Kobold trapper

[paperarmor]

So I've had idea for a kobold build that uses exclusively traps as weapons. I know the classes involved in the build, but am having trouble thinking up useful traps for him to make any ideas?

[OldTrees1]

How much is your DM willing to work with you on this? Are we bound by RAW vs bound by balance?

How quickly do you want to be setting up these traps? Will you have an hour, a minute, a round, a standard action, even faster?
Note both your speed and the average trapsmith's speed if you have any extraordinary acceleration in trap setup time. This helps with magnitude.

What kind of theme are you thinking of for your trapsmithing? General kind of materials you like to use (stone, rope, leather, wood, bone, ...)? Are the materials crude (falling rock) or manufactured (falling brick)?

Purpose of your traps? Are they lethal, debilitating(wounding or non lethal?), immobilizing?

[Sian]

At what level do it have to start being (semi-)viable?

[Ruethgar]

The Create Trap spell would be something of note here. With your Deaconic Rite of Passage you can technically get a super metamagic version(since only Heighten and Sanctum spell actually change the level), but even without that cheese, 1/day and potentially 3/day and +1 Sorc level(picking Create Trap as a spell known) would help you a bit in keeping up your traps.

[OldTrees1]

The Create Trap spell would be something of note here. With your Deaconic Rite of Passage you can technically get a super metamagic version(since only Heighten and Sanctum spell actually change the level), but even without that cheese, 1/day and potentially 3/day and +1 Sorc level(picking Create Trap as a spell known) would help you a bit in keeping up your traps.

I think the OP has their build already. I think they want ideas for traps rather than ideas for building a trapsmith.


At what level do it have to start being (semi-)viable?

Good question. While the OP sounds like they have their build all set, knowing what kinds of enemies they might need to trap would help come up with ideas for traps.

For instance, a vanilla pitfall trap is not such a great idea after 6th level. So if pit traps are part of the character's repertoire then we would need to suggest non vanilla pitfall traps (such as a falling roof + fragile floor trap).

[Ruethgar]

I think the OP has their build already. I think they want ideas for traps rather than ideas for building a trapsmith.

Typically having the classes you want to use does not equal a finished build.

My suggestion needs little build change(one feat), even if the build is pretty much set, the spell and Rites are worth mention for the ability to more reliably create traps in combat and provide very few possibilities for potential traps.

[Inevitability]

Notable mention to the Zerth Cenobite/Trapsmith (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16886681&postcount=199) from iron chef LIII. Punch someone out of the timeline, then build traps where they're going to pop up next! It ought to be doable as a kobold.

[paperarmor]

Notable mention to the Zerth Cenobite/Trapsmith (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16886681&postcount=199) from iron chef LIII. Punch someone out of the timeline, then build traps where they're going to pop up next! It ought to be doable as a kobold.

This looks hilarious.

Also it's more or less just artificer 20 with ranks in craft trapmaking. Although a factotum/exemplar might work just as well.

[Inevitability]

I recommend looking up boobytraps from DMG 2. They're cheap yet useful traps that can quickly be assembled and don't cost much (or are free if you make a survival check), yet have nasty effects. You'll find them especially useful at lower levels.

The 'Gem Magic' feat from Magic of Faerun can let you create gems infused with spells, which they can release when certain conditions are met. It allows for some interesting and creative traps, and as an artificer you should have no problem infusing the gems.

[Opposition]

If you aren't bound to PHB, Complete Scoundrel has the Combat Trapsmith PrC. It focuses on placing traps during combat to debuff opponents. The class comes with a plethora of traps readily available to you in combat scenarios.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Make heavy use of the various glyph, sigil, rune, and symbol spells. Explosive runes is a fantastic way to boobytrap things. Cover your armor with, say, permanencied symbols of sleep which your party is immune to, and wear a cloak over it. Throw your cloak back dramatically during a fight, and watch as all of your enemies keel over.

Also check out the Earthbound Spell metamagic feat, from the PHB II.