Circle Magic as Traps?

[ShadowLogan]

First lets get this out of the way, I'm looking for precedent and/or ideas on this should work beyond the GM just says so.

So is there precedent for using Circle Magic somehow as a type of trap? I know there is a reference to Living Circles (w/Runes) in the 2E Main book (pg118 for those interested), as a historical account but no ones found any (at least if they have they aren't talking). That is the only reference I know of for circle variations (sorry my PF library isn't very big, the only other one that comes to mind is the Lizardmage in Rifts WB16 and his teleporting tower IIRC), but it at lest suggests variations are possible (or just lost).

If there is precedent for this to work, how do you see it working?

As examples of what I am thinking of happening when the Circle Traps are triggered:
-instead of controlling it sets those in the circle as the target to destroy in a "Animated Dead" Power Circle
-Death Power Circle attacks those in its sphere of influence instead of targeting someone outside of it
-Protection Circles found having the opposite effect (ie Protection from Undead doesn't give someone inside it +5 to save vs HF but the undead's HF rating is now +5)
-Summoning Circles bringing the summon creature(s) as a bit p.o-ed (no battle of wills or control, they respond as "security guards")
-maybe a teleport circle that only teleports non-living things out (ie, what happened to all my gear and my clothes)
-a force field that traps the subjects in place

[GoliathReturns]

In theory, possible.

The catch is that most circles have to be purposefully activated, and don't sit there for an eternity, powered up, just waiting for someone to walk across.

However, based on the circle of transformation in the place of magic, we do know it's POSSIBLE. But considering that was made by an OO, it may or may not be possible for a "mere mortal" to set up.

In theory... and I'm spitballing here.. wards and runes could be used as a trigger.

Something akin to mystic energy drain being used to make the PPE "keep away" from the circle, but as soon as someone trips the wards, the PPE is free to flow, thereby activating the circle.

Is it strictly RAW? Not really, but it's close enough I'd allow it.

Used for summoning circles, there'd be no battle of wills, so the creature would automatically be free..

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GS

[Library Ogre]

And, don't forget the simple option of using circles as walls... a sealed circle across the doorway is going to stop a lot of people.

[GoliathReturns]

So, this got me looking at the core book, and trying to think of some of the stuff you mentioned, and ways to achieve the basic goals.. honestly, the circle magic isn't the best for this, however, there are three ways that seem best.

1) sealed circle will require a save (16+) to enter, and those who make the save will take massive damage, plus have penalties (the magic and psi penalties are harsh). There's no save against the penalties, they're automatic (see: Further Circle Protection, page 138 core book). It doesn't even have to be any of the "protection from...." circles, just the "protection circle: simple" would be enough

2) in theory (although not explicitly allowed or forbidden RAW), any magic that requires symbols (like circles) could be created as a "inverse" version, where instead of protection from, it would create a vulnerability to... this would be a complete house call, and up to the GM if it's allowed, but it should, in theory, work.

3) a teleportation circle, could, again in theory, be set as a trap.. you'd just need some other way (magical or mundane) to burn fairy wings while people are in it. The first time it's used, yeah, the summoner has to infuse the magic.. after that, all that's required is burning more wings.

So, if the circle is large enough, you could do something like.. set a trip wire boobytrap that will trigger the burning of a pair of wings. Someone inside the circle trips the string, wings go whooompf, and the victim gets sent far far away


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GS

[Marcethus]

You mentioned that you were looking for precedent. The Circle of Contagion in the adventure out of the Old Ones book comes to mind.

Note: I don't have access to my books atm, so some of the circle names may be off.

I myself have used a combo of circles and wards as traps. First I set the ruins on a ley line or nexus, using the Power Matrix circle I combine the circle of Force to seal the room. Then I use circle of Power for doubled duration of all circles, depending on what exactly I want the trap to do I use a summoning circle of the appropriate type and the Animate Dead to bring the remains of previous adventurers to unlife, combing with the Permanency ward.

I have also used the Mystic Leech circle right a the entrance right beyond a door trap that seals the room.

[Plane]

is there precedent for using Circle Magic somehow as a type of trap?

I think that precedent (even if unwritten) was set in Palladium Fantasy 2nd edition when it introduced the idea of inflicting damage on creatures which remain within a circle that forbids them.

IE have a trap door where your enemy falls into a pit w/ oiled walls where a circle damages them to death.

This is 4D6/round per page 138, something I don't remember being in the 1st edition of the Palladium RPG which just had a blatent 'cannot enter' policy where if you could overcome that AFAIK there weren't damage/penalties.

The 2D6/round if you attack w/ a melee weapon is also an interesting one, and still requires a savings throw, unlike ranged ones.

Failing a save forces a creature to leave (they can't attempt to re-enter for 1D4 rounds, and must successfully save) but I'm not sure what induces a 2nd savings throw.

Given "temporarily enables the creature to enter" I always figured you were meant to make a new savings throw every single melee round to keep enough willpower to stay within the circle and suffer damage but they may have forgotten to be explicit about that mechanic.

And, don't forget the simple option of using circles as walls... a sealed circle across the doorway is going to stop a lot of people.

This is why it's good to carry around a bucket of soapy water, though I could see ruling you take 2D6 damage per melee you're actively holding a mop reaching to scrub the circle, as opposed to just tossing the water on top of the circle and hoping it works.

Redirecting a river on top of a circle should eventually wash it away, though much slower than actively scrubbing, so scrub-damage would make the most sense for trying to remove a sealed circle at a rapid pace.

Faster options than physical washing (since PF lacks ranged squirt guns and hoses) could maybe be throwing some kind of explosive at the floor, or maybe just a really heavy anvil that shatters the floor that the circle is drawn on.

PF2p132 mentions a permanence ward can turn a circle indestructible though I'm not sure how that works in respect to targeting the floor the circle is drawn on. Maybe stuff like "I burn the carpet the permanence ward is painted on" would have similar effects of sewing it onto living creatures where if it's been over a year there's a big explosion if the connection is disrupted?

This makes me wonder about insects and stuff - are they intelligent enough to just avoid flying into blood-sealed circles and auto-dying?

Given you have to make a save vs magic to enter I figure there might be some kind of auto-detection thing where a person can just opt to fail the savings throw voluntarily and willingly avoid entering a circle so they don't just accidentally walk across a sealed circle and kill themselves - something which would otherwise be expected to kill random mosquitos and rats.

This doesn't help too much w/ getting tossed into a circle unwillingly (or following into a circle pit trap) though