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WarKitty
2010-09-26, 04:38 PM
Just a question I've had on my mind. As a party how do you live without a rogue or one of the other base classes with trapfinding? Presume you're starting at level 1 and working your way up. What other classes can fill in for the rogue?

I'm asking because our group is getting a bit tired of someone having to be the designated trap person. We're at the point where most of the group has their one or two favorite classes and no one particularly likes any of the trapfinders. We like bards for our skillmonkeys most of the time.

Esser-Z
2010-09-26, 04:40 PM
Anyone with a ten, maybe eleven or twelve, foot pole!

NineThePuma
2010-09-26, 04:41 PM
Cleric with the Kobold Domain can trap find, as can Artificer. Um... Get someone with a tough animal companion and have the companion go first, healing it up after?

ffone
2010-09-26, 04:43 PM
I've had similar annoying experiences - PBP campaigns which were slooooow b/c the rest of the party sat around while the rogue had to Search everything and then Disable Device or Open Locks it, and everyone else was paranoid to set foot in any 5'x5' square he hadn't Searched. Spent half a year going through one dungeon.

First advice: talk to the DM, agree to do a campaign which is outdoorsy. Or, when I DM, I like to design 'dungeons' which have a reason to not have traps - like they are offices are temples where living NPCs traffick and go about their (evil) business, and thus ought'n't be trapped, except for the occasional super-secret vault.

In PBP DMing I basically don't use traps, b/c as soon as one is found or set off, play speed grinds to a halt while everyone goes paranoid and only steps exactly where the rogue has, and it's essentially a solo game except for battles.

Lowbrow methods:
-Long poles
-Throwing stuff

Also, once you have 2nd level spells:
-Knock
-Find Traps
-summons to set off the traps, dispel to suppress them, etc.
(IF DMing, consider planting wands of these spells early in the campaign)

mostlyharmful
2010-09-26, 04:51 PM
a party needs a trapfinder for anything even remotely resembling the SOP of a d&d game. setting off a trap is usually a fine and dandy thing.... and sometimes the stupidist, suicidalist tactic.

Deadfalls, alarms, acid boxes, summons, map resets, gate-based, pheremones, mind-gank, set damage, cumulative, denial tactics, hostage-tied..... there's no end to traps you don't want to set off, tanking it's not up to snuf with a creative dm.

WarKitty
2010-09-26, 04:54 PM
a party needs a trapfinder for anything even remotely resembling the SOP of a d&d game. setting off a trap is usually a fine and dandy thing.... and sometimes the stupidist, suicidalist tactic.

Deadfalls, alarms, acid boxes, summons, map resets, gate-based, pheremones, mind-gank, set damage, cumulative, denial tactics, hostage-tied..... there's no end to traps you don't want to set off, tanking it's not up to snuf with a creative dm.

We all agree that D&D is designed for a trapfinder. The trouble is that generally whoever's the trapfinder ends up being really bored because none of us enjoy that type of class. We're an even split between people who like to tank, and people who like to cast at range, with the occasional bard thrown in the mix.

Optimator
2010-09-26, 04:55 PM
Celestial Monkeys from a 750gp wand.

mostlyharmful
2010-09-26, 05:01 PM
Celestial Monkeys from a 750gp wand.

The monkey walks forward.... the tunnel collapses.

some archetypes are necessary to ensure some vague versimilitude. The trapfinding mechanic is to my mind one of the worst 3.5 mechanics but then none of the d&d editions has even vaguely covered this one. It'd be hard to cover something which depends so crucially on the inherent evil-bastard-ishness of guerilla warfare and tomb builiding.....

Horoar
2010-09-26, 05:02 PM
Just ask the DM to take out traps if they're not adding anything to the campaign.

EDIT: or try to recruit another player who likes to play as a rogue.

Flickerdart
2010-09-26, 05:05 PM
Barbarians have an ACF that allows them to find and disable traps with Survival.

