Trap

When you gain the Trap sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Craft (traps) skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Trap sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Craft (traps) skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Possessing this sphere grants you access to the ability to rapidly deploy temporary traps. You may make a Craft (traps) check with a DC of 5 to place a trap on any solid surface within your reach as a full-round action. This trap persists for 1 round per point that your check exceed the placement DC. The trap is placed in a 5-ft. square of your choice. For every 5 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess, you may increase this area by one 5-ft. square. All squares a trap occupies must be contiguous and you can not place two separate traps in the same squares. Entering a trap’s space triggers the trap. The Perception DC to locate a trap is 10 + your Craft (traps) modifier. Trap talents that require a saving throw use your ranks in Craft (trap) instead of your base attack bonus when determining your saving throw DCs.

Traps are cobbled together from scrap, detritus in the environment, and random bits of string, springs, and other miscellany that have been assembled into easily deployed components. Any creature in possession of a trap bag is considered to have the required materials to build these temporary traps, preparing components during downtime and restocking it for negligible cost at regular intervals, though some talents may allow the use of more expensive components that must be tracked. At the GM’s discretion, some traps may be constructed from materials in the environment even without a trap bag.

You never set off your own traps unless you choose to. Creatures who you warn or who see you set a trap are aware of its location and gain a +5 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to notice the trap and Reflex saves and AC to avoid the trap. A trap may be removed as a full-round action with a Disable Device check with a DC equal to your Craft (traps) bonus +10. You always succeed on removing your own traps. You may choose to recover any expensive components or Alchemy sphere formulae used in a successfully removed trap.

If a trap is perceived, it can be targeted and destroyed by attacks without setting it off. A trap has hardness equal to your ranks in Craft (traps), AC equal to 10 + your ranks in Craft (traps), and 5 hit points + 5 hit points per 2 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess.

As long as you have martial focus, reduce the time required to set a trap from a full-round action to a standard action.

There are two basic types of temporary traps, snares and darts. A trap may only be triggered once unless otherwise noted. Trap sphere talents that allow for the use of expensive components allow for the component (alchemist fire, dose of poison, etc.) to be drawn as part of the action required to place the trap unless noted.

Darts

A dart trap is constructed of spring, twine, and usually a needle or other blade. A dart targets a line originating from one corner of one of the squares it occupies determined when it is set. This line extends out to Close range (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 ranks of Craft (traps) you possess) and stops after one creature is hit. When triggered, make a ranged attack roll against each creature in the line until one is hit. You may substitute your ranks in Craft (traps) + your Intelligence modifier for your base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier on this roll. The dart deals 1d6 piercing damage, increasing by 1d6 when your Craft (traps) ranks reach 3 and every 2 ranks thereafter, and has a critical threat range of 20 with a x3 multiplier. Some talents allow you to modify your darts. Each trap may only benefit from one (dart) talent. Some trap talents allow you to forgo dealing damage for benefits as defined in that talent.

You may forgo dart damage to expend an alchemical item (such as a tanglefoot bag), a thrown splash weapon (such as alchemist’s fire or acid flasks), or a dust (a potion containing a spell that affects an area) when making a dart trap to add the effects of that splash weapon to the dart. Resolve the attack verses touch AC. Items with an area of effect count their origin from the nearest corner of the struck creature’s space to the line of the dart’s effect.

You may apply injury poison to a dart as if it were a weapon after it has been set. While setting the trap, you may choose to forgo dart damage, instead expending a dose of a contact or inhaled poison as part of setting the trap. The dart then resolves its attack vs. touch AC. An inhaled poison fills its area as normal, centered on the struck creature’s square (or the first square targeted by the line, if the creature occupies more than one space).

Snares

A snare trap is constructed from rope, wire, and similar materials. A snare targets the first creature to enter one of the squares it occupies. A creature may avoid triggering a snare with a successful Reflex save; doing so leaves the trap untriggered and makes the creature aware of the trap and able to pass through that trap’s space(s) without further risk of triggering it. Some talents grant additional types of snares. Each trap may only benefit from one (snare) talent.

An alchemical item may be rigged to a snare trap. If a creature triggers the trap, the alchemical item is activated, targeting a grid intersection adjacent to the trap chosen when it is set. If the alchemical item is a thrown splash weapon, the triggering creature is affected by the item as if it were struck directly by it. Other small items such as dyes, dusts, vials of perfume, and other items with GM permission may also be attached to a snare trap as well.

An inhaled poison may be rigged to a snare trap. If a creature triggers the trap, the first square entered (the creature’s choice if there is more than one entered simultaneously) becomes the centerpoint for the inhaled poison.

When you first gain the Trap sphere, you gain the following snare:

Tripwire (snare)

A creature that fails its save against a tripwire snare falls prone. Once knocked prone, a creature is no longer at risk of triggering the trap in that square. This trap is not destroyed when triggered; instead the duration is reduced by 5 rounds per creature that fails its save. Running and charging creatures take a -2 penalty on their Reflex saves against this trap.

