I suppose it depends what you think “mechanics” are. Obviously 3.Xe is crazy crunch heavy, but you are going to be writing mostly mechanics whether or not you think you are, IMO. Maybe its just my 3e-formatted brain, but area of effect, dmg, trigger, how to avoid (saves, etc) all SOUND like mechanics to me.
Edit: on a re-read of my post, many of these descriptors can/will be universal, and only some will be edtion specific, so yeah, you’re probably right @IAmGiff.
One fun resource I found for mental trap ideas was the webcomic Goblins.
Between his “Tempts Fate” shorts, comments, and the series itself, he’s come up with all sorts of heinously complex trap ideas. Annoyingly, they’re all very heavily magic-based.
All sort of traps could be designed with teleport triggers for people and objects, phasing objects could work easily well in many cases. If you tigger floor to phase out for 1 second and then return to solid for instance. There is also the possibility of some very interesting telepathic traps either directly effecting the PCs in harmful ways or causing them to do really stupid things, you can actually get single target illusions with telepathy.
Found this thread while I was getting set up for my own campaign!
Some traps I was thinking about were things about were things like:
Salt Acid traps
This one jumps out to me because I loved The Mummy (1999). Using this kind of trap may be good for ruins to add in certain vibes. Opening a sarcophagus or chest without checking releasing this pressurized substance could fit nicely in places suited for Silt
Psionic Gates
Given the idea of a lock or “testing” people, the idea of a point of entry requiring powered Cognizance Crystals is a fun one. If for instance the design requires the doorway itself to be lifted, or something moved, the crystals would be discharged over time to activate a levitating effect. Powering the gates less than optimally proves the person is too weak to open the gate and the power is wasted. However enough Manifesters working together could get it open, but then they have exhausted collective resources to get inside
Psionic Glyph of Warding
This one is from 3.5 D&D’s Complete Psion, but the concept is still sound. In a world where Psionics is more predominant it may be more beneficial to substitute otherwise magical affects with Psionic ones. In this case, where people may hire a Manifester to trap or secure something, if not the character securing their own goods. Depending on interpretation, it could allow the Manifester to store up to 3rd level powers. Combining this with something like Molecular Bonding could be amusing, as then the would be thief could become attached to the floor, the door, or whatever object they were interacting with. Of course, there are more damaging options.
A Wall of Fire
This one could be fun to make as a trick. Having it be permanent is easy enough. There is are ways to penetrate resistances and immunities for the fire. It would not be impossible to make it so that someone that takes damage by the fire cannot cross the fire. Then with the temple test being something according to, “To see the heart of fire give yourself to the flame” meaning they have to leave all their weapons, armor, and equipment to go through the fire or else they will not be able to cross it. Of course it could be disabled with a dispel magic but hey. (Idea adapted from Dragon Age: Origins)
Banshees
Dwarves are in an interesting place in Dark Sun. Having a sect of dwarves dedicated to the protection of a location is not a trap, but it is however a good way to keep someone out of a sacred place, provided the sanctity of that location is their highest priority. Any party attempting to get through may find the “lost ruins” acting against them as an aged trapsmith continues to use the locations defenses against them, if not active conflict. Proving themselves as worthy may be a trick of matching criteria the party has no idea as the customs have long since been forgotten or lost.
Talking Heads
As a “key” to a dungeon, ruin, or the like, this item could prove to be a handy reward after the endeavor was over. The Head may know secrets about how to uncover ways forward and proceed deeper to where the party wishes to go. However, locking it behind someone “worthy” is a fun way to get the party to try to prove themselves for the knowledge they seek. This would be a deviant from the standard ‘Talking Head’ described in the Faces of the North pdf, having enough personality to prove someone worthy of its knowledge (mechanically it could be represented as having enough ranks in a skill, skill challenge, alignment restrictions, or however else one might prove themselves “worthy”). Or of course, if the DM wanted to have it more complicated and sentient, that’s according to the table.
