Player: I go about five feet down the hall, and I check for traps.

 

DM: Roll Perception, please.

 

Player: Is 15 high enough?

 

DM: That's adding your key stat, training, and a bonus for the circumstance because I know you're moving slowly, right?

 

Player: [Beat.] Right.

 

DM: You see nothing, I mean, it appears to be a dusty tiled hall.

 

Player: Okay, I another five feet forward and check for traps.

 

Other Players: [In unison.] O, come on!

DM: Marching order, please

 

Players: We'll put the fighter and barbarian in front, the wizard and cleric in the middle, and the rogue out back about twenty feet behind so he can flank. Tell us when the encounter starts, okay?

DM: Okay, team, after you crush that bugbear, the darkness yawns in yonder doorway.

 

Player: I charge through it. I don't even care if anyone follows.

 

DM: Okay, so you're running fast, and [pauses to roll] it looks like you've tripped a trap. [Rolls again.] Bam! The bear trap closes on your leg. Take 7 damage. How would the rest of you like to proceed?

 

Other Players: Well, we will quietly walk down the hall, hoping our slow movement allows us to spot traps. Yeah, and if this guy can get himself out of that bear trap, that's swell.

 

DM: So the rogue is in front? Sorry. Force of habit, guys!

 

Other Players: Um. Yeah.

 

DM: Okay. [Rolls dice.] So, just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

 

Player: Hey, guys, just pull on it! Okay? Please?

Player: I go about five feet down the hall, and I check for traps.

DM: Roll Perception, please.

Player: Is 15 high enough?

DM: That's adding your key stat, training, and a bonus for the circumstance because I know you're moving slowly, right?

Player: [Beat.] Right.

DM: You see nothing, I mean, it appears to be a dusty tiled hall.

Player: Okay, I another five feet forward and check for traps.

Other Players: [In unison.] O, come on!

DM: Marching order, please

Players: We'll put the fighter and barbarian in front, the wizard and cleric in the middle, and the rogue out back about twenty feet behind so he can flank. Tell us when the encounter starts, okay?

DM: Okay, team, after you crush that bugbear, the darkness yawns in yonder doorway.

Player: I charge through it. I don't even care if anyone follows.

DM: Okay, so you're running fast, and [pauses to roll] it looks like you've tripped a trap. [Rolls again.] Bam! The bear trap closes on your leg. Take 7 damage. How would the rest of you like to proceed?

Other Players: Well, we will quietly walk down the hall, hoping our slow movement allows us to spot traps. Yeah, and if this guy can get himself out of that bear trap, that's swell.

DM: So the rogue is in front? Sorry. Force of habit, guys!

Other Players: Um. Yeah.

DM: Okay. [Rolls dice.] So, just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

Player: Hey, guys, just pull on it! Okay? Please?

Every other answer seems like it's from one DM to another, so here's this from a player's perspective.

GM: Roll Perception, please.

GM: That's adding your key stat, training, and a bonus for the circumstance because I know you're moving slowly, right?

Another answer suggested not hiding traps, which is one way to do it, I guess, Maybe. But that's also boring and approaches things wrong.

But even that is boring, right? But handling traps like wilderness encounters would be a start. Just invert the standard marching order. Instead of the DM rolling Perception for the fighter, the DM's rolling it for the rogue.

Here's something even better. Rather than making the traps deadlier, more interesting, or requiring even more talking, try this:

GM: Okay. [Rolls dice.] So, just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

It just comes down to how you play the game. I did a whole 300-page Paizo adventure path in D&D 3.5e with a player who always led, and checked for traps please every five feet. My impetuous character was reduced to cartographer.

That impetuous player is trying to tell the DM that things are boring! I am telling you that you would never read that book. So don't make four other people live it.

Every other answer seems like it's from one DM to another, so here's this from a player's perspective:

DM: Roll Perception, please.

DM: That's adding your key stat, training, and a bonus for the circumstance because I know you're moving slowly, right?

Yawn.

Another answer suggested not hiding traps, which is one way to do it, I guess, Maybe. But that is still boring and approaches things wrong.

But even that is boring, right? Handling traps like wilderness encounters would be a start. Just invert the standard marching order. Instead of the DM rolling Perception for the fighter, the DM's rolling it for the rogue.

Here's something even better. Rather than making the traps deadlier, more interesting, or requiring even more talking, try this:

DM: Okay. [Rolls dice.] So, just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

That impetuous player is trying to tell the DM that things are boring! I am telling you that you would never read that book. So don't make four other people live it.

It just comes down to how you play the game. I did a whole 300-page Paizo adventure path in D&D 3.5e with a player who always led, and checked for traps please every five feet. My impetuous character was reduced to cartographer.

I feel like EVERY answer in this thread is from a GM to another GM...so from a player perspective...I can tell that you (the GM) expect:

--Player; Istep down hall ~5'

--Player; I check for traps

--GM; Roll perception please

--Player; I got a 15, is that high enough?

