Traps with location/proximity triggers = Rogue killers?

[Anubis]

What's the deal with almost every trap having a location trigger? These things can't be found by anyone without getting triggered, and the same goes for traps with proximity triggers. This effectively makes a rogue useless when it comes to traps, and can be fatal for any rogue looking for the traps. Besides, is a rogue supposed to just take an hour of game time searching a room all over for traps just in case there is a trap there? Such a thing could make trips into dungeons retardedly long and possibly fatal due to an inane number of random encounters it would produce because taking 20 on a Search (the only way to really know if you found something) takes 2 minutes for just a 5 ft.-by-5 ft. area!

Why did they put such silliness in? Hell, I would think such triggers would be rare not the most common. Where are all the traps that like go in the locks and on treasure chests and such? Touch triggers don't work because a rogue has to touch something to find or disarm it.

So where are the "trigger" triggers where a trap is activated by "opening the door" or "opening the chest" or other such normal things? Should the new rules just be thrown out and replaced by more sensible traps?

 

[Darklone]

I scarcely ever use proximity triggers.

 

[da chicken]

If it can't be searched and disarmed, then it isn't a trap. It's a hazzard.

 

[reiella]

Remember, Dwarves and Elves get incidental Search Checks as well.

 

[Darklone]

Remember, Dwarves and Elves get incidental Search Checks as well.

These search checks wouldn't really help if the real trap is 50ft away and shoots fireballs at your square.

 

[pyk]

These search checks wouldn't really help if the real trap is 50ft away and shoots fireballs at your square.

Sure they would, as the real trap is the square that is the target, not the mechanism that creates the effect. Wherever the trigger is, that's the actual trap.

 

[Diirk]

Dwarves only get the automatic roll on stonework traps, and elves don't get a roll on traps at all, only secret doors...

 

[FireLance]

Allow me to present Firelance's Trap Resolution Mechanism

I actually came up with this after the last thread on searching for and disarming traps, and what is fair to a party. Use, amend or ignore, as you wish. If there is sufficient interest, I will go on to do timed triggers and magical traps.

Part I: Mechanical Traps

The resolution method depends on the type of mechanical trigger:

1. Location. The trap is triggered if a character steps onto a particular [square]. If the trap affects an area, each square in the area is a triggering [square]. The trap can be found if a triggering [square] is searched. A character need not step into the [square] to find or disable the trap as that would defeat the purpose of the Search or Disable Device check.

2. Touch. The trap is triggered if a character touches an [object]. If the trap affects an area, the area is centred on the [object]. The trap can be found if the triggering [object] is searched. A character need not touch the [object] to find the trap as that would defeat the purpose of the Search check. He may have to touch the [object] to disable it, but is considered to have done so safely on a successful Disable Device check.

3. Proximity. The trap is triggered if a character approaches within a fixed distance of a triggering [point]. If a character enters any squares within this radius, it becomes a triggering [square]. If the trap affects an area, the area is centred on the triggering [square]. The trap can be found if any of the squares within the radius of the triggering [point] are searched. A character need not step into any of these squares to find the trap as that would defeat the purpose of the Search check.

Proximity traps may require a character to disable them at the triggering [point]. Such traps should be used sparingly unless the party has some means of disarming traps at a distance (e.g. the Arcane Trickster’s Ranged Legerdemain ability), is able to survive the damage dealt by the trap while it is being disarmed (e.g. special magical protections, or simply high hit points), is able to bypass the trap by some other mechanism (e.g. hidden switch or lock bypass), or is not required to bypass the trap (e.g. it is in a room that leads nowhere).

Hard-to-Find Traps
Traps should be made harder to find by increasing the Search DC instead of requiring a character to take specific actions before making a Search check. This should increase the CR of the trap (and hence, the experience award for encountering the trap) as stated in the SRD.

Hard-to-Disable Traps
Traps may be made harder to disable by increasing the Disable Device DC instead of requiring a character to take specific actions before making a Disable Device check. This should increase the CR of the trap (and hence, the experience award for encountering the trap) as stated in the SRD.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

@FireLance: Sounds good so far and I know what you are talking about.

 

[Darklone]

Sure they would, as the real trap is the square that is the target, not the mechanism that creates the effect. Wherever the trigger is, that's the actual trap.

Not by the DMG.