Random's Tricks 'n Traps Challenge!

[Random]

A mysterious gray-colored dragon seems capable of spitting forth any sort of breath weapon it desires. Proper magic will reveal these to simply be powerful illusions, dealing damage to those possessing such knowledge equivalent to the damage caused by a very young dragon (1 point per hit die).

[Random]

Man, I disappear for a couple of months and nobody steps up to the plate.

---

A large cauldron of blood will cause charged magical items (wands, etc.) bathed in it to (50%) be fully recharged or (50%) be rendered forever useless.

A statue is sculpted as a man gagging and clutching at his neck. Close inspection through the mouth will reveal a gemstone (determined randomly) "stuck" in the statue's throat. Dislodging it will cause poisonous gas to spray upward at the unfortunate gem owner.

Some particular dungeon chamber will cause adventurers to be randomly thrown 1d4 turns into the future when traversed. Dungeon inhabitants will enjoy waiting and ambushing unsuspecting time travelers.

[Random]

A dusty, cobweb-ridden chamber contains a cloak-filled wardrobe. There are cloaks in all sorts of colors and designs. By donning a red cloak and walking to the back of the wardrobe, adventurers will be transported to a far-away location.

[jensen]

A chamber is filled with carved images of jungle animals, tropical trees and plants made of stone and metal, painted in garish colors by someone who has only ever heard second-hand stories of what jaguars and pythons should look like. The paint is peeling and cracked in many places, showing the rust and moss of nature reclaiming this cut-price forgery,
Towering above the rest, a vast chrome tree rears its mighty boughs in the center of the room. At the foot of this arboreal titan is a 10' tall lump of granite, made to resemble a dour gorilla. Its chest is hollow, with a space in front wide enough to allow a grown man to crawl inside. A ladder can be seen at the bottom of the cavity, leading up through a hole in the gorilla's back and further up the side of the tree. Keen-eyed adventurers may spot the glint of precious metal amongst the branches of the tree above; large orange counterfeit parrots, striped with azure and vermilion, are peeking out from their nests filled with gem-studded golden eggs.

Anyone who attempts to climb up the gorilla's ladder will cause the statue to animate, beating its limbs against its chest in life-like fashion, severely pounding the intruder for multiple dice of damage. The noise of the gorilla's drumming against all the metal in the tree and its own hollow torso will attract the attention of many creatures lurking in the fake jungle, whose hunger is all too real.

Should the adventurers get hold of any eggs, the parrots will animate to peck and antagonize them, trying to cause them to fall from the tree. If they had managed to bypass the gorilla, the shrieks and calls of the mechanical parrots will have much the same effect as the gorilla's dominance play. The eggs themselves may be real gold and gems, or simply props made of pyrite and colored glass... or perhaps they'll hatch to reveal birds of rare and exotic origin?

[jensen]

After traversing a dungeon built in the side of an active volcano, with tunnels filled with cloying smoke and blistering heat, the adventurers have developed a mighty thirst. Just as the cleric casts his last Create Beer and Pretzels spell, discarding the salty snacks and preparing to turn back, the party comes across a room with an ornate fountain. Fresh, sparkling water sprays from the spout; but as soon as the PCs rush towards the fountain to quench their thirst, the water stops running and disappears down the drainage pipes in the side of the pool, the last dregs of moisture evaporating in the heat before they reach it.

A bit of trial and error will reveal that the fountain keeps working as long as somebody stands atop a pressure plate in the doorway. If someone tries to take a sip from the fountain, they'll discover that not only is the water sweet and refreshing, but it has magical restorative properties: 1d4+1 points of healing for each person who drinks, irrespective of how deep gulps they take.

After realizing this, the drinker has time to speak exactly seven and a half words (e.g. "Hey guys, this stuff tastes like Mountain De-") before being teleported away to a distant location.

The other PCs should soon realize that they'll need to make a sacrifice to find their lost companion, unless they want to simply leave the room with their thirst unquenched, with no idea of where to find their lost buddy: Either they must leave someone behind in the chamber, while the rest drink from the fountain and teleport away, or dump some of their loot on the pressure plate to keep the fountain running.

Of course, clever players will think of ways to circumvent the trap, either using communication spells to find their lost members, or putting a large rock or other object of negligible value on the pressure plate to keep the teleportation running. Experimentation will show that the teleporter changes destinations depending on what triggers the pressure plate: a living being on the plate will send drinkers to an old cemetary, a boulder will open a way to an abandoned dwarven stronghold, whereas leaving their prized belongings behind will send them straight into the changing room of a shop selling ladies' undergarments.

