After a break from DoD, I'm back and have been having fun with a rogue build. I want to maximize my Tinkering skill; bolts are a no-brainer, but I wonder what to do about traps? In particular, can anybody give me advice on how to use traps effectively? Which traps are good to save, and which should I turn into lutefisk? Traps seem mostly useful for softening up powerful opponents, but given the limitations of inventory space, I feel like bolts are a better choice. Right or wrong?
If you can collect traps off the floor safely, do so. Otherwise they are entirely worthless to you. Ingots and reagents are better spent on bolts and potions and such.
Use invisibility and teleport skills to trap around larger mob groups. Specially mines with AE should do that nicely.
Unless I'm trying to get as much lutefisk as possible (which happens very rarely), I'm using them up when I find monster zoos. You know, open doors, notice it's a monster zoo, close doors (that's why you don't open doors from the central tile), trap the whole area, open doors, teleport away. It's a good strategy for rogues, since it decreases the amount of throwables you are using, and thus you can save those for named monsters or casters.
OK, sneaking and teleport + mines makes sense. But I have good tinkering skills, and a big ol' pile of assorted bolts. Seems like it's not worth it to use inventory space on traps, unless I find some right before I run into a zoo. Are there any must-have traps? Thaumite nests seem to have potential as zoo-killers.
Almost every one of my characters hordes anti-magic traps. It only takes 2 to pick them up, and they are priceless later on. Other than that, I'd use traps ASAP and/or sell them. Acid traps are nice for groups, but everything else is meh.
Here's a basic overlay of things: Antimagic traps of any stripe are priceless. Stuff like Firespout Mines become crappy very quickly past dlvl 5. Tesla Mines have the same crappy damage output but are priceless when it comes to laying down a long term stun on enemies as needed. Thaumite Nests are to be used as wisely as possible, and always wait to get enough TA to successfully pick them up. The Caltrop traps can save your hide in any number of situations. Elder Runes of Incandescence, Fire Surprise traps, Blingmines, and all the other high level traps must be hoarded like crazy. Sell anything else that doesn't fit. And Dragonbreath Caltrop eruptors, once you have enough TA to get them, can cause recursive killing effects so fast they can clear entire zoos in no time flat except for some lucky fliers. My two cents on traps and how to use them, for your benefits.
I do like the flame trap if Im holding a choke point as a good few monsters in a row will take damage as they walk up to me usually allowing them to be one shot.
This is very good, thanks! Anti-magic traps, those make all kinds of sense. The other ones sound scary so must be pretty good. What's so great about caltrops?
Huh?? Could someone give me a quick explanation as to why the anti-magic traps are so good? Far as I can tell, they would be useful in preventing mobs from using nasty ranged spells, but to actually hit something with a trap, you need to put it near them, and they'll usually be moving away from you. (And also, probably hovering.) And even then, you need to be sure that the thing that steps on it is a caster!
You can shift + click a trap to place it right at your feet without using a turn. I didn't know this until a few weeks ago...it gives them a big advantage over normal attacks and bolts. They are generally weaker, but it doesnt take a turn! Toxic Gas, Scalding Steam -- both really weak. Toxic gas is decent for DL 1 and 2. Acid Sprayer - Good DL 1-3, but quickly drops off around 3. Acidic Rhizome - Same as above for 1-4. Thaumite mines - Good pretty much DL 1-8. Awesome for zoos. One or two can quickly multiply and wipe out enemies. Brimstone Cloudburster - good up to DL 7 or 8 ish Shoddy Dwarven IEDs - decent early game, but their best use is for destroying walls to get to secret rooms if you dont have such an ability. Boulder drop, crude blade traps - good DL 1 and 2. Can be really useful for boss monsters. Rough blade trap, Blade trap - decent 2-4 Firespout mine - good up to DL 7 or 8. If I'm doing tinkering I like to craft a big stack and use them up on zoos. Dwarven Landmines - basically great almost all game Caltrops - usually decent on the floor they show up, but they may be less useful late game. Except for the ridiculous self-replicating ones. Those are awesome on zoos (although you may not be able to actually cross the space after since it is packed with traps). Tesla Mine - Great all game because of the chance to stun (and as above, just drop them at your feet). Good to have a couple handy for boss monsters.
The Dragonbreath Caltrop traps actually replicate each other (in this version, this is planned to be changed) when they get triggered. That is to say, there's a 2/8 (or was it 7?) chance of every caltrop spawned becoming a fresh Dragonbreath caltrop eruptor trap, causing a geometric progression in traps being triggered. Each trap does 2010 damage and can stack an unlimited no.of times on the same floor tile. That's what makes them so good, and they spawn all the high-level variants of caltrops (including the aethereal damage ones.) You need 16 to disarm them safely.
Wasn't there a topic about someone gaining three levels just by picking up the several hundred traps that were the end result of one of these happening to a monster zoo?
