Hellish Encounters and Traps.

[bigrig107]

Hey, all.
I literally need Hellish encounters and traps. Taking my party to the Nine Levels of Hell to hunt down an escaped Lich.
He's taking refuge in a tower like thing that spans the first three levels of Hell, so most any devil/undead works. And maybe a few wandering monster encounters, too.
Their APL is 17, with 6 level 16 characters.
I'd like the traps to be statted up (Save DCs, damage, type, trigger.)
Taking any and all suggestions.

[Nebten]

A Paladin In Hell

Take what you want out of it, convert to Pathfinder and you'll be golden.

[bigrig107]

Thanks, but the game session is closer than how long that would take to do.
and, i have no experience converting, so i prefer not to.
I do, however, have Bestiaries 1,2,3, and BotD-Princes of Darkness.
So i have the stats, just looking for ideas.

[I Hate Nickelback]

You will find under organization in a higher ranking devil (ice devils come to mind) particular formations of devils that could be found, perhaps terrorizing some lemures. You may find that some organizations of them may prove useful.

Just realized how vague I was. I meant under organization in a monster's stat block in the bestiary.

[bigrig107]

Any trap ideas? Or more information on "natural" encounters?

[Claxon]

1. Go to the PRD
2. Cick on Bestiaries
3. Click on Monsters by Terrain
4. Scroll down to Planar (Hell—Lawful Evil)
5.?
6. Profit

[Artanthos]

Something like this really needs to be tailored to the individual party if it is to be challenging without being overwhelming.

Traps for example. Does the group have a dedicated rogue or is the wizard using low level summons for advance scouting?

How heavily optimized is the party? A highly optimized group will cakewalk through content that would tpk an unoptimized group.

[Peasant]

Don't neglect your higher level demons and daemons. Any might breach the layers of Hell for any old purpose, bringing with them vast hordes or elite minions.

As for traps...
The oubliette is for all intents and purposes the classic pit trap, spruced up to employ some of the elements of Hell. Artfully concealed by sulfurous, low-hanging mists and distorted by the flickering heat of the baked plain, it may have been constructed to defend an important strategic position or simply to torture the Lemures. Victims fall a short distance into the rushing waters of the River Lethe (the river of forgetfullness) and onto a forest of wicked spearheads that seem almost to rise up in anticipation of fresh prey. Those who survive the fall must then contend with the bed of lodestone which runs the length of the channel, the current which attempts to drag them into the airless dark and, lest we forget, the effects of the mystical waters themselves.

Oubliette ~CR 16 (CR 14 for the pit + CR 15 for the Lethe at bottom)
Type: Mechanical & Magical Perception DC: 40 Disable DC: 20
Trigger: location Reset: automatic reset
Effects: 20' deep pit (2d6 falling damage); devilish lances(Atk +20 melee; 2d4 spears per target for 2d6 damage each +2d6 Bleed); DC 35 Will or Confused until free of the water and for 1d6x10 minutes thereafter; DC 30 Reflex avoids; multiple targets (all targets in a 10'x30' rectangle); see also the effects of loadstone, fast currents, suffocation

You could also reskin and slightly tweak a number of basic traps to add flavor. For example, from the samples in the core book, placing a visual trigger on the Crushing Stone Trap transforms it into a sort of anti-aircraft/anti-personnel emplacement (CR 16).

I would also never expect a better opportunity to use Trap The Soul as a passive trap. Devils are well suited for the sort of divination that would identify troublemakers in their realm and any odd item of treasure can be turned into a trigger for that spell. All the better if the gem into which the soul is bound is itself part of some precious magic item the party would prefer to loot. Incidentally, a trigger item for Trap the Soul left out in the open is basically CR 9... essentially not worth calling a threat.