Search and Disable optimization

[Chilingsworth]

Hey Playgrounders!

As part of my new project to replace my prematurely killed wizard Kharak, I'm building a combat trapmonkey of sorts.

I've already started a thread about him as a whole character. I'm also looking for tips on how to speed up my use of search and disable device for traps and such. The character has to be human, but I was thinking one option might be a belt of dwarvenkind. That gives the stonecutting ability, doesn't it? Which allows for automatic search checks in stone-based areas? Most of the areas I'll have to search will be stone tombs, so that would be very helpful if so.

Other than the usual skill bonus items/masterwork tools/(maybe, if I get desperate) skill focus, anything to improve my search and disable checks, or more importantly, the speed at which I perform them?

I have to be able to beat checks against minimum CR 10 traps reliably enough to chose the bypass option, or failing that, be able to repair the traps later.
I'll be level 10, with a 32 point buy, with pleanty of skill points and 53,000gp.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[SurlySeraph]

Dungeonscape has some good options for this.
The Trap Sensitivity feat lets you automatically make a Search check whenever you're within 5 feet of a trap (like elves get Search checks for hidden doors).
Trap Engineer is a feat that gives you bonuses to find, disable, and avoid attacks from all the traps in a particular dungeon after the first one you find.
The Quick Fingers ACF for Rogues delays Trap Sense until 6th level, but lets you disarm traps faster. However, Penetrating Strike (which gives you half SA damage against normally un-SA-able targets) also trades out Trap Sense; check with your DM if you can take Penetrating Strike at 6th level instead of 3rd, since Quick Fingers delays Trap Sense instead of removing it entirely.
The Trapsmith PrC is quite good in general and lets you add your level in it to Search, Disable Device, and Open Lock, and at 2nd level lets you disarm traps faster (though slightly slower than what Quick Fingers allows for).

[Fenryr]

Are you gonna get Dex? Tactile Trapsmith from Complete Adventurer makes Search and Disable a Dex check, instead of Int.

Go for Dungeonscape, there's a couple of mundane items that may work, like Lockstick, an alchemical substance that has 10 uses and gives you +2 on Disable and Open Lock.

[Chilingsworth]

Sadly, Dunegonscape isn't allowed in my group. Also, Class ACF's are very iffy.

[Volthawk]

You could take Shape Soulmeld (Theft Gloves), which would give +2 to Disable Device, Open Lock and Sleight of Hand. You can also get Trapfinding this way (if you don't have it somehow), and if you get extra essentia (say, through a UMD'd scroll of Soul Boon, or one of the magic items that gives essentia), you get a bigger bonus, up to +6 at your level.

[SurlySeraph]

OK, that makes it harder.

Dungeon Delver gets Skill Mastery. It's prereqs are a pain, but manageable.
You could do Rogue 7/ Dungeon Delver 3 for a guaranteed 30 (take 10, 13 ranks, +5 Dex or Int, +2 masterwork tools). The highest CR 10 Disable Device DC is 34; getting the last +4 shouldn't be any trouble. Dungeon Delver gets Stonecunning, so if it's a stone trap that's another +2 right there. However, getting another +10 so you can reliably bypass them is an issue.
Arcane Thieves' Tools (MiC) let you sacrifice a 1st-level spell slot for a +5 competence bonus on a Disable Device check; I can't find anything better at the moment without going into custom magic items or an Item Familiar.

Also, looking at your other thread, you want to be a Warblade as well. Getting a lot of levels in Warblade *and* being able to reliably make a DC 44 Disable Device check isn't going to be easy. It's probably possible, but it's not going to be easy.

[Chilingsworth]

OK, that makes it harder.

Dungeon Delver gets Skill Mastery. It's prereqs are a pain, but manageable.
You could do Rogue 7/ Dungeon Delver 3 for a guaranteed 30 (take 10, 13 ranks, +5 Dex or Int, +2 masterwork tools). The highest CR 10 Disable Device DC is 34; getting the last +4 shouldn't be any trouble. Dungeon Delver gets Stonecunning, so if it's a stone trap that's another +2 right there. However, getting another +10 so you can reliably bypass them is an issue.
Arcane Thieves' Tools (MiC) let you sacrifice a 1st-level spell slot for a +5 competence bonus on a Disable Device check; I can't find anything better at the moment without going into custom magic items or an Item Familiar.

Also, looking at your other thread, you want to be a Warblade as well. Getting a lot of levels in Warblade *and* being able to reliably make a DC 44 Disable Device check isn't going to be easy. It's probably possible, but it's not going to be easy.

Thanks for the soulmeld tip! I'll add it to my list.

As for the challenge of getting a sufficently high check for bypass, how about my other option: Being able to repair traps I've previously disabled? As long as I can either bypass or repair, I should be ok.

[SurlySeraph]

Repairing a mechanical trap requires a Craft (trapmaking) check against a DC equal to the one for building it. The cost for raw materials is one-fifth of the trap’s original market price. To calculate how long it takes to fix a trap, use the same calculations you would for building it, but use the cost of the raw materials required for repair in place of the market price.

So that's a DC 30 Craft (trapmaking) check, requiring as much as 5,800 gp for a CR 10 Crushing Room trap, that'll take a really long time if you go by the book. And it doesn't talk about repairing magical traps; if they go by the same calculation, it could be 29,800 gp to repair an Energy Drain trap. Fabricate and Major Creation should be able to take care of it, but if your DM hews strictly to RAW it'll probably be a much bigger pain than bypassing them. I mean, taking 20 will take at most 80 rounds for a Wicked trap, that's definitely less time than crafting a 5,800 gp item.