Cavernous tricks and traps? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cavernous tricks and traps? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
gamerlamer666
04-05-07, 11:08 PM As the name implies I need cavern or volcanic mountain related traps,tricks,puzzles, and other meens to mess with my party

They are lv 5 with a wolf companion,dire bat companion.

Druid/5lvs
ranger/5lvs
monk/5lvs

Please help
KillerVole
04-05-07, 11:23 PM Get them into a tight chasm, then have things on top start dropping big rocks on them. Only do this if at least one of the PCs can get out of the chasm to stop the attack.
Reverend_Valek
04-05-07, 11:27 PM I kind of enjoyed the cross I created between an umber hulk and a leprechaun...the old 2nd Edition style leprechaun...think about it...it's kind of a long term joke if you combine them...
gamerlamer666
04-05-07, 11:30 PM The first reply soudns good. the second...Well...Whats a leprechaun ( I am a new DM )
Reverend_Valek
04-05-07, 11:33 PM Leprechaun...little thing in Irish Folklore that has a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

In D&D (off the top of my head) they could turn invisible at will, use magic mouth at will to give objects voices, cast animate object at will, grant three wishes (commonly offer a fourth wish to negate all previous wishes to greedy adventurers and only grant wishes if they're caught)....just what I can remember. I sold most of my books. I don't really feel I need them anymore. The players need the books more than the DM does.
gamerlamer666
04-05-07, 11:38 PM K any one else got anything for me?( leprechauns sound awsome)
KillerVole
04-05-07, 11:41 PM Try using pit traps. When they're already underground, most PCs won't expect to fall even farther. Plus, they give the monk a chance to use slow fall.
gamerlamer666
04-05-07, 11:44 PM That sounds good,Anyonegot any magical ideas? ( games saturday so no rush)
Reverend_Valek
04-05-07, 11:47 PM This one's just annoying...

A blue rune that causes a temporary flood, some minor damage to clothes, equipment, food, etc...and washes the PC's back to the cavern entrance. Hope someone can spot and disarm that magical trap....
Crystal Monk
04-05-07, 11:48 PM a few things I've picked up from exploring caves and such in Oblivion...

cave-in traps can be fun, so long as the Reflex save is low enough that the party has a good chance of getting away, or that the party is strong enough to get everyone free if they get caught in it. take a look at "Cave-ins and Collapses" (Dungeon Master's Guide p.66), I'm sure you can adapt that to your party.

a nifty thing to do with that is have a new passage or cavern revealed because of the cave-in, and have them make Spot checks to notice it. might take the edge off the trap. :D this works best if there's a cave-dwelling enemy, such as kobolds or similar, that's triggering the traps.

also, cavern-based traps can involve trip ropes, with something large, heavy, and blunt swinging down from the ceiling at the party. doing this in a narrow passage with a log that's nearly the same width as the passage swinging down at the party can be fun - if there's a good enough swing on the thing, the one in the front won't be the only one having to make a Reflex save.

I noticed you don't have a rogue in the party, so you definitely don't want to make the traps too complex - maximum DC 20 to find and disarm them. granted, most traps in caverns won't be able to be too complex, so you should be all right. just don't penalize your party for not having a character specifically made to find traps.

good luck!
gamerlamer666
04-05-07, 11:56 PM Flood one is GOLD!!! ( keeper ) as well as the chasm and the log ( I think thats it for traps...Any enemy ideas?)
Lazzmaniandevil
04-06-07, 12:03 AM How about the good old "bridge over the lava river" trick ? The bridge could of course be trapped, but my favorite variation is simply as follows:

The PCs see a small rope bridge that goes over a chasm or river of hot lava. The bridge is 50ft long and relatively narrow. Besides the bridge is a small sign with an inscription in draconic: "no more than two at a time". The inscription is true, but the catch is that the bridge was built by kobolds, who weight 40 pounds each. Anything more than 120 pounds will make the bridge collapse.

The fact that the insciption is in draconic is of course a clue, as is the narrowness of the bridge, but you could also have the PCs meet the kobolds before arriving at the bridge.

You could also adapt it for gnomes or deep halflings. It should ideally be a language that one of your PCs will understand.
Reverend_Valek
04-06-07, 12:11 AM Common underground enemeis: Rogue male drow, rogue drow priestess (both alone), minor earth elementals, umber hulks, tiny lava spitters, lava larvae...just think rocky, warm, jungle type climate creatures.

