Bringing your own traps to the dungeon

[Velaryon]

I've always kind of liked the idea of playing a kobold specialized in using traps, but as a PC rather than as a one-off encounter. I've put it off for awhile until I found the right game, and I think I'm finally there. A friend is running a 3.P game with a monstrous party, whose other members include a minotaur barbarian and a half-ogre psychic warrior specialized in that power that makes you really big (he wanted to be a giant, but the ECL of actual giants was too high to be feasible).

My character is a dragonwrought kobold sorcerer. I'm currently headed toward Thaumaturgist and Malconvoker so I can incorporate summons into my traps, but that's mostly because I didn't see any better options. If there's some trap-based class out there that's actually worth it (i.e., not the Combat Trapsmith in Complete Scoundrel), then I'd be willing to change things up and go for that instead.

Aaaaaaaaaaaanyway, the problem with this type of character is that traps are usually passive, in that you set them up, try to conceal them, and then wait for some unsuspecting fool to trigger them. My challenge is to bring my traps on the road with me, and I'm hoping you fine folks (and especially the conniving, lowlife scum as well) can help me out with some ideas.

Spell selection is easy: in addition to staples like explosive runes and the various symbol of _____ spells (most of which I'm not high enough level for yet), I've got basic illusion spells and summon monster X to play with. There are also the Pathfinder spells to create pits, which I've put to good use in our first session. I've also got a pretty good Craft (trapmaking) skill, though I'm currently a bit lacking for materials. I know of a few items in the Magic Item Compendium as well, like the one that's basically a portable hole that functions like a pit trap (I'm away from books and can't remember the name), though I am definitely open to suggestions on items as well.

What I'm looking for is anything that can help me take this trap show on the road, whether that's build ideas, spells or items to keep an eye out for, or simple clever trap strategies that are reasonably portable and don't rely on my character having hours to set up the battlefield ahead of time (although hopefully there will be some of that in this game as well).

Any suggestions?

[ZamielVanWeber]

I have a friend who had an NPC set up traps as we chased her who specialized in summon monster. I know she had the spell template from Dragon Magazine (IIRC it was reprinted in Compendium) that buffed summons as well as malconvoker and made our lives miserable with Glyph of Warding. Sadly that is cleric 3 so you would need to find a way to get it onto your spell list.

[Talverin]

Find inspiration!
Look up 'Paizo PRD', and under 'Ultimate Equipment', the 'Gear' section, and 'Alchemical Tools' (I apparently am not prolific enough of a poster to link things yet or I would.)

For some ideas: Premade 'bear trap' style traps plus various alchemical glues. The Throw Anything feat, or talk to your DM about letting you target squares at AC5. Maybe see if he'll let you put Vanish on them for a short period by adding extra cost to the trap or however they want to do it. Maybe make it require special materials, or maybe a uses/day ability.

In short, there's no way short of DM fiat that you're going to make an 'offensive' trapper. But, if you talk with your DM about some fun stuff you want to do and keep the traps reasonable, I'll bet he'll let you do a lot. I mean, he is running a campaign allowing monstrous races, right? But imagine, for example, throwing a trap into someone's quiver with a sleight-of-hand check! They reach back for an arrow - and lose a finger!

If nothing else, Dirty Tricks just have a designated effect, not a designated way of doing it. If you could incorporate traps into a 'Dirty Trick'-based character, you could entangle someone by, for example, throwing a 'bear trap' at their feet. It snags onto their ankle and slows them down. Or a blinding trap that's about head height full of sand or pepper that cracks open by some kind of trigger, showering their face with stinging sand! A staggered opponent who is briefly distracted trying to fight off a quick-burning alcohol fire from a landmine-like floor trap.

Hey, your DM might even let them do damage in addition to the dirty trick. Just talk with him, field your ideas, and see what he's comfortable with.

