Builds
jameswilliamogle builds:
Iconic Trapsmith:
any race
any trapfinding class 5 / Trapsmith 5 / any class at all 10
The abilities of the Trapsmith make it worth taking if you are in the role of party Trapfinder. The skill list and abilities are perfect for it.
Ultimate Magus Trapsmith:
Human
Spellthief 1 / Wizard 5 / Trapsmith 1 / Ultimate Magus 4 / Nar Demonbinder 1 / Ultimate Magus +6 / Arcane Trickster 2
Feats: Able Learner, Iron Will, Craven, SF: Conjuration, Master Spellthief, Versatile Spellcaster, any Metamagic feat, 1 free, 2 bonus feats.
You get ND spells of a 5th level ND, Trapsmith spells at L4, Wizard spells at L17, your CL = 20 for all of them, and cast in light armor. Master Spellthief is critical, as you won't be able to boost whatever casting class you want without it. Versatile Spellcaster lets you cross-cast spells pretty nicely (boosting spells per day for either ND or Trapsmith). You could take the Granted Domain variant w/ Wizard 5, but you would still have to make up for a lot of skill points rapidly that way.
Super-duper See-all TrapsmithSpellthief 1 / Wizard 5 (Spontaneous Divination variant) / Trapsmith 1 / Ultimate Magus 6 / Unseen Seer 7
Feats: Master Spellthief, Craven
Wizard casting at L18, Trapsmith at L5, decent sneak attack, huge boosts for divination spells. A very solid arcane trapfinding build, over all, and really good at divination spells.
Swiftblade TrapsmithHuman
Factotum 8 / Trapsmith 3 /
Swiftblade 9
Factotem SLAs @ L15, Trapsmith spells @ L9, BAB +17
House Rule: PrC's that advance spellcasting can advance Factotum's Arcane Dilletante (seems reasonable, given the precedence with Warlocks and Dragonfire Adepts); the 3rd level haste slot requirement is waived (as per the designer's advice; it can be any level, as long as it is still Haste).
1,H Dodge, Font of Inspiration
3 Improved Initiative
6 Mobility
9 Practiced Spellcaster: Trapsmith
12 Font of Inspiration
15 Font of Inspiration
18 Font of Inspiration
Description
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Basic idea is to use both Spring Attack and later Bounding Assault (granted by Swiftblade) with lots of extra standard and move actions to fly around the battlefield before the enemy even gets a chance to act.
I'm not entirely sure how to optimize it further, or if this has been done yet (I know there's variations of Initiative-based builds and dervish-spring attackers, but I think this brings a few aspects together nicely).
Some equipment ideas: a Sudden Stunning weapon to use while the opponent is flatfooted, +Int items, maybe a keen Rapier for getting increased crit chance while the opponent is flatfooted and getting Int to damage twice, or a greater mighty wollop'd morningstar or greatclub while enlarged for lots of damage. Pearl of Power L1 is absolutely critical, as you get to recharge Haste slots with them (think about that: 1k gp for a regularly L3 spell - pretty awesome!).
Trapsmith Spell Selection:
1st: Arcane Sight, Haste, Gaseous Form, Protection from Energy
2nd: Arcane Eye, Dimension Door, Stoneshape
3rd: Fabricate, Wall of Stone
*****
A great alternative to boost CL:
Spellthief 1 / Factotum 8 / Trapsmith 2 / Swiftblade 9
Replace Practiced Spellcaster with Master Spellthief, and you get CL 20 for everything!
*****
If Font of Inspiration isn't allowed, I'd go: TWF, PBS, iTWF, Rapid Shot, gTWF and focus on using Fabricate to make your own Alchemists Fire and Acid Flasks, using the hell out of them to make tons of ranged touch attacks with Sneak Attack added on. This gives a little more combat schticks than the Spring Attack route (now you can hide behind the fighter and attack, too :D).
Tome of Battle Swiftblade TrapsmithHuman
Ranger (Trapfinding Variant) 2 / Swordsage (Unarmed Variant) 2 / Crusader 1 / Trapsmith 1 / Swiftblade 9 / Master of Nine 5
BAB +17, L5 Trapsmith spells (CL 7), IL 14
Feats
Dodge, Mobility, Improved Initiative, Blindfight, Adaptive Style, Craven, iTWF, gTWF
Synopsis
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Dual Stance, gets the equivalent of Dual Maneuver (L9 Swiftblade ability), lots of late-stage maneuvers and stances gained, Trapfinding, good skillpoints. I was adapting this build to use all the TWF feats in the world, along with the Raging X Tiger Claw maneuvers, with alchemical weapons once I realized that it doesn't limit one to melee attacks only; Fabricate as a spell helps you make it, and Sneak Attack along with Craven will add 2d6+20 to each attack (that's 9 extra attacks with any thrown weapon, and 3d6+20 damage each with acid, then you get an extra standard action with Swiftblade 9 to make another attack ).