WarKitty
2010-09-26, 05:06 PM
Just ask the DM to take out traps if they're not adding anything to the campaign.

It just wouldn't be a dungeon without traps though. I gotta admit trapfinding is not one of the better 3.5 mechanics.

Susano-wo
2010-09-26, 05:40 PM
You could simply grant trapfindeing to the other classes. I've always thought that it was pretty sad that they apparently felt they had to deny everyone else who put points into disable device the benefits of their most likely cross-class skill. If the rogue needs that to pretect his niche that badly...improve him (thank you, Pathfinder! :D)

The other option is to remove trapfinding from the skills system altogether. Each trap has a specific way of disarming it. To do so, you have to actually look at the device, ask the DM questions about what you can see, and try to disable it. (If people actually have ranks in disable device, maybe they get rolls to see if ideas are bad. (not see what good ideas are though, since that defeats the purpose of having people figure out the trap)

CockroachTeaParty
2010-09-26, 06:09 PM
It really depends on the campaign. If it's more of a series of dungeon crawls, then it helps to have a strategy when it comes to traps (not just trapfinding, but creative summoning or other spells can work too).

In most games I've run, traps are all but ignored, and I usually tell folks that a trapfinding character is hardly a necessity. That's why I like the Beguiler: it's typically not going to focus on trapfinding, but it's there in case you need it.

Touchy
2010-09-26, 07:06 PM
Barbarians have an ACF that allows them to find and disable traps with Survival.

Actually, if memory serves correct, he finds traps with survival, but breaks them by attacking it, which effectively means disabling.




Cleric with the Kobold Domain can trap find, as can Artificer. Um... Get someone with a tough animal companion and have the companion go first, healing it up after?

Also note that only one god has the kobold domain, Kurtulmak, and he's not fond of anything that's NOT a kobold. So keep this in mind if a DM doesn't like cleric of ideals.

HunterOfJello
2010-09-26, 07:18 PM
No trapfinding? Then the DM can remove most traps from the campaign.

The DM can (and should anyway) use traps that are focused more on avoidance rather than detection. This encourages player creativity and removes the surprise damage aspect from most traps.

Vangor
2010-09-26, 07:23 PM
Just a question I've had on my mind. As a party how do you live without a rogue or one of the other base classes with trapfinding?

While my players tend to include a rogue or now a beguiler or artificer (personally better choices for far more than trapmonkeying), I do not generally make traps which are not, in a manner, able to be bypassed. Having a person who can disable is helpful after finding the mechanisms, saving you resources or permitting progress down a path, but I was never really a fan of simply having a "trap" which is simply a DC25 Acid Trap on the Door or some such.

Make better traps, I say.

Zeofar
2010-09-26, 07:35 PM
If you're all agreed that you don't like it, why not just change how it works?

These are just some possibilities:

Remove 'trapfinding' totally, including as a requisite for finding difficult traps. If you think this makes Rogues underpowered, give them a bonus to finding traps, as well as any other class that normally is able to find nasty traps.
As above, but difficult traps can only be found by someone who has Search trained.
Make "Trapfinding" a feat, and Rogues and others get it as a bonus feat.

Eldariel
2010-09-26, 07:35 PM
Trapfinding in and of itself is mostly unnecessary; just remove need for it to find Traps and you're fine. But yeah, here's a quick list of base classes that can remove traps:

Rogue
Scout [CAdv]
Beguiler [PHBII]
Artificer [ECS]
Ninja [CAdv]
Factotum [Dungeonscape]
Spellthief [CAdv]
Ranger: Trap Expert ACF [Dungeonscape]
Cleric: Kobold domain (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) & Find Traps (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/findTraps.htm) (Kobold-domain is accessible for non-Kobolds through Planar Touchstone-feat [PlH], among others)
Barbarian: Trapkiller ACF [Dungeonscape]


Few PrCs also grant it:

Nightsong Infiltrator [CAdv]
Temple Raiders of Olidammara [CDiv]
Stonedeath Assassin [RoS]
Hoardstealer [Drac]


Also note that many traps can be disabled without Disable Device; things like Dispel Magic and simple mechanical contraptions often work. Yet more are things like Summon Elemental [CM] Reserve Feat which give you infinite summons to throw at things. While not foolproof, these and things like 10-ft poles make living without a trapfinder quite possible. Of course, Rogue hirelings should be readily available in Thieves' Guild (provided you can make contact).

