Traps & Dungeon Design in 5e Dungeons & Dragons - Web DM Tips for D&D Players & DMs

Don't forget to subscribe, comment & share. New episodes every Wednesday.
Check us out on Facebook - / 739056616211277
Twitter - / webdmshow
Instagram - web_dm
Grimtooth’s Traps - www.amazon.com/gp/product/099...
In an anticlimactic intro meant to juxtapose the spurious nature of the subject matter, the guys talk about the traps and the inherent traps in using said traps. Traps. Are they just a Hit Point tax? How much description is necessary before alerting to the play to the trap before the character? It can sometimes reside in the purview of only one character in the party, the rogue.
Jim has grown weary of standard mechanical traps (spear, dart, etc.), save for pit traps. (*cue rimshot*) They can work as segues to more danger, i.e. monsters, or paths to different parts of the dungeon. Magical traps can cast a new light on how players deal with traps, but be caregul not to overwhelm their resources. Jim speaks on ways to build traps that capture their iconic tradition. Make them Puzzles, connected to other parts of the dungeon. Allow every party member to participate in its resolution. Jim makes reference to ‘Grimtooth’s Traps’ as inspiration. Players should be clear with descriptions of their interactions with traps. The DMG has good info how to handle traps. Don’t get bogged down with rolls. Also, decide what play style your table uses with regard to traps, player skill vs character skill. As a DM, how forgiving are you with your PC’s description?
The guys breakdown Passive Perception/Investigation. DM’s should change up their descriptions when you have very perceptive characters. Don’t always describe traps, but other clues that might lead to finding traps or ways to solve them. Keep your players on their toes.
Pruitt asks how to shake up mechanical traps? Jim proceeds down titering corridors that take the adventurers to lower levels of the dungeon. There they might find rotating rooms that cut off old and open new paths through the labyrinth. The DM must ask are these traps designed to trip up the party, seriously hinder the party, or stop the party? Best have a wish ready if you find yourself up against the latter. The conversation finally stumbles onto the ‘Tomb of Horrors’ and the upcoming release of ‘Tales from the Yawning Portal’. Notice, Pruitt then yawns… Coincidence? I think not! Will ‘ToH’ be accurately represented? Jim relates the origins of ‘ToH’.
Spoiler Alert How to defeat the ‘ToH’? The guys discuss their history with ‘ToH’. Then recount their run through ‘Return to the Tomb of Horrors’.
How can a DM spruce up a dungeon to compliment traps? Let your dungeon be organic and winding. Multiple paths for the PC’s to learn and exploit. Pruitt brings up the ‘Castle White Rock’ campaign. Jim speaks on his ‘Black Rock’ game. Make your dungeons dynamic and lived in, then traps become easier spring on your players.
Stinger
The group regroups. They then get hung up on the pronunciation of mimic and other pointless shit. Jim creates a future show idea. Pruitt’s back is going out, and won’t be in by curfew. Jim correlates posture with chastity. And Pruitt uses Roy Brown’s hit “‘Butcher Pete’ to discuss the “birds and bees”, while Jim sings backup.
Time Codes:
(0:28)”I don’t like traps…”
(3:07-3:13)
(16:29-16:37) Naked life
(26:09-26:15) Posture/chastity
(26:33-end) it’s about sex
Written & Hosted by Jonathan Pruitt & Jim Davis
Produced, Directed & Edited by Travis Boles
Complete 5e Classes Playlist: • Complete 5e Classes Se...
Unearthed Arcana LIVE episodes playlist: • Unearthed Arcana LIVE ...
New to 5th Edition D&D? Check out this playlist - • Web DM
Music by
John Branch -branchoutguitar.com
Web DM Theme by
Kyle Newmaster - kylenewmaster.com
Motion Graphics & Logo Design by
Ryan Wieber - ryan-w.com
WebDM Fan Art by Adam Miller - www.adammillerart.net
5e Dungeons & Dragons is here to stay, and Web DM is here to help!!! Jim Davis & Jonathan Pruitt have been playing Dungeons & Dragons for a combined 30+ years, and on Web DM they demystify, dethrone, and defrock this Dungeon we call Dragons! Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on 5e Classes, Monsters, DM Tips, and more! Join Pruitt & Jim as we kick down the door and talk some serious Dungeons & Dragons!

[@WebDM]

Thanks for watching! Want more Web DM in your life? Get our podcast here: www.patreon.com/webdm

[@UTube2K6]

Hey Web DM can you please give a selection of let's say 5 great module ? not asking for a top 5, just 5 module you really like thx

[@bruggeman672]

That is a Crown Royal bag on the table is it not?!

