More Interesting Traps: The Boulder Trap

         The boulder trap is an trap that presents an encounter all by itself. It tests a number of different skills and abilities, as well as the PCs’ decision making process. It also presents the PCs with a goal very different from the usual fare: Running away.

         PCs are a reckless lot, by birth. They are used to winning fights and succeeding at tasks. Retreat is a situation that they rarely find themselves in. The Boulder Trap provides our heroes with an opportunity to stretch their legs, and get running.

         The Boulder Trap is intended for parties with an APL of six through eight, but it can easily be adjusted to heroes of any level.

         The Boulder Trap consists of three consecutive hallways which the heroes are encouraged to navigate as quickly as possible. These three hallways are filled with a number of obstacles to a straight and unhindered flight: enemies, difficult terrain, and pits. A boulder rolls after the heroes at a speed slightly below what the heroes can manage, a pace that encourages them to hurry.

         The trap takes place inside initiative order, and a few small fights are possible as the boulder rolls. Make sure to keep track of initiative and keep track of the boulder’s place in it.

The Trigger

         The boulder trap would be no fun if it didn’t go off. However, a character with a high enough disable device check can dull the mechanism and make the trap easier to navigate. The trigger consists of a wall of nearly invisible wires forming a complex spider web. It is impossible to move through the hallway without triggering these wires, unless the entire party has the ability to go insubstantial or teleport. The perception check to notice these wires is 25. The wires don't block movement, and if somebody moves through them the trap goes off.

         A character with a disable device check can attempt to disable the wires. There are 10 key wires, and if he can disable them all, the trap does not go off. The character notices that each wire is more difficult to disarm then the last. The first wire has a DC of 10, then second has a DC of 15, the third has a DC of 20, etc...

         When the player inevitably botches one of his disable device rolls, explain that he disabled some number of wires, preventing the trap from working fully, but he accidently tripped the wire he was working on. The trap should then begin. When the trap begins, a secret panel opens up behind our heroes and the boulder comes sliding down 20 squares behind the trigger. Place the boulder at its starting position, and roll initiative. Explain that the boulder has started to roll at the heroes.

         However, the character’s disable device check was not for naught. For every wire that the PC successfully disabled, reduce the boulder’s speed by five feet. Explain that the panel did not deploy correctly, and that the boulder lost some speed as it rolled down.

The Boulder

         In many ways, the boulder can be treated as an "–" intelligence monster. The boulder has no actions other than moving each turn. It moves 10 squares each turn (if no wires were disabled), ensuring that if characters want to stay in front of it, they had better run, double move, or have enough leeway that they can deal with an obstacle before being crushed.

         If the boulder enters the same square as a character, it elicits a 25 DC reflex save. On a hit, the boulder deals 12d6 +10 bludgeoning damage to both the victim and his armor and knocks the victim prone. On a save, it deals half damage to both the victim and his armor and knocks the PC prone. Either way, the boulder continues on its path completely unhindered.

         The boulder can be attacked, but it is immune to slashing and piercing damage and takes half damage from energy attacks (fire, ice, sonic, etc...) and full damage from force attacks. It has 120 health. For every 20 bludgeoning or force damage that it is dealt, it’s speed is reduced by five feet. If the boulder is reduced to zero damage, it simply falls apart. It has no reflex or will save, but it has a fortitude save of +20 and an AC of 5. The boulder has an initiative bonus of -20.

         It should be noted that the corners and ends of the hallway are slanted, such that the boulder will turn and continue with the corridor.

The Hallways

         The trap consists of three hallways that the heroes are chased down, each hallway being 24 squares long, or 120 feet. There are a number of obstacles to avoid in these hallways. In the first hallway, there are no real obstacles – just the trap trigger and an empty place to run. This is to get the PCs acclimated to the idea that they are running away from the boulder.

         The second hallway will present more of a challenge. There are two enemies in this hallway – one near the start of the hallway, and one near the rear. Each of these enemies should have a CR of 3, be small or medium sized, and should be dungeon appropriate. An Advanced Draugr will do for most dungeons. These enemies should not be difficult to dispatch. However, killing them takes up valuable time and will slow the PCs down, while running past them will incur opportunity attacks.

         In the center of the second hallway there is a 30 foot long rectangle of difficult terrain spanning the length of the hallway. This terrain could be a partial cave in, slime on the ground, a broken statue – it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it will slow our heroes down.

         Immediately at the start of the third hallway, there are two bear traps that are chained to the ground. These will both deal players damage and restrain them, eliciting a disable device check, escape artist check, or strength check. If the bear traps are noticed, they can be easily avoided without a check of any kind.

         In the third hallway, there is a shallow pool of water that stretches 30 feet down the corridor. The pool acts as difficult terrain. However, because it is flush with the ground, our heroes may attempt to long jump across it. They probably won’t make it the full 30 feet, but every square they jump is another square they don’t have to move through difficult terrain.

