Drafting a planar trapmonkey.

[Randomguy]

I've read a few threads recently about how people hate being the party rogue, so I started wondering if there were any good creatures to Planar Bind that had a good Search and Disable Device checks to use as replacements.

I've checked through a few of the monster manuals and the only thing I could find that had a level appropriate search check was the Planetar, apparently the trapmonkey of the angels, with +23 to search but no ranks in Disable Device.

Can anyone help me out? If you needed to planar bind a trap monkey then what would you bind?
Bonus points for not being a demon: Chaotic Evil creatures don't seem like a great addition to a party if you can avoid it.

[ArcturusV]

I'm not too terribly steeped in Monster Manuals. I almost never use them. But I'd think the solution would be to find something with a high search, and a high DR that isn't DR/Magic. If they can find the traps, they can usually either avoid it in the case of an environmental trap (Pit traps and the like), or just soak it up and laugh it off (like a poison needle trap on a lock). Of course there's also the other way of bypassing the "poison needle" style classic trap... just grab the barbarian, point his great axe at the chest, tell him "Hulk... smash!" and don't worry about the trapped lock.

The kicker though is magical traps. You can't find them without the Trapfinding skill. Which I don't recall any monster actually having. I suppose having someone that has Arcane Sight/See Magic/Detect Magic at will or permanency based could solve it.

[HalfQuart]

There's this:
Babau (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/demon.htm#babau) (MM1) Demon Outsider 7HD DD=+12, OL=+11, Search=+20

That's not fabulous, but it's something. It's SLAs are much more impressive.

[HalfQuart]

The much more common use of Summons for trap finding and is just to use SMI to get something to trigger the traps and die (so you don't have to). But of course sometimes triggering traps will set of alarms, or automatically reset to kill the next person also, or do something so big it kills you too.

[Jack_Simth]

The much more common use of Summons for trap finding and is just to use SMI to get something to trigger the traps and die (so you don't have to). But of course sometimes triggering traps will set of alarms, or automatically reset to kill the next person also, or do something so big it kills you too.Yeah. That's why you arrange for a lot of range.

Pick up:
1) Bowl of Controlling Water Elementals (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#bowlofCommandingWaterElementals) and a Decanter of Endless Water (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#decanterofEndlessWater) (or the Summon Elemental Reserve Feat - Complete Mage)
2) Permanent Arcane Sight (Persistent will work quite well too, and Vatic Gaze or Detect Magic will serve; in a pinch, grab the Magic Sensitive reserve feat)
3) All four elemental languages (or get a Permanent Tongues effect... again, Persistent Tongues works too)
4) At-will ranged damage (Acidic Splatter / Fiery Burst reserve feat, or perhaps a Persistent Holy Star or Stormrage spell)

The elemental languages are just to give orders. Have the elemental run waaay out in front (the Bowl of Controlling Water Elementals has a caster level of 13, they have a move of 30, and can Run or Hustle if needed - so 390 feet ahead trivially, 780 easily, and 1560 on a straightaway). If it's a magic trap, you spot it automatically when it gets within 120 feet (for Arcane Sight), 60 feet (for Detect Magic or Vatic Gaze), or (5*Spell level of reserved divination) feet (for Magic Sensitive) (the only reason that is needed is because of discriminating magic traps). When a trap is found, zap it with your at-will ranged damage until it dies. Then send another elemental to be sure.