At some point or another, players are going to go adventuring and run into a trap. These guidelines will help you, as the GM, be able to resolve them in a consistent manner.

A Trap has 3 main attributes: its difficulty to detect, its difficulty to disarm and its attack (usually an AB-based attack or a poison attack).

Detecting Traps

The Target Number (TN) given for detecting a trap presumes that the character is actively searching for a trap. If a character is not specifically searching for a trap, then the TN for spotting it is increased by 5. Thus, a trap that is listed as having a TN 18 to detect will have a TN of 23 if the player isn’t actively looking for traps.

Disarming Traps

A trap’s description will also give the Target Number for disarming it. Characters that have a Lore: Traps skill can use any earned Boon Points in their attempts to disarm treating it as a related skill roll.The difficulty of disarming the trap will take into account the location of the mechanisms of the trap in relation to its trigger and what is involved in disarming it.

Triggering Traps

If a character triggers a trap, whether by accident or on purpose, then use the following procedure to resolve it:

• Roll Initiative: The trap gets a straight 2d10 while the character gets all normal modifiers. If the character was unaware of the trap when he triggered it, he receives a -20 modifier to his initiative for being surprised.
• If the character wins initiative, this means that he has glimpsed something and can then perform an action, as detailed in Canceling an Action on p. 43. Then the effect of the attack takes place according to its description. Depending upon the nature of the trap and the action declared, the trap could miss (i.e. dodging an arrow trap) or the action could have no effect (i.e. dodging inside a gas cloud).
• If the trap wins the initiative, then it is triggered and takes effect according to its description.

The notation for describing traps is as follows:

Trap Name: Detect/Disarm; AB Type of Attack (Base Damage); Additional Description/Notes

Sample Traps

The following samples are just a small selection of the possibilities. Variations also exist, some being easier to detect and/or disarm, some being harder. The Attack Bonus of a given trap may also vary, depending upon how well it is constructed.

Arrow Trap: TN 20/TN 25; +15 Arrow/Bolt (6); Triggering the trap fires an arrow or crossbow bolt at the target.

Blade Trap: TN 25/TN 20; +24 Large Blade (9); A large scything blade springs out of a hidden recess to strike the target.

Dart Storm (10’R): TN 15/TN 25; +6 Darts (2); Each person within the radius takes 2d10 dart attacks. For each dart, add +1 to the AB and +1 to the amount of damage done. These darts are often coated in poison, increase the Save target number by +1 for each dart that hits a target.

Pit Trap (20’): TN 20/TN 25; +4 Fall (10); A mechanism drops the floor out from under character(s). It is usually spring loaded to snap back into place. See Falling Damage on p. 87 for additional information.