         Near the end of the third hallway, there is a monster with CR 4, such as a Minotaur. The monster should be dungeon appropriate, and it should be large and take up the width of the hallway, meaning that if the heroes want to move past it, they must either kill it or tumble through it.

         At the end of the third hallway, there is a ten foot wall leading up into the next room. The wall has a climb DC of 20. This wall is the final test. When the boulder reaches the wall it will crash harmlessly, and can go no further.

Rivals

         Without enemies, heroes are just people.  You likely already have a "BBEG" (Big Bad Evil Guy), or main antagonist, the character who your players are supposed to stop.  He's either already in the adventure path, or he's a main fixture in the campaign you have designed.  However, you can spice up your game by including Rivals into your story.  There is one Rival for each PC, and this Rival will encourage roleplaying, further invest the player in the plot, and expand on the character's backstory.

Designing Rivals

         Each of your player character's should have one (and only one) Rival.  The Rival is specific to them alone and should be drawn from the PC's past.  The Rival should already have a connection to the PC, so when he shows up in the game only the PC (and nobody else) will know who he is and why he is there.

         Rivals should be the central fixture in a PC's backstory.  If the PC's parents were brutally murdered, then perhaps the Rival is the murderer.  If, on the other hand, the PC has lead a life of crime, then perhaps the Rival is the widow of a victim, here to get revenge.  The PC is the last remaining member of an organization or race?  Perhaps the rival is, for one reason or another, dedicated to exterminating them from the planet.  Or, perhaps, the PC is not as alone as he once thought..

         Family members (even evil twins) make excellent rivals.  Their connection with the PC is strong and family bickerings make for great roleplaying and storytelling.  It also ups the PC's desire to redeem his rival.

         Rivals should generally be the same class as their PC counterpoint, for three reasons.  First, the more similar the Rival is to the PC, the better "foil" or counterpoint he presents.  Second, when the Rival is overcome, the loot he will drop will be directly applicable to the PC.  Third, it's just more fun that way!

         When fleshing out the Rival's backstory, have his personal story be tied up with a preexisting aspect of the campaign BUT NOT WITH THE BBEG.  At least, not yet.  The point of Rivals, at first, it to flesh out one PC's backstory and personality apart from the main plot line.  However, regardless of what aspect you place the Rival into, his desire to crush his PC MUST be his primary objective.  If the Rival is the bodyguard of a King, the Rival's job as a bodyguard will come second to his desire to destroy his PC.

         Lastly, all Rivals must be separate and distinct.  They should all have different personalities, and none of them should know each other.  Most importantly, all Rivals should be equally important to the main story line - not very much at all (to start).

Introducing Rivals

         The first actual appearance of the Rival into your game can be done in any number of ways.  He can simply surprise and attack the heroes in their travels, shouting his motivations along the way.  A long game of cat and mouse can end in a confrontation.  The Rival's PC may know he is coming, but not inform the rest of the group.  Or, perhaps best of all, the Rival can be there all along, but his existence as an antagonist only manifests itself in a shocking betrayal (this works best with family members).  As mentioned before, all Rivals should be very different, and so they should be introduced in different ways and at different times.  While one Rival might be introduced in the first session, another Rival might not be introduced until session 15.  However, all Rivals should be introduced before the halfway point, to give them all proper time to be fleshed out.

         In any case, the most important part of introducing Rivals is to let the PC do the explaining to his companions.  When the Rival appears, simply describe him as the ignorant PCs see him.  If the Rival's PC chooses to explain, then let him.  If the PC wants to keep quiet or leave some things out, perhaps due to character shame or guilt, then that is his prerogative.  A Rival is each PC's personal slice of the story, and the PC should have a great deal of say in what happens to him.

         When introducing Rivals, remember that they should be about the same level as the heroes (or, if a solo encounter, a few levels higher), but far weaker than the BBEG.  Rivals are people too, and should not feel like omnipotent gods.  They can be overcome, and they will be.

Evolving Rivals

         The Rival will, of course, escape from the first encounter.  The next time the heroes meet the Rival, he will be bigger, stronger ... but also more entwined in the main story line.  As our heroes learn more, so do the Rivals.  Our heroes are collecting artifacts?  Perhaps a Rival has acquired one. Perhaps two rivals have met, and are now working together.  Perhaps the Rival has taken up the same quest as the heroes, but is pursuing it for his own nefarious purposes.  Or, perhaps his first failure has filled him with one, all encompassing desire:  kill the PCs.

         The Rival grows more and more obsessed with destroying his opposite.  However, since the entire party likely had to band together to take the Rival down, he will also learn to hate the party as a whole.  This process, of taking one character's problem and distributing it amongst the group, is crucial to character and party growth.  However, the Rival's primary objective should always be his original PC.

         Remember, always keep the Rivals distinct from the BBEG.  All Rivals should be weighed equally, and if one take the place of the BBEG's right hand man, the Rival system falls apart.