[@darkmana]

"You are naked and alone at the beginning of the dungeon." "Just like in life."

[@lexten8719]

I'm trapped in a never ending cycle of binge watching all your videos

[@yoannhalle9765]

Same here...

[@Andrewc87563]

They are low calorie episodes so don't worry about the binge.

[@Camtrain1989]

Lex Ten wisdom saving throw at disadvantage to stop watching, because WebDM is dope and should be binged

[@theyellowbirdman]

I just rolled. Nat 20.

[@JPruinc]

Fie! You've escaped for now, but there's always next week...

[@ccswelding1599]

traps that are geared towards a certain race...goblins hate dwarves, so their arrow traps are set for dwarven headshots...so humans can now get an arrow to the groin

[@DamascoGamer]

Or...an arrow to the knee...

[@zachmccambridge8748]

get out

[@DamascoGamer]

Never!

[@paulcoy9060]

"Ow, my groin !" - George C. Scott

[@marauder7209]

Tried it out, 3'2" Halfling walked on it, arrow flew above his head. 10/10 trap, would laugh at my players' confused faces again.

[@MrWhite5150Duke]

put a door knocker on a solid stone wall that doesn't do anything, somewhere in your dungeon, then watch as the party spends twenty minutes figuring it out. my thief stole it out of spite.

[@jimdavis141]

Duke5150 great idea!

[@CzornyLisek]

Eveilnes :3

[@JPruinc]

So cruel... I love it!

[@maxscribner1743]

Duke5150 That's just bad DMing(signaling especially)

[@Ben-fk9ey]

Yea it sounds fun, but it's just introducing a Chekhov's gun that's useless. Like what's the point other than for a quick kick for the DM? As a player I'd probably be annoyed at spending 20 mins figuring it out and so not want to investigate anything else similar in case it's just another useless thing.

[@Customerbuilder]

I just like these guys better than other channels. Nerdarchy seems like a bunch of egos just waiting to talk over each other with no direction. WDM just feels more structured and more concise info comes out of Jim than the whole crew of Nerdarchy.

[@ROYBGP]

Precisely

[@ShawnWilson0095]

I got into d&d last semester and now I dm for a group of six. Your guy's video have been invaluable in campaign

[@jimdavis141]

Shawn Wilson glad we can help!!

[@JPruinc]

Woohoo!!! Let us know how it goes!

[@aquestunending7210]

You should also check out Matt Colville. He does videos for DMs too

[@johnvanek9514]

I used a trap in a dungeon that was a winch-operated portcullis, except the whole thing was a mimic, even the rope connecting the portcullis to the winch. It was all one mimic. That was fun.

[@JPruinc]

Holy shit! That's awesome!

[@WisdomThumbs]

That’s so evil. I love it! My DM had a potion shop that turned out to be a giant mimic, and we awoke it by accident in the middle of a siege.

[@cornuschristi1814]

You know what's even better than that? A whole town where all the buildings and all the objects inside then are mimics and the inhabitants are all doppelgangers.

[@samwest4757]

You guys absolutely should do a random encounters show where you actually just roll the giant d20 and pick a topic based on it

[@JPruinc]

Who knows...

[@dracon501]

Traps could be used to block off a section of a dungeon. A DM could say, "Hey here is a trap. Disable it and go this way or take a different route." Disabling it could give near direct access to the goal but failing doesn't have to cost HP. Failing could waste a different resource or just fully block off a part of the dungeon. Imagine a fight where the party is being overwhelmed and the easy exit it trapped. Now the rouge has to remove himself from combat and be protected while dealing with the trap. The party could try to fight its way through where the enemy is pouring through (if the party is a strong combat party) but if you make a reward for getting through the trapped area then you offer diverse play.

[@JPruinc]

Working in some traps during combat is fun!

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Dan Young or it could seem to give an advantage but on paper was a party directing device

[@MrVoid666]

i am disspointed in the lack of an admiral ackbar refernce in the intro

[@JPruinc]

I just thought it was too obvious. That's why i went for complete comic inversion, and resounding understatement to juxtapose the nature of traps themselves, thus giving the bit absurdity.

[@leovaeg]

it was a trap itself!

[@fabulousturtwig1899]

Star trek shirt though.

[@arcticwulf5796]

Social traps are like getting cornered by a person you fooled before or depending on your character, having to give a improv speech for a big crowd. Not all traps have to be HP taxing. Thoughts?

[@joshparsons5789]

I couldnt agree more it makes for some great impromptu moments that the pcs will remember forever

[@JPruinc]

I love it!

