Examples of Portable traps for HERO system

[cycosurgeon]

Not very many examples of portable traps anywhere in the Hero system rules. You figure there would be some since gadgeteering and fantasy Rogues is a thing in Hero System. Seems like a major overlook by the book writers.

 

Anyone have examples of portable and recoverable traps a rogue could use?

[sentry0]

I don't have the books in front of me but it sounds like you would be talking about a RKA with a trigger advantage.  Add in a recoverable charge and focus limitation and you would have what you're looking for.

[mallet]

The Ultimate Skill book has some general rules for and examples of building and using traps. Basically breaks down to roughly taking 1 hour for every 10 Active points to build/set the trap. But that can be moved up the time chart at GM's discretion based on characters skill roll, preparedness, assistance, and such. 

If the trap is portable, I would assume the time to build it would be "spent" at the time of creation, and then the GM would decide how long it would take just to set it up when it is going to be used. 

 

If it is a "landmine"  then maybe 99% of the time to create it is when it is built, and only takes a minute or a few seconds to set up/place.  

if it is a tripwire causing a rock deadfall then maybe only 10% of the time is buying/getting the materials (rope, wooden braces, etc...) and the other 90% is setting it all up on location (raising the big rock up in the air), running the rope down across the tunnel, making sure it is all braced and balanced, etc... 

[cycosurgeon]

3 hours ago, sentry0 said:

I don't have the books in front of me but it sounds like you would be talking about a RKA with a trigger advantage.  Add in a recoverable charge and focus limitation and you would have what you're looking for.

Would "recoverable" be valid since if someone hits a landmine type trap ( fire trap in fantasy ) they explode. But if they don't hit it then it is recoverable.  Would traps that destroy them selves have feedback on them?

[cycosurgeon]

58 minutes ago, mallet said:

The Ultimate Skill book has some general rules for and examples of building and using traps. Basically breaks down to roughly taking 1 hour for every 10 Active points to build/set the trap. But that can be moved up the time chart at GM's discretion based on characters skill roll, preparedness, assistance, and such. 

If the trap is portable, I would assume the time to build it would be "spent" at the time of creation, and then the GM would decide how long it would take just to set it up when it is going to be used. 

 

If it is a "landmine"  then maybe 99% of the time to create it is when it is built, and only takes a minute or a few seconds to set up/place.  

if it is a tripwire causing a rock deadfall then maybe only 10% of the time is buying/getting the materials (rope, wooden braces, etc...) and the other 90% is setting it all up on location (raising the big rock up in the air), running the rope down across the tunnel, making sure it is all braced and balanced, etc... 

 I saw those traps and most of them are immobile wall traps. 

[sentry0]

2 minutes ago, cycosurgeon said:

Would "recoverable" be valid since if someone hits a landmine type trap ( fire trap in fantasy ) they explode. But if they don't hit it then it is recoverable.  Would traps that destroy them selves have feedback on them?

 

I think it entirely depends on your SFX if it's recoverable or not.  A claymore could be recoverable theoretically but maybe not so much for a fire rune trap.  

[mallet]

1 hour ago, cycosurgeon said:

 I saw those traps and most of them are immobile wall traps. 

 

For sure, but they are just examples, you can use the concept (and the building guidelines) and make you own ones. 

 

For example, you could take a grenade build from the equipment book and add on advantages and limitations to make an exploding trap.  

 

Or build it like this:

 

Fire Rune Trap Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Area Of Effect Nonselective (4m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Delayed Effect (+1/4), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (67 Active Points); IAF Expendable (Difficult to obtain new Focus; -3/4), No Range (-1/2), Requires A Roll (Skill roll (Traps); -1/2), Requires A Roll (Skill roll (Fire Magic); -1/2)

 

Or something similar.