[jensen]

A granite bust of an old crone turns out to be magically animated, which is immediately apparent when an adventurer gets within 5 yards of the pedestal it rests on, and it starts to converse lively about anything and everything. If she is asked a question, Magda ("That's me name, dearie, don't wear it out") will gladly answer... but always in a cryptic and convoluted manner, and she will demand payment, usually in the form of a kiss ("Full on the lips, laddie, and don't spare the tongue!"). She'll cackle gleefully if the adventurers become visibly upset by her frivolous manner.

She has an ability to scry on any part of the dungeon, and uses it to keep tabs on the adventurers, without ever directly admitting it; she'll allude to it, though, e.g. if a PC has taken off a suit of armor to put on a better one looted in a minotaur's lair, she'll wolf-whistle at him, going: "Ooh, what a nice set of pecs you've got on ye, boy! Don't be shy, go ahead and flex 'em - I don't mind a bit of a gunshow, like ya put on down by the moo-cows!" etc.

Magda professes to know everything about the dungeon, and will gladly substantiate her claims by giving scrupulously exact information about any part of the dungeon the PCs have already explored. When asked about parts that the party has yet to investigate, she will be more cagey, and always replies in a way that is difficult to interpret until after they have seen the place for themselves. One place in particular, a hidden treasure chamber with a lock that refuses to yield to either spells or mundane means, is of interest to her; if the PCs ask her where the key is hidden, she'll wax lyrically:

"Silver dodger under wave,
Hidden prize for quick and brave,
Mouth of knives and key in gullet,
Scaly prince of bass and mullet!"

The players may figure that this refers to an underground lake filled with fish - flesh-eating ones, as it turns out. If they investigate and try their luck as fishermen, they'll end up with plenty of cuts and bites, a lot of gutted and filleted fish, but no key.
When they return to Magda and complain about this, she'll reply:

"Ah! The fish is gone, you were too slow,
The chase leads on to lairs below,
His neighbor now is Billy Gruff,
In green and warty belly stuff'd!"

Now the players may decide to go hunting for trolls, but when this turns out to be another wild goose chase, Magda will be ready with a fresh piece of doggerel, and so on.
Eventually, one of the players may figure out that Magda is either lying to them, or she really has no idea of where the key is; if they threaten her, she'll first get angry with them, telling them off resoundingly for picking on an old defenseless grand mother of twelve. Any kind of pickax or hammer will do little or no damage to the magic crone of stone - however, a magical blunt weapon or Stone to Flesh might prove more efficacious, at which point Magda will immediately change her tone, sounding genuinely frightened and admit that she has been keeping an eye on the whole dungeon, "With me third eye, don'tcherknow", but she has no idea where the key is.
If she is questioned scrupulously, the players might notice that while she is able to scry on any part of the dungeon, except directly down - if her pedestal is broken apart, much to Magda's dismay, they'll find the key.

[apeloverage]

A weapon enscribed with an emblem of Law. If used in combat, it will always be treated as if the wielder had rolled a 10 on their to-hit roll.

A weapon enscribed with an emblem of Chaos. If used in combat, treat all rolls of 1-10 as a fumble, and all rolls of 11-20 as a critical hit.

If the two weapons ever touch, both will be destroyed.

[jensen]

A door in the dungeon is fitted with a window, essentially a large pane of glass in a wooden frame. The door handle and hinges are all attached to the frame. When someone peers through the window, they'll see a hulking monstrous brute lumbering around on the other side, seemingly oblivious to their presence. Gleaming jewels and droves of gold coins are spilling from heavy coffers in the center of the chamber, guarded by the fearsome beast, but if the door is opened, they'll find nothing but an empty room.

If the glass is broken, the creature will notice the noise and come charging at them, snapping at their jugulars, freed from its magical bondage within the glass.

[jensen]

In the center of a room stands a marble statue of a noble knight, bedecked in fine armor and a blazing white surcoat. He is mounted on a unicorn with a foot-long horn. The horn is a lever which opens a secret passageway when pulled. The front hooves are also movable; if one hoof is lifted, the slow-acting, agonizing poison traps that are cleverly concealed in the passageway will be disarmed. The second hoof disarms the insanely quick, instant-kill traps that are practically invisible, hidden underneath the other traps in the secret passage.

[jensen]

A large fountain stands at the center of a wide, shallow pool; in front of this, there is plaque with an inscription:

"Leave a Coin in Haptus' Pond, and Fortune's Favor Ties a Bond"

If anyone drops a coin in the pool, a flock of red-mottled Horned Toads will swarm out of nooks and crannies and flock around the coin. After a brief scuffle over the prize and a quick flick of the winner's tongue, the coin will disappear down the gullet of the biggest Toad. A few seconds later, a fat gold coin will drop out of the other end of the toad, accompanied by a faint bubbly noise (the toad-coin will be golden, regardless of what type or value of currency was put in). Anyone who takes it will by in for a nasty surprise, as the coin will crumble to dust within a few days. However, if the coin is left in the pool, the player who gave the coin will be able to re-roll one die roll that day, any time they choose; a player can only have three re-rolls on tap at a time. After the toads have eaten a total of 2d12 coins, they will hop off to digest and never be seen again.