[@smokeemifyougotem9662]

You have been trapped by Social inconvenience. this is a fancy restaurant you cant make a scene here! "Phineas and Ferb"

[@insektl0gic]

Social traps are also a pregnancy scare from that goblin princess your bard seduced last month.

[@alexdijk]

thank you, i have a male player playing a female bard as "demon of seduction"..... yes al he does is trying to seduce my npcs, i told him i wont allow it to work very often and that he should try to do different things, gender shouldnt dominate his playstyle, but he still wants to try. im going to have a shapechanging fiend make him/her prego.

[@sergenthude7196]

Traps shouldn't be brushed under the rug in my opinion. They are challenge ratings that provide XP! They can also be used to replace or accompany minions in a set piece/boss dungeon. The DMG suggests Perception to find it, Investigation to understand it, and then a Dexterity check with the thieves tools to disarm it. That gives the impression that the whole party can get involved in thwarting the would be dangers. Maybe a trap that involves your precious rot grubs you love so much?! ;-) Happy rolling guys.

[@FlawlessP401]

XP doesn't exist. Stop pretending it does. WE purged that shit concept.

[@XthegreatwhyX]

I don't use XP, but traps are integral to any good dungeon crawl, and can add tension and immersion, keep the players on their toes, and even surprise them with unexpected mechanics. They can be integrated in locks and puzzles, or provide an unfair playing field to the baddie's advantage.

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Andrew Velez great way to show threat, off a few careless hirelings!

[@ClicheKHFan]

T

[@uelideschwart4056]

19:24 If you wanna join back in, without the tomb of horrors spoiled

[@Geeko170]

I would watch these two ramble on for hours about what ever.

[@macesteffy2066]

"I don't want to give the impression to our viewers that I hate everything" "Fireblast, middle finger, plane shift". I would buy a web dm shirt if it had that on it.

[@kylewahlberg9499]

I'm a first time dm running a homebrew campaign for a party of six, and these videos have been extremely entertaining and useful, so thank you for all of your time and insight!

[@JPruinc]

Glad we can help!

[@tayplaysgaymes]

24:47 You guys could ramble on for hours on end about no topic in particular and I WOULD watch that shit!

[@Andrewc87563]

There are more episodes to fulfill this dream!

[@JPruinc]

Who knows what the future holds..

[@jeffreylucier5266]

Just gold. Those intros guys....just gold.

[@TheRSLake]

Spoilers for Tomb of Horrors begin around 16:05 and end around 19:25

[@gavinlopez6258]

Thank you

[@hydrainfernos9081]

Not all capes wear heroes

[@fredirecko]

Piece of advice to the producer, Travis Boles: when your cast asks for a lumbar pillow you don't give them a lumbar pillow. You smack them in the face with a thick wooden yard stick (not to be confused with a meter stick). Trust me. Beat them down now while you still can, because first its lumbar pillows than before you know it they are unionized and you're actually having to pay them money and it all just goes down hill from there. I saw the beginnings of the awakening in Pruitt's eye when you handed him that pillow..it was saying, "If I can get a lumbar pillow, I can get anything". There's some great 19th century British literature outlining different strategies for suppressing the employee, mainly within textile factories and coal mines, but the principles are all the same. #bourgeoisieRULES

[@fredirecko]

(satire)

[@WebDM]

lol

[@RoboBoddicker]

The way I do it is I roll a Stealth check AS the trap rather than using the DC. So if the Trap is a DC 15 to notice it, instead of telling the characters to make a Perception check and giving away the trap, I roll a +5 Stealth check against the characters' passive Perception and if the check succeeds the characters are none the wiser. And of course I'll give bonuses or penalties to their passive Perception depending on circumstances, or I might give a clue if the check only barely succeeds. Some players get huffy about not getting to roll, but I really think it works better this way, so they can just deal with it :P

[@michaeljordan7108]

"What are we taking about? Mimics?" Best line in the episode.

[@Monty90210]

This stinger is the best. "We at Web DM..." is a wonderful Jim moment. Golden.

[@tenken103]

The random topic table is a tremendous idea.

[@JPruinc]

Stay tuned!

[@TheNerdySimulation]

Not gonna lie, I have to agree with your opening statement on traps and them essentially being a Health Tax. That, plus the part about encountering them, is probably why I get so bored when the last dungeon I went through as a Player was basically nothing but traps, with maybe a few monsters. And those fights weren't even that interesting either, they were just "Wait until we out damage them." I keep trying to explain to my friends (the two other GMs in my group particularly) that yes, a dungeon should be a challenge, but it shouldn't be reliant on nothing but dice rolls, because rolling dice isn't a challenge for the players, just for the characters. And it isn't difficult for me to say, "Yeah, I attack the enemy. What else am I meant to do right now?" and it is boring having to wait for the rogue to make 30 Perception checks in a row, just so we can find out that every 10 foot square of this hallway is not trapped. Traps should work how you said, and I really wish I could get that through to my friends.

