Hazards and Obstacles

Walls

Typical Wall Type	Thickness	Break DC	Hardness	Hit Points*	Climb DC
Masonry	1 ft.	35	8	90 hp	15
Superior masonry	1 ft.	35	8	90 hp	20
Reinforced masonry	1 ft.	45	8	180 hp	15
Hewn stone	3 ft.	50	8	540 hp	22
Unworked stone	5 ft.	65	8	900 hp	20
Iron	3 ft.	30	10	90 hp	25
Paper	Paper-thin	1	–	1 hp	30
Wood	6 in.	20	5	60 hp	21
Magically treated**	–	+20	x2	x2†	–

* Per 10-ft.-by-10-ft. section.
** These modifiers can be applied to any of the other categories and types.
† or 50, whichever is greater.

Doors

Typical Door Type	Thickness	Hardness	Hit Points*	Break DC: Stuck	Break DC: Locked
Simple wooden	1 in.	5	10 hp	13	15
Good wooden	1 1/2 in.	5	15 hp	16	18
Strong wooden	2 in.	5	20 hp	23	25
Stone	4 in.	8	60 hp	28	28
Iron	2 in.	10	60 hp	28	28
Portcullis, wooden	3 in.	5	30 hp	25*	25*
Portcullis, iron	2 in.	10	60 hp	25*	25*
Lock	–	15	30 hp	–	–
Hinge	–	15	30 hp	–	–

* DC to lift. Use appropriate door figure for breaking.

Door Locks, Bars, Seals, and Traps

The DC to pick a lock with an Open Lock check often falls into the range of DC 20 to DC 30, although locks with lower or higher DCs can exist. A door can have more than one lock, each of which must be unlocked separately. Locks often are trapped, usually with poison needles that extend out to prick a rogue's finger.

For breaking doors:

DC 10 or lower: a door just about anyone can break open.
DC 11-15: a door that a strong person could break with one try and an average person might be able to break with one try.
DC 16-20: a door that almost anyone could break, given time.
DC 21-25: a door that only a strong or very strong person has a hope of breaking, probably not on the first try.
DC 26+: a door that only an exceptionally strong person has a hope of breaking.

Mechanical Traps

The following are common mechanical traps, found in dungeons the world over. Provided for each trap is its Challenge Rating (CR), its attack bonus (when applicable), the amount of damage it inflicts (in parentheses), and the DCs for saving throws or skill checks to find, avoid, and/or disable the trap.

Arrow Trap: CR 1; +10 ranged (1d6/x3 crit); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20). Note: 200-ft. max range, target determined randomly from those in its path.

Spear Trap: CR 2; +12 ranged (1d8/x3 crit); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20). Note: 200-ft. max range, target determined randomly from those in its path.

Pit Trap (20 Ft. Deep): CR 1; no attack roll necessary (2d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Spiked Pit Trap (20 Ft. Deep): CR 2; no attack roll necessary (2d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+2 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Pit Trap (40 Ft. Deep): CR 2; no attack roll necessary (4d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Spiked Pit Trap (40 Ft. Deep): CR 3; no attack roll necessary (4d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+4 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Pit Trap (60 Ft. Deep): CR 3; no attack roll necessary (6d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Spiked Pit Trap (60 Ft. Deep): CR 4; no attack roll necessary (6d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+5 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Pit Trap (80 Ft. Deep): CR 4; no attack roll necessary (8d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Spiked Pit Trap (80 Ft. Deep): CR 5; no attack roll necessary (8d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+5 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Pit Trap (100 Ft. Deep): CR 5; no attack roll necessary (10d6); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Spiked Pit Trap (100 Ft. Deep): CR 6; no attack roll necessary (10d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 1d4+5 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Poison Needle Trap: CR 2; +8 ranged (1, plus greenblood oil poison); Search (DC 22); Disable Device (DC 20).

Hail of Needles Trap: CR 1; +20 ranged (2d4); Search (DC 22); Disable Device (DC 22).

Crushing Wall Trap: CR 10; no attack roll required (20d6); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 25).

Scything Blade Trap: CR 1; +8 melee (1d8/x3 crit); Search (DC 21); Disable Device (DC 20).

Falling Block Trap: CR 5; +15 melee (6d6); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 25). Note: Can strike all characters in two adjacent specified squares.

Large Net Trap: CR 1; +5 melee (see note); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 25). Note: Characters in 10-ft. square are grappled by net (Str_18) if they fail a Reflex save (DC 14).