And DO NOT be afraid to make something up. Nothing screws with a player like being unable to think of or find something they thought should be in a monster manual.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
gamerlamer666 04-05-07, 11:08 PM	As the name implies I need cavern or volcanic mountain related traps,tricks,puzzles, and other meens to mess with my party They are lv 5 with a wolf companion,dire bat companion. Druid/5lvs ranger/5lvs monk/5lvs Please help
KillerVole 04-05-07, 11:23 PM	Get them into a tight chasm, then have things on top start dropping big rocks on them. Only do this if at least one of the PCs can get out of the chasm to stop the attack.
Reverend_Valek 04-05-07, 11:27 PM	I kind of enjoyed the cross I created between an umber hulk and a leprechaun...the old 2nd Edition style leprechaun...think about it...it's kind of a long term joke if you combine them...
gamerlamer666 04-05-07, 11:30 PM	The first reply soudns good. the second...Well...Whats a leprechaun ( I am a new DM )
Reverend_Valek 04-05-07, 11:33 PM	Leprechaun...little thing in Irish Folklore that has a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In D&D (off the top of my head) they could turn invisible at will, use magic mouth at will to give objects voices, cast animate object at will, grant three wishes (commonly offer a fourth wish to negate all previous wishes to greedy adventurers and only grant wishes if they're caught)....just what I can remember. I sold most of my books. I don't really feel I need them anymore. The players need the books more than the DM does.
gamerlamer666 04-05-07, 11:38 PM	K any one else got anything for me?( leprechauns sound awsome)
KillerVole 04-05-07, 11:41 PM	Try using pit traps. When they're already underground, most PCs won't expect to fall even farther. Plus, they give the monk a chance to use slow fall.
gamerlamer666 04-05-07, 11:44 PM	That sounds good,Anyonegot any magical ideas? ( games saturday so no rush)
Reverend_Valek 04-05-07, 11:47 PM	This one's just annoying... A blue rune that causes a temporary flood, some minor damage to clothes, equipment, food, etc...and washes the PC's back to the cavern entrance. Hope someone can spot and disarm that magical trap....
Crystal Monk 04-05-07, 11:48 PM	a few things I've picked up from exploring caves and such in Oblivion... cave-in traps can be fun, so long as the Reflex save is low enough that the party has a good chance of getting away, or that the party is strong enough to get everyone free if they get caught in it. take a look at "Cave-ins and Collapses" (Dungeon Master's Guide p.66), I'm sure you can adapt that to your party. a nifty thing to do with that is have a new passage or cavern revealed because of the cave-in, and have them make Spot checks to notice it. might take the edge off the trap. :D this works best if there's a cave-dwelling enemy, such as kobolds or similar, that's triggering the traps. also, cavern-based traps can involve trip ropes, with something large, heavy, and blunt swinging down from the ceiling at the party. doing this in a narrow passage with a log that's nearly the same width as the passage swinging down at the party can be fun - if there's a good enough swing on the thing, the one in the front won't be the only one having to make a Reflex save. I noticed you don't have a rogue in the party, so you definitely don't want to make the traps too complex - maximum DC 20 to find and disarm them. granted, most traps in caverns won't be able to be too complex, so you should be all right. just don't penalize your party for not having a character specifically made to find traps. good luck!
gamerlamer666 04-05-07, 11:56 PM	Flood one is GOLD!!! ( keeper ) as well as the chasm and the log ( I think thats it for traps...Any enemy ideas?)
Lazzmaniandevil 04-06-07, 12:03 AM	How about the good old "bridge over the lava river" trick ? The bridge could of course be trapped, but my favorite variation is simply as follows: The PCs see a small rope bridge that goes over a chasm or river of hot lava. The bridge is 50ft long and relatively narrow. Besides the bridge is a small sign with an inscription in draconic: "no more than two at a time". The inscription is true, but the catch is that the bridge was built by kobolds, who weight 40 pounds each. Anything more than 120 pounds will make the bridge collapse. The fact that the insciption is in draconic is of course a clue, as is the narrowness of the bridge, but you could also have the PCs meet the kobolds before arriving at the bridge. You could also adapt it for gnomes or deep halflings. It should ideally be a language that one of your PCs will understand.
Reverend_Valek 04-06-07, 12:11 AM	Common underground enemeis: Rogue male drow, rogue drow priestess (both alone), minor earth elementals, umber hulks, tiny lava spitters, lava larvae...just think rocky, warm, jungle type climate creatures. And DO NOT be afraid to make something up. Nothing screws with a player like being unable to think of or find something they thought should be in a monster manual.