Leap of Faith
Reminiscent of the Wall of Fire idea, this one is a bit more of a psionic take to the same principle. The entrance to an area is secretly beneath a wall of ectoplasm. The natural ebb and flow of the weather has covered it, making it seem normal earth at the bottom of a pit. To enter the area, the petitioner must leap off the edge of a cliff and into the pit. The ectoplasm stretches, worked to form a net. The impact carries them through to the other side as the “barrier” reforms. Added complications could be that over the years, boulders and the like have gotten in the way, making it more dangerous than its initial design. However, they could still be moved to fix the issue.
Light the Way
Another “prove yourself worthy” concept. A small test to cast a light spell on plant to make it glow. Use of fire or defiling magic to cast a light source causes the area to become hostile, protected say by elementals or plant based creatures hidden within the nooks of this area. People with Darkvision are less inclined to use light, meaning they would likely get attacked for not passing the trial. They would be able to possibly see the monsters waiting for them to mess up, but if they prove themselves they can continue deeper into the sheltered area.
Psionic Locks
Psionic Tattoos could prove to be keys to locks or glyphs. Tattoo Animation as a psionic power could be used to move the tattoo to the hand or palm, then using that as the appropriate matching “glyph” to get through the passage. Make it taboo for the glyph to be on the hand, as that gives away its real intent, so the user has to put it away afterwards, moving it to another location after the use.
Outdoors, I manly use terrain and plant-based traps. I prefer to think of plants as traps rather than monsters as in some editions. The use of vegetation and terrain as potential hazards or help (pushing an enemy into an entangling plant for example) can really add a new dynamic to outdoor combats.
It also rewards characters with nature/botanist skills.
Barrier/obstacle type : thorny bushes, seeds of trees that act as marbles on stone terrains making the ground slippery (grease equivalent), shards or thick and pointed grass equivalent to caltrops, tree sap acting as a tanglefoot bag or making the ground slippery as per grease spell, vine or ivy acting as the entangle spell, quicksand, etc. I have some trees with fruits that can fall and explode like a tanglefoot bags because of the vibrations made in vicinity of them (with move silently checks to avoid a fall of fruits).
Passive hazard type : plants that can cause damage when you enter in contact with them (sharp leaves, thorns) possibly with poison (damage poison, paralysis poison), or toxic gaz liberation when you touch them.
Active hazard type : plants that can detect the presence of creatures within a distance, and that can react “defensively” : thorns projection, stinking cloud projection, acid spray (all around or in a specific direction), psychoactive scent with a fear effect.
Some plants can also react to lure their victims to them : a psychoactive scent attracting nearby victims to the cistern part of the plant filled with digestive fluids.
Terrain-based, I’ve used random flashes of steam from cracks in volcanic terrain and some caves, causing damage to nearby creatures (roll a die at the beginning of each round to determine where the steam will come out, or not at all).
Indoors, I don’t use that much traps (cfr Dragon Magazine 227 “Making dungeons real is half the game”). When I do, most of them are mechanical, with some magical/clerical if there is a mage/cleric, to protect his quarters or possessions. The exception being old tombs/catacombs that were sealed ages ago when magic was plentiful, and trapped so that no one could access the place.
In a practical point of view, I use the mechanical traps without modification from the base rules most of the time. Only the materials used are different : hardwoods, wood with strong spring capacity, bone, ivory, stone, etc. Without proper tools (specialised metal tools), breaking hardwood can be very tricky. They can withstand much abuse and be used for metal replacements in many fields, even bearing and gears (for example : Lignum vitae - Wikipedia). Some hardwoods are so dense they won’t even float. Likewise, I don’t change the stats of locks.
If I have some free time and some of you are interested, I can try to put what I have in a more complete document (3.5 rules), with examples of trap plants.
The traps on Athas are deadly and very elaborate; however, rarely are they are inanimate-objects; most of the time, a trap would be an Elf offering you a cup of, “Wine”, or a guide that knows of an ancient stash of steal-swords, only to lead the you to slavers awaiting in ambush to a Templar that has you do a task, only to have you accused of treason when it’s time to pay you.
