Crippling Ray Trap

Crippling Ray Trap (CR 9 Trap)

Sophisticated Complexity – Force – Impaired

Detect Trap

24

(Spot DC)

Initiative

14

Man Def

26

Durability
85

	Standard Vision 50 ft. (10 squares)
	Creatures can avoid being targeted if they achieve a Stealth result of 24 or greater.

Default: Crippling Ray (Su) Once/round on Initiative

Each round on its initiative, a Crippling Ray trap unleashes a number of bolts of deadly force. The trap always makes a number of attacks equal to half the number of player characters in the encounter, rounded up, namely, one attack if there are 1 or 2 PCs, two attacks if there are 3 or 4 PCs, three attacks if there are 5 or 6, four attacks if there are 7 or 8, etc. No matter how many attacks the trap performs, it always attacks each valid target only once, hit or miss. Each of the attacks is a shimmering pale ray that lances out from the emitter to strike enemy creatures (ie, players, NPC allies of the players, summoned monsters, etc, but not mounts). These attacks are directed first at the enemy creature closest to the defended square, then in order at creatures further away, until the trap has rolled all its available attacks. If there are more than one valid target at a given distance, the trap will attack each of them, at random, once each, until it runs out of attacks. These rays are treated as touch attacks, 1d20 + 19 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) against each targets AC. If the attack hits, they deal 2d8+8 of force (energy, uncommon) damage and the target gains the Impaired condition.

Anti-Tamper: Crippling Aura (Su) Triggered Immediate Action

Up to once per round as an immediate action, after the Crippling Ray trap emitter or origin square has either been the target of a Sunder attempt (hit or miss), or was the target of an unsuccessful dismantle attempt (miss only), it flares out, inflicting 2d8+8 points of force (energy, uncommon) damage and the Impaired condition upon the creature that triggered the anti-tamper attack. That creature is allowed a Will saving throw against a DC of 19 to avoid the Impaired condition.

Reset: Shattering Field (Su) Triggered Free Action

At the end of any round in which a Crippling Ray trap can no longer detect any of its allies (monsters) within the area of its targeting sense, it resets itself as a free action, clearing the room first, in order to do so. It clears the room by filling the entire area with a field of shredding energy, inflicting 2d10+13 points of force (energy, uncommon) damage and the Impaired condition upon all enemy creatures within 30 feet of the space containing its emitter. All creatures in the area may make a Reflex save against a DC of 19 for half damage, and negating the Impaired. After performing this attack, the trap goes inert, losing the glow and sound of operation from both it's emitter and origin squares for 10 rounds while it recharges its eldritch powers. The trap is considered defeated for purposes of granting XP and treasure.

On Destruct: Flareup (Su) Triggered Free Action

Upon being reduced to 0 or fewer points of durability, a Crippling Ray Trap's emitter explodes in a final flare of wrecking energy, as a free action, which can occur outside of its turn. This final flare of power inflicts 2d8+8 points of force (energy, uncommon) damage to all creatures within 30 feet of its space. Note that this flare is NOT strong enough to cause Impaired. All creatures in the area may make a Reflex save against a DC of 19 for half damage.

Crippling Ray Trap

Upon activation, some feature in the room, that may have seemed obvious, or not, is revealed as the emitter of deadly beams of shattering energy. Often a faint humming or sizzling or pinging noise is detectable as the trap operates, weird eldritch magics bent to a nefarious purpose.

This sophisticated and highly magical trap is no less deadly for the skill used in its construction, although there can be found much cruder implementations, that despite their lack of clever design are no less dangerous.

This trap targets a number of enemies in the traps area of operation, typically shooting the beings closest to the space the trap is set to defend (often a door, chest, or item of importance). If there are no creatures close to something the trap is set to defend, it will shoot enemies at random.

Origin Space

Set into a wall, usually as far from the defended object as possible, there are several control points, usually of the exact same material as the emitter, so that it is not difficult to discern from whence the Crippling Ray Trap is operated. It is obvious that manipulating the control points in some way will make the trap stop shooting, or perhaps do other functions. It is very probable that using the control points in a wrong fashion will lead to painful failures.

There are runes and cryptic instructions etched, inked, or carved into the panel holding the various control points (knobs, glowing jewels, glass eyes, etc), which mean nothing to an enemy.

Rewards

XP: 6,400

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 5,125 gp.

Weight: 90 lbs.     Volume: 4 cu. ft.