Ok. I'm a "newbie" DM so these are probably going to be easy questions for you. You folks are always so awesome in your specific replies and so quick to answer, that I doubt you will mind such easy questions.
Question #1:
I'm trying to set up a proximity alarm spell perception check, pg 416 CRB, so this would be a perception check of 26? Is it Dc 15+ spell level or DC25+ spell level. On page 417 it states it both ways for a perception check?
This alarm spell would start a count down of time for the party to solve a riddle. If the party solves the riddle before 1 minute then the summon monster VI would not happen.
How do I set up the magical trap disable device 25+5th level Summon Monster spell (a salamander CR 6=30? Some of the monsters on the summon monster V spell are CR 6.
How does the rouge finds this trap? How does he disarm it? What's the CR for this trap?
Most importantly does a party of 7 with an APL of 4 before adding in the extra two players (there are four players at 4th level and three players at third level) mean this is too much for them to handle? It would be a Summon Monster V (salamander CR 6).
How do I figure up the XP for this trap and monster?
When looking at the sample traps on page 420 of CRB it shows a Summon Monster VI Trap example. It states that a Summon Monster VI, summons 1 Large elemental. How ever, when looking at the Summon Monster V! spell list on page 351 the six level spell list shows a HUGE elemental?
Perception DC for magical traps is 25+ Spell Level.
Disable Device DC is 25 + Spell Level.
Anyone can find the trap with a successful Perception check, only the Rogue can disable it. There are no rules for the specific process involved in detecting or disabling traps - if the dice come up good, the character is considered to have done whatever they need to find or disable it.
The CR for magical traps is 1+ Spell Level.
Assuming you use Summon Monster V...
Perception: 30
Disable: 30
CR: 6
XP: 2,400 (see Table 12-2 on p398 of the CRB)
Perception DC for magical traps is 25+ Spell Level.
Disable Device DC is 25 + Spell Level.
Anyone can find the trap with a successful Perception check, only the Rogue can disable it. There are no rules for the specific process involved in detecting or disabling traps - if the dice come up good, the character is considered to have done whatever they need to find or disable it.
The CR for magical traps is 1+ Spell Level.
Assuming you use Summon Monster V...
Perception: 30
Disable: 30
CR: 6
XP: 2,400 (see Table 12-2 on p398 of the CRB)
Chemlak thanks for the info. You've been a big help!
Chemlak thanks for the info. You've been a big help!Perception DC for magical traps is 25+ Spell Level.
Disable Device DC is 25 + Spell Level.
Anyone can find the trap with a successful Perception check, only the Rogue can disable it. There are no rules for the specific process involved in detecting or disabling traps - if the dice come up good, the character is considered to have done whatever they need to find or disable it.
The CR for magical traps is 1+ Spell Level.
Assuming you use Summon Monster V...
Perception: 30
Disable: 30
CR: 6
XP: 2,400 (see Table 12-2 on p398 of the CRB)
Wouldn't the APL of the party be 5? The party average (see above) is 4+1 for extra players. The group of players will be 6.
A note: the reason the DC is 30 is because you use the highest level spell in the trap to calculate the DCs. Most often the spell in the trap is higher level than alarm, but for alarm alone, 26 would be correct.
Most importantly does a party of 7 with an APL of 4 before adding in the extra two players (there are four players at 4th level and three players at third level) mean this is too much for them to handle? It would be a Summon Monster V (salamander CR 6).
How do I figure up the XP for this trap and monster?
When looking at the sample traps on page 420 of CRB it shows a Summon Monster VI Trap example. It states that a Summon Monster VI, summons 1 Large elemental. How ever, when looking at the Summon Monster V! spell list on page 351 the six level spell list shows a HUGE elemental?
The CR of the Salamander isn't relevant, since it's limited by the trap (Caster Level 9 for a 5th level spell will summon it for 9 rounds, so if the PCs can just avoid dying, it leaves on its own). With 7 players, you can safely assume they can handle "normal" encounters of CR=APL+1, which would make this a "Challenging" encounter for that party. At full power, or after only one encounter since their last rest, they should be okay. Just take a quick look at their AC, hit point and save DCs compared to what the Salamander can throw at them and take from them. It's a bit of an art form, but if they can hit it with a 13+, not get hit more than 70% of the time, and have it fail saves about half the time (+/- 15-20%), then they'll be fine. If they've had other encounters before this one, though, it could be rough on them.
The monster has no XP at all, since it is factored into the trap itself.
And that line in the CRB is in error. PRD (that's the Pathfinder System Reference Document, in case you didn't know) shows the Summon Monster VI trap pulling 1d3 Large elementals, or 1 Huge elemental, as you found.