New Trap Ideas

[Malcadon]

I love slide traps, my players ... not so much. Every time I spring this type of trap on them I get go to hell looks from them.

Yeah, but I would just replay with this:

[Teldurn]

I love slide traps, my players ... not so much. Every time I spring this type of trap on them I get go to hell looks from them.

Yeah, but I would just replay with this:

[GimmeYerGold]

I love slide traps, my players ... not so much. Every time I spring this type of trap on them I get go to hell looks from them.

Yeah, but I would just replay with this:

Zargrinch! hahaha

Here's an idea to add to the list: Alchemist's Trap: a trap that instantly turns a piece of equipment a hero is using into gold, worth 100 gold coins. It can work on non-metal items too. Typically, the buy-back value of the better items is more that 100 gold coins, and this would handicap the hero during the Quest. Losing a weapon or armor, but gaining 100 gold coins is a softer blow, but achieves the same means as my original idea:

I've been trying to think of a good rust trap for my random encounter card deck, something to destroy equipment and encourage balance--it would work by Zargon placing a treasure chest in a newly revealed room. The chest is empty, but trapped with a rust spell that affects the searcher. I thought this was a decent idea, until I realized my players would be fooled once, then remove all armor and metal weapons the next time they even think about opening any chest.

Not sure how the results will vary with the Alchemist's trap in place of the rust spell trap, perhaps it would by default affect the most expensive piece of equipment. The trapped chest is still empty, however the "treasure" is the now-golden piece of equipment!

Basically, I'm trying to integrate an equipment-destroying trap/event that doesn't rely on complicated damage mechanics, or the inclusion of a chaos sorcerer character with a genuine rust spell. The danger of a destroyed/rusted weapon should always be in the back of the Hero's minds--not so common, but not so rare an event that it's no longer a concern. Thoughts?

[Malcadon]

Here's an idea to add to the list: Alchemist's Trap: a trap that instantly turns a piece of equipment a hero is using into gold, worth 100 gold coins.

Basically, I'm trying to integrate an equipment-destroying trap/event that doesn't rely on complicated damage mechanics, or the inclusion of a chaos sorcerer character with a genuine rust spell. The danger of a destroyed/rusted weapon should always be in the back of the Hero's minds--not so common, but not so rare an event that it's no longer a concern. Thoughts?

Rust traps are good as a "money sink" -- a means for characters to loose money when they have too much. Although, if used too much, the players would feel cheated as the players feel they earned the gold they find and are rewarded with, and the items they saved up for. Making a Rust trap common would make it difficult to keep items as the quest rewards are not enough to allow Heroes to replace their lont gear. An for as money sinks go, making spell scrolls and potions available for sale is the best way to do so. On the other hand, players tend to accumulate a lot of extra potions form the Treasure Deck. Putting a trap that spoils potions would make for a really nasty trap one the hero horde too much.

The Alchemist's trap is also a neat idea. If I was to use such a type of trap in D&D, then the character's armor or clothing would turn to gold, so they would be forced to strip naked or else they would have to move in a suit of armor that is too soft and too heavy, or guided clothing that is really stiff and heavy to move well in. How that would translate into HQ is that weapons would too soft to be used as weapons. Armor and clothing would be too soft to block attacks, and would make the hero slower. If there was a rule to allow Heroes to move together while carrying one thing, they could move something large and guided with only one die of movement, like a golden treasure chest, small furniture (stools, chairs, etc.) or a plate armor. In other words, they could have that gold, but they still have to lug it out.

[cynthialee]

The way to prevent them from removing armor and weapons on the off chance of a rust spell on a chest is to have a chest stuffed with skeleton bones for the next chest after it.....Sure fight a handful of skeletons without weapons and armor...
They will not do it more than once.

[GimmeYerGold]

The way to prevent them from removing armor and weapons on the off chance of a rust spell on a chest is to have a chest stuffed with skeleton bones for the next chest after it.....Sure fight a handful of skeletons without weapons and armor...
They will not do it more than once.

haha sounds like you've played King's Field

[Daedalus]

Anderas had brought.up in this thread that the Main Game System Quest, Race Against Time, lacks any time pressure. This was my solution:

Roll a combat die every Morcar turn. When a black shield is rolled, tell the Heroes they hear rumbling as the false guide attempts to collapse the entrance! Set the spiral stairway next to the gameboard and place a rubble marker on it. Place another marker each time you again roll a black shield. If all 4 spaces are filled, swap in a blocked-square marker instead. When you reveal the exit, place the tile with any markers on it. Treat any rubble markers as a found falling-block traps that may be exited.

If the Heroes press on in haste, they all should have a good chance of escape after likely facing 4 falling-block traps. Falling-block traps may be jumped per the normal game rules, but each triggered trap adds another blocked-square tile. This may result in Hero death if the exit becomes completely blocked, which is more likely the more the Heroes delay. Stone blocked-squares may only be passed with a spell. If a Hero dies exiting a falling-block tile, his equipment will be looted by the false guide if no other Hero has exited by M/Z's turn.

The text fills 7 lines of one margin, which fits Race Against Time easily. Of course, this trap could be added in a homebrew Quest as well. [Changing the the roll to a red die allows for tailoring the rate of adding markers. Markers could even be added automatically for a quick collapse. A trigger can also be introduced, such as exiting the first secret door of Race Against Time or killing an end-boss. -edit]

[Anderas]

I didn't tell you right now that I really appreciate that idea. I might fill the exit room with markers, though: that way the heroes don't know where the next block falls, and by adjusting the room size with furniture, you can adjust the countdown length.

[Daedalus]

That's a cool idea. Timing is the key for a big finish.

: Wait a minute--that ceiling looks softer than an Elf's loins...
: Leroy Jenkins!

tap here first, then >
.. \/
rumble......Rumble......RUMBLE......BOOM!

[Daedalus]

Another topic inspired this trap:

Concerning your rules document of the OP, how about this for a water trap:

Water Pit Trap - A water pit trap is similar to a standard pit trap except it is filled with water. Any Hero that falls into a water pit immediately ends his turn. At the start of his following turns, the Hero must roll his movement dice, one less if he possesses a helmet, armor, or shield. The Hero must spend 5 movement treading water, otherwise he loses 1 Body Point of damage and can't move out. Any protective gear may be discarded and lost before rolling.

This version allows a less lethal choice to retain expensive gear (keeping plate mail is still a death sentence.) Though not stated, it also may combine with the passing items clarification of the EQP and BQP. In that case, only one item may be passed in a turn, so damage is more likely with more defensive gear.