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View Full Version : "Trap" ideas to use as a grappler



Claiff
2018-04-20, 01:29 PM
So I just got into the ToA with a Ranger/Fighter that just hit level 8, and our DM has told us that we need to have backup characters for the likely event that we die. My current idea for my back up character is a grappler that drags enemies around with a high movespeed. This lets me do things like drag an enemy 100 feet away, then run back to the party. Or drag an enemy to a pit and drop them in.

My current build is a tabaxi mystic (Wu Jen) 6 wizard (artificer) 2. With longstrider spell+Celerity focus from mystic+mobile feat, I have a base speed of 60. With haste and feline agility I'm up to 240. With a There and Back Again from the Nomadic Step discipline, I get a total speed of 360 and can teleport back to my starting point at the end of my turn.. Artificer lets me make potions of enlarge that make me a large creature with advantage on strength checks for d4 hours. Since it is a potion, it doesn't require concentration which lets me cast haste as needed. So I can drag someone 36 squares away and then either put them in a fire/pit/trap or just teleport back and take them out of the fight for 3 or so turns.

My question is what would be some great traps I could make and drag enemies into? One the first floor of the dungeon there is a big open staircase that drops down a few dungeon levels, and I am planning on using shape water to make some spikes at the bottom. Then I could drop them from the top so they potentially take fall + spike damage. I was also thinking I could have some sort of big metal box filled with hot coals or something that I could put enemies in, then maybe close the lid and sit on top of it. Then keep the ashes of all my enemies in a vase I carry around. I'm not sure how mobile I could make such a trap, and coals don't burn forever. Also I'm not sure my DM would let me have such a thing in the middle of the jungle, as I would have needed to carry it there somehow. Maybe get carpenters tools proficiency and build the box myself with wood, and char the wood to make it fire resistant?

Quoz
2018-04-21, 12:09 AM
Build sounds like a lot of fun. It sounds like you have a pretty solid base for the build, you just need a bag of tricks to make it all work together.

One of my personal favorites is mold earth. Dig a well anytime you take a short rest. A 30 foot deep 5 foot wide hole can be dug in a few moments. In about 10 minutes you can build a miniature fortification for secure long rests.

If you have a druid or ranger in the party spike growth would be ridiculous for drag damage.

In a high lethality dungeon just go back to the last trap you didn't set off. A vertical climb or a jump assisted with a jump spell can give great fall damage. Your GM may also let you land on the target for a suplex/powerbomb.

If facing an intelligent opponent with a shared language, a grappled opponent can be a great roleplay opportunity too. Taking out most of a group and capturing one or two stragglers can be a source of information and maybe even a way to get a guide - though probably not a trustworthy one.