Alternatives: Flavor re-skin of a particular weapon or attack type. For example, a longsword does 1d8. Maybe you have a 'endless bag o' junk' with which you can make little blade traps that trigger for 1d8 damage, and you, flavor-wise, scatter these traps when you 'swing'. You're dealing 'longsword' damage or enchanting a 'longsword', but instead of, "I swing my sword," it becomes, "I bait him into stepping onto a blade trap," or perhaps "I stick the anchor to the ceiling, and let the spiked ball on a chain swing into his face!"

Aside from that? Not much luck unfortunately. DM fiat will be your goldmine.

[flappeercraft]

The metamagic feat Earthbound Spell from PHB2 could be useful for this concept.

[ATHATH]

Wasn't there a second Trapsmith PrC that had its own innate casting with spells at really low levels (Haste as a 1st level spell! Woo!)?

[Mehangel]

If Spheres of Might is available, there is the Trap sphere (and the Technician class, which specializes in the Trap sphere).

[daremetoidareyo]

feats: bronze dragon lineage, and draconic claw.

Bronze dragon lineage forces opponents to move away from you by burning a spell slot. Draconic claw allows you to make 1 attack after a standard action spell. If that spell is caltrops or truestrike, you either guarantee a hit with the claw or that they will be moving through multiple caltrop squares next turn. If you only take one feat from my advice, make it bronze dragon heritage, it flushes your opponents into your traps.

Take the 5th level domain sorcerer ACF from complete champion to get the kobold domain if you want to disable traps. Also, this gives you fire trap as a first level spell. Cast it on a footsaw trap (races of faerun) so that if anyone removes the trap by opening it after it closes on them, well they get to be on fire for 1d4+CL damage. Then, take the earthbound spell metamagic feat and any area of effect spell and turn your blasty spells into traps in their own right.

[Venger]

Wasn't there a second Trapsmith PrC that had its own innate casting with spells at really low levels (Haste as a 1st level spell! Woo!)?

the class is called trapsmith.

check out combat trapsmith as well, it lets you construct kickass traps in combat.

[rel]

there was a spell Create Trap in Races of the Dragon. Does what it says.

I think it was low level though.

[ZamielVanWeber]

the class is called trapsmith.

check out combat trapsmith as well, it lets you construct kickass traps in combat.

OP said they do not want to use combat trapsmith.

It occurs that while Invisible Spell is both 1) headache inducing and 2) overpowered in some applications, it could make for some suprising situations for your opponents (although that would trip over its OP uses).

[unseenmage]

The Spell Energy Transformation Field (SC) cast into a Portable Hole or Enveloping Pit (MIC) can be used to cast trap-spells repeatably.

Animated Objects make excellent traps and the Minor Servitor (SS) spell makes sentient, free willed versions.
Animated rugs that entangle, animated ropes that bind, animated piles of loot, or suits of armor that attack the unwary; the options are endless.
Furthermore, as many traps have an area listed in squares one imagines that the traps themselves could even be made into Animated Objects if they were mundane traps.

Glyph Seals (MIC) are excellent trap options as well.

Shapesand could easily be used to form mundane mechanical traps if they aren't too complex. DMG2 has some decent low gp, low CR, primitive traps that could be Shapesand-ed.

As for summons, the War Spell spell template is a must if cheese is the goal. There's a link in my sig to a thread of War Spells.

A Simulacrum of a Mimic could be a fun trap master's sidekick too.
Putting Simulacrum or similar on the table opens up a lot of monsters which act like traps too.

Be sure to look through the Hazards as well, though not explicitly player accessible they could act as excellent basis for Custom Traps especially as they already have CRs assigned.

[Velaryon]

Thanks for all the responses! Please keep them coming if you have any more ideas. I'm not too terribly familiar with Pathfinder, so if you give suggestions from that system, can you also help me out and tell me where to find them?


The metamagic feat Earthbound Spell from PHB2 could be useful for this concept.

I forgot to mention it, but Earthbound Spell is on my list of feats to take. I put it off because I'm not high enough level to make good use of it yet.



Wasn't there a second Trapsmith PrC that had its own innate casting with spells at really low levels (Haste as a 1st level spell! Woo!)?

Where can I find this class?

