Trap Chest

Trap Chests or simply traps are a recurring gameplay element in the Mana series.

They are usually traps found in chests, hence their name. Said traps usually trigger when the player attempts to open the treasure chest and is greeted instead with various negative status effets or damaging moves.

Appearances

Secret of Mana

As enemies increase in power, so does the chance of dropping a bugged chest. These bugged chests can contain:

• Punch gloves (small HP damage)
• Riot gas (inflicts Minor)
• Poison needles (inflicts Poison)
• Stone gas (inflicts Petrify)
• Death traps (causes Ghost if it works; drops victim to 1 HP if it fails)
• Morph into Mimic Box
• Bombs (HP damage)

However, traps can be neutralized with Primm's Analyzer spell. The chest will turn red, but the trap will be disarmed and an item given in its place.

Trials of Mana

Trap roulette is only present in the 2D version. Trap chests mimic ordinary chests that regular enemies drops and trigger a trap roulette moments after being opened. During trap roulette, multiple icons shuffle in a ring menu while player must attempt to time their confirm button pressing (A) to land on a favorable fate (OK icon). Depending on where the roulette cursor stops, multiple events can occur:

• OK : Nothing happens
• Arrows : Arrows rain down on the opener damaging for 1/8 of max HP.
• Spikes : Spikes impale opener damaging for 1/6 of max HP.
• Poison Gas : Poison gas cloud engulfs party damaging for 1/5 of max HP to all.
• Ogre Box : Chest becomes tough enemy. Its level is equal to that of the person who opened it.

The other four traps only show up if the character opening the chest is at level 26 or higher.

• Rock Fall : Falling rocks damage opener for 1/4 of max HP.
• Bomb : An explosion knocks out half of each party member's max HP.
• Grim Reaper : Instant death to opener.
• Kaiser Mimic : Chest becomes tough enemy. Its level is equal to that of the person who opened it.

The Luck stat of the chest opener affects the amount of OK icons present on the roulette, while the Dexterity stat affects how quickly the wheel is spinning. The higher the Luck stat, the more OK icons present and the higher Dexterity stat, the slower the wheel. Should the opener has Luck stat with a 20 value or higher, no trap roulette should occur.

Although trap roulette was removed from the 3D version, there are several treasure chests that will morph into a mimic box when opened. These are not logged by the game and no achievements require their opening, but each may drop a rare item when defeated. None will respawn.

Sword of Mana

A similar mechanic to Trials of Mana is used, but with a smaller wheel.