Needle Floor

 

At the center of the villa is a small, open air plaza.

Mechanical Trap

Several of the tiles in the plaza are pressure plates. When activated, they cause thousands of poisoned needles to spring up from the rest of the tiles. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that several of the tiles are at slightly different depths than the other tiles. These are the pressure plate tiles. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the rest of the tiles are covered in very small holes. When a pressure plate is stepped on, all of the other tiles spring up needles through the holes. Anyone standing on one of these tiles is attacked with a +8 melee attack for 1 piercing damage. If a creature takes damage from a needle, that creature must make a DC 14 Constitution save or fall asleep for 1 hour. The pressure plates, unless intentionally avoided, cannot be missed, but can be avoided intentionally with no check. Once the needles are exposed, they cannot be avoided. However, they can be broken by using a shield, armor, of even a weapon to clear a path. For each movement action, a DC 8 Dexterity check must be made. If it fails, it means that some needles were missed, and the creature takes the attack from them as normal. Each pressure plate can be disarmed with a DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Failure sets off the needles.

 

Dorm of Horrors

 

Several bunks fill this room.

Magical Trap

The beds cause bad dreams in the target. The beds are all messed up, even though no one has used them for a long time. A chest is under each bunk. The chests contain clothing, weapons and some small valuables. If the chests or bed are disturbed, they crumble to dust and everyone in the room must make a DC 15 Wisdom save. Crumbled items reappear 1 hour later. Those that fail their save will have their sleep disrupted by a monstrous entity in their dreams. The target gains no benefit from sleep and takes 3d6 psychic damage upon awakening. A spell such as Detect Magic detects an aura of illusion on the room. A spell such as Dispel Magic cast onto the room with a successful DC 15 spellcasting ability check causes all the beds and chests to crumble in to dust forever, and permanently ends the dream effect. Spells of effects that suppress magic effects of spell level 5 or above will cause the beds and chests to crumble to dust and render them inert, only to appear an hour after the suppression effect ends. The dream effect, once imparted, is not affected by suppression.

 

Flood, Circuit and a Door

 

An open door leads to a set of stairs that go down to a room with a bowl-shaped depression in the middle.

Mechanical Trap

Water floods the room through a small open hatch on one side. When the hatch is closed, it completes an electric circuit. A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a small drip of water coming from an open hatch on one side of the room. Several copper contacts can be seen, both on the hatch and the opening with a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. These line up. One round after a creature enters the room, water begins to pour through the open hatch. If unchecked, the room fills up in 6 rounds. The water is filled with toxic substances. One round after the flow starts, anyone in the room must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1d2 CON damage and become poisoned for up to 1d4 rounds after leaving the water. Shutting the hatch requires a DC 12 Strength check. Once shut, the water stops, and the existing water drains off in 1d6 rounds. However, shutting the door completes an electrical circuit. This causes 8d6 electrical damage to anyone making contact with the water, with a DC 14 Constitution saving throw halving the damage. The contacts can me removed in 2 rounds with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. When removed, little wires are exposed. If the check fails, the contacts are still removed, but the wires adjust when closing, causing contact and setting off the trap.

 

Delayed Dungeon

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

The inside of the castle is intact, but run-down. The decor and items inside all seem in perfect shape, but are somehow old in a way that can’t quite be placed.

Time seems to run slower here.

It’s because, in some cases, it does.

All spells and spell like effects that take place in this castle do not actually have any effect until 1d4 rounds after the intended time of effect. For area effect and targeted spells, this could mean that any friendlies that move into the zone of effect could actually be affected, whether it was meant or not.

Iron Crown

 

A crown of jagged iron, inset with gems sits atop a statue.

Magical Trap

The crown charms the target, making them attack their allies. If the statue or crown is examined, the target must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be compelled to place the crown on their head. Once the crown is on their head, that creature will use its action each turn to make a melee attack against its closest ally. This effect lasts for 1 minute, or until the target makes a successful DC 12 Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. A spell such as Detect Magic detects an aura of enchantment on the crown. A spell such as Dispel Magic cast onto the crown will render it inert. Any effect that suppresses magic suppress the crown’s effect for the duration of the effect, including if it is currently controlling a creature.

