Making and Using Traps as a PC

[Myatar_Panwar]

I'll be playing in what is described as a stealth game next week, and I've considered trying to make a character who can make/use traps. It seems like one of the few instances where this character could work without completely annoying the other players? Maybe. We'll see.

I know about the Combat Trapsmith, but it seems like a pretty bad PrC. I don't want trap setting to be the primary way I do damage, but rather just something I could sometimes use if the opportunity presents itself. Being with a stealth party, I shouldn't need to set it up in a single round either.

What I am mostly looking for is:
1. Are there any other pre-existing official/non-official rules that deal with making and setting up traps?

2. Do you guys have any suggestions for pre-existing traps that seem like something I could setup with gear in my backpack?

3. Any suggestions for alchemical/other items that would make good precursors to combat? Something that could blind, immobilize, set on fire, etc. Basically something that might not be an official trap, but could theoretically be set up to fall/be flung at a target.

4. What skills would you associate with trap making? Probably craft(trap making) obviously, but there is also the act of setting up a trap properly, and concealing it.

We are starting at level 1 btw. I am thinking dwarf as my race, and probably rogue or ranger as my class. Our party probably won't have a caster of any sort, which is why I find debilitating/debuffing the enemy in this way interesting. 3.5 and pathfinder is accepted. Any help is appreciated!

[Gavinfoxx]

Let's see here...

There are Booby Trap rules in DMG 2 (They require 50 gp of parts and a DC 20 Craft Trapmaking, or a DC 20 Survival check and 10 minutes of work).

So you will want to get your Craft Trapmaking and your Survival mods both at +10, for Take 10 (which doesn't take any extra time).

Dragon 349 has poisonmaking materials rules, for stuff harvested from plants. That isn't mentioned in the Poisonmaking handbook.

You'll want to combine the stuff mentioned here:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4854.0

With those rules, as well as the DMG 2 rules.

[Soranar]

What you're looking for is the Trapsmith PrC from dungeonscape.

It includes extra rules for traps that you can make on the fly and it also gains a limited spell list with a VERY good list of spells (haste as a 1rst level spell, dimension door only to name a few)

[Namfuak]

I would recommend factotum, because generally to make an item that is magical you have to cast some spell in the process, and factotums can pull any spells off the sorc/wiz list they want, which covers probably 70% of the traps you can make in core.

There don't seem to be any rules concerning exactly how traps are installed, though it may just be assumed to be part of a cost (for example, a deeper pit trap, which is presumably a trapdoor with a trigger, costs a whooping 1,300 gp). However, unless there is something outside of the srd that deals more with this, you and your DM will probably have to figure out some logical system for how you can set up traps.

[King Atticus]

Kobolds are trapsy little guys. Here's a breakdown of a couple ideas (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060127a)

[Myatar_Panwar]

The booby traps and the Trapsmith PrC are pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

Another party member was going to dabble in poisons so I'll let him do that.

[Benly]

The booby traps and the Trapsmith PrC are pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

Another party member was going to dabble in poisons so I'll let him do that.

It's worth noting that several of the Trapsmith's class-granted booby traps are versions to some of the booby traps from DMG2, so you might get some traction asking for the other DMG2 booby traps to be added to your full-round options. You need to work out how they scale to your check DC and how the advanced versions work, but it's actually pretty easy to work out based on the tweaks from the DMG2 to Trapsmith versions of the official ones.

[Diovid]

Kobold Paragon 2 / Rogue 3 / Trapsmith 5 / Combat Trapsmith 5 / Exemplar 5

Race: Earth Kobold
Rogue variants: 1st kobold sub level, quick fingers acf, martial rogue

Feats, any of:

Apprentice (Craftsman)
Extraordinary Trapsmith
Guerilla Trapsmith
Trap Sensitivity
Combat Tinkering
Dungeoneer’s Intuition
Trapmaster
Trap Engineer

[jackattack]

Whatever mechanic is involved, my thief characters usually have a fair amount of seemingly random items in their packs, including a ball of twine, spool of thread, little bells, small weights, a wooden ball, iron tacks, and so on. All of these can be used to contrive simple snares to alert the party if someone/something is coming.

A classic portable trap is a fragile flask of oil with a bit of white phosphorus in it. Put it in front of a door, or suspend it on a thread, and when it breaks the phosphorus ignites the oil.

Caltrops are also very useful, just scatter them and leave them. Especially effective in tall grass and shallow water. Spikes or blades can be set in a wall or floor where someone/something is likely to run into them, or as a spot for a character with bull rush to slam an opponent.

A thread across the floor, which breaks when someone steps on/through it, is a typical trigger. Try running a thread across the ceiling, which will burn through when someone walks under it carrying a torch.

In my experience, the better you can describe your traps, and the simpler they are, the more likely your DM is to allow them (or allow you to roll for them) to be successful.

[Uncle Pine]

Traps and Treachery and Traps and Treachery II also have tons of new traps. In the former there's also an interesting PrC, the Trapmaster, that allow you to place traps at a great speed: only 10 minutes x CR of the trap! Note that you can do this with traps that are way better than booby traps (any trap which CR isn't greater than your Trapmaster level).
In the latter, there also are lots of new poisons, as well as rules to create your own poisons.