[@MrWarptime]

"I don't want to give the impression to our viewers that I hate everything" is the most relatable thing that any online DM has ever said.

[@t20sgrunt36]

Riddles go well with traps, you can also present simple puzzles to the players with a time limit, or you can always do an encounter with the guise of a trap. I always enjoy when our DM throws in riddles

[@megapixzel]

there's a guy in the party i dm for that has a passive perception of like 25 (20Wiz, observant feat, proficent) so i don't even bother with traps and secrets anymore

[@MtgVeteran]

megapixzel be sure to thank that guy once in a while for being an awesome scout

[@oOPPHOo]

If the guy is also a ranger, get 1 level in rogue to double that perception proficiency with expertise.

[@CzornyLisek]

So send against him Kobolds ect. Then don't use traps per se. Kobold could just explode whole ceiling or just attack not trap(but attack in such way that character can't rly defend in any way. If there is no trigger per se it's not trap) ect. ect. Kobold are master of that stuff they for sure know how to kill that character :3

[@BigMac8000]

Consider investigation. He might see a bunch of vines on the ground, but that doesn't mean he realizes they're alive. One-way glass you can't see - only investigate. That and rewarding him for taking such a feat is important - sometimes people's completely freakish and unusually specific skillset should come in handy. Having him catch things tailing your team, or ninja's sneaking around is fun. Also, consider creating a table for that character of random things he see's. Street corners, he see's people stealing apples, in shops he see's uncooked meat being served, he see's watered down whiskey - get obtuse in your description until he willingly shuts it off. Make it hard for him to hear normal conversations, make him roll intelligence checks during conversations to blot out the rest. Let him on strange secrets you have nothing planned for - hidden rooms, lost memento's, he found the keys in the shopkeepers couch, just pummel him with random stuff and thread's. Basically enforce a level of ADHD to where he has to really stop and *think* about what he needs - and if other characters proficient in say, investigation, lead his checks, it adds a teamplay element. The wizard with investigation says, "there should be another room here, there's a latch somewhere" bam, that suspicious drawer DOES look too light.

[@BigMac8000]

Indiana Jones IS great inspiration. The Last Crusade's traps are great examples. In religious temple's impossible barriers can lead to trials of faith. A personal favorite - an aging fire temple douses players with oil. The ignition sources no longer work - but the oil will freak them out completely and if they don't properly clean it, it can lower say grapple or dex checks. Subtle notes. Another good way to use them is to make them help the players. Let's say an enemy tries to pull a lever in that aging fire temple - the lever actually explodes part of the wall, the trap critically failing. That fallen fire god's husk of a temple is more a liability than a fortress - or is that the last embers of a waning god? Who could say what pleases a fire god. Another could be a trap that activates a great celestial tapestry - a simple floor switch that calls the night sky into a great tapestry, at the height of an ancient tower. It allows you to do a check for some flavor and calms your players down. A lot of players are just terrified of evil killer DM traps, as they should be. But what about something like the goonies? Can't you picture those shambling emaciated pirates clearing tunnels painstakingly, with no ship to sail and a mad pirate - their numbers dwindling as traps upon traps threaten them? Then a massive cave-in causes them all to lose faith, and just die in their chairs presumably committing suicide, even though their ship is more than ready to sail. Another good one is half-made traps. Defenders who'd stoically died were setting up explosives, or traps, which can be reactivated to help against pursuers or perhaps chasing forces. Perhaps puzzle rooms can be remade into portmanteau traps - a player with caltrops can make a simple puzzle deviously difficult for pursuers to reconcile.

[@MrPringleson]

do you think you guys could do an episode over puzzles

[@gavinlopez6258]

Yes!

[@draxthemsklonst]

You mean like environmental puzzles?

[@ryanbaker709]

This was your best episode yet in my opinion, I haven't seen them all but this gave me so many ideas. thanks!

[@ashuku]

I just started watching you guys recently and love your videos - I especially love intros like these where you say a pun and actively hate yourselves afterwards.

[@JPruinc]

What is punned..cannot be unpunned.

