Bead Curtain

 

A curtain made of several strands of black beads hangs in the doorway.

Magical Trap

One of the beads in the middle strand is a bead of force. If jostled, it falls to the ground and explodes. Unless a creature makes an effort to minimize the curtain movement, when they pass through the curtain the bead will fall to the ground. A DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check is required to move through the curtain without causing the bead to fall. Creatures larger than medium size must make this check with disadvantage, while creatures smaller than medium size have advantage. Each creature within a 10′ radius must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 5d4 force damage. A sphere of transparent force encloses the area for one minute. Those creatures that fail their saving throw and are inside the effect cannot leave the sphere. Creatures that succeed are pushed out of the sphere to the edge. Air passes through normally. The sphere can be moved or picked up, as it only weighs one pound, but it is stuck in the doorway. Moving the sphere requires a DC 20 Strength check. Those inside the sphere must push against the edges and can do so at half walking speed, once it is freed. A spell or other effect that can sense the presence of magic, such as Detect Magic, reveals an aura of indeterminate magic about the bead. And magic cancelling effect, such as an anti-magic field that suppresses the effects of magic items will cause the bead to be inert and not explode. The bead can also be removed with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Failure cause it to fall and explode.

 

Shattering Windows

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

This room is almost exclusively made from windows. Several of them show cracks.

When any area of effect spell that causes damage is cast, or if any missile weapon misses a target, the windows all shatter.

Those in the room must make a hard Dexterity saving throw, or take 1d6 piercing and slashing damage for each window that is shattered, which is up to the DM’s discretion.

Slip Pit

 

The hardwood floor in this hallway is highly polished.

Mechanical Trap

A pit is in the middle of the hallway. Just beyond the pit the floor is very polished and slippery. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a 10′ x 10′ area outlined by seams in the floor. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check shows that the 10′ x 10′ area just beyond the seams is more glossy than the rest of the floor. Stepping on the seamed area causes the floor to open up into a 20′ pit. Creatures in the 10′ x 10′ area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the pit, taking 2d6 falling damage. A creature that jumps over the pit lands on the slippery floor and must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, or fall back into the 10′ x 10′ area above the pit. If the trap door is opened, the creature falls in as above. Otherwise, the creature must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw at disadvantage, or fall into the pit. A creature climbing out of the pit must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw when the reach the top next to the glossy floor or fall back into the pit, taking 2d6 falling damage if they are not secured by anything. The trap door over the pit can be disabled by wedging small, sturdy devices into it, such as pitons with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. With thieves’ tools, this check has advantage.

 

Bubble Floor

 

The dirt floor is irregularly shaped and covered in small mounds.

Mechanical Trap

Several small mounds cover the floor. Each mound is filled with flammable gas. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check detects the faint odor of gas. A DC 14 Nature or Survival check determines that the gas is flammable. The mounds can be avoided with a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check each time a movement action is used. If it fails, then a mound is stepped upon and it releases the gas. The gas ignites if there is any open flame within 10′. If it ignites, it deals 3d6 fire damage to all creatures within 10′. A successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half. The mounds can easily be bled of their stored gas and will not explode if there is no flame present. However, the mounds refill on their own in 1d12 + 12 hours.

 

Stuck Door

 

A wooden door is wedged into the door frame.

Mechanical Trap

The door is supporting the wall. The wall collapses if the door is removed. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the frame around the door is resting its weight on the door. The door requires a DC 16 Strength check to force open, or can be destroyed. It has AC 15 and 27 hp. If the door is destroyed or forced open, the wall collapses. Creatures within 5 feet of the wall must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check will allow the wall to be shored up with existing materials near by. Not only will this keep the wall from falling, it will also grant advantage on checks to force the door open.

 

Mesh Pit

 

A small wooden door leads into the side of the keep.

Mechanical Trap

The area immediately in front of the door has a trap door that covers a 60 foot deep pit. 10 feet down the pit, diamond studded fine wires have been strung in a mesh. Opening the door causes the trap door to open. The mechanism to open the pit is a small lever that is on the other side of the door. When the door opens, it pushes the lever. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that a 10′ x 10′ area in front of the door is unusually level. Clearing the area reveals a split wooden door underneath. When the door is opened, the trap door opens up in the middle, Creatures on the 10′ x 10′ area in front of the door must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be dumped into the pit. Creatures falling into the pit take 6d6 falling damage, suffer a +4 melee attack for an additional 6d6 slashing damage. The trap is easily disabled from the other side of the door. From the outside, it requires a DC 16 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to jam the supports under the door, keeping them from sliding back.

 

Pigeon Barriers

 

A ledge runs across the top of the walls near the roof.

Mechanical Trap

Small spikes covered in poison are installed on the ledge. The roof above it is thatched and steep. The spikes can be easily seen, but only from above the ledge. They cannot be seen from the ground. Anyone climbing up the ledge must make a DC 12 Dexterity save or be punctured by a spike for 1 piercing damage, and them must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious in 1d4+1 rounds. If the creature falls unconscious while on the roof, they roll off and fall, taking 1d6 hp of falling damage. If seen, the spikes can be easily avoided with a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.

 

Pillory

 

This large hall has a 25 foot tall ceiling. The floor is made of shiny marble. A raised dais is at the far end of the room.

Magical Trap

This is an old throne room. It was originally made to keep people from venturing too near the throne. When any creature gets within 30′ of the throne, six pillars rise from the floor underneath the six nearest creatures to the throne. These columns rise all the way to the ceiling. A DC 16 Dexterity saving throw is required to jump off the column. Those that do not jump off the columns are crushed and pinned against the ceiling. The creature takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained. Each round a restrained creature may use an action to make a DC 16 Dexterity or Strength check to move or fall off of the pillar. A spell or other effect that can sense the presence of magic, such as Detect Magic, reveals an aura of transmutation about the throne. The trap on the throne can be dispelled with Dispel Magic or another similar spell or effect with a DC of 15 vs. spellcasting ability.

 

Rolling Chandeliers

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

A long hallway slopes down. Overhead hang many large globes of light.

When a creature passes under a globe, it falls on the ground and rolls downwards. The globes act as a globe of fire. Each round it moves 10 feet downhill. Any creatures that it passes through or any creatures that pass through it take 2d6 fire damage. If a globe ends it turn on a creature, that creature takes 2d6 fire damage. If a creature starts its turn on a globe, that creature takes 2d6 fire damage.

When all the balls reach the end of the hallway, they all explode. This explosion deals 6d6 fire damage per globe to all creatures within 60 feet. This damages is reduced by half with a successful Dexterity saving throw.

 

Bear Trap Stairs

 

A red carpet runs up the dark wooden stairs.

Mechanical Trap

Halfway up, the stair top is missing from underneath the carpet. It conceals a bear trap. A DC 12 Perception check reveals that the carpet over the missing stairs is slightly indented. A creature that steps onto the stair must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or step into the bear trap. The bear trap deals 1d4 piercing damage and stops movement. A creature may make a DC 13 Strength check as an action to open the trap and free the trapped creature. A failed check deals 1 piercing damage. While trapped, the creature is restrained. If noticed, the trap can be easily avoided.