[Venger]

Where can I find this class?

dungeonscape page 53

[Velaryon]

dungeonscape page 53

Thanks! I'll take a look when I get home. If it's a non-spellcasting class, is there anything in there that's worth a sorcerer losing some spellcasting levels for?

[Venger]

Thanks! I'll take a look when I get home. If it's a non-spellcasting class, is there anything in there that's worth a sorcerer losing some spellcasting levels for?

nothing is ever worth losing caster levels.

it doesn't advance casting. it offers unique progression, like an ur-priest. if you're entering as a sorcerer, you probably can't qualify for trapsmith

[Velaryon]

Ah well, guess that idea's out.

I should mention that the game is already started, so being a sorcerer is set in stone. I can change my build or aim for a different prestige class (probably), but completely changing to another class isn't an option.

[daremetoidareyo]

nothing is ever worth losing caster levels.

it doesn't advance casting. it offers unique progression, like an ur-priest. if you're entering as a sorcerer, you probably can't qualify for trapsmith

kobold domain acf sorcerer with 14 int can get into trapsmith as their 7th level. If they take arcane preparation, they can go into ultimate magus and progress both casting progressions. plus, they can standard action earthbound spell their spells. you probably don't need more than three levels of trapsmith to get advanced traps. You only need 3-5 levels of ultimate magus, and then you can prestige further. And although it is an epic feat, improved spell capacity, if allowed, can get you 4th level trapsmith spells.

[Venger]

kobold domain acf sorcerer with 14 int can get into trapsmith as their 7th level. If they take arcane preparation, they can go into ultimate magus and progress both casting progressions. plus, they can standard action earthbound spell their spells. you probably don't need more than three levels of trapsmith to get advanced traps. You only need 3-5 levels of ultimate magus, and then you can prestige further. And although it is an epic feat, improved spell capacity, if allowed, can get you 4th level trapsmith spells.

open lock is cc, even with the kobold domain, so you'd need to take 7 levels of something first, then enter, with your first trapsmith level being 8.

as said, this character's in progress, so I doubt he selected these options, since unless you're trying to qualify for something, the kobold domain kind of sucks.

that is an interesting stub though. once you finished trapsmith, what would you jam in as your other half for the rest of UM's progression?

[daremetoidareyo]

open lock is cc, even with the kobold domain, so you'd need to take 7 levels of something first, then enter, with your first trapsmith level being 8.

as said, this character's in progress, so I doubt he selected these options, since unless you're trying to qualify for something, the kobold domain kind of sucks.

that is an interesting stub though. once you finished trapsmith, what would you jam in as your other half for the rest of UM's progression?

assassin 1 + more UM?

[JyP]

Thanks for all the responses! Please keep them coming if you have any more ideas.
I once did a Rambo build - think about the first film, where he creates traps in the woods : JonRa’mbo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18985549&postcount=26). It was more a build to defend an area than for set up traps in dungeons, but there's a few ideas there.

[Blackhawk748]

Wasn't there a second Trapsmith PrC that had its own innate casting with spells at really low levels (Haste as a 1st level spell! Woo!)?

Its called the Trapsmith

Edit: Bloody Ninjas

[cagemarrow]

For cc skills see if there is an apprentice feat that would give it as a class skill.

Never under estimate trapsmith from dungeonscape. They are awesome and get fabricate as a 3rd level spell. If you can make a custom magic item of that at will it opens up all sorts of options for crafting traps on the fly from existing terrain. Illusions can also be massively beneficial for this.

Rather than trying to be offensive with them work on ideas for battlefield control. Let your other party members do the damage while you limit the enemies that reach them at one time. Fields of gopher holes, snares, caltrops, and even swinging ropes on fire can all be used to limit movement and steer enemies into your ogres cleave range.

[DrKerosene]

Haunt Shift is a spell that puts an undead into an object, to spring-out later.

Imagine an Adamantine Bear Trap with the magic enhancement Rending, some magic glue, and then it pops out a Ghost or Ghast or something too.

There is a template called Trap Haunt, I doubt your DM will want you rebuking such a custom creature, but it may be something if you find a trapped ring, spellbook, or music instrument.