Trap Talents

Alchemical Trap Master

When applying an alchemical item or poison to a trap, the save DC of the alchemical item or poison is equal to the save DC of this sphere if higher. You never risk poisoning yourself when applying a poison to a trap.

Combined Traps

You may increase the time required to place a trap by 2 steps (a move becomes a full-round, a standard becomes 1 round, and a full-round becomes 1 minute) and increase the DC of placing the trap by 5. Doing so allows you to apply a second (dart) talent to a dart trap or a second (snare) talent to a snare trap. Alternatively, you may place a dart and snare trap in the same space to be triggered simultaneously. If you possess the Trap Wielder talent and combine it with this ability, resolve each trap separately.

Expert Eye

Your experience in building and placing traps gives you insight into spotting and disarming them. You may use Craft (traps) in place of Perception when searching for traps and in place of Disable Device when disarming them.

Opportunist

Creatures that are struck by your dart trap or that fail a save against your snare trap provoke an attack of opportunity from you. You may make this attack of opportunity with a ranged weapon provided the target is within your first range increment.

Persistent Trap

You may increase the time required to set a trap to 1 minute to increase its duration to 10 minutes per point that your check exceed the placement DC. You may only place 1 trap at a time in this manner, +1 per 4 ranks in Craft (traps). If you take this talent a second time, you may increase the set time to 10 minutes to increase duration to 1 hour per point that your check exceed the placement DC.

Rapid Placement

You may expend martial focus to reduce the time required to place a trap by 1 step (10 minutes becomes 1 minute, 1 minute becomes 1 round, 1 round becomes a full-round, a full-round becomes a standard, a standard becomes a move).

Razor Wire

When you place the tripwire snare, you may choose to have it deal 1d6 slashing damage + 1d6 at 3 ranks in Craft (traps) and every 2 ranks thereafter to the triggering creature. Alchemical items cannot be added to this snare. A razor wire snare otherwise functions as a tripwire snare.

Remote Trigger

As an immediate action, when a creature comes within the area of effect of one of your traps, you may trigger a trap. Additionally, when a creature succeeds on a Reflex save to avoid triggering one of your snare traps, you may force them to reroll the save as an immediate action. You must be within close range (25 ft. plus 5 ft. per 2 ranks in Craft (traps)) of the trap to use either ability.

Trap Wielder

Sometimes the heat of battle does not allow one to properly set and camouflage a trap. Instead of placing a trap, you may attempt to immediately apply it to a creature. Doing so requires the normal action for placing the trap. As the trap is never set, creatures do not gain any bonus to AC or saves for seeing you set the trap. You may poison a trap used in this way by spending the required action to poison a weapon no more than 1 round prior to using this talent.

A dart trap may be immediately triggered, originating its line from any corner of your square. This provokes attacks of opportunity as a ranged attack.

A snare trap may be employed against any creature within your natural reach and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Trapper’s Recovery

When a creature fails a save against or takes damage from your trap and you are aware of them doing so, you may gain martial focus as an immediate action.

Trapsmith

When crafting mundane traps, you may count your daily progress in gold pieces instead of silver pieces. Additionally, you may craft magic traps even without spellcasting ability using your ranks in Craft (traps) in place of your caster level. You may substitute a Craft (traps) check in place of a Spellcraft check when doing so.

Warning

Allies who can see and hear you never trigger your traps unless they choose to.

Dart Talents

Deadly Dart (dart)

This larger dart deals slashing and piercing damage and increases the dart’s damage dice to d8. The dart’s critical threat range also improves to 19-20/x3.

Flash Trap (dart, snare)

When used as a dart, the target must make a Reflex save or suffer a 20% miss chance on all attack rolls for 1 round and dazzled for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in Craft (traps). At 10 ranks in Craft (traps), it may inflict the blinded condition rather than a miss chance.

When used as a snare, all creatures within 5 ft. of a corner of the triggering square of your choice must make a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round and dazzled for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in Craft (traps). For every 5 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess, the area of this snare increases by 5 ft. If you possess 10 or more ranks in Craft (traps), the duration of the blinded condition also increases by 1 round.

Net (dart, snare)

When used with a dart trap, a creature that is struck by your dart must make a Reflex save or become entangled. You may forgo damage to resolve this attack against touch AC. This condition lasts until the creature succeeds on a Strength or Escape Artist check against the trap’s DC or destroys the trap via damage.

When used with a snare trap, the target is entangled and unable to move from the triggering square until it succeeds on a Strength or Escape Artist check against the trap’s DC or destroys the trap via damage.

Snare Talents

Alarm Trap (snare)

Rather than producing an effect on the triggering creature, this trap instead creates a loud noise when triggered, clearly audible to all creatures within 60 ft. of the trap, +5 ft. per rank in Craft (traps) you possess. In particularly quiet places, this sound can be heard up to 3 time as far away.

Flash Trap (dart, snare)

When used as a dart, the target must make a Reflex save or suffer a 20% miss chance on all attack rolls for 1 round and be dazzled for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in Craft (traps). At 10 ranks in Craft (traps), it may inflict the blinded condition rather than a miss chance.