Even using TWF regularly shouldn't be too bad: while under haste, you Burning Blade, then full attack with your TWF, and then still have another standard action to make a strike with the extra fire damage. Heck, even use Adaptive Style as a full-round action then use a regular strong maneuver with the extra standard action! Plenty of options!
Picking up those late-game maneuvers shouldn't be so bad, as Mo9 gets a lot of maneuvers in its 5 levels (much faster than the base classes).
Shadowpouncing TrapsmithHuman
Monk 2 (Cobra Strike) / Ranger 3 (Trapfinding) / Trapsmith 5 / Teflammer Shadowlord 4 / Montebank 6 (BAB +14)
1 2 free
3 Blindfight
6 Deceitful
9 Spring Attack
12 iTWF
15 gTWF
18 Craven
Simple build, with a twist for getting Alter Self for two good combat forms (say Trogodyte for simplicity). Montebank also adds 2d6 sneak attack, and a small 20' DD twice per day.
Carnivore buildshttp://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=875328BoB the Trap Master Extrordinaire (Psionic Trapsmith)Dragon Born Gray Elf( +2 Int,-2 Str ...... the other attribute bonuses cancel each other out)
DragonBorn Template
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+2 Con,-2 Dex
+2 Dodge vs Dragon type
Immune to Frightful Presence
Draconic Aspect:
1)Mind:....Immune to Paralysis, Magic Sleep Effects
Darkvision 30'
Low light vision
+2 Racial to Spot, Search, Listen
@6HD ...Darkvision 60'
@9HD ...Darkvision 90', 3x human Lowlight vision
@12HD ...Darkvision 120', 4x human Lowlight vision
@15HD ...Darkvision 120', 4x human Lowlight vision,blindsense 30'
Rogue(Feat Variant) 2/ Psion 3/ TrapSmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ Cerebremancer 9
32 point buy:
Attributes@ 1st lvl:
10 Str, 14 Dex, 12 Con, 18 Int, 10 Wis, 14 Cha
Attributes@ 20th, with items
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20 Str(base+ 4 Inherrent(Paralyzing arm graft) +6 Belt)
24 Dex(base+ 4 Inherent(tome) +6 Belt)
18 Con(Base + 6 Belt)
32 Int(base+ 4 Inherent(tome)+ 4 Lvls + 6 Belt)
16 Wis(base + 6 belt)
26 Cha(base + 1 lvl + 5 Inherent +6 belt)
Feats:
1st lvl:Areni Focus(perform)..... gives perform Always as a class skill, and +3 to perform checks(functions as Skill Focus(Perform)
1st lvl :bonus: Blind Fight
2nd lvl :bonus: Weapon Finnesse
3rd lvl: Trap Engineer
3rd lvl :bonus: Psicrystal Affinity(meticulous(+3 search) or Single Minded(+3 Concentration)
6th lvl: Combat Tinker
9th lvl: Improved Counterspell
12th lvl: Trap Master
15th lvl: Trap Sensitivity
18th lvl: Practiced Caster(Sublime Chord)
Full Build data
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the Main problem with Trapsmith, is Low Caster Level. This takes care of that and focuses on being a well rounded versatile Trapfinding Character.
Main Points:
Caster Level:
Sublime Chord = 2(1/2 trapsmith lvls) + 10 Sublime Chord + 4 Practiced Caster = 16th lvl Caster
Trapsmith = 5 Trapsmith + 16 Sublime Chord = 21st lvl Trapsmith Caster .....very important with Greater Dispel as 3rd lvl Spell
Manifester Level: 12th Psion
PP= 126 + 66 bonus = 192 PP
6th lvl powers
Powers Known(Kineticist):
Powers Known
1st lvl:
Control Flames
Control Object
Grease
Vigor
Synesthe
2nd lvl:
Share Pain
Elf Sight
Crystal Storm
Damp Power
3rd lvl:
Dispel Psionics
Danger Sense
TouchSight
Timehop
4th lvl:
Empathic Feedback
Divination
Correspond
Control Body
5th lvl:
Ecto Shambler
Plane Shift
Adapt Body
?????
