What evil adversary doesn’t love to set awesome traps? Why not spring one on an unsuspecting character? Are you evil and tricky enough?
Traps are a lot of fun in roleplaying games and stories. Unsuspecting characters end up in a whole lot of hurt when a trigger is tripped, a spring is sprung, or a lever is lowered. Things may drop, doors may open, or walls may move. Uh oh!
This post has several menus for you to look over to build some fun traps for your narrative. Put together whatever sparks your imagination and let us know in the comments below how it helped you in your campaign design, world building, dungeon crafting, or story composition. Enjoy!
Writing Prompts for Traps
- What happens when a character realizes that they are caught in a trap halfway through the trap’s activation? Is there any way to reverse what they started? What do they do when they realize it’s too late?
- Imagine a trap is set as a prank but it goes horribly wrong. What do those who set it for a joke do when they have killed or maimed someone? Hide the truth or face the consequences?
- When an evil genius sets an elaborate trap, how do they go about enticing someone to set it off? What if they’ve designed an impressive contraption… and no one ever gets caught in it? Are they really an evil genius or just an evil idiot?
- What is it that a trap guards? What is of such interest and value for which characters will risk danger?
- How do you trap a vampire? A werewolf? A lich or demon? And what do you do once you’ve caught one?
- “And the floor gave way. He slithered through the narrow chute trying to grip something. There was a long second of silence as he broke through. Then he thudded to the floor of the cave, breathless.”
- Imagine you get caught in a confining trap? No one knows you’re there. What goes through your mind as you sit… and wait… for the end? Do you go insane? (this actually gives me anxiety just thinking about it!)
- What kind of mechanism powers your trap? Think about some of the mechanics, circuitry, and structure and sketch it out!
- How great is a story where someone sets a trap… and later on gets caught in it them self. Write it!
- What kinds of traps would insectoid, arachnid, reptoid, avian, or aquatic creatures set for one another? Or for humans? Plot an adventure with adversaries like these for your characters!
- What constructs, golems, monsters, robots, or animated objects could you use in a trap? Write a story about it!
Types of Traps
- contraption, rig, set up, plant, operation, design, machination, mechanism,
- booby trap, dead-fall, snare,
- bait, set, lure,
- sticky strip, mousetrap, rat trap, humane trap,
- decoy, diversion, attraction, distraction,
- poison, gas, powder, dust,
- explosive, shock, bang, crack!
- magic effect, spell, summon, charm, illusion,
- field, array, beam,
- rope, cord, net, wire, mesh, noose, loop,
- hook, grapple,
- arrow, dart, spear, bolt, projectile, bullet, shot,
- blinding, flash, zap,
- diversion, trick, misdirection,
- spikes, caltrop, marbles,
- pit, spiked pit, tunnel, gravity, slide, chute,
- shifting walls, floor,
- dropping ceiling, closing walls, shifting walls, falling bookcase,
- swinging floor, false floor,
- gate, rift, hole, space, channel,
- vacuum, suction, fan, intake, exhaust, blower,
- needle, pin, prick, point,
- fountain, pool, basin, tub,
- alcove, closet, inset, recess,
- swinging blades, scythe, sickle,
- animated vines, tentacles, grabbers,
- animated statues, robots, cyborgs,
- message, note, magic writing,
- mechanical, electrical, magnetic,
- infectious, bacterial, viral, invasive species looking for host,
- swarm traps: bees or wasps, red ants, poison centipedes,
- released monster, cage opens, door unlatched,
- slide trap to other room, to pit, to monster’s lair,
- mancatcher: shackle, chain, clasp, binding, cuffs,
- illusion, hologram, veil,
- blast, burst, explosion, implosion,
- rain, hail, water trapped, water filling room, water chute, trap door opening to a river (or moat, sea, bay, shark tank, piranha pool),
- dropping objects, murder hole, arrow slit, boiling oil, rubble, cave in, landslide, dead-fall,
- cage, portcullis, enclosure, cell, jail, prison, dungeon, oubliette,
- flame, electricity, negative energy
- ray, beam, laser,
- ballista, arquebus, gun, automated sentry, rigged trigger,
Trap Parts
- spring, strut, band, tensioner, elastic, pulley, chain, rope, cable, belt, ring, string,
- trigger, bolt, catch, release, hold, pin, hammer, lock, safety,
- weights, balances, ballast, fulcrum, rocker, balance scale, counterweight, counter load,
- axle, gear, cog, wheel, shaft, pin, post, pole, beam, column, drive train, cam, sprocket,
- drill, screw, twist, gyrating posts, swivel
- lever, switch, trigger, trip (wire, switch, line), key, keystone, button, plate,
- pit, sewer, hole, abyss, chasm, rift, portal, tunnel, cavern, crevasse,
