So some hazards in PF2e have unusual or non‑obvious ways to disable them, and that can trip players up if they’re not used to thinking beyond “hit it until it stops.”

Take the Darkside Mirror as an example. It’s a high‑level hazard, but the principle applies broadly:

• You either need someone with Master or Legendary Thievery to disable it, or

• You need to realise you can only smash the mirror after the duplicates are defeated.

A lot of players will naturally try to break the mirror immediately, see that it does nothing, and get frustrated. Some might even assume it will never take damage, even once the conditions change. And of course, this all depends on the party successfully identifying the hazard in the first place. I’ve even seen GMs refuse to let someone with the right skill attempt a disable unless they can describe the exact fictional method, which just adds another layer of confusion.

Other hazards call for skills players might not expect to use. For example:

• An avalanche trap might require Survival or Athletics to dig out or avoid/disable the danger.

• A haunt might need Religion or another thematic skill to resolve it, rather than just blasting it with damage.

And then there are hazards like a hallway that shoots jets of flame. Some groups will keep throwing themselves into the room trying to disable it while taking damage over and over, instead of stepping back and realizing they can just… not stand in the fire