Rangers are legendary for their ability to hunt down and capture their prey. However, there are many types of people who can create elaborate traps out of scraps, vines, and perhaps a little bit of specialized magic.
Characters can learn how to set these traps by taking the Trapper Edge.
The time it takes to gather the materials for a trap depends on the trap itself. A simple bludgeoning trap requires little more than a large rock and rope. However setting an acid trap that uses a scroll of bolt requires a bit more time to locate the special component.
Additionally, it may take a bit of time to construct the major components of the trap when making more advanced mechanical devices. The time varies depending on the complexity of the trap. Many can be designed in less than a day but highly complex traps could take as long as a week of downtime.
The character spends his whole turn working on the trap. A trap fills a single 1" (2 yard) area.
The area can be increased by spending additional rounds creating the trap and duplicating the materials required.
Example: An acid trap that affects everyone in a 2"×2" area would require four rounds and four scrolls of bolt (acid).
The time it takes to create and place a trap may be longer depending on the terrain, working conditions, or other effects. The GM should alert the player of this possible increase.
Some traps listed are advanced versions of others. They have requirements that must be met. When the new trap is set up, it either adds to or replaces the existing trap's rules. Additionally, multiple traps can be used in conjunction to create one powerful trap, such as a fire trap with explosive and burning.
Example: An exploding trap does not need an attack roll to hit, even though the fire trap does.
After the character has spent time setting the trap, he makes a single skill roll. The skill generally depends on the type of trap. Magical requires Spellcasting or Faith, Mechanical requires Repair, and Simple can use Repair or Survival.
A successful roll creates the trap. With failure, the trap is not set and the characters must begin again. A Critical Failure destroys the materials and potentially injures anyone setting the trap.
Raises: For each raise made in the creation of a trap, the character can add one of the following effects.
-2 on attempts to Notice the trap.
-2 on Thievery rolls to disarm the trap.
-2 penalty on checks caused by the trap.
Increase the number of damage dice by 1.
Increase the damage die type by one. This can only be chosen once.
For mundane traps, the trapper only needs simple materials to create the trap, such as a piece of cloth, a small amount of metal (such as a dagger, iron spike, or a few nails), a foot of rope or vine, and so on.
Some traps require special materials; these can be anything from specific items to make loud noises, to magical scrolls.
Unless otherwise specified, a trap is triggered by a creature entering the trap's area. Modified triggers can be easily accomplished (such as requiring a Size 3+ character to enter the area) but generally require an additional "trap." See the Selective Trap for an example of this.
The following contains sample traps. These can be used as guidelines to create your own unique traps. The sample traps do not list trigger, Notice, or disable difficulties as those change based on the skill roll when crafting.
Additionally, the special components and costs are suggestions and can be modified.
Effect: This target is splattered with acid, taking 2d6 acid damage.
Special Component: Scroll of bolt (acid) or vial of acid.
Effect: When this trap is triggered, it creates a momentary loud noise.
Special Component: Scroll of sound, metallic objects, or breakable materials.
Effect: The trap briefly imprisons any called creature (such as those called by the planar binding spells) for 1d4 rounds unless it makes a Spirit check. During this time the creature may not move from the location of the trap.
Additionally, anchoring traps disable thecreature’s ability to travel within or between dimensions. The trap does not preventthe creature from using magic items that transport the creature (such as a helm of teleportation). The trap can hold up to a Size 3 creature; additional materials to create this trap can increase the Size limit by 4. This can be done any number of times.
Special Component: Scroll of banish and a scroll of planar binding.
Requirements: Fire trap.
Effect: If the triggering creature is hit (or fails its Evasion roll if it is also turned into an exploding trap), it catches on fire.
Special Component: 80 gp worth of accelerant.
Effect: The trap bludgeons the creature that triggers it. The trap makes a Fighting roll using a Fighting die equal to the die of the skill used to create the trap.
If the trap hits, it deals 2d6 damage.
Special Component: None.
Effect: This trap creates a positive or negative energy effect designed to harm either undead or living creatures, respectively. The target takes 2d6 damage from divine energy.
Special Component: Scroll of burst (Faith), holy water or unholy water.
Effect: The trap suppresses the target’s ability to transmit a poison or disease for one round.
Special Component: Scroll of healing (Neutralize Disease or Poison), vial of antitoxin.
Effect: The trap creates a shadowy humanoid figment that appears to move away from the triggering creature or that follows a simple program of no more than 25 words defined by the ranger at the time when the trap is set.
Unless programmed otherwise, the figment appears 10" (20 yards) away from the triggering creature or as close to that distance as possible, and then moves away toward the nearest exit, if any. The figment can move upNotice check (depending on the source of the to Pace 12. A viewer can attempt a Spirit or decoy) to disbelieve the illusion if she attacks it or otherwise interacts with it.
Special Component: Scroll of illusion, scroll of sound, or components for a dummy on a track.
Effect: The target is affected with irritation that detracts from its alertness. It takes a -2 penalty on Notice checks for an hour.
Special Component: At least 55 gp of alchemical irritant.
Requirements: Fire trap.
Effect: The trap explodes in fire, filling aSmall Blast Template. The trap now requires an Evasion roll to negate rather than making an attack roll.
Special Component: Scroll of blast, or two alchemist's fire.
Effect: The trap explodes in flames, dealing damage based on the components. An attack roll is made using the crafter's Smarts.
Special Component: Scroll of bolt (fire) or two alchemist's fire.
Requirements: Can only be added to a fire or smoke trap.
Effect: The trap explodes in a flash of colored lights. Place an SBT over the center of the trap. All creatures in the template must make a Vigor check or gain the Blind Hindrance for 1d4+1 rounds.