--GM; that's adding your key stat, training, and situational bonus (cuz I know you're moving slow and we house rule that crap), right?

--Player; [pause] Right

--DM; You see nothing, I mean, it appears to be a dusty tiled hall

Player; Okay, I move forward 5' and check for traps..,

OTHER players; ...WTF?!!???!!?!?!?????

Somebody else suggested "don't hide your traps". I guess, yeah. Maybe. I'll suggest your game is boring - & it's because your premise is crap.

Think about marching order. Every DM asks their players to describe their marching order BECAUSE they like to roll for surprise. Example:

--DM; Marching order please

--Players; We'll put the fighter and barbarian in front, the wizard and cleric in the middle, and the rogue out back - 20' behind - so they can flank. Hey, tells us when the encounter starts. K??

And even THAT is boring. Right? But if you handled traps like overworld encounters, that'd be a start. Just invert the std marching order and now instead of the DM rolling perception for the fighter they're rolling it for the rogue...

Here's something even better. And screw this "make the traps deadlier/more interesting/talk it out" bit. Try this:

--GM; Okay team, after you crush that bugbear, the darkness yawns in yonder doorway.

--Player; I just charge through it, don't even care if anyone follows.

--DM; Okay, so you're running fast and [pauses to roll] it looks like you've tripped a trap. [Rolls again] Bam! The bear trap closes on your leg, please mark 7 damage on your sheet. How would the group like to proceed?

--Other players, well - we will quietly walk down the hall - hoping our slow mov't will allow us to spot traps and if this guy can get himself unstuck that's fine.

--GM; so the rogue is in front? Sorry, force of habit guys!

--Other players; Um, yeah.

--GM; okay [rolls dice] - so just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

--Other players; [you see where I'm going with this...]

--Player; Hey guys - just, um, pull on it!!?! K? Puhleeeez?

It just comes down to HOW you play the game. I did that whole 300pg Paizo adventure megapath in 3.5 with a player who always lead, and "checked for traps please" every 5'. MY OWN impetuous character was forced to draw maps basically.

THAT player is trying to tell YOU they think that's boring. I AM trying to tell you that you would NEVER READ that book...so don't make 4 other people LIVE IT.

Keep your game quick. Talk through how a situation will be handled, Take control of the dice. Repeat back what the characters decided to do, the add a description of the consequences. Move the story forward.

That's a remedial D&D tutorial. I hope it's helpful!!!

Play the game boldly!

Every other answer seems like it's from one DM to another, so here's this from a player's perspective.

Player: I go about five feet down the hall, and I check for traps.

GM: Roll Perception, please.

Player: Is 15 high enough?

GM: That's adding your key stat, training, and a bonus for the circumstance because I know you're moving slowly, right?

Player: [Beat.] Right.

DM: You see nothing, I mean, it appears to be a dusty tiled hall.

Player: Okay, I another five feet forward and check for traps.

Other Players: [In unison.] O, come on!

Another answer suggested not hiding traps, which is one way to do it, I guess, Maybe. But that's also boring and approaches things wrong.

Think about marching order. DMs ask players to have a marching order because DMs like to roll for surprise.

DM: Marching order, please

Players: We'll put the fighter and barbarian in front, the wizard and cleric in the middle, and the rogue out back about twenty feet behind so he can flank. Tell us when the encounter starts, okay?

But even that is boring, right? But handling traps like wilderness encounters would be a start. Just invert the standard marching order. Instead of the DM rolling Perception for the fighter, the DM's rolling it for the rogue.

Here's something even better. Rather than making the traps deadlier, more interesting, or requiring even more talking, try this:

DM: Okay, team, after you crush that bugbear, the darkness yawns in yonder doorway.

Player: I charge through it. I don't even care if anyone follows.

DM: Okay, so you're running fast, and [pauses to roll] it looks like you've tripped a trap. [Rolls again.] Bam! The bear trap closes on your leg. Take 7 damage. How would the rest of you like to proceed?

Other Players: Well, we will quietly walk down the hall, hoping our slow movement allows us to spot traps. Yeah, and if this guy can get himself out of that bear trap, that's swell.

DM: So the rogue is in front? Sorry. Force of habit, guys!

Other Players: Um. Yeah.

GM: Okay. [Rolls dice.] So, just as you move through the torchlight to a corner you spot a small silver knob at shoulder height.

Player: Hey, guys, just pull on it! Okay? Please?

It just comes down to how you play the game. I did a whole 300-page Paizo adventure path in D&D 3.5e with a player who always led, and checked for traps please every five feet. My impetuous character was reduced to cartographer.

That impetuous player is trying to tell the DM that things are boring! I am telling you that you would never read that book. So don't make four other people live it.

Talk through how a situation will be handled. Repeat what the characters decided to do, add a description of the consequences, and move the story forward. Don't get bogged down by traps everywhere.