I'm interested in making a character that, with the proper time and scouting, can set up the battleflield with Hunting Traps, Caltrops, Ball Bearings, and other traps. I'm wondering which class (or classes), race, and/or feats would synergize with such a character.
Discussion summary:
Class
- Rogue (Thief) 3: Use item with bonus action (Cunning Action)
Mundane Items
- Ball Bearings (DC 10, prone)
- Hunting Trap (DC 13, limits movement)
- Caltrops (DC 15, limits movement)
Feats
- Ritual Caster (Wizard), for find familiar
- Magic Initiate (Wizard), for find familiar
Spells
- Cordon of Arrows (Ranger 5; Bard 6)
- Symbol (Bard, Cleric, or Wizard 13)
- Glyph of Warding (Bard, Cleric, or Wizard 5)
- Guards and Wards (Bard or Wizard 11)
- Find Familiar (Bard 6; Warlock 3; Wizard 1; Magic Initiate or Ritual Caster Feat)
- Delayed Blast Fireball (Bard 14; Sorcerer or Wizard 13)
Wood Elf Rogue -> Theif would likely be best. They can drop caltrops as a bonus action, and can hide in bushes and such.
That said, your DM needs to be generous for this to work. The basic traps just won't keep up.
Perhaps see if you can add sneak attack them.
Thief Rogue is really the only option, I think.
What skill is used to disguise traps?
Homebrew
Trapmaster: Rogue sub-class.
3: You can use calrops, ballbearings and hunter's traps as a bonus action, and hide them as an action. The DC is to spot one of these traps is equal to 8+ int + dex.
9: You can create your own traps, such as a trip wire trap attached to a crossbow. When you hit an enemy with one of these traps, you can deal sneak attack damage.
13: ...
or something.
Without Homebrew, I can't decide if DEX or CHA (Deception) makes more sense.
mellored wrote:
Cordon of arrows is a magic option for synergy!
whitishknight wrote:
IxidorRS wrote:
I wonder if the unseen servant would be able to set/retrieve traps?
Glyph of Warding (Bard, Cleric, or Wizard 5), if you like explosive runes, has a cost of 200 gp but also enters the synergy!
Familiars can trigger manual traps.
Guards and wards is great
Glyph is a big one. You can put slot into that.
IxidorRS wrote:
Timborama wrote:
I'd say Intelligence (Investigation) for hiding traps. You use it to determine the best place that something might be hidden, it should work the same in reverse. So that takes care of the DC to spot the trap. To arm/set a trap that isn't in PHB, could go either Dexterity or Intelligence. I would lean more toward an straight up Intelligence check. If you feel like they should get their proficiency bonus to show their familiarity (or possibly a Background tool proficiency) with improvised traps, go for it. Now that takes care of the DC to avoid the trap. The reliance of a higher Intelligence shows that the character would have to have a good grasp on functioning/reasoning to set/hide traps well.
Trapmaster: Rogue sub-class.
3: You can use an action to hide small traps such as calrops, ballbearings and hunter's traps The DC is to spot one of these traps is equal to 8+ int + proficency. You can add your sneak attack to the damage they deal if they are not discovered.
9: You are proficenct in making medium sized traps, such as a crossbow attached to a trip wire, a pit. You can still hide these like your small traps though that might take longer then an action. You can add your dexterity modifier to the damage done by your traps.
13: You can cast glyph of warding explosive rune in 10 minutes at it's lowest level. If you use this ability again, your previous glyph dissapears.
17: You can cast guards and wards at it's lowest level. If you use this ability again, your previous guards and wards dissapears, unless it is permanate.
All this made me go look up Symbol and glyph..
door with glyph on far side, open door - no trigger. walk through, door closes. go to far side. trigger Symbol of Death, try to run, trigger glyph coming back with a Gust of Wind, pushing them back into the symbol of death.
raleel wrote:
mellored wrote:
Since the DCs for caltrops, ball bearings, and hunting trap are already set, you can go with any class. The DMG will have some rules for stronger poisons and possibly trap making. Maybe find a background that can get you a trap proficiency of some kind.
As far as residual damage goes, I think you could get some mileage with a Druid, my favorite scout. Not only can you set the mundane trap, you can use spike growth, entangle, and hallucinatory terrain to great effect.
Hex can also give your target disadvantage on Wisdom checks if you want to burn a feat or take warlock. (Fixed)
However you decide it sounds like a fun character.
There was another spell.. (oltaku's?) freezing orb?
you could make an orb and then throw it.
This list reminds me of the toes that the bard steps on - why they gets G&W is beyond me 
there is a fairly sizeable list of spells that are wizard only that include some good ones in this area
- Illusory Script (bait for your symbol or glyph)
- arcane lock
- Nystul's Magic Aura (for bait!)
- rope trick (hiding)
- leomund's tiny hut (same)
- leomund's secret chest (handy for porting around your traps)
- Mord's faithful hound (4d8 invisible trap/alarm)
- mord's magnificent mansion (hey look come into my mansion - oh look, i trapped the area right outside when it ends)
- wall of force
- wall of ice
- magic jar
- sequester
- maze
lots and lots of good containment on the wizard
Just wanted to point out: Hex does *not* give disadvantage on saving throws of any kind. It gives disadvantage on ability checks. So, you could give them disadvantage on Wisdom so they have disadvantage on Perception checks to spot your traps or Insight checks to notice they are disguised. Bane gives -1d4 to all saving throws for (I believe) 1 minute. I don't know if there are any higher-level spells that do anything similar.
Undrhil wrote:
What about the restrained condition for Disadvantage on Dexterity saves? I know that it's possible with the Grappler feat and a few spells... any synergy there?
whitishknight wrote:
Did the DMG add any rules for players to make traps?