Path of Blades

Each of the trap's active elements can be thwarted by particular countermeasures.

• Whirling Blades.

  Characters can smash the blades, damage their components, or discern how to avoid them. The blades are disabled if their attack bonus is reduced to -8. Ways to reduce it are described below.

• Intelligence (Investigation), {@dc 15}.

  As an action, a creature that can see the blades can attempt an Intelligence (Investigation) check. A successful check means that the character has learned how to anticipate the blades' movement, imposing disadvantage on the blades' attacks against the creature while it isn't Incapacitated.

• Attack.

  A creature in the area can ready an attack to strike at one of the blades as it goes by. The blade gains advantage on its attack against the creature. The creature then attacks. Each blade has AC 15 and 15 hit points. Destroying a blade reduces the Whirling Blades attack bonus by 2.

• Dexterity check using thieves' tools, {@dc 15}.

  Creatures can use thieves' tools in the area attacked by the blades to foil their mechanism. A successful check reduces the Whirling Blades attack bonus by 2.

• Crushing Pillars.

  The pillars are not susceptible to countermeasures.

• Rune of Fear.

  The rune can be disabled with three successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) checks. Each check requires an action. A creature must be at the end of the hallway to attempt the check, and only one creature can work on this task at once. Once a creature attempts a check for this purpose, no other character can do so until the end of that creature's next turn. Alternatively, the rune can be disabled with three successful castings of Dispel Magic (DC 13) targeting the rune.