But really, a ton of archetypes can get Trapfinding giving you everything from divine casters to arcane casters and frontliners. The options are also all over the tier listing. Not to mention multiclassing enables just about any class to get it somewhat profittably; Ninja 1/Druid 19 is still a fine character with Trapfinding, Wis to AC and some other nice tricks, Rogue 1/Wizard 4/Unseen Seer 10 is just awesome (in more ways than I can count), and Planar Touchstone for Kobold-domain (through Catalogues of Enlightenment) allows any class to get Trapfinding with just one feat on level 5. And Theft Gloves soulmeld [MoI] also gives 'em to anyone with the chakra open.

This unfortunately doesn't make Disable Device and Search class skills for non-Clerics so you'll need other routes for those, or other abilities like spells such as Improvisation [SC], Divine Insight [SC] or Guidance of the Avatar (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a) to improve the Disable Device-checks. Still, it can be done. Oh, and there's the Dwarven racial ability to search stone, Disciple of Dispater's class ability to search metal, Dwarven Stoneblessed's ability to search Stone and so on.


And yes, I'm aware most of this has already been said; I mostly strove to be comprehensive here.

Darrin
2010-09-26, 10:34 PM
Also note that only one god has the kobold domain, Kurtulmak, and he's not fond of anything that's NOT a kobold. So keep this in mind if a DM doesn't like cleric of ideals.

Planar Touchstone -> Catalogues of Enlightenment can get you a domain power without worshiping any particular deity.

Wand of SM1 does very well, but so does a Wand of Mount (longer duration) or a Survival Pouch (MIC, 3300 GP, 5 mules/day).

Chipp Zanuff
2010-09-26, 10:41 PM
It just wouldn't be a dungeon without traps though. I gotta admit trapfinding is not one of the better 3.5 mechanics.

There are other kinds of traps, you know? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DroppedABridgetOnHim)

WarKitty
2010-09-26, 10:44 PM
There are other kinds of traps, you know? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DroppedABridgetOnHim)


Not funny, sorry. Did I mention I'm genderqueer?

Ravens_cry
2010-09-26, 10:49 PM
There are other kinds of traps, you know? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DroppedABridgetOnHim)
A ring of X-ray vision (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#xRayVision) would be of great assistance in detecting such traps.

Leewei
2010-09-26, 10:51 PM
Check out the Ballad of Log, the Timberrogue (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?action=printpage;topic=4858.0).

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-09-26, 11:38 PM
Also remember that you only need Trapfinding to be able to spot traps with a DC of over 20, or to disable any magical traps. For everything else, anyone with the skills can do the job just as well.

Shenanigans
2010-09-27, 08:34 AM
As a Trapkiller-ish variant, you could have a character with very high saves (a paladin with divine grace, for example) go first.

Starbuck_II
2010-09-27, 08:56 AM
Take Soulmeld that gives you a trap finding?
The one that gives you open lock/disable bonuses.

Snake-Aes
2010-09-27, 09:02 AM
Take Soulmeld that gives you a trap finding?
The one that gives you open lock/disable bonuses.

Theft gloves. Trapfinding with them starts at level 4 (hands bind).

hamishspence
2010-09-27, 09:05 AM
What about Dungeonscape's Encounter traps? these are traps that are more like an encounter with some monsters, than your traditional pit trap.

Might be a good way of ensuring that just because you have trapfinders, doesn't mean it's a walkover (and, conversely, just because you don't have them, doesn't mean you're doomed).

