The Witching Pit | Free Trap for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e

Designed by Gabriel Ribeiro
Pathfinder 2e conversion by David N. Ross

The Witching Pit - 5e

Mechanical trap (Simple trap, levels 1-4, deadly)

Description. An elevated 10x10-foot stone platform hides a pit full of witch’s familiars below. The thousands of insects thrash hungrily, waiting for adventurers to poison and choke.

Trigger. Once the platform holds more than 300 pounds, it collapses by folding down the middle.

Effect. Each creature on the platform must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or it falls into the pit. A creature that falls suffers 5 (1d10) piercing damage from the familiars’ bites [11 (2d10) for level three and four characters] and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer 5 (1d10) poison damage [11 (2d10) for level three and four characters] and become poisoned for 1 hour. Creatures stuck in the pit must repeat the Constitution saving throw every minute until they escape.

Countermeasures. Creatures can avoid falling from the platform by jumping over it or reducing the number of creatures crossing it at a time.

A character can spot the crease between the platform’s halves with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Additionally, they can hear the sounds of insects with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check made specifically to hear.

A dose of antitoxin found in most apothecaries will neutralize the insects’ poison.

The Witching Pit, Hazard 4 - PF2e

Complex, Mechanical, Trap

Stealth DC 22 (trained) to spot the weak joint at the platform’s center or DC 25 (trained) to hear the faint sound of insects

Description An elevated square stone platform 10 feet across hides a 10-foot-deep pit full of witch’s familiars below. The thousands of insects thrash hungrily, waiting for adventurers to poison and choke.

—

Disable DC 22 Thievery (trained) to fold the platform and learn its weight capacity

AC 18; Fort +15, Ref +11

Platform Hardness 13, Platform HP 60 (BT 30); Immunities critical hits, object immunities, precision damage

Swarm HP 28; Immunities grappled, precision, prone, restrained; Resistances bludgeoning 2, piercing 5, slashing 5; Weaknesses area damage 5, splash damage 5

Fold Down [trigger] Trigger The platform holds multiple creatures, at least 10 Bulk, a Hustling creature, or a creature using its second or subsequent move action of a round. Effect The platform collapses by folding down the middle. Each creature on the platform falls into the pit. A creature that falls takes only 3 bludgeoning damage from the fall. The trap then rolls initiative.

—

Routine (1 action) The familiars swarm creatures in the pit with bites, dealing 2d6 piercing damage with a DC 21 basic Reflex save and exposing them to familiar venom.

Familiar Venom (poison) Item bonuses to saving throws against poisons also apply as resistance to this poison damage. The enfeebled condition lasts for 1 minute after the duration ends. Saving Throw DC 19 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d10 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round); Stage 2 2d10 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round).

—

Reset The familiars repair and reset the platform if left alone for 1 hour. If the familiars are killed, they reappear with the next dawn.

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