Most traps are triggered when a creature goes somewhere or touches something that the trap's creator wanted to protect. Common triggers include stepping on a pressure plate or a false section of floor, pulling a trip wire, turning a doorknob, and using the wrong key in a lock. Magic traps are often set to go off when a creature enters an area or touches an object. Some magic traps (such as the glyph of warding spell) have more complicated trigger conditions, including a password that prevents the trap from activating.
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Traps in Play
When adventurers come across a trap, you need to know how the trap is triggered and what it does, as …
Detecting and Disabling a Trap
Usually, some element of a trap is visible to careful inspection. Characters might notice an uneven flagstone that conceals a …
Trap Effects
The effects of traps can range from inconvenient to deadly, making use of elements such as arrows, spikes, blades, poison, …
Complex Traps
Complex traps work like standard traps, except once activated they execute a series of actions each round. A complex trap …
Sample Traps
The magical and mechanical traps presented here vary in deadliness and are presented in alphabetical order.