RebelRogue
2010-09-27, 09:06 AM
The trapfinding mechanic is to my mind one of the worst 3.5 mechanics but then none of the d&d editions has even vaguely covered this one.
3rd edition does way better than previous ones, to be fair. But 4e has it covered pretty good, IMO: Train Perception and possibly Dungeoneering and you're good to go.

Ruinix
2010-09-27, 09:10 AM
i complete in love of factotum, is what the rogue should be as skill monkey and with the correct build it can be the best batman in the block XDD

WarKitty
2010-09-27, 09:20 AM
i complete in love of factotum, is what the rogue should be as skill monkey and with the correct build it can be the best batman in the block XDD

This is what has always bugged me. I like to play a bard as the group skillmonkey. I can play music and dance to make magic effects happen, and I ooze skill points! But no trapfinding without a dip, and a party rarely needs 2 skillmonkeys. :smallyuk:

Skorj
2010-09-27, 09:20 AM
To emphasize the point Eldariel was making: rogue 1 / wizard 19 is a perfectly fine trapfinder. If the only part of a rogue you need is the trapfinding skills, there are plenty of ways to get that with a 1-level dip (and necessarily in rogue, if splatbooks are availabe).

The classic D&D adventure does require a rogue IMO, but fortunately only one level of one. :smallamused:

WarKitty
2010-09-27, 09:22 AM
To emphasize the point Eldariel was making: rogue 1 / wizard 19 is a perfectly fine trapfinder. If the only part of a rogue you need is the trapfinding skills, there are plenty of ways to get that with a 1-level dip (and necessarily in rogue, if splatbooks are availabe).

The classic D&D adventure does require a rogue IMO, but fortunately only one level of one. :smallamused:

We tend to play in the 5-10 level range. Those dips aren't so cheap, particularly not when you're sacrificing a casting level to do so.

BeholderSlayer
2010-09-27, 09:46 AM
buying a few donkeys and having them go first. they make pretty good tanks at low level, too. ;)

hamishspence
2010-09-27, 09:49 AM
Unless the traps automatically reset (for example, a pit trap consisting of a pivoting floor)- in which case, you still need to figure out how to get past it once you've seen it triggered.

BeholderSlayer
2010-09-27, 09:55 AM
Unless the traps automatically reset (for example, a pit trap consisting of a pivoting floor)- in which case, you still need to figure out how to get past it once you've seen it triggered.

True, but that's the easy part after you've seen it go off already.

bokodasu
2010-09-27, 10:03 AM
Personally, I use a wand of Summon Fifty Monkeys, but I also play in a group where random players show up at random times, so our DM is pretty lenient about these things. (We haven't had a rogue in the last five weeks - our last party was two druids, two clerics, two fighters, a barbarian and a ranger.)

But if everyone really hates being the rogue, I'd go with the hireling option. Or ask the DM to make trapfinding a feat, or even homebrew one of those "give up ability x for ability y" things like in UA. (One of our druids is playing the "give up wildshaping for some totally weak monk benefits!" variant, not that I'm judging*.)

*I'm totally judging. But your homebrew will not be so silly, I'm sure.

Oracle_Hunter
2010-09-27, 10:53 AM
As with any missing party role, NPCs are the answer.

Start with Hoopty Trapspringer, the NPC Halfling Rogue. When he dies, have his son, Hoopty Transpringer II sign on for the mission. And so on :smalltongue:

Somewhat more seriously, get a heavy-armor Fighter for your low-level trapspringing. He has good Flatfoot AC and decent Fortitude - which is what the majority of RAW traps target :smallsigh:

Sure, he'll fall in pits but he can take the falling damage (or get Featherfall somehow) and his armor will be good protection against any spikes. Swimming is problematic, but I'm sure you can figure it out :smallbiggrin:

Serpentine
2010-09-27, 10:57 AM
I only just realised today that we don't have a Rogue in our party - and that was after we went through a trap-heavy dungeon. Turns out our Warlock has heavily invested in being untouchable, so... he did a little jig through any trapped hallway and took note of which cobblestones set off the traps.