[@gorter23]

one of the most evil traps i encountered was in in a dungeon corridor. there was a 'pit' covering the entire surface but was not long enough that you could jump over it. but the trap is an illusion and just plain corridor and after this is the real trap which has another illusion on it to look like normal corridor. a magnetic cavern entrance is also a nice idea. another trap was when the wizard casted an illusion on the outside of a soon to be besieged castle. when it was actually besieged the wall was crippled but the illusion cast on it showed it to be intact so the enemy went away.

[@Bluecho4]

The Angry GM had a number of suggestions for how to run traps, and not have them be problematic. -Make trap placement logical: Someone had to install the traps, and they did so with purpose. This can be to cover some deficiency in their builders; an example could be a Kobold dungeon that has traps set up in hallways where the ceiling collapsed. Because the area is exposed to sunlight, it's unpleasant for Kobolds - with their extreme Darkvision - to patrol, so they use traps to shore up those defenses. A temple or tomb, meanwhile, might install traps in order to keep the place defended long after its builders have left or died. So they might have traps to dissuade tomb robbers or punish temple defilers. -Signpost traps: Those same creatures also tend to like to know where all their hazards are, so they are likely to leave clues on their traps. If they party is attentive, they can eventually discover a pattern to the trap placement. Having pressure plates be made with off-color tiles, or use mosaics with symbols. Put specific color or pattern rugs over pit traps (as opposed to differently colored or patterned rugs on normal floors). -Use traps sparingly: If every step in a dungeon could trigger a trap, players are going to be conditioned to go over every square inch with a fine tooth comb and a ten foot pole. Which, naturally, bogs down sessions with constant checking for traps. Traps, ergo, should preferably be an occasional hazard, unless you are actually going through a trap dungeon, like the Tomb of Annihilation or White Plume Mountain. -Implement the "Click Rule": If a character activates a trap, consider signalling that a trap has been activated (like with a "Click" sound), then ask what the player will immediately do. Depending on the character's reaction, they may get Advantage on a saving throw, or impose Disadvantage on the trap (depending on how the trap resolves). Or their action might not change the outcome, or it might even give them Disadvantage (or give Advantage to the trap). This turns the outcome of this trap into less of an HP tax, and gives the players more agency in the situation. That their choices are as much a determiner of their success as luck.

[@gohan9080]

Man, I love your intros. Oh and the rest of the show, ofc.

[@JPruinc]

They are fun to come up with.

[@BKets4ever]

This is a great episode. You guys gave me so many ideas. This channel deserves way more attention. You guys are awesome. Cheers!

[@JPruinc]

Glad you're enjoying!

[@kosm866]

One cool thing with glyphs is to have a boss room with the big baddie on one end and the players entering from the other. Have specific spots pretraped woth glyphs and at some point earlier in the campaign have a seemingly unrelated event result in them obtaining a note with the locations of all these glyphs in this room maped out.

[@mikecondo]

That random table idea seems great for replacing the UA streams after you get caught up on all of the Unearth Arcanas.

[@rainnight8376]

I'd love to see that episode of WebDM where they use a d20 table to pick random topics?

[@JPruinc]

Let us know if you decide!

[@DrMemeD302]

Honestly my only "traps" are parts of big, room-sized puzzles. Ones that give all the players something to do. I usually present most of the info ahead of time. "You see water marks and moss on the walls, stains from previous water levels. you see four slits in the ceiling with circles that imply they can be turned. A cobra statue with four thin fangs is in front of you, you see many holes in the ceiling." In this room the players already knew this room would flood, but found the solution. They grabbed the fangs which started the water flowing, but they didn't know giant snakes were also released into the room. The snakes turned into Water Weirds when slain, and they had to wait for the water to rise to a certain level before they could insert the fangs into the slits and turn them into position. It wasn't deadly unless they really botched how to insert them, but it was timed and the players had a lot of fun with it. I only throw small traps like spikes and darts for treasure chests here and there so my Rogue players that like picking locks have something to look for.

[@MordredViking]

This is one of the most insightful videos you've done! I also hate traps, but you've introduced some very cool concepts and ideas here which I had never considered before (doors in pits, trapped doors to force party deeper, passive perception being character related and potentially just rote information). Keep it up!

[@Simmisc]

I want to see a livestream that's just these two chilling on a couch without knowing they're being recorded

[@jimdavis141]

HaroldTheSeaOddur I'm down.

[@calvinballaka8905]

Ooh, I really like the idea of thinking of traps as puzzles in order to keep them interesting. I'll try to keep that in mind when I work on dungeons! Also, I really like the quick discussion about how to keep dungeon environments dynamic - that's something I've had a little trouble with in the past. I'm hoping to eventually have a campaign with enough dungeon revisiting to really make that element shine, thanks to your tips on the show!

