“If trap fail, make two more traps that punish failure.” - Kobold

Add together with Kobold Bag of Trapper Tools (Homebrew)

BASIC SURVIVAL TRAPS (Low-Tech, Easy to Build)

Tripwire + Noise Alarm

• Items: Rope/string, metal cup, rocks, bells.

• Use: Early warning trap for sentries.

• Setup: Stretch a string across a corridor; tie to clattering junk.

• Effect: Alerts the party or scares off beasts; maybe grants +5 to Passive Perception for detecting intruders.

Pit Trap

• Items: Shovel, tarp, foliage, spikes (or sharpened sticks).

• Use: Capture or damage pursuers.

• Setup: Dig shallow pit, camouflage with tarp and dirt.

• Effect: 1d6–2d10 falling/piercing damage depending on depth; DC 13–15 Perception to spot.

Swinging Log / Boulder Trap

• Items: Rope, heavy object (log, rock), pulley or tree branch.

• Use: Ambush or area denial.

• Setup: Suspend heavy object, tie to trigger rope; release when enemy passes.

• Effect: Dex save (DC 13–16) or take bludgeoning damage (2d8+); can knock prone.

Snare Trap

• Items: Rope or chain, bent sapling/tree, piton.

• Use: Capture small to medium creatures.

• Setup: Loop rope, attach to flexed sapling; trigger causes rope to tighten and lift.

• Effect: Str check or become restrained; easy to make with Survival or Sleight of Hand check.

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INTERMEDIATE TRAPS (Crafty & Versatile)

Oil Fire Trap

• Items: Flask of oil, rope fuse, torch or alchemist’s fire.

• Use: Burn or block passageways.

• Setup: Spread oil, lay rope soaked in oil to torch; ignite remotely.

• Effect: 2d6 fire damage in 5-ft radius; ignites flammable terrain. Great for choke points.

Bear Trap + Bait

• Items: Hunting trap, raw meat, chain.

• Use: Immobilize or lure beasts/humanoids.

• Setup: Place trap under leaves, put bait slightly out of reach.

• Effect: Restrain on failed Dex save; audible snap can alert party.

Rolling Barrel / Crate Trap

• Items: Barrel, oil or rocks inside, ramp or slope.

• Use: Crowd control in tight hallways.

• Setup: Perch barrels on incline with release cord.

• Effect: Dex save to avoid 2d8 bludgeoning; can knock multiple enemies prone.

Chalk Dust Flash

• Items: Flour or chalk dust, pouch, candle flame or spark.

• Use: Flashbang distraction or blind foes.

• Setup: Toss dust into flame or near torch.

• Effect: Small flash (Con save or blinded 1 round); reveals invisible enemies briefly.

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ADVANCED PLAYER TRAPS (Improvised Engineering)

Crossbow Turret Trap

• Items: Loaded crossbow, rope, pulley, tripwire, piton.

• Use: DIY automated shot.

• Setup: Tie trigger to tripwire; aim down hallway.

• Effect: Fires once on trigger (normal attack roll + mod). Can reload for later reuse.

Alchemist’s Chain Reaction

• Items: Multiple alchemist’s fires, oil flasks, string.

• Use: Large-area trap or demolition.

• Setup: Tie flasks together with thin cord over fire source or tripwire.

• Effect: Explosive domino effect — multiple 5-ft radius blasts (Dex save half damage).

Counterweight Crush Trap

• Items: Pulley, rope, large stone, counterweight.

• Use: Drop heavy object when door opens.

• Setup: Rope tied to door handle connected to overhead rock.

• Effect: 3d10 bludgeoning to whoever opens it. Can combine with Silence for stealth setups.

Net + Acid Jar Trap

• Items: Net, acid vial, rope.

• Use: Capture and damage simultaneously.

• Setup: Hang net above; acid jar tied to same trigger.

• Effect: Restrains target; acid breaks and splashes 2d6 acid damage.

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FANTASY-FLAVORED PLAYER TRAPS

Glyph Chain (Arcane Trigger)

• Items: Chalk, spell scroll (Thaumaturgy, Grease, Firebolt), rope.

• Use: Magical multi-effect trap.

• Setup: Draw glyph to trigger spell when disturbed.

• Effect: Spell activates on trigger. A simple “grease + oil fire” combo can devastate mobs

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TINKER’S TOOLS TRAPS

Clockwork Snap Trap

• Parts: Springs, gears, steel wire.

• Build: Small clamp powered by a wound spring.

• Effect: 1d8 piercing; Dex save to avoid. Can clamp onto ankles or weapons.

