Cinemas may have handed out sick bags for the debut of Saw X, but we reckon the latest DnD book has far grislier traps. The Book of Many Things, due to be released by Wizards of the Coast on November 14, features three trap rooms you can add to your Dungeons and Dragons game. And in the hands of the right Dungeon Master, they could get pretty gruesome.
Each of the traps in the new DnD book is loosely tied to the Deck of Many Things, a 5e magic item that can create miracles or total havoc depending on which of its cards you draw. The deadliest trap is ‘Balance and Ruin’, based on the two cards of those names. It’s designed for adventurers at levels five to ten, and it’s not hard to see why.
Balance and Ruin is a 50ft-wide chamber with a narrow beam laid over a 25ft-deep pit. The walls are made of metal sheeting, and in a pit, a sea of metal gears grind ceaselessly. The book notes they’re covered with blood – you can probably see where this is going.
Crossing the beam isn’t a simple feat (though we’ll keep the reasons why a secret). Fall into the gear pit and fail to stop the gears turning, and you’ll take 10d10 bludgeoning damage as you’re ground into a bloody pulp. DMs, if you’ve got consent from your players, feel free to go ham on gross descriptions here.
Trap number two is ‘The Surface of the Sun’, and it features a room with a ceiling that emits scorching light. Characters must use an oversized key to unlock a skull door – and speed is of the essence here. At initiative count 20, the ceiling deals 1d10 radiant damage to the party.
It’s like an oversized version of the furnace trap in Saw 2. And don’t be fooled by the simple concept of this trap – Wizards has thrown in plenty of surprise obstacles to keep players from escaping unsinged.
The final trap in the Book of Many Things is significantly more forgiving. ‘Test of the Empty Moon’ is designed for characters at levels one to four, and it’s more about challenging a character’s intelligence and combat skills instead of coming up with creative new ways to deal damage.
We’re looking forward to testing these traps in some DnD horror one shots. Until then, here’s some more info about the Book of Many Things’ DnD star signs, randomly-generated adventure spreads, and the ways Wizards tried to fix the Deck of Many Things’ problems with a new version.