Benly
2010-09-27, 11:06 AM
Personally, I like letting anyone with Search and Disable Device hunt out traps when they have reason to suspect one, and letting rogues and other trapfinders make passive checks to notice hidden traps when they get near. It avoids "sweep every 5' square at a time" when you've got a trapfinder and also means that you're not totally boned if you find a suspicious treasure chest and have a properly-trained bard but no rogue. The idea is that anyone can be trained to handle it, but the trapfinders have it down to a reflex.

grimbold
2010-09-27, 11:30 AM
Personally I like to take dead bodies of things we have killed an toss them onto every square before going there :)
10 foot poles are useful.
actually imo while D&D is designed to have a rogue of some sort it is sometimes more fun to not be able to find the traps through search checks but rather improvistation. It encourages good rping :)

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-09-27, 11:53 AM
By level 10, the party caster can simply have the Reserve Feat to summon an elemental. At will.

Eldariel
2010-09-27, 12:06 PM
We tend to play in the 5-10 level range. Those dips aren't so cheap, particularly not when you're sacrificing a casting level to do so.

I've played one on level 4 with no issue. Thing is, while you're behind a straight Wizard, you're still up with a straight Sorcerer in terms of spells you can cast. It's not quite as strong as a straight Wizard but frankly, you don't need to be.

But yeah, Planar Touchstone and Theft Gloves make Trapfinding accessible even for a Bard (and with Improvisation you can get good enough Disable Device; Search needs to be pumped, of course since you make those checks constantly). Max cross-class Disable Device (or use Bardic Knack) and pick Search up somehow.


But yeah, Rangers, Barbarians, etc. I can't imagine nobody playing one of those. Heck, Ranger/Wizard Gish makes for a fine Trapfinder! And yeah, Incarnates double as Trapfinders too and Artificers are still as awesome as ever.

WarKitty
2010-09-27, 12:10 PM
Oh good heavens now you gave me the image of our barbarian being the trapfinder! That is...yeah...we'd die. Our dedicated barbarian is under strict orders to always be within grapple range of our two strongest players when not in combat, in case he does something stupid.

One of our rangers, now, that would work decently.

ka_bna
2010-09-27, 12:12 PM
Wasn't there a campaign journal (Saph's I believe) where a bag of tricks do the trick?

Cheap, unless you feel for your fuzzy friends in the bag.

Snake-Aes
2010-09-27, 12:17 PM
For traps that rely on attack rolls, a tower shield solves your problem, giving you total cover while you move your normal move per round.

Roderick_BR
2010-09-27, 08:06 PM
You could simply grant trapfindeing to the other classes. I've always thought that it was pretty sad that they apparently felt they had to deny everyone else who put points into disable device the benefits of their most likely cross-class skill. If the rogue needs that to pretect his niche that badly...improve him (thank you, Pathfinder! :D)

Agreed. Just make it a feat, like Track. Have it a requisite of 2 ranks in Search and Disable Device, and Rogues get it for free on 1st level (like Rangers get Track on 1st level). Problem solved.

Also, keep the traps in good places. Normal looking chests don't need to be traped (the trapper is wasting more money on the chest's trap than the content) and every door, just the ones you think *need* it. Valts, big portals. Let people get paranoid where they should be.


Personally, I like letting anyone with Search and Disable Device hunt out traps when they have reason to suspect one, and letting rogues and other trapfinders make passive checks to notice hidden traps when they get near. It avoids "sweep every 5' square at a time" when you've got a trapfinder and also means that you're not totally boned if you find a suspicious treasure chest and have a properly-trained bard but no rogue. The idea is that anyone can be trained to handle it, but the trapfinders have it down to a reflex.
According to the traps rules, any "normal" trap (DC 20), can be searched and disabled by anyone. Anything more than it, including any magical trap, requires the trap ability.