Poison Gas Trap: CR 10; no attack roll necessary (see note below); Search (DC 21); Disable Device (DC 25). Note: Trap releases burnt othur fumes.

Flooding Room Trap: CR 5; no attack roll necessary (see note below); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 25). Note: Room floods in 4 rounds.

Portcullis Trap: CR 2; +10 melee (3d6/x2 crit); Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20). Note: Damage applies only to those underneath the portcullis. Portcullis blocks passageway.

Magic Traps

A successful Search check (DC 25 + spell level) made by a rogue (and only a rogue) detects a magic trap before it goes off. Other characters have no chance to find a magic trap with a Search check.
Magic traps permit a saving throw in order to avoid the effect (DC 10 + spell level x 1.5).
Magic traps may be disarmed by a rogue (and only a rogue) with a successful Disable Device check (DC 25 + spell level).

Creating Magic Traps

Creating a magic trap costs experience points and gold, just like creating magic items. If a trap is a one-use device, the cost for creation is 50 gp and 2 XP, both multiplied by the caster level. If a trap has multiple uses (or functions continually), the cost for creation is 500 gp and 20 XP, both multiplied by the caster level. Devising and placing a magic trap not covered by existing spell effects is just like creating a magic item. Building a trap-filled dungeon filled with magical dangers is thus a costly process.

Sample Magic Traps

Provided for each trap is its Challenge Rating (CR), the area the trap affects or its attack bonus (whichever applies), the amount of damage it inflicts (in parentheses), and the DCs for saving throws or skill checks to find, avoid, and/or disable the trap.

Flame Jet: CR 2; 1-ft.-wide, 50-ft.-long stream of flame (3d6); Reflex save (DC 13) avoids; Search (DC 25); Disable Device (DC 26).

Lightning Blast: CR 3; 5-ft.-wide, 50-ft.-long blast (3d6); Reflex save (DC 13) avoids; Search (DC 26); Disable Device (DC 25).

Globe of Cold: CR 4; 20-ft.-radius sphere or hemisphere (5d6); Reflex save (DC 15) avoids; Search (DC 27); Disable Device (DC 25).

Electrified Floor: CR 4; section of floor (3d10); Reflex save (DC 14) for half damage; Search (DC 25); Disable Device (DC 25).

Floor Transforms into Acid: CR 6; section of floor (10d6); Reflex save (DC 16) negates; Search (DC 28); Disable Device (DC 30).

Note: Successful save means character dives to safety in time.

Illusion over Spiked Pit (20 Ft. deep): CR 3; no attack roll required (2d6), +10 melee (1d4 spike attacks for 1d4+2 points of damage per successful hit); Reflex save (DC 15) negates; Search (DC 20); Disable Device (DC 20).

Air Sucked out of Room: CR 5; one room (see note below); Search (DC 28); Disable Device (DC 30). Note: Deals suffocation damage.

Organic Hazards

Green Slime (CR 4): A single patch of green slime deals 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage per round while it devours flesh. On the first round of contact, the slime can be scraped off a creature (most likely destroying the scraping device), but after that it must be frozen, burned, or cut away (applying damage to the victim as well). Extreme cold or heat, sunlight, or a remove disease spell destroys a patch of green slime. Against wood or metal, green slime deals 2d6 points of damage per round, ignoring metal’s hardness but not that of wood. It does not harm stone.

Mold and Fungus

Yellow Mold (CR 6): If disturbed, a patch of this mold bursts forth with a cloud of poisonous spores. All within 10 feet of the mold must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or take 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage. Another Fortitude save (DC 15) is required 1 minute later—even by those who succeeded at the first save—to avoid taking 2d6 points of temporary Constitution damage. Fire destroys yellow mold, and sunlight renders it dormant.

Brown Mold (CR 2): Brown mold feeds on warmth, drawing heat from anything around it. It normally comes in patches 2 to 3 feet in diameter, and the temperature is always cold in the area surrounding it. Living creatures within 5 feet of it take 3d6 points of cold subdual damage. Fire brought within 5 feet of the mold causes it to instantly double in size. Cold damage, such as from a cone of cold, instantly destroys it.

Phosphorescent Fungus (No CR): This strange underground fungus grows in patches that look almost like stunted shrubbery. It gives off a soft violet glow that illuminates underground caverns and passages.