Optimization resource: How to get Trap-Finding as an ability

This is intended to serve as a brief list of the various ways to gain trap-finding as an ability.  Since many games require a trap-finder as a role within the party, it seems worthwhile to compile the various sources for the ability so that players can easily choose a class that best suits their other roles within the game.  

To my surprise, there is a class with trap-finding for nearly every character archetype, including arcane caster, divine caster, psionic character, full BAB, and of course high skills characters.  

BASE CLASSES

• Artificer ^EBCS (Trapfinding name  is different, effect is the same)
• Beguiler ^{PHB II}
• Cleric Web enhancement (Kobold domain)
• Factotum ^Dungeonscape
• Ninja ^{C. Adv}
• Psionic Rogue Web enhancement
• Ranger ^{Dungeonscape ACF} (Loses Track, gains trapfinding and disable device)
• Rogue
• Scout ^{C. Adv}
• Spellthief ^{C. Adv}

BASE CLASSES with a similar ability

• Lurk^{1st Minds Eye} True Thief(See online): Lose Lurk augments, gain trapfinding as long as you are psionically focused, and other rogue-like abilities.
• Barbarian ^{3rd Dungeonscape} Trapkiller (DS, page eight): Lose trapsense, gain trapfinding. Use survival to find traps, attack rolls to disable.
• Incarnate ^{4th Magic of Incarnum} (Gains Trapfinding when binding Theft gloves)

PRESTIGE CLASSES

• Disciple of Dispater 2, ecl 8, Book of Vile Darkness,  metal only
• Geometer 3, ecl 9, Complete Arcane, Traps based on writing only
• Hoardstealer 1, ecl 6, Draconomicon
• Stoneblessed(Dwarf) 3, ecl 5, Races of Stone, stone traps only
• Stonedeath Assassin 1, ecl 6, Races of Stone
• Nightsong Infiltrator ^{(C. Adventurer)}
• Silver Key ^{(Dragonmarked, called "ward sense")}
• Temple Raider of Olidammara ^{(C. Divine)}

FEATS

• Shape Soulmeld (Thieves' Gloves) + Open Least Chakra ^{Magic of Incarnum}: requires two feats and at least 6th level
• Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment), feat, Planar Handbook, gain the ability of a chosen doman (pick Kobold, see above)

SPELLS

• Find Traps (Cleric 2 - still need to take Search cross-class).  Does not provide any ability to disarm traps found.

ITEMS

• Wand/Eternal Wand of Find Traps (Cleric 2).  Does not provide any ability to disarm traps found.
• Keeper's Guide (DMC/DR#325) is a ring which gives you Trapfinding and some minor effect

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RACES

I think so, and here's why:
when 3.0e Oriental Adventures came out, it had a whole bunch of feats at spells renamed, just for flavor.
Some of them even had the: this counts as feat x or spell y for purposes of qualifying blah blah.
They've gone the opposite direction, with 4e. Psionics doesn't exist in Eberron anymore ... boo.
Well, except for the PHB3 stuff just released.

I have a listing in my "lists of stuff" page. Feel free to grab anything from there.

You should count Summon Elemental Reserve Feat as trapfinding.

But then I'd have to add in the Bag of Tricks as well

And suggestion on the team halfling rogue.

"There are no traps here. You can walk freely. Just scout ahead."

Is there a way to avoid wasting actions on search? Like Quick Reconnoiter, only for search.

I think it's possible I'm missing some rule that says you can move at 1/2 speed and still do a search check every round or minute or so at some penalty.

Quote from: Suzerain on April 10, 2010, 04:22:38 AM

Is there a way to avoid wasting actions on search? Like Quick Reconnoiter, only for search.

I think it's possible I'm missing some rule that says you can move at 1/2 speed and still do a search check every round or minute or so at some penalty.

I remember a feat that let races with the detect secret doors ability (like elves) use that ability on traps but I cannot remember where it is for the life of me.

That would be Trap Sensitivity (Dungeonscape).
Essentially, if you're an Elf or have Trap Finding, and have Trap Sense +2, you get a free Search check when within 5' of a mechanical trap. Not a bad feat for a campaign that uses traps often.

