Sigils & Sharp Ceilings | Free Trap for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e

Designed by Claire Martin
Pathfinder 2e conversion by David N. Ross

This perilous trap challenges characters to navigate a narrowing hallway of descending whirling blades, radiance-shooting sigils, and grappling tar blobs. Will they outwit the mechanisms or face the razor-sharp consequences? Survival demands creativity, precision, and nerves of steel.

Sigils and Sharp Ceilings - D&D 5e

Magical trap (Complex trap, level 11-16, deadly)

Description. A 100-foot-long hallway stretches before the group, its 10-foot-high ceilings lined with descending whirling blades coated in a tar-like substance. Magic sigils are painted on the walls at knee level, spaced out every 10 feet.

Trigger. The trap triggers when the characters enter the hallway.

Initiative. The trap acts on initiative counts 20 and 15.

Active Elements. The whirling blades are set into motion and start descending.

Whirling Blades (Initiative 20). The whirling blades descend by 1 foot at the beginning of their turn. If this would cause a character to hunch, crouch, kneel, or crawl, they must roll a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the blades cut into them for 65 (10d12) slashing damage.

Tar Blobs (Initiative 15). The tar-like substance on the whirling blades detaches in blobs when the blades activate. It targets up to four creatures in the hallway with a +10 to hit. On a hit, the creature is grappled and restrained and takes 33 (4d10) acid damage at the start of each of its turns. Characters may free themselves from the tar with a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check.

Dynamic Elements. The magic sigils activate when a creature passes in front of them.

Magic Sigils. The magic sigils shoot a ray of radiance at any creature that steps before one of the symbols. They must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 35 (10d6) radiant damage, or half as much on a success.

Countermeasures. At first, the characters can easily step over the sigils; however, the gradually lowering ceiling will eventually cause them to kneel or crawl across the ground, making it nearly impossible to avoid them altogether. The space above the whirling blades is the only safe path, which slowly increases in size over time. Alternatively, they can block the blades by propping them up with steel that’s at least one-half an inch thick. The blades must be blocked every 10 feet to disable them fully.

Sigils and Sharp Ceilings, Hazard 15 - Pathfinder 2e

Complex, Magical, Mechanical, Trap

Stealth +33 (master)

Description A 100-foot-long hallway has descending whirling blades on the 10-foot-high ceiling coated in a tar-like substance and magic sigils painted on the walls at knee level, spaced out every 10 feet.

—

Disable DC 40 (expert) Thievery or dispel magic (8th rank, counteract DC 39) to disable each of two alarms, one at the entrance and one at the center, that trigger the trap; DC 36 Thievery (expert) to disable one 10-foot square section of ceiling blades from within its area if the trap is not yet active; DC 40 Stealth (master) to pass by without triggering the alarm if already aware of it; DC 35 Athletics to Climb along the wall above the layer of blades after it lowers far enough (generally a 2-foot gap for Small creatures or 4-foot gap for Medium creatures)

AC 40; Fort +29, Ref +32

Hardness 25, HP 96 (BT 48); Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage

Radiant Sigil [free-action] Trigger A creature moves directly between the sigils. (Most Medium creatures must Leap, Climb, Fly, or treat the sigil’s space as difficult terrain to go above it and can only use those methods if the blades are at least half that creature’s height above the floor, but Small or smaller creatures can generally also Crawl underneath.) Effect The sigil makes a shining ray Strike on the triggering creature.

Spin Up [reaction] Trigger Two or more creatures enter the hallway without speaking the passphrase. Effect The whirling blades are set into motion and start descending, triggering the tar blob action.

—

Routine (3 actions) The trap uses whirling blades, then tar blob, then makes a shining ray Strike at one randomly chosen creature that remains between any pair of sigils (prioritizing a creature that didn’t trigger the ray reaction in the past round if possible).

Whirling Blades [one-action] The blades extend from both walls, forming a horizontal layer of spinning edges 1 foot thick. The layer descends 1 foot (originally 10 feet from the ground). Creatures in the area of the blades when they descend or who enter their area take 4d8 slashing damage with a DC 40 basic Reflex save. Creatures can crouch away from it as long as the blades are no more than half their height; if closer (but at least 1 foot up), the creature must remain prone to avoid entering the area of the blades.

Tar Blobs [one-action] The tar-like substance on the blades rains down on the hallway. Each creature in the hallway must attempt a DC 40 Reflex save. The tar makes the entire hallway difficult terrain.

• Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
• Success The creature takes a –5-foot status penalty to its Speeds from the tar until it Escapes.
• Failure The creature is immobilized by the tar until it Escapes.
• Critical Failure The creature is restrained by the tar until it Escapes.

Ranged [one-action] shining ray (fire, light), Damage 3d12 fire

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