[@wiccanavalley3518]

I absolutely love your videos, you guys would make an amazing podcast!

[@victordos8749]

Man, I love these videos I wish I had friends to play D&D with, but they think they're too cool to do it. Even though I never played a true D&D game I love these videos.

[@Gothdancer67]

Your vids are like I'm actally sitting across from you guys which is very interesting.

[@TVlord5]

How I typically handle traps/puzzles when tying it in to "but thats what my character would do" is give hints to the players based on the roll but make them still be specific. For example if theres a tripwire a foot off the ground and a professional treasure hunter says "I look for tripwires at shin height" Im not going to make them roll a die to spot that, BUT if they DONT specify, then the roll accounts for their character's instinctive knowledge and maybe for whatever reason it was a really well disguised trap (leave it vague if the players play vague) or when disarming the trap they confused a trigger for another part of the trap. Similarly with puzzles "I dont know what to do" "Make an int roll (or something)...ok so you cant figure it out, but you notice this change when you flip this switch"

[@Zupiter8]

You guys do are great. Love your intros

[@TheGentlemanDuelist]

I recently run a game at a convention where I used a lot of traps. I find it keeps the party on their toes when they just see one. Even one that was long deactivated, it becomes a great mind game.

[@UndeadShell]

This was a really interesting episode and thanks for making it guys!

[@JPruinc]

You're welcome!

[@Preserbius]

25:03 I love that they actually did this and it was a great episode

[@kevinchristiansen4348]

My favorite trap in dnd is the one that throws your character up in the air, your character falls to the floor, but before you hit the floor, the panel opens up, and there is a lava pit underneath, you fall into the hot lava, then the floor panel closes up and the dying screams of the character is heard through the floor

[@methodofinstruction1368]

I absolutely fucking love you guys. I love every one of your videos and what you discuss 💚

[@JPruinc]

Love you too!

[@MrZeyami]

I really like using noisemaker traps. They present the players with a lot more options and don't hinder you as the DM in worrying about under-representing or over-representing the hazard. It just makes noise and puts players on a clock to take some appropriate action, OR they deal with it and get to feel like they're Solid Snake sneaking their way through the environment.

[@CrazyConnor2]

"It's about sex" - Pruit 2017

[@JPruinc]

I see's em. I call's em.

[@Mentiac]

I'm finally here for a new video! And it's a subject that I've been struggling with as a DM. I never really liked traps unless they're a type of sound or hold trap for an ambush. I do need to implement more puzzles in my game but I have a hard time finding a good lore reason behind a puzzle.

[@zzzombie5227]

One trap I loved making was called double coin. The trap is you see a 20x20 bright white room with something shiny on a table. Any number of players entering the room and then sees gold coins laying on the table with a bag full of mixed coins. If a player picks up the bag of coins or a coin off the table the door closes and disappears. The only way to reopen the door is if the player that picks up the coin or the bag of coins doubles the coin for the coin or a bag for a bag. If a player looks in the bag there is a hint that says double your Faith

[@GixtheDragon]

The Return to the Tomb of Horrors way back in 2nd ed was my introduction to D&D. It was amazing, terrifying, and the thing that got me hooked into gaming.

[@garyduckman8666]

I made these "living traps" for a lovecraftian body horror campaign, where the party is in an open field full of these pillars with corpses fused with them. they act as a trap at first because they'll reach out and attack if the players get too close (the first few wont to lure them into a false sense of security) but the players can choose to kill them like really weak enemies as they go or reason with one of them which will stop them attacking all together

[@dogf421]

my favorite idea is for the first encounter with a mimic be something like a chair in the middle of a blank room, obviously out of place, and have several more similar encounters to lure the players into a false sense of mimics being always easy to spot before doing stuff like the "room of 1000 identical pots"

[@prbk77]

I like using traps in a similar way to games like Silver Tower, where players have to do actual physical tests, such as stacking dice to simulate their handling of a trap mechanism. A fun one is to use props, such as giving players an actual puzzle box to open. I also like placing a large timer in the centre of the table when they start a task, if only to get them to feel the pressure a bit more, though I suppose that's leaning pretty heavily on player skill. My brother loves using riddles when he DMs, it's nice to know we avoided the "HP tax" by working together to figure something out

[@visinclair3766]

this video has been super inspiring for the funhouse dungeon I'm writing up for my group :D

[@1anarquista.sensato]

In the old days of AD&D we would spend a long time figuring out strategies to disarm traps we had managed to detect and for that we would have to inspect it very carefully and guess its mechanism by thinking about all the hints and clues the DM would give us

[@lokirip2372]

Best intro yet

[@nathanhartswick9955]

your vids are so entertaining and informative, I've never played a game of dungeons and dragons myself but I love video game RPGs

[@JPruinc]

Maybe give it a try. You might like it...

