In addition to the standard Combat Encounters, it is typical as a Gamemaster to include other obstacles for the PCs to face, including Traps, Puzzles, Hazards, etc. These obstacles help to add variety to gameplay, making the game more interesting and allows the PCs to utilize their unique skills.

Running Traps

Traps come in a variety of different styles and can be found in many locations. Some are meant to harm or disable anyone who travels through a certain door or hallway, dropping the floor out from under them or throwing spears at the opener. Others serve as a guard against thieves, spewing noxious gas when a chest is opened or shooting out a poisoned needle from a lock being picked. Traps are usually a relatively simple story mechanic, either being disabled, bypassed, or sprung in a relatively short amount of time.

Each trap will have three skill DCs associated with identifying it: an Awareness DC, a Spot DC, and an Investigate DC. If the PC's Awareness score meets or exceeds the Awareness DC of the trap (remember a suspicious PC gains a +5 bonus to its Awareness), they will immediately notice something amiss upon approaching the trapped area or object. This could be a scraping on the floor where the wall moves, a tiny hole next to the lock where a needle springs, or a change in the way the sound reverberates in the corridor ahead. Alternatively, if the PCs chooses to take a look around, they may notice the same information with a successful Spot check.

If the PC notices something amiss, or they are simply being overly cautious, they may make an Investigate check to attempt to locate the trap itself. If they succeed, they are able to determine what is likely to happen if the trap is sprung and what the likely trigger is. With this information they can attempt to Disarm the trap, using the Trapsmith or Thievery skill. If the player actually thinks through and describes a feasible way of dealing with the trap, make sure to give them a bonus on their skill check (+4 to +8 depending on the effectiveness of the method).

If the PCs fail to notice the trap and trigger it, then the trap is sprung. This typically involves making an attack on the creature that triggered it, and may also target other creatures within the area. Traps can either deal damage, cause some sort of status effect, and/or cause the creature to become trapped in some way. Many traps also cause Injuries, so any affected creature may be required to make a Resilience check.

Some traps are particularly deadly, and these should be used with caution. Remember that the goal it to run a game that is fun for the everyone, and the players aren't likely to enjoy a trap that kills them all. Lethal traps should be used sparingly and should offer some sort of warning or foreshadowing to their lethality. For example, there could be a burnt skeleton, with bones blackened and sagging from intense heat. Additionally, you should avoid using lethal traps to drive the main story, unless the PCs are able to find interesting or meaningful ways to bypass them (i.e. finding some sort of key or solving a puzzle that disables the trap).

Running Puzzles

Puzzles come in a variety of different styles, but basically they serve as a sort of problem for which the PCs must find a solution. Some puzzles are simple: a single riddle, a hidden switch, or coded message with a decoder of some kind. Other puzzles are more complex: a series of dials in different rooms that must be set to a specific sequence, the clues to which are strewn throughout the rooms. Sometimes you will have a specific solution in mind for the puzzle, while other times there may be a multitude of plausible solutions. Reward your players for coming up with creative solutions, even if they are ones you didn't think of, by letting them succeed as long as the solution is plausible.

Regardless of the type of puzzle you are presenting, be prepared to describe it in detail. If it is a riddle, where is it written and in what language? If it is a mechanical puzzle, what does it look like and sound like? Be prepared to lead the PCs through trial and error, answering their questions as they begin to puzzle things out. Depending on the type of puzzle, you may need to draw attention to it so they PCs understand there is something to interact with there. Make important aspects of the puzzle the focus of your description: strange inscriptions, buttons that can be pushed, pieces that can be manipulated, etc.

Puzzles are fun, but they can also be challenging. Be prepared to give the players hints if they get stuck. You can do this directly by requiring players to make an Wits check and rewarding success with a clue or idea to try. You can also have an NPC offer a clue, presenting some history or knowledge about the puzzle that the PCs aren't aware of. Or you can have the environment around the PCs give clues: riddles or instructions on the wall that help to solve a mechanical puzzle or visual clues as to the movement of pieces or objects (scrapes on the floor/wall, etc). Ultimately, there should be some way for the PCs to bypass the puzzle all together if need be. Ideally, solving the puzzle shouldn't be absolutely essential for story progression.

Start with a simple puzzle and see how your players respond. While some players really engage with puzzles, others will find them boring and time-consuming. If your players respond well to a simple puzzle, you can consider adding in more complex ones later.

Running Hazards

Hazards are physical obstacles that prevent the PCs from continuing along a particular path. They can be simple obstacles, such as a deep ravine, steep cliff, or stone wall, something that can be traversed or bypassed in some way. Or they can be more complicated, such as a field of quicksand, a moat full of alligators, a river of lava, or a complex lock. Regardless of the type of hazard, the function is basically the same: a barrier is put in between where the PCs are and where they want to go.

Make sure to have a few scenarios in mind as to how the PCs can overcome the obstacle, but be sure to reward creative solutions too. Often, overcoming the obstacle will require one or more Skill checks, which should be achievable for the players. Just as with puzzles, make sure to have a plan in place if the PCs cannot find a solution or fail to overcome the obstacle, perhaps allowing them to bypass the obstacle or take a longer way around. If there's a lock they can't pick, maybe there is a key to be found or detour that can be made. Perhaps instead of crossing the ravine, the PCs can climb down one side and back up the other. Ideally, bypassing a particular obstacle should not be necessary for plot progression unless the PCs have an easy way to achieve it (even if the easy way takes more time than the hard or lucky way).

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