 

Fuse Door

 

The closet’s wooden door is closed.

Mechanical Trap

The inside of the door contains black powder. Opening it ignites a fuse that causes the powder to burn and explode. The closet has several shelves filled with potion bottles, some filled, some empty. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that in a small gap under the door, a piece of flint make contact with the door and the steel threshold. If the door is checked, a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the top third of the door is hollow, while the bottom is not. When the door is opened, the flint sparks, which is noticed with a passive DC 14 (Wisdom) Perception check. This ignites a small fuse in the door which reaches the black powder inside 2 rounds later. This causes the door to explode. Anyone outside the close within 15′ takes 3d6 fire damage, with a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw reducing this damage in half. Those inside the closet also take this fire damage, but also suffer a +8 ranged attack for 2d6 piercing damage from the broken glass. The trap can be disabled by removing the flint, which requires a DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Failure causes it to spark, which activates the trap.

 

Death Room

 

Two doors, both open lead into a circular room.

Magical Trap

The doors, when closed, complete a magical death circle. When the last target enters the room, or if a target crosses the room to the other door, two skeletal apparitions appear in the doorways and close the doors. Once the doors are closed, a pale, purple energy coalesces in the middle of the room, and then explodes in a rippling shockwave. All creatures in the room take 8d6 necrotic damage, with a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw halving the damage. A spell such as Detect Magic detects an aura of necromancy about the room, and separate auras of transmutation on the doors. A spell such as Dispel Magic cast onto either door will keep them from closing. If cast into the center of the room, it will disable the energy effect if it succeeds with a DC 16 spellcasting check. Any effect that suppresses magic will keep the doors from closing for the duration, which effectively keeps the trap from activating.

 

Bear Trap Cabinet

 

A stout wooden cabinet is in the corner.

Mechanical Trap

The inside of the cabinet contains some treasures. The doors are set to automatically close if any of the treasures are disturbed. The shelf that they are on has been set on a scale calibrated to the exact weight of the treasures. The doors have hidden spikes on them. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals small holes along the inside of the doors, with the tips of spikes just being able to be seen. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a small, scale-like mechanism under the treasure shelf. If any of the objects are removed from the shelf, the spikes project and the doors slam shut. The target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 piercing damage and become restrained. In order to be freed, the target must make a DC 14 Strength check to open up the cabinet doors. The spikes can be disabled with a DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. If the spikes are disabled and the trap is sprung, the damage is reduced to 1d6 bludgeoning damage, and the target is not restrained. The shelf mechanism can be disabled with a DC 16 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Failure sets off the trap. If the target wishes to replace an item with one of the same weight, this can be done with a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check to determine the weight of the object. Failure results in disadvantage on the next part of the check to swap the item. Swapping the item requires a DC 16 Dexterity (sleight of hand) check.

 

Skeleton Armory

 

Several skeletons, wearing armor and bearing weapons, line the side walls.

Magical Trap

The skeletons have been enchanted to deal necrotic damage if they are disturbed. If any of the armor or weapons are removed, that skeleton’s hand detaches and attacks the target with a +4 ranged attack for 1d8 necrotic damage. On a successful hit, the hand clings to the target, and the target may not regain any HP until the start of its next turn. A spell such as Dispel Magic cast onto a single skeleton will destroy the hands of the skeleton and render it inert. Any effect that suppresses magic suppresses all of the skeletons for the duration of the effect. In addition, any on-going effects from the necrotic attack are removed, as they only last one turn anyway.

 

Floorboard Crossbow

 

Several knotholes are in the pine planks of the hallway floor.

Mechanical Trap

One of the planks is missing a joist which causes it to depress. This sets off a crossbow that fires up through a knothole. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the tip of a bolt just below the floor which is visible through the knothole. When the floorboard is stepped on, it depresses, causing the crossbow to make a +4 ranged attack for 1d8 damage. The board can be avoided with a DC 5 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Failure results in the trap going off. The board can also be removed with a DC 10 Dexterity check, and the crossbow unloaded or removed. Failure results in the discharge of the crossbow.