I think it's a cool feat, though 5ft is definitely too close for comfort.  But it will alert you against traps on the other side of a door, or inside a chest or book, for example.  It might even give you a second chance to find something if you were already making a normal search check for the room.  I'd take it in Tome of Horrors style games if I had room for the feat.

dont forget the Awesome Trapfinding ability of Timber Rogue ... heres his story:

Ballad of Log, The Timberrogue!

Galahad_Knight06-23-03, 10:22 PM
Most of you will remember the exploits of Log, the Timberrogue from our old boards.

For those who need a refresher I'll give you a briefing before I post his latest exploits.

Our party (Cleric, wizard, paladin, ranger) was about to enter the Return to The Temple of Elemental Evil without a rogue.

We were worried about traps.

Until my Ranger had a brilliant idea: The Timberrogue!

The concept was simple. Cut down a tree a good two or three feet thick. Cut out a five-foot long log from it. Cut hand-holds on the side and cut one end to a point.

Now, take said log and roll it in front of the party down suspect hallways. The log sets off any traps well away from the party. On upward slopes or rough floors you might want to employ a pole to push it with.

When you come to a locked or possibly trapped door you have the burliest party member pick up the lof and give it a good hurl through the door. It should weigh a couple hundred pounds so it'll make short work of the door. Same applies to chests. If you want you could probably pick pockets too...as long you don;t care too much about the victim.

A simple tool, a brilliant plan.

But somehow it has become a member of the party!

We started referring to it as "The Rogue". "The rogue will check for traps in the corridor ahead of us." "The Rogue will unlock the door." etc.

Eventually it got to where my Ranger (who has the 'throw anything' feat) would pick him up and shout "SNEAK ATTACK!" and hurl the errant log towards unsuspecting foes.



At one point our paladin preyed to his god to help him smite an evil cleric. He rolled a 1% so the DM rewarded him by having the log suddenly fly up and smite the cleric on its own. But this broke the log and our party was griefstricken...especially the ranger, cleric and wizard who, not being privy to the prayer, assumed that it was an act of LOG that did that, and not the divine intervention of the paladin's god.

We quickly repaired him, using mending spells and the like. The log had given its life to save us, only to rise again from the proverbial ashes.

The GM was having a blast with it so he ruled that the touch of god made the log a +1 Holy weapon.

Now my Ranger, who now sees himself as a divine deciple of the Log, has the honor of bearing the log into combat. The first round of every combat now begins with my ranger shouting "SNEAK ATTACK!!" Or (depending on my mood or the nature of the targets) "HOLY SMITE!!" and hurling the, now blessed, log into the enemy.

He's getting good at it. Sometimes he can hit two or three people if they're standing close to one another.

Recently we found this creepy evil altar with a creepy multi-sided pillar.

We decided to use the Log to help us deface and purify the altar. So I picked it up and started smashing the pilar. Low and hebold each side contained a (now smashed open) secret compartment "The log found a secret pannel and disarmed the trap" (in other words, the thing was smashed in and the log set the trap off)

We found incense, a prayer bead, a dru and somethng else. Well, we used them and an evil elemental eye dealie appeared over the altar. It inflicted temporary levle loss on a couple party members and paralyzed one. The Paladin, who made his save, took up the Log from my injured Ranger and roared a dedication to his deity as he charged the eye.

He smote the eye with the log and saved the day!
When it was all over the party rushed to the smoking log and the injured paladin (there was an explosion that threw him against the wall) and we took up our fallen comrade and raised him up and declared "The Log has saved us! In Log we Trust!"

The paladin was too injured to join in the log-hoist but once the excitement died down the cleric patched him up and we asked him what it was like to be that near to the log when he performed his miracle.

Well...that's the latest exploit of The Log...those of you who already share in the glory of the log, feel free to re-post your experiences from the old boards over here. Or bring in new ones.

The Internet Cult of theLog shal not die!

 

My PCs in the Tomb of Horrors replaced The Log with a canteen of endless orc piss and an adamantine fullblade to carve around obstacles.  Worked surprisingly well