When used as a snare, all creatures within 5 ft. of a corner of the triggering square of your choice must make a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round and dazzled for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in Craft (traps). For every 5 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess, the area of this snare increases by 5 ft. If you possess 10 or more ranks in Craft (traps), the duration of the blinded condition also increases by 1 round.

Foam Spray (snare)

When triggered, this trap sprays a fluid that hardens on contact with air, filling the space of the trap to a height of 5 ft. with an opaque foam. This height increases by 5 ft. for every 5 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess. Creatures occupying a space filled with foam are entangled until they succeed on a Strength or Escape Artist check with a DC equal to the trap’s DC or the foam is destroyed. Alchemical foam has a hardness of 0 and each 5-ft. cube has hit points equal to your ranks in Craft (traps) x3.

Magic Trigger (snare)

You may rig a magic item that requires activation to be triggered by your snare. If the item requires a longer activation time than the time that would be required to place the trap, then the time required to place the trap increases to match the item activation time. If activating the item requires a Use Magic Device check, this check must be made as part of setting the trap. This trap is not destroyed when triggered. Each time it is triggered, it consumes one charge from the item (if it is a charged item; single use items are counted as possessing 1 charge for this purpose), destroying the trap when the remaining charges reach 0.

The duration of the trap also decreases by 5 rounds each time it is triggered. Once the trap is destroyed, any item used may be recovered, less any charges used. If the magic effect targets a creature, the triggering creature is targeted. If it targets an area, the effect originates from one corner of the square from which it was triggered (your choice). Shapes such as cones or lines must have their orientation determined when the trap is placed.

Net (dart, snare)

When used with a dart trap, a creature that is struck by your dart must make a Reflex save or become entangled. You may forgo damage to resolve this attack against touch AC. This condition lasts until the creature succeeds on a Strength or Escape Artist check against the trap’s DC or destroys the trap via damage.

When used with a snare trap, the target is entangled and unable to move from the triggering square until it succeeds on a Strength or Escape Artist check against the trap’s DC or destroys the trap via damage.

Noose (snare)

A creature that fails its Reflex save to avoid a noose snare may not move from its current location and is unable to breathe unless it succeeds on a Strength or Escape Artist check against the trap’s DC or destroys the trap via damage. For every 4 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess, an affected creature is treated as though an additional round passed each round it remains in the snare for the purposes of how long they can hold their breath. Additionally, any spell the creature attempts to cast suffers a 50% spell failure chance if it requires verbal components.

Skunk Smoke (snare)

When this trap is triggered, a 5-ft. radius from a corner of your choice of the triggering square is filled with noxious smoke. The smoke obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 ft. A creature within 5 ft. has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target). Any creature that is in the fog must make a Fortitude save or be sickened until 1d4 rounds after they leave the smoke. A creature that saves successfully must save again on any turn they remain in the smoke. If you have at least 10 ranks in Craft (traps), creatures that fail their save are instead nauseated.

For every 4 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess, the smoke remains for 1 additional minute. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the smoke in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the smoke in 1 round.

Legendary Talents

Ghost-Touch Trap

Prerequisite(s): Trap sphere.

When setting a trap, you may increase the Craft (trap) DC by +10 to treat the trap as if it possessed the ghosttouch weapon special ability. The trap becomes a supernatural effect.

Penetrating Trap

Prerequisite(s): Trap sphere, Craft (traps) 4 ranks.

Your damage-dealing traps overcome damage reduction based on your ranks in Craft (traps).

Rank DR Overcome
4+ Magic
8+ Cold Iron, Silver
12+ Adamantine
16+ Alignment (all)

Temporal Snare (snare)

Prerequisite(s): Trap sphere, Craft (traps) 15 ranks.

A creature that fails their save is forced into a state of suspended animation for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your ranks in Craft (traps). For the target, time ceases to flow, and its condition becomes fixed. The creature does not grow older, its body functions virtually cease, and no force or effect can harm it. This trap is considered a spell-like ability, and the effects can be dispelled as normal, treating your ranks in Craft (traps) as you caster level.

Thaumic Sink (dart, snare)

Prerequisite(s): Trap sphere, Craft (traps) 15 ranks.

When used with a dart trap, a creature that is struck by your dart becomes affected as if he were inside of an antimagic field, as per the spell. This effect persists for 1 round per rank in Craft (traps) you possess or until a full-round action is spent removing the dart. A dart may be removed as a standard action, but doing so inflicts damage equal to the dart’s minimum damage. When used with a snare trap, a 10-ft. radius around the triggering square is covered in an antimagic field per the spell. This effect persists for 1 round per rank in Craft (traps) you possess.

An antimagic field suppresses any spell or magical effect used within, brought into, or cast into the area, but does not dispel it. Time spent within an antimagic field counts against the suppressed spell’s duration. Summoned creatures of any type wink out if they enter an antimagic field. They reappear in the same spot once the field goes away.

This trap is a spell-like ability, using your ranks in Craft (trap) as your caster level.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Spheres of Might, © 2017, Drop Dead Studios LLC; Authors: Adam Meyers, Michael Sayre, Andrew Stoeckle, N. Jolly

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