Ground Zero Treasure Pile

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

Area of effect spells seem to have no effect anywhere.

At the bottom of this cave complex is a large cave. In the center of the cave are several large stone coffers. These coffers are full of treasure but there is a catch.

When a coffer is opened, that coffer becomes ground zero for every area of effect spell cast in the cave since a coffer was last opened. In addition the the party’s spells, other spells go off as well. There will be d8 levels of spells (so if a 6 is rolled, there will be level 1-6 spells). There will be d4+1 spells of each level, randomly chosen as long as there are area of effect spells. All the spells happen at once. 

Rust Monster Graveyard

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

As the party delves deeper into the caverns, the air becomes foggy.

This fog is the product of a vast rust monster graveyard deep in the caverns.

Every hour, each target must make an easy Constitution saving throw. On a failure, exposed non-magical metal (armor, weapons, etc) take damage. For weapons, they get a cumulative -1 to hit/damage penalty. For armor, it’s a -1 cumulative AC penalty. Other items are destroyed.

Sand

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

The cave floor is covered in sand.

The caves are tricky to navigate, with lots of curvy tunnels and dead ends. When the party reaches the very end, there is a large, half-buried chest.

When this chest is opened, all the sand in the caverns is lifted into the air and blown in a frenzy. All targets in the cavern take moderate slashing damage and are blinded for an hour, or until they spend an action with at least 1 pint of water cleaning their eyes. On a successful hard Constitution saving throw, the damage is halved and the blindness is reduced to 1 minute.

The sandstorm also completely obliterates any tracks or markings made by the party, and even subtly changes some of the cavern walls. This imparts disadvantage to any rolls made to navigate the caves based on memory.

For fun, the entrance to the cave can also be completely buried in sand.

Indiana Jones and the Lava Rock

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

The cave entrance is at the top of a small elevated trail cut through the rock and blocked by a very large rock.

The rock is too big to be moved but opens up if a knock or similar spell is used. When it does so, all targets on the trail suffer a high bonus melee attack for massive bludgeoning damage.

When the rock moves, the lava behind it explodes outwards. Those in the trail take heavy fire damage, with a hard Dexterity saving throw halving the damage. Those that are above the trail take massive fire damage, with a hard Dexterity saving throw halving the damage.

Underground Acid Lake

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

A large lake is in this underground cavern. The ceiling is high up and dotted with stalactites.

When the lake is approached, it becomes obvious that the lake is full of acid.

An average Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the stalactites are in danger of falling.

If any loud noise is made in this cavern, such as that from a fireball or similar effect, the stalactites fall into the lake. All targets within 60′ of the lake take heavy acid damage from the splash, with a hard Dexterity saving throw halving the damage. 

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

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.

Small Gem Collection

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

Several small gems are stored here on shelves. The gems have been enchanted to enlarge if taken outside.

If a gem is taken outside it becomes very large and heavy. The target carrying the gem must make a hard Dexterity saving throw or take heavy bludgeoning damage. The gem then teleports back to the shelf.

Rusty Cave

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

The air in the cave is corrosive. Each hour spent in the cave has a cumulative 10% chance to cause 1d4 damage to all metal items carried by the target.

Gunpowder Cave

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

Deep down in the cave is an underground lake with a large beach. The sand on the beach is a light color, almost white. It is made up of a special type of gunpowder.

A hard Intelligence (Investigation) check detects that the sand is gunpowder.

Any fire, flame or heat that is created while on the sand causes it to explode. All targets on the beach take massive fire damage, which a hard Dexterity saving throw halving the damage.