- precipice, edge, balcony, ledge, brim, pinnacle, top, apex
- notch, hole, nick, scratch,
- bolt, nut, nail, screw, pin, peg, brad, rivet, stud, clasp, tie, buckle, pin, joint, fastener,
- magnet, electromagnetic force, energy, field, array, wave, resonance, reverberation, fluctuation,
- hook, barb, fluke, grappling iron, grapnel, catch, burr,
- spike, stake, post, pole,
- grade, angle, slope, slide, chute,
- steel plate, wooden platform, stone dais,
- altar, stand, dais, platform, lectern, pedestal,
- channel, vat, cauldron, bowl, basin, tub,
- rig, set up, action, outfit, apparatus, fixture, arrangement,
- dowel, rod, cam, cylinder, shaft, disc,
- statue, figure, idol,
- magic writing, runes, emblem, insignia, symbol, circle, warning, note, sign,
- water wheel, windmill,
- bomb, explosive, torpedo, rocket, missile,
- knife, arrow, sickle, blade, spikes, rocks, stones, pellets, bolts, nails, pins, barbs, hooks, iron blocks, bricks, caltrops, marbles, darts, spears, claws,
- poison, creature, monster, venom, golem, animated object, undead watcher, statue sentinel, bugs, vermin, rodents
- candle, flame, fire, torch, match, gasoline,
- timers: hourglass (filled with sand, beans, rice), mechanical clock, gravity timer, insane rat chewing through a rope, water timer, fire burning a piece of timber, steam timer
- timber, stone, steel, metal, iron,
- lava, molten lead, molten gold, steam
- food, water, nourishment, liquid, meal, sustenance,
- tension, compression,
- force, energy, mana, strength, aura, dwimmer,
Trap Triggers
- wire, line, pull cord, cable, string,
- pressure switch, weighted line, balance scale,
- light switch, power button, key pad, ignition switch,
- lever, crank, pull switch, handle, button,
- code word, set of symbols, combination, arrangement,
- book, skull, toy, object,
- phone off the hook, ringing phone, phone call, electronic message,
- rainfall, heavy snow, falling dirt,
- footsteps, breath, the living, the dead,
- disturbance, alteration, change,
- an opening door, a turning knob, a pulled handle, a door knocker,
- candle, light, ray of sunlight, moonlight, heat, flashlight, laser light, infrared beam, interrupted beam,
- amulet, token, talisman, locket, gem, jewel, gold ring, signet,
- carved stone, carved wood, tusk, a phallus,
- box, chest, case,
- door, panel, hinge, latch, handle, knob,
- lid, cover, top,
- lock, key,
- pouch, bag, sack, pack,
- sensor: heat, pressure, odour, magic, movement, images,
Trap Actions
- trigger, spring, activate, shoot, fire, operate, animate, trip, start, affect, kick into gear, start up,
- release, let go, undo, open, reveal,
- spew, emit, burp, puke, bubble, ooze, slime, grease, oil, foam, froth,
- snap, break, split, sunder, bust,
- close, shut, clam up, snap to, reinforce, seal,
- spin, twist, turn, flip, gyrate, rotate, pivot,
- kick, thump, punch, whack, strike,
- zing, zap, electrocute, burn, explode, implode
- tense, compress, impact, crush, stretch, expand, recoil, kick back, collapse
- speak, talk, utter, mouth, sing, bellow, shriek, call, yell, phone, radio, signal,
- grab, net, pin, clasp, hold, entangle, snare,
- recoil, return, retract, reset, resist, repel, restart, reverberate,
- ring, clang, gong, buzz, snap, whistle, shriek, scream, wail, whir,
- alert, alarm, awaken,
- drop, fall, plummet,
- freeze, chill, corrode, burn, eat away, erode, dissolve,
- destory, obliterate, eliminate, exterminate, eradicate,
- kill, maim, injury, delimb, decapitate,
- rumble, ripple, rattle, churn, stir,
- arc, bend, flex, sag, curve, deflect, round, yaw, creak, crook, crease, curve, bow,
- edge, angle, creep, seep, ooze, slip,
Particular Traps to Tinker with…
Look at some of these ideas and tweak them to fit your narrative needs…
- A chair tilts back with the floor on an axle and dumps the victim into a pit while a new chair swings up and resets the trap – lever or switch to trigger.
- A heavy branch fashioned with wooden spikes is pulled back and set in place. When a foot hits a stick under leaves, it looses the spring-loaded limb into the main path.
- A ball of poisonous centipedes drops from the ceiling when a trip line is tugged by an errant foot
- every ten minutes, the room shifts, walls change, ceiling and floor pieces rise or fall, stairs appear, doors vanish, shafts open,
- A portcullis drops or a door slams shut trapping a character… then, slowly, another door opens and a nasty beast of some kind comes into the room to feed!
- A love potion/powder/gas slowly seeps into the room.
- Food is laid out on a table… but the dessert is laden with sleeping potion.
- A skull lies in the midst of scattered bones; if it is disturbed it triggers a magic gate to open and a serpent spirit enters the room as a guardian.
- In a library, many books are safe but one. When removed from its place an alarm rings and protectors of a secret order swoop in.