[jensen]

Strange pink molds are teeming on the walls and ceiling of this rough-hewn stone corridor, emitting a sweet cloying odor like blooming primroses and spoiled meat; it stings in your nose and burns your lungs.

No ill effects will manifest immediately after inhaling the molds' spores; however, a lingering synergistic reaction will cause any potion drunk within the next 36 hours to induce powerful hallucinations. For example, drinking a healing potion will make all monsters look harmless and benign, so Vampire Bats will resemble beer mugs with wings, Orcs look like zebra-striped potted plants etc. Potions of flight will make the floor seem endlessly far away, so the character will be frozen with vertigo. Invisibility potions make you feel like hundreds of centipedes are crawling all over your body.

The effects are many and varied, but usually always frightening and hazardous, and somehow related to the potion's real function (which is not hindered, simply compounded by perilous delusions).


(Incidentally, my 50th post is also the 100th post in this thread - serendipitous! ;D)

[thinker]

Pendulem trap in front of a door. It deals 3d6 damage (half on DC 15 reflex). The door has a good lock but the trap keeps swinging so the thief only has about two seconds to try and open the lock.

Afterthought: Have the door trappped with a needle with poison that paralyzes.

[thinker]

Deja Vu: The PCs have just done something brave and bold and have been invited to a grand banquet. The famous/important person at the head of the table gives a speech. At the end he says "Hail bob and his friends!" or what ever the PC's names are. Then there is a flash of light and the speech starts over. Everyone is back where they were when the speech started. Only the PCs know what just happened. They won't starve (because of the banquet) but they will probably freak after the third or fourth restart of the speech. The only way to stop the flash of light is to stop the famous/important person from saying "Hail the PCs!" but the PC (who may think it will always restart) who belly dance in front of the king (who then decides not to "Hail" them) will be in for a treat.

[thinker]

A gem of extreme value is found. However it cannot be removed from an adventurer's hand once picked up.

A garden of fruit that heals 1d8 hp once eaten. However your skin turns the color of the fruit (banana=yellow, grape=purple, etc).

A stone door that requires a password. However it must be written on the door with chalk. If the password is spoken the speaker can't talk for a week.

[jensen]

Two months with no updates? For SHAME!


A statue of a wizard stands in a corridor opposite a door, that might be concealing treasure! However, the door is locked - magically! Astute players may notice that the wizard-statue is surreptitiously pointing a finger at the door from under the folds of his long-sleeve robe; if they snap off the finger, the Hold Portal is broken. Dispel Magic or Knock can also open the door, but it will be relocked after 10 minutes or so... potentially locking the PCs in on the other side.

If they keep the finger, it can be used as a Wand of Hold Portal with 2d12+7 charges, activated by the command word: 'PIZUFF!'

[calithena]

Thinker, if you're still around, how do you want to be credited in the magazine? I will use 'thinker' unless I hear otherwise pretty soon - thanks for your contributions!

[Random]

Sept 8, 2010 8:16:13 GMT -6 jensen said:

Two months with no updates? For SHAME!

Well, for my part, I haven't had much time for D&D this year. That's why I've been almost totally absent from the various boards. Graduate school can do that to people.

Perhaps you guys can keep this thread rolling and I'll try to stop in here and there to throw in some more of my own ideas.

In the mean time, it's back to work for me!

[Random]

Hall of Madness (Yes, I know it is a generic name.)
Characters are stricken with bizarre madnesses during their stay in this freakishly decorated chamber.
Roll twice upon the following table:
1. Catatonia, except where it is at odds with the coupled form of madness.
2. Extreme phobia of [random item from the equipment table].
3. Grandiose proclamation of each action performed (other than the proclamations themselves), complete with the need to write actions on paper and distribute to those present.
4. Urge to strip naked and run as far as possible.
5. Uncontrollable cannabalistic desires!
6. Truly believes he or she is a [random monster from an appropriate table].
7. Just can't stop that wild dancing fever. In particular, there is a great desire to moonwalk.
8. Bitten by the gambling bug. Roll twice again if no cards, dice, or other gambling paraphernalia are present.
9. Believes the nearest object at hand to be a [random magical item] and wields it to supposedly great effect.
10. Insists that the nearest creature is a horse in desperate need of being ridden.
11. Unceasing and incredibly loud fits of emotional screaming.
12. Absolutely heroic feelings of invulnerability, along with the need to take care of everything (from battles to merely opening doors) without any help whatsoever.
13. Required to mime any communications.
14. Absurd magnitudes of affection toward others, to the point of tackling any creature whatsoever and showering it with kisses.
15. Greed of the highest order.
16. Desire to guzzle any liquids obtainable as quickly as possible.
17. Caught-up in a game of freeze tag, and insists that everyone present participate.
18. Will stop at nothing to exchange clothes with the nearest clothed creature.
19. Rips hair out (unless bald) and jumps up and down repeatedly.
20. Roll again or use another madness table.

