cone in front of the safe take 6d6 fire, piercing and slashing damage, with a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw halving this damage. The only way to avoid this trap is to not open the fake safes.

Infinity Hall

Up ahead is a long, gently curving hallway.

Magical Trap

The hallway has an illusion that causes the target to not see the ends and move in such a way that they never leave. A DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check detects the presence of an illusion. When a target goes 30 feet down the corridor, the curvature is such that the entrance disappears. After this, the targets are in the illusion. The illusion is such that it guides the targets to walk in circles, thinking they are traversing an endless corridor. A detect magic detects an aura of illusion in the hallway. A dispel magic (DC 17) dispels the illusion. The corridor appears as it is, a 100-ft long curved corridor with a door on either end. A true seeing or similar spell penetrates the illusion as well.

Staring Daggers

A portrait above a jewelry case stares intently at you.

Mechanical Trap

If the case is opened, a spring-loaded dagger erupts from each eye on the portrait. A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the portrait has been repaired at least once, with the repairs happening to the face. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check detects a small wire running from inside the stand that the jewelry box is on into the wall. The box requires a DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to open. When opened, the target suffers two +4 melee attacks for 1d4+1 piercing and slashing damage. The trap can be disarmed by cutting the wire and securing it to the table. This requires a DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. On a failure, the trap is triggered. Once triggered, the trap must be rest and the painting repaired.

Arcing Hallway

This stone hallway ends in a large statue.

Magical Trap

The statue is the image of a thunder god and holds lightning bolts in his hands.  A DC 14 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals lightning is part of the holy ritual to the god, and those that revere the god can be struck by lightning without harm. When a target gets within 5′ of the image, lightning fills the hallway starting 30′ away from the statue. This lasts for one hour. Those that move through the lightning take 6d6 electricity damage per 30′ of movement. A DC 16 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check halves this damage. If a prayer is offered to the god targets gain advantage on one attack roll of their choice in the next 24 hours. A successful prayer requires a DC 16 Intelligence (Religion) check. A detect magic detects an aura of evocation on the statue. A dispel magic has no effect. Only a hallow spell will dispel the effect for one hour.

Soul Cave

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

Inside the cave are pictographs depicting some very dark and evil stuff from a very long time ago. The pictographs get darker and more disturbing the deeper you delve.

A hard Intelligence (Religion) check detects that some of the pictographs, while in the same style, depict more modern subjects than the rest.

At each chamber, the ancient evil that is present steals a bit of the targets’ souls. Each target must make a hard Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target loses 1d4 points of Wisdom. However, this point loss has no effect until the target’s Wisdom reaches 0. At this point, the target dies and the soul becomes a small pictograph in the chamber.

The Wisdom damage can be healed normally, but once reduced to zero, only a wish will bring back killed characters. Once the caverns are exited, the Wisdom loss turns to temporary Wisdom loss, and can be healed accordingly.