[@johnmartin9146]

love the idea of a pit trap with a door at the bottom. going to have the door lead to the shadowfell. Finally got to see "stranger things" so I want to play in the upside-down for a while.

[@aarongalloway9750]

I like the idea of a trap that is say a gem the players eventually would get curious and touch, and if the character is not a caster it wouldn't do anything. If a caster touches it, it drains all their 1st level spell slots and then charges the gem to make the path forward open.

[@Akravator12]

Great ideas guys! Also, that idea for a show where you roll the d20 to decide a topic sounds fantastic.

[@JPruinc]

Because of the last two words of your comment...I retroactively read it in Kyle Two's voice. Kyle from Southpark's cousin.

[@Akravator12]

That sounds fanteeeestic.

[@mosselliadelt]

I like to use traps that set off actions in other rooms. Like blocking a doorway so adventurers are forced to take another route or maybe it releases a roaming monster into another room or if they trigger multiple traps it seals off the main treasure room and they have to work out a way to get through the door that's now sealed. Etc.

[@thecrazycatdad]

One of the players in the group I DM for loves to open anything and everything, so I love traps. If there is a box or a closed door or something she's going to run over and open it as quickly as she can. She can't help herself and it has resulted in many eye rolls exclamations of "you never learn" from the rest of the party :D

[@fiercemushroom4840]

My favorite trap was glass key and a heavy iron lock. The catch was the key was enchanted (although nobody bothered check it for magic) and it would break if you attempted to be gentle with it. Ironically if anyone had been reckless they would have solved it immediately, but as it stands the party failed the trap attempting to be careful. They ended up having to take a completely different route.

[@KingCreepa]

I think the sunless citadel is a great dungeon that uses traps in the way you describe.

[@SkiSummer]

If you've played pathfinders adventure path, "the skinshaw murders" there's a 'trap house' in there which I think does traps really well. They're technically called haunts, but they're the same general premise where they automatically affect one or more players upon entering the room depending on their personality. One such example "fiery inferno" where upon entering the room the afflicted character feels super hot and has to pass saves to avoid jumping out of the window into the water 200ft below to 'cool themselves down.' If they pass the save they're attacked by a haunted weathervane which stops the fall. If the weathervane misses they have to pass a couple of reflex checks not to fall. It's really improbably for a character to die from this individual trap, but the tension and drama it causes are amazing and that's what I want out of my traps.

[@michaelhall-oc4nj]

As a dungeoneer there is nothing I love more than having a pocket genie.

[@BigMac8000]

The after credit sequence on this one is just priceless. You should just make a gibberish episode.

[@JPruinc]

We just might!

[@SJ76]

Best ending ever. Been listening to Fallout radio so I was tuned into that reference, lmao!

[@seymourfields3613]

Traps literally just lead to players having to say, "checking/looking for traps" within every sentence. "I walk down the hallway looking for traps" "checking for traps, I open the door"

[@christiansheffield4606]

I am a Mechanical Engineer and can confirm that Senior year our hardest class was Deadly Trap Making.

[@ymmijx6061]

my favorite puzzle room i've designed is the room room. in the center of the room is a box and the box is a replica of the room. the walls of the room are grated but if you look out you only see blackness. when you tilt the box it affects the room gravity. to open the other doors in the room you open them on the box. i once had a character shock the box and hit the whole party with the spell. if you put weight on the box you can increase the gravity of the room.

[@CJ-ib2jy]

A skeleton on the floor, or in an ancient dungeon, some bones on the floor. I tend to put some traps in ancient dungeons that no longer function or don't function at 100% due to age. I still make the player roll if he is stuck by that needle that 300 years ago had poison. If he fails, well good thing that the poison expired centuries ago! Next time they go into a dungeon, they check for traps! :) Traps add tension is a little bit of fear. One of the advantages of D&D is that you can experience fear without your real life being in jeopardy.

[@AuntieHauntieGames]

When I run AD&D Second Edition and the rogue does not intentionally ask to roll to detect traps, I roll for them on my own with maybe a -5% penalty and let them know the trap is there if the roll is successful whether they look for it or not. Rolling on their behalf in secret lets the character notice things they would notice that the player might ignore, adding a small penalty allows the lack of caution on the part of the player does suggest some lack of caution on the part of the character they are playing. 5E has passive perception for this situation, but it's helpful to not forget that a DM can always roll in secret to protect a character from the player portraying them.

