Traps and Monsters

[AerynB]

I'll start by saying that I am most familiar with NA rules and so those are the ones I play by. Concerning Traps and Monsters, I think this is all the rule book says,

Note: Monsters do not spring hidden traps.

and,

Monsters, with enough Movement Squares (and a vacant space beyond), will always successfully jump over a pit. If they voluntarily enter a pit, they will suffer no damage.

and then again,

Note: Monsters do not spring hidden traps. Therefore, they have no need to search for them, or to disarm them.

What I gather then is this, Monsters don't spring traps and they can jump over discovered pit traps 100% of the time (given enough Movement Squares and a vacant square beyond the trap, yadda yadda yadda). What about Monsters landing on undiscovered traps? Do all you Zargons/Morcars out there let your Monsters attack from a trap square?

I can infer from the above rules that Monsters can move through trap squares as if they're jumping them, but there is a short little sentence in the rule book that describes Pit Traps:

A pit trap is a covered hole in the floor.

I picture it as a hole covered in rotting planks of wood or maybe loose stone. *shrugs* But my point is, won't a Chaos Warrior with all its armor fall into that pit? Hmm... now that I've typed all this up and think about it more, maybe that first rule applies about Monsters not springing traps. That Chaos Warrior just kinda stands there carefully and attacks kinda gently or something, so he won't fall in the hole. Besides the rules are sometimes ambiguous or contradictory, here's an example:

Heroes beware! Falling block traps are very dangerous. Stepping on one may trigger the ceiling to collapse.

Huh? Are you serious? There's a chance that stepping on one may NOT trigger the ceiling to collapse? We all know that to be false, so I guess there are times when the rule book is descriptively incorrect.

Yeah, I guess I answered my own question then, Monsters can probably end their turn on a trap square and attack from it if they wish. I guess I was trying to think of a way to map out trap squares from the way Zargon moves his monsters. Oh well, it was worth a try. Thanks for listening to me ramble.

[gravaillon]

In the French version it is more abiguous. We just know that monsters can't triggers traps, in anyway... Never... That's all that is written in the rule book... The US rules are more precise... For me, you can mix the 2 versions, and it will answer to your questions... Or you can write some home rules...

[drathe]

Most monsters are weak as it is. I wouldn't want to lose them to traps. It would add a little more strategy to the game if they were affected by traps in the same way as Heroes, though. If you find it illogical, simply change the rule for your games.

Damage from Falling Block traps are based on a roll of 3 Combat Dice. There is a chance that no damage will be taken. Perhaps that's why they may cause the ceiling to collapse. Each Skull might be a chunk of rock falling from above.

[ken]

UK rules on the DMs' screen state ; Characters & Monsters may attempt to jump across a pit trap. They must have enough movement left to get across the pit, and the square on the other side must also be unoccupied. Any minature who attempts to jump across must roll a combat dice . If he rolls a skull he falls into the pit & loses one body point. If a shield, he is allowed to continue his move. One is left to assume this rule is for a sprung trap only, monsters are not affected by hidden traps. Falling blocks, I use, very sparingly. only in a corridor, and the block falls behind the hero, cutting him off from returning. I always leave him a route back to rejoin his pals, with maybe other hazards on the way.

[darthjason]

Personaly, i let the monsters completely ignor the traps as though they are not there. however, as drathe and Gravaillon both stated, its up to you. The way I play now is totaly different from the first couple games I played. Back then I tried to fallow the rule book to the letter as much as I could and areas that weren't explained well frustraited me. Now, if the rule book is vage on something i just fill in the blanks with whatever makes sence and if there's a rule that I or my players do not like, we change it. The way we play now is a lot more fun for everone. As long as you remember that having fun is more important than fallowing a vage 22 year old rule book that's void of any official updates or clearifications, you and your party will continue to enjoy that game and want to play it often.

[AerynB]

Most monsters are weak as it is. I wouldn't want to lose them to traps. It would add a little more strategy to the game if they were affected by traps in the same way as Heroes, though. If you find it illogical, simply change the rule for your games.

Damage from Falling Block traps are based on a roll of 3 Combat Dice. There is a chance that no damage will be taken. Perhaps that's why they may cause the ceiling to collapse. Each Skull might be a chunk of rock falling from above.

Hmm... that could have been the rule book writers' thinking when they made that line up about the "ceiling may collapse," however, after a FBT has been sprung, you always put a tile down, whether the hero suffered damage or not, so, yeah, ambiguity running rampant.

As to your first point, as Zargon I wouldn't want to lose them to traps either; I just thought that, as Zargon, since you know where the traps are, you could position your monsters when they move so they don't end their moves on trap squares, and in that way an observant Hero could say to him or herself, "hmm, Zargon never let a monster stand on that square, maybe there's a trap there."

That was my original thinking anyway, to see if I could use Monster movement to determine where traps might be. No big deal. Thanks everybody for trying to answer my convoluted question. Such a nice forum.

[drathe]

You can bet there will be no traps where monsters begin, that's for sure!

[HeroQuestFrance]

Hidden traps have no effect on monsters.
It have been placed there to kill our heroes and their mercenaries.
So it's logical all the monsters avoid it when it are still "undiscovered traps" even if they walk on the dangerous squares.
However once a pit is discovered and placed on the board, I always consider it's something dangerous for all, including monsters.
That's also why when I make a dunjeon map, because those pits can ruin your party and block your monsters while the heroes would run away with a rope...

[AerynB]

That makes sense, that the monsters sort of know how to trip the trap and so even if they are on a trap square they know how to avoid springing it.

Thanks for your input, I think it helps.

[The Admiral]

Hidden traps have no effect on monsters.
It have been placed there to kill our heroes and their mercenaries.
So it's logical all the monsters avoid it when it are still "undiscovered traps" even if they walk on the dangerous squares.
However once a pit is discovered and placed on the board, I always consider it's something dangerous for all, including monsters.
That's also why when I make a dunjeon map, because those pits can ruin your party and block your monsters while the heroes would run away with a rope...

This is how I play it too. Once there is a big hole in the floor, everyone, including monsters, must roll to see if they fall in and take damage. The thought of a lumbering mummy being able to leap easily over a pit while the elf falls in just seems daft to me.