{Insert Common Knowledge Star Wars Quote Here}

[ExemplarofAvg]

So I've been toying with the idea of a character that acts as a Trapper/Scout, like you'd find way back before North America was full and truly settled. He sets up snares, tripwires and what not. With some other stuff from the world of DnD as well. AFAIK there are only 2(Two) classes(prestige) that will let me doe something like this.
Trapsmith (Dungeonscape)
and
Combat Trapsmith (Complete Scoundrel)

Starting class would probably be a Scout.
Traps used..
Combat Trapsmith
Entangler, Equalizer, Footspiker.. Befuddler I guess.
Trapsmith, Pretty well all the Booby Traps.

I'd like to avoid as much magic and alchemy as possible, but if not I don't want to lose Power for Flavour. I guess my questions are as followed.
1. Can you use either Trapsmith or Combat Trapsmith, effectively without resorting to Alchemy or Magic?
2. Are there any class/prestige class options, other than the one's I'm aware of?
3. Would a Scout or Ranger 10/Trapsmith 5/Combat Trapsmith 5 be at least not a useless build?

[ExemplarofAvg]

Also are there any stats for Traps outside of Complete Scoundrel and Dungeonscape, maybe something for a simple Trip Line, a Boot Snare, one of those trees that snap back and bushwhack someone?

[Treblain]

Frankly, I don't understand why you need to be a member of either class to make the traps they gain access to. What's the point of Craft (Trapmaking) if you need a PrC to actually learn to make the traps? If you don't like the other abilities the two classes offer, then ask your DM if you can ignore them and just use the traps that are listed with Trapsmith and Combat Trapsmith. If you do take one or both, enter as early in your build as you can.

As for finding traps to use, look at DM resources and dungeon designs to find traps and rules for them. I don't know any particular sources right now. EDIT: Ah, of course. (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/traps.htm)

I'd play a Wilderness Rogue or just a rogue. Ranger has trouble meeting the requirements for Combat Trapsmith, and Scout's skirmish is less useful than the rogue's abilities. As a rogue, using traps can set you up for sneak attacks, and you have more incentive to focus on Dex and Int.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Frankly, I don't understand why you need to be a member of either class to make the traps they gain access to. What's the point of Craft (Trapmaking) if you need a PrC to actually learn to make the traps? If you don't like the other abilities the two classes offer, then ask your DM if you can ignore them and just use the traps that are listed with Trapsmith and Combat Trapsmith. If you do take one or both, enter as early in your build as you can.

As for finding traps to use, look at DM resources and dungeon designs to find traps and rules for them. I don't know any particular sources right now. EDIT: Ah, of course. (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/traps.htm)

I'd play a Wilderness Rogue or just a rogue. Ranger has trouble meeting the requirements for Combat Trapsmith, and Scout's skirmish is less useful than the rogue's abilities. As a rogue, using traps can set you up for sneak attacks, and you have more incentive to focus on Dex and Int.

I felt through the listed classes would be a good way to go rather than just making them, and I just wanted to be able to set up an effective minefield, more for a DMPC recluse than an actual PC, although it would be cool to do. But more DMPC, so that when the party Rogue goes to search for traps he goes *sigh* "Good news and bad news boys and girls, good news, I know where the traps are, bad, we're gonna be awhile defusing them" but I suppose a Wilderness Rogue and swap out Sneak Attack for feats. Thanks.

Any suggestions for an ankle snare, or a simple wire trip? They have a Scything Wall Trap. But nothing to hang a fighter from a tree and make him look like an idiot for just barging in. My thoughts are a one way Grapple Check of sorts, but how would you figure the modifier. Trip to determine as well.

[Zaq]

Combat Trapsmith makes me really sad. It's a class with great potential, but it totally fails mechanically. The save DCs on your traps may as well not even be there, and standard-action (i.e., usable in combat) trapping comes WAY too late. I prefer Trapsmith over Combat Trapsmith simply because its traps scale better (that is to say, supercharging your Craft check actually makes a difference), and it's also written in a way that implies that creative or ad-hoc traps are possible (whereas Combat Trapsmith really doesn't give me that impression). For those reasons, I'd personally go with Trapsmith first. The magic is just gravy, really. (Admittedly, the Trapsmith suffers from the same "full-round action" problem as the Combat Trapsmith, but at least their traps are worth it.)

In either case, Travel Devotion is a good way to get where you need to be and still have a full-round action to devote to trappin'. A Cleric dip makes Travel Devotion that much better, of course.

With Combat Trapsmith, I'd take Ability Focus: Trapping. Trapsmith doesn't really need such a thing, though.