6th lvl:
Disintegrate
Retrieve
Powers Known :Bought...by Psychic Chirgury
Dimension Hop(PW 1)
Psychic Scimitar(Psion 2)
Find Traps(Psychic Rogue 2)
MicroKinesis(Psychic Rogue 3)
Schism(Telepath 4)
Metamorphosis(Egoist 4)
Dispelling Buffer(Kineticist 6)
Teleport(Nomad 5)
Items:
200000gp +6 Belt of Magnificense
40000gp Paralyzing Arm (Undead Graft)
xxxxxxxxxgp 13 Wishes cast by 17th lvl Wizard(inherent Bonuses)
21000gp Crystal Mask of Insightful Detection( +9 Insight to Search and Spot)
55000gp Dragons Eye amulet( +10 enhancement to Search and Spot, and 30' Blindsight)
3500gp Lense of Detection(+5 Search)
this should be playable at ALL Levels
Invocation:Rogue 2/ Warlock 3/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Eldritch Theurge 8
BAB+11
9th lvl Spells(full SC casting)
11th lvl Warlock abilities(6d6 EB, 1 Greater, 3 Lesser, 3 Least)
DivineRogue 2/ Cleric 3/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ Mystic Theurge 9
BAB+10
9th lvl Arcane Spells(full SC casting)
12th lvl Cleric
6th lvl Divine
Martial/ GishCore
Ranger(trapfinding Variant) 5/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Eldritch Knight 8
BAB+17
9th lvl spells
Martial Caster levelRanger(trapfinding Variant) 5/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Abjurant Champion 6/ Eldritch Knight 2
BAB+17
9th lvl spells
Caster Level:
Sublime Chord= 20th(with Practiced Caster)
Trapsmith = 29th(with Practiced Caster)
Telekinesis variationRanger(trapfinding Variant) 5/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ Abjurant Champion 6/ Master of the Unseen Hand 3
BAB+17
7th lvl spells
Caster Level:
Sublime Chord= 20th(with Practiced Caster)
Trapsmith = 29th(with Practiced Caster)
Telekinesis= 23rd..... thus attacks with TK @ +23/+18/+13/+8
Super TrapmasterElf
Rogue 5/ Trapsmith 4/ Spellsinger 1/ Sublime Chord 1/ Arcane Trickster 9
Feats:
1st lvl:Areni Focus(perform)..... gives perform Always as a class skill, and +3 to perform checks(functions as Skill Focus(Perform)
3rd lvl: Trap Engineer
6th lvl: Combat Tinker
9th lvl: Improved Counterspell
12th lvl: Trap Master
15th lvl: Trap Sensitivity
18th lvl: Practiced Caster(Sublime Chord)
9th lvl spells and great skills .....
A few by Pad300Triple ThreatRanger (trapfinding variant) 1/Bard (Divine, Sage variants) 4/Trapsmith 4/Abjurant Champion 1/ Sublime Chord 1/Fochluan Lyrist 9
Bab +17
9th level Spells (full fochluan lyrist casting) +full trapsmith casting + 13 levels of divine sage bard casting
13th level bardic music and lore
Significant skill monkey (1*2 + 1*4 + (18+3)*6+23*int)= 132 +23*int
Season with cheese to taste (ie getting in F Lyrist by use of Shape Soulmeld (impulse boots) and open least chakra, as well as assorted methods of acquiring the Druidic language.
The Bardic GishRanger (trapfinding variant) 1/Bard 4/Trapsmith 4/Abjurant Champion 1/ Sublime Chord 2/Abjurant Champion 2-5/4 levels of choice
Bab +13 at level 16
Full trapsmith casting, sublime cord 6 casting at level 16
6th level bardic music and lore
Dictum_MortemSpellthief 1 Able Learner, Dodge
Spellthief 2
Duskblade 1 Mobility
Duskblade 2
Duskblade 3
Trapsmith 1 Open
Trapsmith 2
Trapsmith 3
Trapsmith 4 Master Spellthief
Trapsmith 5
Swiftblade 1
Swiftblade 2 Elusive Target
Swiftblade 3
Swiftblade 4
Swiftblade 5 Open
Swiftblade 6
Swiftblade 7
Swiftblade 8 Open
Swiftblade 9
Swiftblade 10