Zaq
2010-09-27, 08:17 PM
Make traps obvious. Traps aren't fun (for a rogue or for a rogueless party) when they're just a series of "GOTCHA!" HP sappers. One of the best solutions I've ever heard is to make the traps themselves obvious, and then let the group find a solution. So, for example:

Do not just wait until the PCs walk down the hallway, then shoot them with poison arrows if they don't search it or don't roll high enough. Do tell them as they're approaching the hallway that they see the corpse of something dead, likely by poison, or that they notice suspicious holes in the walls, or that they see a few arrows stuck in the wall or broken on the ground. That way, the PCs know that there's an arrow trap, but they then have to decide what to do about it. If they have someone with Disable Device trained, they can try that; they can try to jury-rig some other kind of solution (like blocking the holes with rocks or clustering behind a tower shield; they can toss a summoned creature into the hallway, retrieve the arrow, and judge whether they have enough HP/defenses to muscle through it; they can try to string a rope across the hallway and get by without touching the pressure plates; they can try to find another way around... whatever. Whatever they come up with, it's likely to be a better time at the table than just sitting around while the rogue (or other designated trapmonkey) rolls to find and disable every square in every room. Make traps puzzles, not just HP sinks or a party member tax.

WarKitty
2010-09-27, 08:19 PM
Make traps obvious. Traps aren't fun (for a rogue or for a rogueless party) when they're just a series of "GOTCHA!" HP sappers. One of the best solutions I've ever heard is to make the traps themselves obvious, and then let the group find a solution. So, for example:

Do not just wait until the PCs walk down the hallway, then shoot them with poison arrows if they don't search it or don't roll high enough. Do tell them as they're approaching the hallway that they see the corpse of something dead, likely by poison, or that they notice suspicious holes in the walls, or that they see a few arrows stuck in the wall or broken on the ground. That way, the PCs know that there's an arrow trap, but they then have to decide what to do about it. If they have someone with Disable Device trained, they can try that; they can try to jury-rig some other kind of solution (like blocking the holes with rocks or clustering behind a tower shield; they can toss a summoned creature into the hallway, retrieve the arrow, and judge whether they have enough HP/defenses to muscle through it; they can try to string a rope across the hallway and get by without touching the pressure plates; they can try to find another way around... whatever. Whatever they come up with, it's likely to be a better time at the table than just sitting around while the rogue (or other designated trapmonkey) rolls to find and disable every square in every room. Make traps puzzles, not just HP sinks or a party member tax.

Unfortunately I have one of those DM's that takes their main philosophy to be "encounters are designed for a standard party; if you don't have a standard party then tough luck."

Zaq
2010-09-27, 08:26 PM
Ask him (or her) how that's supposed to be fun. Don't demand a total revamp of GMing philosophy, but really, a choice between "someone has to play a character they don't want to play" and "the party gets repeatedly pounded with nigh-unavoidable traps" doesn't really seem like it enhances the game in any way.

Benly
2010-09-27, 10:57 PM
According to the traps rules, any "normal" trap (DC 20), can be searched and disabled by anyone. Anything more than it, including any magical trap, requires the trap ability.

I know. I am suggesting a houserule whereby, this being a magical world where a Glyph of Warding is cheaper and easier to put in place than a mechanical trap, anyone who is trained in disabling traps would be trained in recognizing and disabling these magical traps as well, in much the same way that someone in the modern world professionally trained in breaking and entering would be trained to recognize the signs of modern security systems. Then, by extension, rogues and other trapfinding classes are presumed to excel at this rather than have a monopoly on it, so they get the extra benefit of not even having to search - like a professional burglar habitually casing a store's security system when he goes shopping, they are always on the alert for the signs of traps.

Tyndmyr
2010-09-28, 12:31 AM
Just a question I've had on my mind. As a party how do you live without a rogue or one of the other base classes with trapfinding? Presume you're starting at level 1 and working your way up. What other classes can fill in for the rogue?

I'm asking because our group is getting a bit tired of someone having to be the designated trap person. We're at the point where most of the group has their one or two favorite classes and no one particularly likes any of the trapfinders. We like bards for our skillmonkeys most of the time.

