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If a magic traps that casts targeted spells (slow, chain lightning, erc) what senses does it use to target addition targets past the one that set off the trap?
Let's say, for instance, the following happens. A party is moving through a dungeon. The rogue is hiding, the wizard is flying and invisible, and the cleric and barbarian are walking along. The barbarian decides to suddenly run a head of the party (maybe he saw a squirrel? ) and triggers a magical trap that would catch the whole party in its AoE. Can the trap target the rogue and/or the wizard?
I'm thinking it can't, but I don't see any rule for that.
The Core Rulebook covers this in the Environment chapter:
"
A trap's trigger determines how it is sprung.
Location: A location trigger springs a trap when someone stands in a particular square.
Proximity: This trigger activates the trap when a creature approaches within a certain distance of it. A proximity trigger differs from a location trigger in that the creature need not be standing in a particular square. Creatures that are flying can spring a trap with a proximity trigger but not one with a location trigger. Mechanical proximity triggers are extremely sensitive to the slightest change in the air. This makes them useful only in places such as crypts, where the air is unusually still.
The proximity trigger used most often for magic device traps is the alarm spell. Unlike when the spell is cast, an alarm spell used as a trigger can have an area that's no larger than the area the trap is meant to protect.
Some magic device traps have special proximity triggers that activate only when certain kinds of creatures approach. For example, a detect good spell can serve as a proximity trigger on an evil altar, springing the attached trap only when someone of good alignment gets close enough to it."
AoE effects don't typically care whether you're hiding, flying, or whatnot. The classic example of an AoE is of course a fireball spell, which is defined as a "20-ft.-radius spread." Lay out spread pattern with a radius of twenty feet and everything caught within is affected, regardless of whether it's flying, invisible, incorporeal, holding its breath, painted greed, or wearing a lucky rabbit's foot.
This is of course different from the "trigger," which requires that certain specified effects must take place -- for example, you can fly over a tripwire (or climb along the ceiling) and miss it. But invisibility wouldn't protect you from a tripwire and the fly spell won't protect you from magical sensors such as alarm or detect good.
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I understand about triggering the trap and AoE hitting the party. I'm talking about spells that specifically have to choose a target besides the one who triggered it. In the example I gave we will add that the trap casts chain lightning. Obviously the barbarian would be targeted by the spell and so would the cleric. Would the rogue or wizard be a target, since you have to be able to see then to be able to select then as a target. Similar to a wizard casting the sane spell. He can't target something he can't see with that spell.
traps can't see, so they couldn't target. So it's a bad spell choice.
traps can't see, so they couldn't target. So it's a bad spell choice.
except that they do target, all the time.
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Generally traps with targeted spells use spells like Clairvoyance or True Seeing as their proximity trigger. This enables the trap to see the targets in order to select them with the spell.
This also means that some traps are not able to target invisible creatures, and you can bypass certain magic traps with a high enough stealth check (because the trap didn't notice you). The trap's perception modifier is dependent on the spell used to grant the trap it's senses (vision, hearing, etc.).
You need to be clear about what the trigger actually is.
Proximity triggers don't need to see you, they detect creatures in the same way as the alarm spell - i.e. pretty much anything that isn't ethereal or astral.
Visual triggers can be fooled by invisibility or darkness without upgrading it with trueseeing or darkvision respectively.
