New GM - question about traps

[Nidmm]

Hi all,
New GM, about to have players possibly encounter Scythe Blades. My question is, if a players rolls a stealth DC17 or do they see a clue that stops them from tiggering the weapons?

[zevonian]

What system are you using? Usually spotting a clue regarding a potential trap would fall under some sort of Perception or Investigation type of check. So maybe you ask the player, "Hey while you're sneaking around, how about you tell me what all you're doing as you sneak?" Then decide what check they need to make.

[jj_wolven]

In most d20 based systems Stealth has nothing to do with spotting traps, it is as zev said. They only get an automatic roll without actively looking if they have an ability like the rogues.

-me

[Nidmm]

Originally Posted by zevonian

What system are you using? Usually spotting a clue regarding a potential trap would fall under some sort of Perception or Investigation type of check. So maybe you ask the player, "Hey while you're sneaking around, how about you tell me what all you're doing as you sneak?" Then decide what check they need to make.

Thanks so much Zevonian for reaching out. (And thank you as well for letting me know about the old thread that I asked the same question I posed here. I wasn't sure where to ask it to find assistance, so I took a shot.)

I am running Pathfinder 2e game.

The players and I figured out the perception for that.

I was wondering, if you had any thoughts about an encounter that will be happening next Monday.

The players are in a hollowed out mountain and will be engaging with a dragon, I have difficulties with spatial awareness. How big should the cave be? The dragon is large when I looked it up, Archives of Nethys talks about the creature being taking up a 10'by 10' space...can't visualize that...but how big should the cave be?

[Nidmm]

Originally Posted by jj_wolven

In most d20 based systems Stealth has nothing to do with spotting traps, it is as zev said. They only get an automatic roll without actively looking if they have an ability like the rogues.

-me

Thank you for touching base and helping me with that jj wolven.

[zevonian]

Typical mapping is 5' x 5' squares. So, if you're using miniatures, where one character takes up one square, the dragon would take up 4 squares, as in two by two.

No minis? No worries. Get a piece of graph paper. Pencil in a two by two section of the paper. That's your dragon base. Draw wings and a tail on it for fun if you want. Now, think of how much room the dragon would need to stretch its wings, count it's treasure. Draw a circle, or oval, to designate the cave. You need the whole paper? Use the whole paper. That's how big your cave is if you want it.

[Nidmm]

Originally Posted by zevonian

Typical mapping is 5' x 5' squares. So, if you're using miniatures, where one character takes up one square, the dragon would take up 4 squares, as in two by two.

No minis? No worries. Get a piece of graph paper. Pencil in a two by two section of the paper. That's your dragon base. Draw wings and a tail on it for fun if you want. Now, think of how much room the dragon would need to stretch its wings, count it's treasure. Draw a circle, or oval, to designate the cave. You need the whole paper? Use the whole paper. That's how big your cave is if you want it.

Thanks so much for the advice, I am off to grab paper and stretch my stick dragon art skills

Much appreciated.

[orcbane]

Here's an excellent guide to good Traps, including 3 things all traps should have:
At least one part of it is immediately visible.
It allows interaction and investigation.
it has impactful consequences for the victim.

Full blog post: https://www.bastionland.com/2018/08/34-good-traps.html

[theslayer]

I want to know what traps I can use for a warfare/tomarrow war campaign (It involves monsterous white spikes)