Engineering

Examples on construction of traps are given in the props section.

Animal trap. This is a set of metal jaws which snaps shut on anything stepping on the pressure plate in the center. A player who sets off the trap must draw a card at random from the attached envelope, and suffer the effects listed.

The trap envelope contains different cards which do varying amounts of damage. The damage might be as great as "5 body sever limb", or as little as "2 body steel"; the GM will decide what card(s) to give to the trap maker depending upon the quality of the materials used, etc.
Type: Trap (trigger: pressure; effect: mechanical)
Out of game representation: Bangsnap or other pressure-activated noisemaker placed between two pieces of firm material. Foam may be soft-sculpted to make a representation of the metal jaws, but is not necessary as the character is presumed to be more skilled at hiding the trap from sight than the player.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering (Requires parts which may be smithed or bought through logistics.)
Prereq to use: Disarm/set traps
Skill points: 6

Ballista. A ballista will require a team of four people in order to load and fire properly in combat, at least one of which must have the skill "siege weapon [ballista]". However fast the representation may be loaded, the ballista may only be fired once every thirty seconds. The team leader (the person with the siege weapon skill) is expected to count to thirty before firing another shot with the ballista.

The ballista does a base damage of 15 body, adding missile masteries and doubled attacks of the team leader. If two members of the team have "siege weapon [ballista]," they may switch off who is acting as captain, so that each may use his/her proficiencies and/or doubled attacks.
Type: Siege weapon
Out of game representation: Safe toy foam spear-thrower/missile launcher.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Prerequisite to use: Siege weapon skill [ballista]
Skill points: 18

Caltrops. Caltrops are pieces of metal with sharp edges sticking out on each side. They are designed to be thrown on the ground in front of pursuers, to force them to go around. Caltrops may only be used by a character trained in their use. Caltrops are represented by bangsnaps (one per caltrop used). The caltrops are considered to do damage if they are stepped on such that the bangsnaps go off. For each separate step which causes a bangsnap to explode, the caltrops will do one point of body damage. Caltrops may also be poisoned; each caltrop poisoned requires a separate dose.
Type: Danger
Out of game representation: Bangsnaps (should be painted silver; poisoned ones should be painted green or wrapped in green tissue paper) placed on the ground which will make a noise when stepped on.
Prerequisite to use: None
Skill points to use: 1

Cannon. A cannon can only be fired properlyly in combat by a team of three or more people, if one has the skill "siege weapon [cannon]".

However fast the representation may be loaded, the cannon may only be fired once every forty seconds. The team leader (the person with the siege weapon skill) is expected to count to forty before firing another shot with the cannon.

The cannon does a base of 30 body, adding missile masteries and doubled attacks of the team leader. If two members of the team have "siege weapon [cannon]", they may switch off who is acting as captain, so that each may use his/her proficiencies and/or doubled attacks. pulled.
Type: Siege weapon
Out of game representation: Any safe mechanism can be used to throw the foam ammunition, as long as it looks like a cannon
ammunition.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Prerequisite to use: Siege weapon skill [cannon]
Skill points: 48

Catapult. A catapult will require a team of six people in order to load and fire properly in combat, at least one of which must have the skill "siege weapon [catapult]". However fast the representation may be loaded, the catapult may only be fired once every sixty seconds. The team leader (the person with the siege weapon skill) is expected to count to sixty before firing another shot with the catapult.

The ballista does a base of 30 (not body), adding missile masteries and doubled attacks of the team leader. If two members of the team have "siege weapon [catapult]," they may switch off who is acting as captain, so that each may use his/her proficiencies and/or doubled attacks.
Type: Siege weapon
Out of game representation: A large box with a spring or tension loaded platform, that can throw foam rocks (or other safe ammunition) a large distance.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Prerequisite to use: Siege weapon skill [catapult]
Skill points: 18

Crossbow trap. When weight is placed on the pressure plate, a mechanism fires a crossbow bolt at the area over the pressure plate. The bolt hits unless the victim expends two dodges. If a character is hit by the bolt, the player must draw a card at random from the attached envelope, and suffer the effects listed.