• Add-On: Add a bell or buzzer for an alert signal.

Pressure-Plate Dart Sprayer

• Parts: Metal plate, tubing, darts, oil or air bladder.

• Build: Step triggers darts to fire forward.

• Effect: Dex save or take 1d10 piercing; poisoned darts optional.

• Bonus: You can aim it waist-high for humanoids or low for beasts.

Spring-Lash Trap

• Parts: Metal coil or bent bar, chain, hook.

• Build: A pulled lever or tripline releases the spring, swinging a hook.

• Effect: 1d8 slashing + grapple attempt (as an attack).

• Use: Doorways, tunnel mouths, or chest lids.

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THIEVES’ TOOLS TRAPS

Needle Lock Trap

• Parts: Spare lock, tiny needle, poison or oil.

• Build: Inserted into a door or chest; when picked, the needle pricks the picker.

• Effect: 1 piercing + poison save.

• Bonus: Can hide valuables inside a trapped fake lock to bait thieves.

Snapping Wire Trip

• Parts: Fine wire, knife blade, door hinge.

• Build: String wire across at shin level; knife swings across when tension released.

• Effect: 1d6 slashing; Dex save for half.

• Stealthy: Very hard to spot without Investigation.

Hidden Grapple Snare

• Parts: Hook, chain, small pulley.

• Build: Hook snaps shut on limb when tripwire pulled.

• Effect: Restrains target; DC 13 Strength to escape.

• Great For: Capturing humanoids quietly.

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ALCHEMIST’S SUPPLIES TRAPS

Vapor Flask Trap

• Parts: Alchemist’s fire, flask, pressure stopper, glass tube.

• Build: Flask detonates into a cloud when broken.

• Effect: 1d6 fire + 1 round of smoke (heavily obscured).

• Bonus: Combine with tripwire or arrow shot to detonate remotely.

Toxic Fume Jar

• Parts: Acid + herbs + corked jar.

• Build: Mix volatile ingredients; shake or heat to trigger.

• Effect: Con save or poisoned/blinded 1 round.

• Variant: Replace with sleeping powder or sneezing gas if you want nonlethal control.

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CARPENTER’S / SMITH’S TOOLS TRAPS

Falling Beam Trap

• Parts: Lumber, nails, rope, hinge.

• Build: Release rope to drop a beam from ceiling.

• Effect: 2d10 bludgeoning; Dex save.

• Combo: Stack several for chain reaction ambush.

Spike Board Trap

• Parts: Nails, wood plank, mallet.

• Build: Hide under leaves or carpet; step = puncture.

• Effect: 1d8 piercing + half speed for 1 round.

• Bonus: Add oil coating or poison.

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HERBALISM & HUNTER’S TRAPS

Poisoned Thorn Vine Trap

• Parts: Poisoned thorns, rope, sapling.

• Build: Same as snare, but with coated thorns.

• Effect: 1d6 piercing + poison Con save.

• Add-On: Drip with paralytic herb for capture missions.

Sleep Spore Puff

• Parts: Mushrooms, bladder, tripwire.

• Build: Pressure releases a puff of sleep spores.

• Effect: Con save or fall asleep 1 minute.

• Great For: Nonlethal ambushes or creature containment.

Animal Lure Pit

• Parts: Meat, urine scent, rope net, pit.

• Build: Lures beasts into pit or snare.

• Effect: Capture animals alive for food or mounts.

• Optional: Add a bell or torch for alert.

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Kobold Skunk Trap

Stink-Cage Trip

• Parts: Rope, bent sapling, skunk in a cage.
• Build: Tripline jerks the cage door open and snaps the sapling to yank the cage into the air, shaking the terrified skunk.
• Effect: 10-ft cone spray; creatures in area make Con save DC 12 or be poisoned and stink for 1 hour.
• Use: Narrow tunnels or camp approaches; kobolds flee laughing as adventurers gag.

Pit of Perfume

• Parts: Shallow pit, skunk cage, refuse slurry.
• Build: False floor collapses, dropping victim and cage together into foul sludge. The skunk panics and sprays.
• Effect: 1d6 fall + Con save DC 13 vs. poisoned and nauseated (disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 minute).
• Use: Baited near food stores or shiny junk piles. Kobolds sometimes retrieve the pit’s contents later for “stink bombs.”

Skunk Bomb Basket

• Parts: Wicker cage, rope release, pulley, angry skunk.
• Build: A hanging cage dangles above a doorway. Tripwire opens the bottom; skunk drops onto the intruder.
• Effect: Automatic spray; Con save DC 12 vs. poisoned and frightened (skunk flailing).
• Use: Entryways or hall thresholds. Kobolds immediately seal the door behind victims.

