Non-Cheesy Way To Use Traps?
VanDerBerg
Member Posts: 217
Short version: What restrictions do you usually put on placing traps so that it doesn't feel like big cheeatse ?
Long version: I've decided to go for another full saga run. One thing I never really utilised so far (mostly because it looked far too OP) is thief traps. So, i have started with Bounty Hunter and with Rogue Rebalancing mod, which makes some (in my opinion) very neat tweaks. Firstly, Spike Traps now do piercing damage (it didn't make much sense for a non-magic ability to do magic damage in the first place). Secondly, the HLAs are severely nerfed, but look much more RP (no more UAI or Assassination, no more Time Trap, Spike Traps nerfed etc.). Thirdly, RR makes changes to thief kits. Bounty Hunter now does not have (what seemed quite OP) MR-bypassing, no-save Maze trap. Instead, it has special traps that do progressively more damage (of alchemical type, so not resisted by pretty much anything other than a few creature types) and different status effects that last for 5 rounds. It also has a paralytic toxin, similar to poison, except that it paralyses the target for 1 round on successful hit (very neat early on).
So, Bounty Hunter is still the king of traps. However, I'd like using traps more "realistically". Which means no setting up traps initially-friendly enemies and waiting them to turn hostile. In fact, I have no clue why traps are even party-friendly, because that sounds quite unrealistic. Anyway, my idea is to basically put a few restrictions:
1) Act as if traps are not party-friendly. This means, set them up only in close proximity to known enemies. Certainly not where civilians might get hurt. Or where you will lead your party.
2) No meta knowledge. This means only set them up to affect creatures you know are your enemies. Not setting them close to the creatures that you haven't seen before and don't know if they will attack, or NPCs that you still don't know would attack you. But if a ghoul attacked me once, then I will certainly try to use a trap on ghouls I see in the future. Also, when going to an obviously unfriendly environment, such as a dungeon full of undead, I can be certainly sure that mostly everything there will attack me, so use traps liberally (unless there are civilians or possibly friendly NPCs).
3) Only set up traps where you know there are enemies. Which means, scouting ahead and only lay down traps once you establish enemies are close by.
This means, no killing Demogorgon in one round anymore...
Are there any other restrictions that you put on traps that make them feel less like cheating and more like legit fair thief weapon?
Long version: I've decided to go for another full saga run. One thing I never really utilised so far (mostly because it looked far too OP) is thief traps. So, i have started with Bounty Hunter and with Rogue Rebalancing mod, which makes some (in my opinion) very neat tweaks. Firstly, Spike Traps now do piercing damage (it didn't make much sense for a non-magic ability to do magic damage in the first place). Secondly, the HLAs are severely nerfed, but look much more RP (no more UAI or Assassination, no more Time Trap, Spike Traps nerfed etc.). Thirdly, RR makes changes to thief kits. Bounty Hunter now does not have (what seemed quite OP) MR-bypassing, no-save Maze trap. Instead, it has special traps that do progressively more damage (of alchemical type, so not resisted by pretty much anything other than a few creature types) and different status effects that last for 5 rounds. It also has a paralytic toxin, similar to poison, except that it paralyses the target for 1 round on successful hit (very neat early on).
So, Bounty Hunter is still the king of traps. However, I'd like using traps more "realistically". Which means no setting up traps initially-friendly enemies and waiting them to turn hostile. In fact, I have no clue why traps are even party-friendly, because that sounds quite unrealistic. Anyway, my idea is to basically put a few restrictions:
1) Act as if traps are not party-friendly. This means, set them up only in close proximity to known enemies. Certainly not where civilians might get hurt. Or where you will lead your party.
2) No meta knowledge. This means only set them up to affect creatures you know are your enemies. Not setting them close to the creatures that you haven't seen before and don't know if they will attack, or NPCs that you still don't know would attack you. But if a ghoul attacked me once, then I will certainly try to use a trap on ghouls I see in the future. Also, when going to an obviously unfriendly environment, such as a dungeon full of undead, I can be certainly sure that mostly everything there will attack me, so use traps liberally (unless there are civilians or possibly friendly NPCs).
3) Only set up traps where you know there are enemies. Which means, scouting ahead and only lay down traps once you establish enemies are close by.
This means, no killing Demogorgon in one round anymore...
Are there any other restrictions that you put on traps that make them feel less like cheating and more like legit fair thief weapon?
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