please excuse my wandering thoughts on this subject... I've been thinking about how to make "traps" more fun in the game... so this post is a little be disjointed...
The mechanic for overcoming a trap in PF First Edition was reduced to a couple of skill checks. Is this good? maybe, but picture doing the same for a combat challange.
Combat as a Pair of skill checks:
Player A - "Crud, another fight. Ok, bring up the Tank."
Tank Player - "I move up to the doorway. I got a +14 Offence, so when I take 10 I get a 24. Oh, and Defense is +12."
Archer Player rolling dice and getting at least a 10 - "And I aid the offence for a +2! Makes a 26!"
Cleric Player also rolling - "I also aid on Defense, so +2 for a +14 Defense, and I have already cast the spell 'defense boost' for another +4 making it +18 Defense"
Judge - "Great, +14 Offence handles them in 2 rounds, and with the Defense of +18 you guys need 12 points of post combat healing and remember to spend the 2 arrows Archer. Now that you're past the combat and can move on into the room you see...."
That's basically what traps have become. In fact, often that is what Diplomacy (and most Social) Challenges have become... Can we fix them so they are more "fun" for everyone playing the game? Is there a way to do this? I don't know, but here's a few random suggestions to think about.
1) More varied skill checks. Maybe while being shot at (so we can't take 10). Got 10 rounds to disable the trap? Does it have 7 parts? Do you have to Climb/Swim/Acrobatics as part of it? Seven rolls, while the entire party tries to aid/Guidance/block enemy attacks/do something! Traps where the "disarming" involves some input and decisions on the part of the all or at least most of the players... Keep all the PCs on their toes because the trap is not over with just one roll, and everyone has some buy-in (not just the skill-monkey), some "skin in the game". "Careful moving past the trigger, I was only able to disable it on the 'red' floor tiles" - "I pick up and carry our klutzy Halfling with the big feet..." ...I'd love to see players sit down at the table and ask each other - "so, how does your PC plan to help with the traps?".
2) Traps as alarms. This is a change in the way Authors often use traps (some have started doing this now). The BBE sets up a trap outside his door. If the PCs find and bypass or disable it, they (maybe) get surprise. This worked well in a resent scenario. Also, in another scenario, if the PCs set off a trap the next encounter has warning that they are there. But it seems that often, traps are just lone encounters with no real addition to the adventure. Heck - often Haunts are like that too.
3) different levels of "success". In PF 1e we have the ability to bypass or re-program a trap if the Skill-monkey is good enough... but so what? We never get anything for it... Can we have some traps that matter if you turn them off rather than just disable them? And perhaps better ways to do that. Perhaps with input from other party members? "Hay, Mr. Wizard. Do you have Detect Magic? Can you read me what the Arcane Mark on this door says? In Common this time...". And then the rogue can turn them back on. The party shuts off a trap, moves past it and re-arms it, so that when the BBE calls in his Guards - they set the trap off.
4) Traps in the middle of combat. See the big orc at the end of the hall? why is he shooting a crossbow rather than charging you with his great ax? Because there is a pit-trap in front of him, and he wants YOU to charge into it. Again this is an Author thing that can be written into the scenario...
5) Traps that aren't really traps, that are more of a "thinking" challenge. A "Puzzle" challenge. Or perhaps that give the PCs an advantage later in the scenario if they overcame the challenge... perhaps a nice "prize" if they were disarmed "correctly". (How about a magical bear-trap that conceals itself when set? Perhaps with invisibility? Find it like you would an Invisible creature - with Glitterdust, Powder, splashing water on it, whatever - then "disarm" it, only to find it on the Chronicle for later use in another scenario.
6) Traps that are part of the loot. As you come to the final door - the BBE is waiting for you behind it, and you... notice the very fine lock on the door. In fact, it's an excellent example of Ancient Azlanti workmanship in bronze with silver inlays. (Exchange player: "It would be worth a pretty penny if we got it out intact - with the key the BBE has...". Grand Lodge player "It should be in a Museum!"...). So - do you just break it down? or pick the lock? or spell cast past it or... so many things...
anyway... just some random thoughts... thanks for your time!