Stink Bell Alarm

• Parts: Cage, bell, wire, metal rattle.
• Build: Tripwire rings a bell and tilts the cage, startling the skunk to spray through the bars.
• Effect: No damage, but creates 20-ft radius stink cloud; Con save DC 11 or retch.
• Use: Early warning alarm and deterrent; kobolds interpret the smell as “war cry.”

Skunkapult

• Parts: Small catapult, counterweight, open cage.
• Build: Catapult launches a caged skunk toward intruders; impact breaks cage, releasing chaos.
• Effect: On landing, 10-ft spray radius; Con save DC 12 vs. poisoned condition.
• Use: Cliffside warrens or open tunnels; reusable if the kobolds can “recapture” the survivor.

The Reek Reservoir

• Parts: Clay jar, skunk musk, rags, bellows.
• Build: After “harvesting” musk from tamed skunks, kobolds pump it into a sealed jar connected to a pipe trap. Triggering the plate bursts the jar.
• Effect: 15-ft radius of stench, counts as Stinking Cloud for 1 round.
• Use: Vent shafts or stairwells; precursor to ambush with ranged attacks.

Skunk Siege Barrel

• Parts: Barrel, two skunks, air holes, rolling wedges.
• Build: Kobolds push the barrel downhill toward invaders; holes ensure continuous odor output.
• Effect: Moving 30-ft line of stench; Con save DC 13 or retch and lose movement next turn.
• Use: Hillside fortifications or warren entrances; morale breaker before melee engagement.

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Kobold Wasp/Bee Trap

Wasp Jar Bomb

• Parts: Sealed glass jar, dried honey, wasps.
• Build: Jar tied to a pendulum or slingshot; trigger shatters it midair.
• Effect: 10-ft burst; all creatures must make Dex save DC 14 or take 2d8 piercing and become frightened 1 round.
• Use: Siege defense or ambush; kobolds launch them like grenades.

The Sweet Death Trap

• Parts: Honey bait, wasp nest, tripline.
• Build: Honey smeared on chest or door latch; nest jar balanced above. Opening the latch dislodges the jar.
• Effect: Wasps fill 10-ft cube, targeting the nearest warm bodies. Con save DC 13 vs. 2d6 piercing; poisoned on failure.
• Use: “Treasure bait” or food traps. Kobolds call it “Honey Luck!” sarcastically.

The Scorched Swarm

• Parts: Nest, oil jar, candle, thin thread.
• Build: Tripwire knocks candle onto the nest soaked in oil — wasps erupt in burning chaos.
• Effect: 10-ft radius, 2d6 fire + 2d6 piercing. Con save DC 15 vs. poisoned.
• Use: Final deterrent before a treasure vault. Often kills both wasps and intruders — kobolds call it “Even Trade.”

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MISC/GAG Traps

Charm-Pheromone Spray

• Parts: Bladder of crushed flowers/pheromone extract, clay jar, squeeze bulb.
• Build: Tripwire bursts the jar or a hidden kobold squeezes the bulb into the room air.
• Effect: 15-ft cone. Creatures in area must make a DC 14 Constitution save. On a failure, they are charmed by the nearest kobold for 1 minute (ends early if kobold harms them). Charmed creatures treat kobolds as friendly and gain disadvantage on Intimidation checks vs. kobolds; success on save = immune for 1 hour.
• Use: To buy time for kobolds to parley, escape, or manipulate NPCs; works best in social ambushes rather than explicit content.

The BBQ Sauce Bucket

• Parts: A bucket filled with a sticky, sweet-smelling, and non-harmful liquid like BBQ sauce or honey. Attached to the bucket is a length of rope.
• Build: A tripwire is placed across a low-traffic hallway or chokepoint. The other end of the tripwire is tied to the rope. The bucket is placed on a ledge or held by a pulley system, ready to spill its contents.
• Effect: The adventurer who trips the wire gets doused in the liquid. The effect is mostly social and a minor debuff. For the next hour, they might be sticky, and any animals or vermin in the area become highly attracted to them (a rat swarm, for example).
• Use: To annoy the party's most charismatic or well-armored member, to attract wild animals to a specific location, or as a general distraction. 

 

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 RULE OF THUMB FOR DM/PLAYER-MADE TRAPS

CRAFTING GUIDELINES FOR DMs OR PLAYERS

 

Notes: Utility