D&D Trap Ideas

[Estrix]

So I see tabletop games pop up here, and the PbP D&D and pathfinder posted in here. I've just finished another skype D&D session with some mates, and thought I'd post two traps I came up with that they really enjoyed and see what other awesome traps people here might have

 

1) The Shadow Clone

A rouge fails a lockpicking test. An astral blade slices off the first joint of his finger, which disappears and leaves a healed wound. Later on the party meet a clone of the character. But the clone is convinced that IT is the real version and the other is the imposter. Players take an insight role to check if they can tell the difference including the player who has been cloned. I had half the party thinking the clone was real including the player that had been cloned Then when those who know the truth attack the clone it begs for mercy because it's convinced it's real and not a construct. I had the cloned player very confused by this, he actually started to think there was a huge DM twist where it turned out he really had been a clone the whole time.

 

More specifically I used a clone that condensed out of shadow.

 

2) The Mirror of paranoia

The character examines an odd looking mirror and must make a wisdom saving throw or becomes convinced that one member of the party has been replaced by a doppelganger. Each round they make a saving throw to attempt to escape the curse. Otherwise they remain convinced that the party member has been replaced.

 

These traps don't do any direct damage directly. But they do make players think, they sow a little discord and keep things interesting. I had the same player fall into both of these and I think his character (and possibly him) are a little damaged by it ;P But the players seemed to really enjoy the change from just "you take damage..."

 

3) Maybe for my next adventure. In a sudden flash of magic, nothing seems to happen. Though the players items all feel...strange. As some of them slowly become increasingly self aware and begin to turn on the player. Maybe talking in voices no one else can hear, telling them of horrible fates that might await, or trying to convince them that the others are working against them. Or maybe their boots turn themselves at inopportune moment, or their sword might twist suddenly and laughs maniacally.

 

So does anyone else have cool trap ideas? I'm hoping to dream up something new and different for our next adventure.

[Raincloak]

http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/clever-dd-traps

http://community.wizards.com/forum/whats-dm-do/threads/1071681

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/2lljli/creative_trap_ideas_for_your_dungeon/

 

Traps are fun.  Trouble is they really slow down play, although no more so than frequent combat I guess.  I like making puzzle traps or just plain inescapable traps and watching players come up with solutions.

 

All the traps you listed involve players being haunted by their evil alternate selves.  Is that a theme of your campaign or something?

[Estrix]

 

All the traps you listed involve players being haunted by their evil alternate selves.  Is that a theme of your campaign or something?

 

It wasn't specifically, until I realised just how much that shadow clone freaked out one of the players But they are wrapped up in a conspiracy that reveal an encroaching demon threat. So it's possible to wrap it into the world and story.

[Oramac]

I don't have any ideas, being that I'm still pretty new to D&D and have never DM'd anything.  But those both sound really cool to me!  I really like the Shadow Clone idea.  

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

The hard balance with traps is not making the magic behind them too powerful, since it's "lasting" magic, which is typically weak so players don't take advantage of it themselves. Like having the player cloned, that's hard if the clone isn't temporary or very flawed in some way, unless the finger was teleported somewhere else and someone made the contruct and is still hiding in the shadows or something. I always try to make sure the magic of the world is balanced against what the players have access to. It always bugs me as a player when it seems like the magic against us is so far beyond what we'd ever be able to do ourselves.

 

I'm also a big fan of puzzle traps that the entire group has to try to solve, but once again, balance is needed so you don't make the rogue feel useless. I try to include mechanisms in even the puzzle traps that you need a skilled rogue to solve, like a complicated lever they need to operate, atop a pedestal the group needs to help him get ot even with his dexterity. The lever only then unlocks the door if the group does something else as he operates it. Stuff like that to keep evreyone involved. Also fun to design them as a mechanical engineer.

[Anim07734]

Just keep in mind that puzzle traps can be very group dependent.  Some groups love them, some just ask which checks they have to make to move on.

 

The most fun trap I've run across is in a pre-built dungeon I've stolen from a couple times.  A hallway with 3 pairs of pit traps: first pair the front pit is easy to spot, with the second difficult to spot (most groups will see the first, attempt to jump it, and land in the second); next pair the back pit is easy to spot with the front difficult to see (after falling for the first pair, most groups will attempt a longer jump to clear the visible pit and the one "behind" it, falling into the front one); last pair both pits are difficult to spot and spacing is changed, so the group can't plan their jump.