It's not really a problem. First off, not every area is trapped. Dungeons, sure. Traps don't come up as much in social situations and other adventure types.

At any significant level(read, 2nd level spells on up), your party arcanist can start replacing the class features of the rogue, and making some of the skill monkey's skills unnecessary. This is a great use of his out of combat flexibility if you don't have a rogue/skillmonkey.

A great many of these can also be bypassed by ingenuity. The 10 ft pole is great for trap finding. So is a bag of sand for pressure plates. Vials of acid are great for locks.

El Dorado
2010-09-28, 06:17 AM
You could always send in the monk to spring your traps. Good saves, evasion, etc. Make his defensive class features work for you! Oh, make sure the rest of party keeps their distance while he does this. . . .

Jack_Simth
2010-09-28, 07:27 AM
Of course, Rogue hirelings should be readily available in Thieves' Guild (provided you can make contact).Oh, that's simple. Take ranks in Profession / Craft, run a small shop for a few weeks. The local Guild will contact you (protection racket). When they do, burn the shop down yourself, pay them the required protection fee, and let him know you're looking to hire someone, and where you'll be. Then hang out for a little while.


Just a question I've had on my mind. As a party how do you live without a rogue or one of the other base classes with trapfinding? Presume you're starting at level 1 and working your way up. What other classes can fill in for the rogue?Well, any Tier-1 can do it without too much trouble (trapspringers - Unseen Servant and a big bag of rocks / Summon Monster / Mount / et cetera - works in a limited manner until you can get access to the Summon Elemental reserve feat and a Permanent / Persistent Detect Magic). Trip the traps from far enough away that they don't hurt you (230 feet, with an Air Elemental from the Summon Elemental Reserve Feat, incidentally; obtainable at level 7 with a Wizard-3/Master Specialist-2/Wizard+2).

A better solution is to simply discuss it with the DM, and have him run campaigns where there are not a significant number of meaningful traps.

WarKitty
2010-09-28, 07:52 AM
Oh, that's simple. Take ranks in Profession / Craft, run a small shop for a few weeks. The local Guild will contact you (protection racket). When they do, burn the shop down yourself, pay them the required protection fee, and let him know you're looking to hire someone, and where you'll be. Then hang out for a little while.

Well, any Tier-1 can do it without too much trouble (trapspringers - Unseen Servant and a big bag of rocks / Summon Monster / Mount / et cetera - works in a limited manner until you can get access to the Summon Elemental reserve feat and a Permanent / Persistent Detect Magic). Trip the traps from far enough away that they don't hurt you (230 feet, with an Air Elemental from the Summon Elemental Reserve Feat, incidentally; obtainable at level 7 with a Wizard-3/Master Specialist-2/Wizard+2).

A better solution is to simply discuss it with the DM, and have him run campaigns where there are not a significant number of meaningful traps.

Yeah the big trouble seems to be getting up to the level where we have those tricks. Although incidentally we tend to be rather shy on magic-users as well.

imdmoogleking
2010-09-29, 10:41 PM
Find a monster, kill it, cur off it's head, and roll that along in front of you before walking down a hallway. When it pops, find another monster and do the same. This worked pretty well for our party, but your DM may decide after a while that the traps need to be sprung by a certain weight.

VirOath
2010-09-30, 03:53 AM
Find a monster, kill it, cur off it's head, and roll that along in front of you before walking down a hallway. When it pops, find another monster and do the same. This worked pretty well for our party, but your DM may decide after a while that the traps need to be sprung by a certain weight.

At which point you have the Barbarian throw the heavy headless corpses down the hall and watch them skid and slide.

nyjastul69
2010-09-30, 04:38 AM
Ask Admiral Ackbar. He knows a trap when he sees one. Sorry.

You could also ask your DM to let you swap out a less useful bard class feature for the trap finding class feature.

Coidzor
2010-09-30, 05:11 AM
Zomblebees.