Special Component: Fireworks or alchemical weapon.
Effect: The trap creates a burst of ice that damages and encases the triggering creature. The creature takes 1d6 cold damage and is Entangled and stuck to the ground. An Evasion roll negates the damage and means the creature is not stuck to the floor by the ice. The ice is one inch thick and has Hardness 6, and melts in 2d4 rounds.
Special Component: Scroll of entangle (ice).
Effect: Place a Small Blast Template over this trap. Anyone in the area is sprayed with glowing dust. A creature covered in this dust glows like a candle (becoming visibly outlined if invisible). The dust’s effects last for 10 rounds or until the creature washes it off. The ranger must use alchemical components when setting the trap, such as glowing ink or marker dye.
Special Component: Glowing ink, marker dye, or similar alchemical components.
Effect: The triggering creature makes an Evasion roll. With failure, the triggering creature is marked with a dye and/or scent of the creator’s choosing. Attempts to track the marked target gain a +2 bonus. The mark can be washed off with vigorous scrubbing, but fades on its own over several days.
Special Component: None.
Effect: The target is speared with barbs that protrude from its body, making squeezing, climbing, and swimming challenging. An Evasion roll avoids the barbs. The target suffers -2 on Athletics checks, and is considered one Size larger for the purposes of determining what size of opening or passageway it must squeeze through. Each barb can be removed with a full minute of work and a Healing roll. If this check fails, the barb is still removed but the target suffers Fatigue.
The barbs shake loose after an hour.
Special Component: None.
Requirements: Wounding trap.
Effect: The trap deals 2d6 damage. Choose either adamantine, cold iron, or silver. The trap counts as that material.
Special Component: One pound of the chosen material.
Effect: This simple pit is covered over with leaves or appropriate materials for the area. It’s 10 feet deep. A victim makes an Evasion roll or falls into the pit.
Special Component: Requires additional preparation time but no materials, or a scroll of create pit.
Effect: The trap poisons the creature that triggers it. The type of poison depends on what is used in the construction of the trap.
Special Component: Poison.
Effect: Place a Small Blast Template over the trap. Moving through the quicksand requires an Athletics check. The quicksand lasts for 10 rounds. When the effect ends, any creature still in the quicksand is returned to the surface prone.
Special Component: Scroll of elemental manipulation or 100 gp to make an alchemical slurry.
Effect: The trap throws up a cloud of dust ground from the antennae of a rust monster, dealing 2d6 damage to the target’s metal armor and weapons.
An Evasion roll negates the damage.
Special Component: Scroll of bolt with Disintegrate or rust monster antennae.
Effect: Add an ancestry, Type, Alignment, Size, or minimum weight restriction to the trap’s trigger.
Special Component: Scroll of detect arcana or scale and counterweight.
Effect: This trap bellows out thick, choking smoke that fills a Small Blast Template. Any breathing creature in the template must make a Vigor check or suffer a level of Fatigue every round it’s within the smoke. All sight, even Darkvision, is ineffective in or through the smoke. The smoke lasts for six rounds, and is dispersed by wind.
Special Component: Six smokesticks.
Effect: The trap constricts around a limb or other part of the triggering creature’s body. An Evasion roll avoids this. The creature cannot move from the location of the trap, unless the crafter included a “leash” when setting the trap. The trapped creature can escape with a Thievery check. The trap can hold up to a Size 2 creature; the Size can be increased with additional instances of this trap.
Special Component: None.
Effect: The target is struck by a burst of abjuration that steals its magical ability. The target loses 1d4+1 Power Points. This can be increased one die type for every instance of this trap after the first.
Special Component: Scroll of drain Power Points.
Requirements: Any trap.
Effect: This trap stores a single Novice Rank power. The power is applied to whatever sets the trap off. Adding this trap can bypass the need for scrolls or some other special components.
Special Component: None.
Effect: The trap summons a creature as per summon ally power. Additional instances of this trap (requiring a larger trap area) can be used to increase the number of summoned allies or to increase the capability of the summoned ally.
Additionally, scrolls or powers that use other rules for summoning can be used in place of summon ally.
The summoned creature or creatures appear in a location within the trap’s range designated when the trap is set; if it’s not possible for the creatures to appear in that location, they appear as close as possible. The crafter can choose a command of no more than 25 words when the trap is created; the creature or creatures follow those instructions, or otherwise attack the creature that triggered the trap.
Special Component: Scroll of summon ally.
Effect: The trap releases a bat swarm, rat swarm, or spider swarm that attacks all creatures in the area. The swarm remains in the general area for no longer than five rounds, after which it disperses.
If left alone, it is possible for the creatures to starve to death or otherwise perish.
Special Component: A swarm of creatures.
Effect: The target is coated in a thin layer of sticky tar (Evasion negates). It is Entangled, and becomes susceptible to catching fire from any source of flame. If lit on fire, the tar burns intensely for one round; it deals 2d6 fire damage and is destroyed in the process.
Unless burned away, the tar remains for 10 rounds.
Special Component: Tar.
Requirements: Smoke trap.
Effect: The smoke this trap creates is extremely noxious. Any creature that fails the Vigor check is nauseated every round it’s within the smoke and for 1d4+1 rounds after leaving the smoke. Nauseated creatures are Vulnerable.
Special Component: Poison or toxic materials.
Requirements: Any trap.
Effect: This augmentation allows a trap to affect an incorporeal or ethereal creature as if it were corporeal or existed on the Material Plane.
Special Component: Scroll of smite.
Effect: A taut wire stretched between two vertical surfaces knocks the target prone unless it makes an Evasion roll.
Special Component: None.
Effect: This trap makes a melee attack against the target using the crafter's Smarts. It deals 2d6 damage.
Special Component: None.