The trap envelope contains different cards which do varying amounts of damage. The damage might be as great as "12 body steel", or as little as "1 body steel"; the GM will decide what cards to give to the trap maker depending upon the quality of the materials used, etc.
Type: Trap
Out of game representation: Bangsnaps placed under a rug or raised board to represent the pressure plate; toy crossbow set up at a reasonable angle to have fired over that spot.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Skill points: 12

Locked door trap. When weight is placed on a pressure plate, the door to the room slams closed, and bolts within the door hold it shut. A person with strength one or greater who holds the door could keep door from closing, but once it is closed it may not be opened.
Type: Trap
Out of game representation: Bangsnaps placed under a rug or raised board to represent the pressure plate; door or other portal to be shut by the trap.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Skill points: 18

Needle lock trap. If a character attempts to open the trapped lock with anything other than the appropriate key, a poisoned needle jabs him/her. Gloves will not protect against this. After the trap has been sprung, the needle will remain out until the trap is reset, so it is then possible to go about picking the lock. If the needle is poisoned, the poison is used up when the trap is sprung, and must be applied again when the trap is reset. Damage done is ".1 body poison steel".

A character with the disarm traps ability who is picking the lock may attempt to disarm it before the needle stabs him/her.
Type: Trap
Out of game representation: This is usually represented by a buzzer style device set in the lockbox which will go off when the lid is lifted more than a couple inches.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Skill points: 12

Pit. This skill allows the character to disguise the existence of a pit. Damage from the fall is calculated depending upon the depth of the pit. Those who fall in the pit are (generally) trapped in it.

If a character is digging the pit, rather than making use of an existent one, figure that (s)he can dig approximately one cubic foot per minute, plus 1/2 cubic foot for each point of strength (this is assuming fairly soft soil). This value is given as an estimate, and will vary if the soil is rocky, or if the pit is substantially deeper than it is wide. Note that pit skill is not needed to dig a pit, merely to hide one.

Optionally, a pit may have something in it which does additional damage to a person falling into the pit -- poisonous snakes, lava, spikes. Spikes as a landing surface do "5 body intrinsic killing blow" in addition to the falling damage.
Type: Danger
Out of game representation: A board raised up slightly above bangsnaps, and covered with a rug/underbrush/other appropriate camouflage.
Prerequisite to build: Disarm/set traps
Skill points: 6

Trebuchet. A trebuchet can be fired by a single person, but the more people that are in the team, the deadlier the trebuchet will be (up to a maximum of eight people working on the trebuchet). At least one of the people firing the trebuchet must have the skill "siege weapon [trebuchet]" in order to use it effectively in combat.

However fast the representation may be loaded, the trebuchet may only be fired once every thirty seconds. The team leader (the person with the siege weapon skill) is expected to count to thirty before firing another shot with the trebuchet.

The trebuchet does a base of 5 body for each member of the team (up to a maximum of 40 body base), adding missile masteries and doubled attacks of the team leader, and adding the combined strength of all team members. If two members of the team have "siege weapon [trebuchet]", they may switch off who is acting as captain, so that each may use his/her proficiencies and/or doubled attacks.

A trebuchet is built like a catapult. However, rather than operating with tension, the force comes from a counterweight. When the platform end of the trebuchet is pulled back, the counterweight is raised higher and higher, increasing the force when the platform is released. The more people working on the trebuchet, the greater the weight that can be managed in the counterweight, and the further back the platform can be pulled.
Type: Siege weapon
Out of game representation: Any safe mechanism can be used to throw the foam ammunition. The representation for a trebuchet should appear like a seesaw with the platform on one end very far from the center of gravity, and a weight on one end close to the center of gravity; when loaded, a real trebuchet is positioned with the ammunition-end down near the ground, and the weight up in the air -- when the catch is released, the weight propels the ammunition.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Prerequisite to use: Siege weapon skill [trebuchet]
Skill points: 24

Tripwire. When the tripwire is pulled, the trap emits a loud noise to alert anyone in the area to the presence of intruders.
Type: Trap
Out of game representation: String placed below waist height, one end tied to something solid, the other attached to a set mousetrap.
Prerequisite to build: Engineering
Skill points: 12