I am trying to create a flame trap that will fill a hallway. However, my creations are nowhere near the CR to a similar trap in the book. Then I decided to check the pre-gen traps. When I use the trap creation rules on page 423, I can't even recreate the sample burning hands trap (page 420) at the same CR.
This is what I come up with for the burning hands trap on page 420:
magic trap base CR: 1 (as per page 423)
Spell level CR mod: +1 (as per table 13-4)
Proximity Trigger mod: +1
Perception CR mod: +2 (DC 26)
Disable Device CR mod: +2 (DC 26)
Reflex Save CR mod: -1 (DC 11)
Damage/effect CR mod: +2 (5 rounded to the nearest 10, then doubled for multiple targets)
That's a CR 8, not the CR 2 listed for the trap.
Is there a typo, or am I doing something wrong?
Well it seems the magic trap base is redundant with the perception and disable device since all magical traps have that dc i believe.
here we go:For a magic trap, only one modifier applies to the CR—
either the level of the highest-level spell used in the trap,
or the average damage figure, whichever is larger. pg 423 last paragraph under average damage.so the only things you need to add up are damage/effect reflex save adn proximity for a 2cr :)
Thanks, I see that now. Any suggestions on how I should set the perception and disable device DC for the trap I'm creating?
That would actually affect the CR of the trap. Check page 422 of the Core Rule Book, or check Here.
That would actually affect the CR of the trap. Check page 422 of the Core Rule Book, or check Here.
I saw that, which is EXACTLY what propted this thread. If you add those mods, then the CR doesn't match the sample traps.
Is it mechanical or magic? If magic it's 25+ the spell level for both. If mechanical consult ye olde charts--Crushing Vrock Trap
Thanks. I don't see that anywhere.
It does bring up the point that you get more "bang" for your CR "buck" with magic traps. Trying to do the same thing mechanically (same damage, Perception, and Disable Device) seems to result in a higher CR. Perhaps that is by design, since some characters have a bonus to their magic saves or magic resistance, but no one has a bonus to just their non-magic saves.
Then again, some DR is only overcome by magic, but not many PCs have that type of DR, and the CR system is designed to approximate the threat to PCs, not monsters.
OK, last thing...
Automatic resets. They do or don't affect the CR of a magic trap? Common sense says that they should, but the text seems clear that "only one modifier applies" to a magic trap.
It does bring up the point that you get more "bang" for your CR "buck" with magic traps. Trying to do the same thing mechanically (same damage, Perception, and Disable Device) seems to result in a higher CR. Perhaps that is by design, since some characters have a bonus to their magic saves or magic resistance, but no one has a bonus to just their non-magic saves.
There is that pesky at will detect magic thing that makes magic traps easier to detect unless specifically protected against it.
A mechanical trap simulating a magical effect wouldn't carry any aura.