[@MrZawaga]

My favorite "trap" is a dungeon room that started to sink into the ground, so it's just a very steep, slick slope, with a bunch of splintered furniture at the bottom. Lots of fun to see how the players cross.

[@ZenodudeMC]

So one trap I plan to run for my end of campaign dungeon is in is tomb of a Fiendish god. The party is chasing this Hag who plans to unleash this god into its tomb. The trap is basically a huge 100 ft wide circulaire Room. The large circle platform which is basically the whole room begins to lower and spin. As it does blades rise and disappear and would randomly have a chance to hit a member depending where they ar, and mean while they were attacked by Earth elementals.

[@Sammo212]

"You detect no traps." "So there are no traps?" "I didn't say that, I said you don't detect or see any traps." "OK, so there are no traps." "I didn't say that." Why I love being a DM :D As far as traps go, I find something like Pathfinder's haunts way more interesting than something like a fireball trap or something. I do think a trap is something suitable in certain situations but overall they definitely are not.

[@Nathan-zc4db]

If you want an example of great trap design check out "The Tomb" in the 4th ed. DMG pg. 213. The players have to fight 3 kobold Skirmishers while avoiding traps that deal 1d6+2 and immobilize but small creatures are too light to trigger the traps so the players assume they can just follow the Kobold's path, and the dwarves and halflings probably can, but it leads to a very interesting combat encounter and made an encounter that should have been easy and straightforward a harrowing ordeal.

[@hiredgoon13]

random table show, the best idea ever

[@mat11010]

Oh my god, is this video series going back in time? If you look at some of the earlier videos, you can see Pruitt has that same pillow behind his back!

[@JPruinc]

It is our 88th video.....

[@brentonoftheunknown.821]

I made a ruling that traps have a passive stealth score and as such, if your passive perception doesn't meet it then I, the DM, don't have to tell you about it. It makes having a high PP useful and checking for traps not a chore but an actual check

[@halsterr]

What I do for traps (and secret doors) is have my party roll a perception check at the beginning of the adventure and after every time they see or miss something using that perception and use that as an alternative to passive perception to indicate if they see the trap/door or not without asking for perception checks causing suspicion. For example, party is heading down a hallway with a trap that requires a perception of 15 or higher to see, I have already had the party roll their perceptions in advance so I know when they get to that trap whether they are going to see it or not and adjust my descriptions.

[@halsterr]

Oh, also. I very much agree that they can be a HP Tax in a lot of adventures.

[@kirkish001]

Im planning on running my party through this dungeon thats controlled by a high level gnome illusionist thief. So lots of illusions, traps, puzzles. Rooms are changing from muddy swamp terrain to normal rooms and all other hazardous terrains. If they go back to a room they explored, its now something totally different. Duplicating rats, living candles follow the party providing light until the wick runs out and explodes, living cobblestone paths trying to throw the party into traps or off a cliff. Its going to be a good time

[@UncannyMelon]

Honestly one of the funnier intros

[@drmario381]

Have you guys thought about starting a patreon I'm pretty sure you guys can do this full time of you like. your videos are great and really informative.

[@shadowwing7123]

I love all the information and ideas

[@JPruinc]

You're welcome!

[@shadowwing7123]

now I just have to find a group to join :-)

[@bowyer10]

i like how you guys talk about the game with such immersion and experience, but bitch about having to work, when's lunch, etc. Serious, love the irony

[@MageSquire]

I feel like there are three kind of traps. A trap that messes with your hp. A trap that messes with your options. And finally, my favorite, a trap that messes with your head.

[@Runehammer1]

Hmmm..I don't know, a straw man "lame trap" may make the point here, but brilliant, devious, surprising and architectural traps are awesome, just not easy to design.

[@Alefiend]

Grimtooth might not be the best example here; from what I remember, most of those traps are designed specifically as party-killers that are equally deadly to for thinkers and brutes. Some actually relied on what would normally be an intelligent approach to dungeoneering to slaughter the party with their own smarts.

[@MilitaryStyx]

There's a book series, the first one is named NPC's, where the paladin of the group is the paladin of the god of minions, and at one point they run across a spike pit and he decides to climb down on a rope to find a hidden tunnel into the heart of the dungeon that was made by minions used to maintain the trap, that would be a good idea to use in a dungeon or few

[@nathanpang7791]

Best outtro ever

[@shilohelgin2408]

Thank you so much I love your videos.

[@JPruinc]

You are truly welcome.