Finishing the Story

         There are three main ways to close the loop on a rivalry.  First, each Rival can be picked off one by one.  A climactic fight, just like the ones you have been doing before with the entire party versus one Rival at a time.  Make it obvious that this is the Rival's last incarnation.  He won't escape again - it's kill or be killed.  Try and ensure that the original PC get the final blow, whether this means fudging the rolls or designing the battlefield so that the final portion of the battle is just the PC versus the Rival.  In general, you don't want to have fights that exclude some PCs, but this is a fine place to make an exception.  The rest of the team will be rooting the Player on, if you have built it up enough.

         A second, more entertaining method, is to have all the Rivals band together.  The final, climactic Rival fight is the entire party against the entire party of Rivals.  It's particularly fun because each Rival is the same class of his opposite, making this a nice mirror image duel.  Also, PC's will inevitably single out their Rivals, so tensions will be high.  However, it can be a bit strange trying to find a reason for the Rivals to band together, so make sure you either have a good reason, or make sure the fight is so awesome that the PC's don't mind.

         The third method is to have the BBEG step in.  At the end of the campaign, the BBEG should be visible, dangerous, and aware of the players.  The Rivals could (all of them or none of them) act as the BBEG's henchmen.  Or, more interestingly, the BBEG could actually kill the Rivals!  This is a nice way to transfer your hatred of the Rival to the BBEG, given that the player probably wanted to either kill or reform the Rival himself.  And if the Rival had earned the begrudging respect of the group, it will be all the worse when the BBEG takes him out.  However, the problem with the BBEG killing the Rival is that he should do it to all of them, or he should not do it at all.  And this kind of twist is best used once, so the BBEG must kill all of them at once.  It could also be cooky to orchestrate that.

In Conclusion...

         In any case, Rivals add a lot to the game.  They develop individual's characters stories, attach the character's story to the larger plot, and bring the group together.  They also add some memorable NPCs!  Just remember - favor each of the Rivals equally in terms of attention, make sure sure that each Rival is distinct in character!

Ensuring GM Variety

         Ensuring GM variety is vital in any homebrew game.  It's important to mix up what you are doing, and to send the PCs through a wide variety of challenges.

         1:  Players will get bored if they are tasked with the same type of objective over and over.  If every social challenge can be solved by diplomacy, if every enemy in a dungeon is undead, if every NPC is a fighter or wizard, then players will fall into a rut very quickly.

         2:  Every player should be given a chance to shine.  If you have a cleric who is built around defeating the undead, you must make sure that undead pop up in your campaign.  If a Bard's Knowledge (Nobility) never gets used, then he will regret ever taking it.  If a ninja has a fantastic Reflex Save, then he will get annoyed if a fireball never comes his way.  Each PC has his own unique abilities, and these must be utilized to ensure the player enjoys the game.

         3: Characters should be faced with challenges that they are not specialized in.  This will force them to think creatively, and will add to the realism of the challenges.  None of your characters have area attacks?  Send a swarm their way.  Nobody has good swim?  They've got to think of another way to flip the underwater switch.

         The best way to ensure GM variety is to keep track of what you've used each session.  You'll notice trends, and after a few sessions you may realize that you haven't placed a single trap for the rogue to disarm.  Or, you may realize that the PCs are finding combat easy because they specialize in crowd control, and you have yet to send them a solo.

         Here is a fancy spreadsheet that you can use to track what you use when you use it.  Save it to your own Google Drive to make edits.  If you use something in a session, whether it be a skill check, a type of monster, or a save, place a "1" in the appropriate box.  Your totals for each skill/save/enemy will show up on the left.  Try to get rid of those zeroes, and make sure that every dire wolf has his day!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoA5AgofZk9qdGN4MFhsSEZMNlRqd0RQTzZrSVFUeUE

New Campaign Questionnaire

         Before a campaign starts, it is vital to get a read on your players.  You must figure out what your players like and then make sure your game works for them.  If everybody wants to play a sandbox game, then you are either going to run a sandbox game or your campaign is going to fall apart.

         One way to get a read on your players is to give them a short survey.  It may sound a little corny, but it's far better to know what they want now then to be surprised with it later.  The survey should tell you everything you need to know about designing and running your campaign.  Remember - if your players don't have a good time, the campaign will fall apart!

         Once you have responses from all of your players, then you can start to analyze.  Try to built your campaign right about at the average of what people want.  For example, if most people want a sandbox campaign, then you should try to either run a sandbox campaign, or adapt your current plan to be more sandboxy.

         Some questions you should consider on a player by player basis.  For example, some players will be comfortable with character death, and some of them will not.  Try to avoid killing the characters who don't want to die, and not pull any punches with the players who don't mind.

         You can find the New Campaign Questionnaire at this link.  Simply open the spreadsheet, copy it to your google drive and then send it out to your players!

Take a look at the New Campaign Questionnaire Here!