[Random]

A magical book changes color when touched, but has no special properties otherwise.

A magical door always appears locked when examined (as if by a thief, perhaps), and will be impossible to open for those thinking it to be locked, although it is actually unlocked and should open just fine if no such examination is made.

The waters of a magical fountain will change the voice of those who drink.

A roomful of crickets is discovered. Eating a cricket will allow a character to jump fifty feet into the air, but it will only work once per character regardless of the number of crickets eaten.

A dark well functions as a sphere of annihilation.

An underground stream of lava is merely an illusion. It is, in reality, an underground river used by certain monsters to quickly traverse the dungeon.

[Random]

A sword is discovered protruding from a stone. One of the PCs will be able to pull the sword in and out of the stone at will, while no other creature whatsoever may do so. (Now just watch as they ponder the significance of that! )

[Random]

A magical book is found that chronicles the entire lives of each PC, leading up to a few minutes beyond the present.
It is written that the characters will meet death in some form to be determined by the referee.
If the players freak out and start preparing for whatever is written, they must save vs. magic else it will really happen!
If they laugh and ignore the book, no such harm will befall them.

[Random]

Btw, I love the choking statue illustration in issue #10.

[Random]

A comically-attired statue stands erect in the center of some chamber. Touching the statue will affect characters with a permanent reversed find the path spell, removable by dispel magic and the like.

[Random]

Above a table of potions is displayed a plaque, reading "Behold!"
Each of the potions will have some unfortunate effect: stone, disintegrate, etc.

[Random]

Characters showered with gruesome fluid will experience terrible melting of the flesh, until they appear as mere skeletons.
It is, fortunately, an illusion, and the characters will slowly return to their normal appearance.

[Random]

Some room contains a large dial, numbered zero through twenty, which is initially in the "zero" position.
Ajoining the room, behind a locked door, is a chamber containing a number of monsters (or traps, or anything else harmful) equal to the position of the dial.

(Now just imagine the players trying to turn the dial during combat in order to easily slay creatures! Make it slow, perhaps a turn of 2 units per round.)

[Random]

[removed] I can't top JDJarvis' version of my trap:
Here it is. (Although you can't really use it for FO! without asking him; it's still a cool trap.)

[ant]

Oct 13, 2010 14:22:52 GMT -6 Random said:

Btw, I love the choking statue illustration in issue #10.

Thanks, random.

Good to see some recent additions to this excellent thread.

[Random]

If only more people would toss in some ideas! It's not like I'm some sort of trap expert; I'm just pulling this stuff out of my rear.
I figure if everyone on this board posts one little idea for a trick or trap, we'd have quite a nifty collection.

[jensen]

Oct 13, 2010 21:35:39 GMT -6 Random said:

Characters showered with gruesome fluid will experience terrible melting of the flesh, until they appear as mere skeletons.
It is, fortunately, an illusion, and the characters will slowly return to their normal appearance.

If this trap was located in a seldom-traveled part of a mega-dungeon, or if the effect had a long duration (say, a coupla weeks), this could potentially be turned into a massive benefit for the player characters; imagine, if you will, a group of perfectly ordinary-looking animated skeletons, whistling surreptitiously and walking into the lair of Dreadlawks the Vampiric Necromancer - who would challenge their being there? They might even have a few party members who had escaped the illusion, affording them with a perfect excuse if any of the vampire lord's minions should confront them:

"Alive? Us? Oh, no! Your detect living ability must be mistaken, we're totally undead - except for this guy, he's... uhm, he's a prisoner, and we're taking him to the boss! Yes, that's it! So if you could just point us in the right direction... Oh, we don't need to bother him with it right now, we can just dump this filthy air-breathin' scum in the prison cell, or the treasure chamber, treasure chamber would work just fine, actually..."


Of course, if the effect lasted for several weeks, they could also get into all kinds of trouble when trying to rest up in town, carousing in taverns, shopping etc. Plus, every time they ran into wandering adventuring groups, the NPC cleric/paladin would be hard-pressed to believe their cock-and-bull stories about them NOT being hell-spawned abominations...