Trap

Beware of traps! When you step on a square of one, it activates and then probably harms you, for example by dropping a rock, sending a boulder, shooting a dart, or blinding you!

Anti-magic field (^)

This trap will drain between 2 and your experience level + 1 points of your spell power. If this would cause your spell power to go below zero, your maximum spell power will be permanently reduced as well!

Arrow trap (^)

These can fire arrows at you, which generally do little damage, and can therefore be a useful source of arrows. While standing on the square with the trap, try using the #untrap command. You might fail a few times as a few more arrows hit you, but if you are lucky, you will obtain a large supply of arrows. Rarely, the arrows can be poisoned.

Bear trap (^)

A bear trap renders you immobile for several turns. During this time, you can attack and be attacked; you cannot move from the spot. It is possible to #untrap a bear trap. If successful, it will appear as a tool on the dungeon floor. You may then pick it up and apply it to a new location. If unsuccessful, you will become trapped.

Dart trap (^)

Similar to an arrow trap, but with darts, and therefore less useful.

Fire trap (^)

This will set off a column of flame underneath you, causing significant damage and a permanent drop in maximum HP to those without the fire resistance intrinsic. There is also a chance of carried scrolls and spellbooks burning, potions boiling, and armor being burnt.

Fire traps are only randomly generated in Gehennom, Plane of Fire and some quests, notably the Valkyrie quest.

Hole (^)

Holes simply drop you down a number of levels. 2-3 levels is a typical fall distance, but there is no upper limit, bar extreme improbability, on how many levels it is possible to fall through, although you won't fall beyond the Castle.

The same hole is not guaranteed to lead to the same location, or even the same level, even if an object, monster or pet went through it immediately before you.

Magic trap (^)

Main article: Magic trap

The effects of magic traps are many and varied...

Falling rock trap (^)

This triggers a falling rock, which hits you on the head, unless you are wearing some kind of hard hat, in which case the damage is lessened. The rock stays on the ground, so it is possible to use them as a rock source, although the trap will be exhausted eventually.

Early pet deaths are usually due to this type of trap.

Land mine (^)

Land mines are hidden explosives, especially common in the Fort Ludios. They wound your legs and create a pit in which you fall after the explosion. You may #untrap a land mine from next to it, pick it up and install it elsewhere, just like with a bear trap. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 6.

Level teleporter (^)

This teleports you to a random location on a random level. You will rarely be teleported further down than you have already explored. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 5, nor on a no-teleport level.

Pit (^)

Pits in the ground open up when you walk over them. They require a turn to "climb to the edge" and escape. While in the pit, any light source you are carrying will not travel beyond the walls of the pit.

Polymorph trap (^)

Main article: Polymorph trap

A polymorph trap turns you into another monster for a limited time. Monsters can make use of them too.

Magic portal (^)

This uses the ^ symbol, and is therefore a kind of trap. They are used to transport you between dungeon branches, and between the elemental planes. Temporary portals are generated by the Eye of the Aethiopica.

Rollong boulder trap (^)

This is a trap in two parts. The actual trap is a switch, which when activated by stepping on it, sets a nearby boulder rolling towards you. The existence of these traps can sometimes be inferred by an incongruously placed boulder in a room. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 2.

Moving the boulder out of the path or otherwise destroying it effectly disables a boulder trap.

Rust trap (^

This trap will spray you with water, rusting any rustable items you have on where it hits. Gremlins like to use these traps to multiply.

Sleeping gas trap (^)

This trap makes you fall asleep for up to 25 turns, unless you're polymorphed into a monster that doesn't breathe, or have sleep resistance. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 2.

Spiked pit (^)

These are just pits which do more damage. The spikes are sometimes poisoned, which can be fatal for a character without poison resistance. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 5.

Squeaky board (^)

A squeaky board alerts monsters to your presence. If a monster steps on a squeaky board on your level, you "hear a distant squeaking sound". It can be untrapped with a potion of oil or can of grease.

Statue trap (^)

Statue traps look like normal statues of a monster, until you try to walk on the same square as one. When you walk on one, it will transform into the monster it was posing as.

Teleportation trap (^)

This teleports you to a random location on the map, unless it is a vault teleporter located in a closet behind ad aerarium, in which case you are teleported to the vault. Teleporters won't be generated randomly on a no-teleport level.

Trap door (^)

A trap door is a hidden door located in the floor. When triggered the door falls open and creates a hole that drops anything over it onto a random spot in the dungeon level below.

One technique of dealing with this problem is to go down any stairs you encounter and then go up. This way, if you should ever fall down to that level you will know where the exit is. A high dexterity status will reduce your chances of falling down the pit should you accidentally trigger a trap door.

Web (")

This makes you stuck for some turns, unless you are wielding Sting or are a spider. These traps won't be generated randomly before dungeon level 7. This is the only trap to use the " symbol, rather than the ^ symbol.