Parts of a Trap

The description of a trap includes the following parts after the trap’s name:

Severity and Levels. A trap is designated as a nuisance or as deadly for characters of certain levels. A nuisance trap is unlikely to seriously harm characters of the indicated levels, whereas a deadly trap can grievously damage characters of the indicated levels.

Trigger. Traps are often set to go off when a creature enters an area or touches an object. Examples of triggers include stepping on a pressure plate, crossing a trip wire, turning a doorknob, or using the wrong key in a lock.

Duration. Some traps have durations expressed in rounds, minutes, or hours. Others specify that their effects last until the trap is destroyed or dispelled. If a trap’s duration is instantaneous, its effect is resolved instantly. If a trap resets after activating, that fact is noted in this entry. A trap is otherwise inert after activation.

Use caution when introducing a trap to characters of a level lower than the trap’s level range. A trap that is a nuisance at one level range could be deadly to characters of a lower level range.