How to keep up your Trapping gear?

[C-Dog]

Tried to run a trapper last season, and had a helluva time keeping my trapping gear current. Just Search & DD was bad enough, didn't even try Spot & OL. It's a weak excuse to say "Yeah, I'm built to be a trapper, but my gear sucks so I can't actually trap"

Less true if you're +4 levels over content, but it still wanted to happen, esp on R.

Useful droploot is few and far between. Do you simply bite the bullet, farm up Vials of Pure Water and Khyber Prayer Pamphlets (the uncommon ingreds, Tier 1) and repeatedly craft them as needed?

[Qlumsee]

Do you simply bite the bullet, farm up Vials of Pure Water and Khyber Prayer Pamphlets (the uncommon ingreds, Tier 1) and repeatedly craft them as needed?

Yes.

[Bolo_Grubb]

when TRing ( i mostly TR as a trapper) I have cannith crafted gear set at level 3, 8, 12, 16 and 21. I have all attributes and all trapping skills built into these sets. It has served me very well.

I have used this on Inquisitive builds, assassin builds and various rogue/arti splash builds

[C-Dog]

Yes.

Yeah, that just seems so... grindy. I was hoping for a more elegant solution, but I also acknowledged "biting the bullet" - thx.

when TRing...

(This is the Hard Core subforum.)

[MacDubh]

Community wise you need all non trapping folk to put any search/spot/disable loot on auction house.

So keep checking auction house, including for future levels. This worked Ok for me last time.

Start with the borderland goggles, which are easily farmed.

Also spend enhancement points on the skills.

[Bolo_Grubb]

(This is the Hard Core subforum.)

Doh Reading comprehension fail on my part :P I need more caffeine I guess

[Enoach]

don't underestimate the power of UMD for buffs

Find Traps Spell is a level 2 Divine Spell that you can purchase in the marketplace for a +1 search.

It might take a bit to get coin to purchase buff scrolls and potions. Also, collectible turn ins can supply other beneficial buffs.

Also, the skill boost action is a good temporary boost.

the good news is these skills are low on the CC scale, the problem is need to level up for the Level range.

[AirbornedChild]

Well, keeping trapper skills high enough is EASY, if you do this on purpose.
Just choose human race. Train +3 to INT while boost is active. Train enhancements to boost trapper skills. This way you will get more than enough. And, of course, you will find random gen trapper gear.
Keeping saves high enough is much harder.

[RavenStormclaw]

Tried to run a trapper last season, and had a helluva time keeping my trapping gear current. Just Search & DD was bad enough, didn't even try Spot & OL. It's a weak excuse to say "Yeah, I'm built to be a trapper, but my gear sucks so I can't actually trap"

Less true if you're +4 levels over content, but it still wanted to happen, esp on R.

Useful droploot is few and far between. Do you simply bite the bullet, farm up Vials of Pure Water and Khyber Prayer Pamphlets (the uncommon ingreds, Tier 1) and repeatedly craft them as needed?

Go intel based since the three main skills: search, DD, and open lock are all based off Intel. I ran an intel based arti/alchemist last season and had no trouble with any traps on any difficulty throughout my run.

[Bolo_Grubb]

Go intel based since the three main skills: search, DD, and open lock are all based off Intel. I ran an intel based arti/alchemist last season and had no trouble with any traps on any difficulty throughout my run.

Open lock is Dex based, but I agree, go int based. Open lock has not real penalty for failure, just keep trying until you roll a 20.

[Mindos]

Community wise you need all non trapping folk to put any search/spot/disable loot on auction house.

They always seem to use the astral shard auction house. I even asked in guild chat, the server wide player chats, etc for please please some thieves tools since I was plat starved. But no.....

[Bunker]

We have gotten so use to ignoring enhancements that improve trapping skills. Whether a perception or disarming enhancement. Or even taking points in the Skill action boost.

Aside from random loot, which feels even more random in a HC season, knowing which quest chains have static (or near static) rewards that help with trapping comes in handy.

And by God do not stick to the rudimentary "only play quests in level progession" system that so many players stick with.

Instead, if you are level 8, and are running those level 4 quests, by all means jump ahead and run some others that give better rewards. I never had a problem with loot because I would run certain quest chains ahead, like deleras series at level and complete it for gear. Or tangleroot at level 5 and complete the series. Ended up with the visors at level 5, which helped a ton. I didn't wait till level 8-10 to finish that series since the final quests are level 7.

Dont get caught in the level progression trap. Just remember to finish your low level quests before leveling up. In any case, it does not prevent you from from running higher level quests, just a bit ahead for very helpful gear.

[deuxanes]

I can only provide some general advice on this issue.

1. Enhancements
   Have a look at the various enhancement trees. Some racial trees, class trees provide 1st or 2nd tier enhancements to search, spot, disable and pick lock or skill boosts. At the start when you lack the gear, consider investing in enhancements. Should your gear improve with time, you can reconsider your enhancement setup.
2. Feats
   There are some feats (e.g. 'nimble fingers' and 'skill focus' feats) which will boost your trapping skills. 'Nimble fingers' is only available to rogues. The 'skill focus' are available to rogues and artificers. Replacing one feat should be no issue later on.
3. Evasion
   You might want to also train evasion by class, enhancement or epic destiny and invest a bit in reflex saves for the more difficult traps. Most traps don't need it though. Just observe the trap cycle. You can minimize or even negate the damage taken.
4. Favour
   In the early levels you should try not to skip quests. Get some favour with the free agents and you can unlock access to their vendor that provides good thieving tools and stuff. See that you buy the best thieving tools available.
5. Ability Scores
   You'll start with 28 points so you will have to make some choices and sacrifices. As a rogue you can start with an intelligence score of 14 and still have enough points for other ability scores. As artificer I'd suggest to at least start with and intelligence score of 16. As multiclass you'd need at least 16 as human or 18 as any other class because of double skill point costs.
6. Race and Class Setup
   Dunno if you plan to go pure rogue or multi class. Pure rogue or artificer should have an easy time maxing trapping skills and still be able to train various other skills. */Ranger, */Barbarian, */Bard or */Druid (insert rogue or artificer for *) should work relatively well with at least one level of rogue or artificer. Rogue/Wizard is easy because intelligence is the prime requisite score for trapping and the wizard. Additionally you'll not be skill starved with a high and rising intelligence. Other combinations can work too but these are skill starved. You'll have to decide whether trapping is worth ignoring balance, jump and tumble. If you are skill starved you might need to ignore UMD and pick lock. If you want UMD for divine scrolls but cannot afford it, then go Half-Elf with cleric dillettante.
   With a leveling rotation (e.g. rogue -> X -> rogue -> X -> rogue -> X -> ...) you can maximizing a lot of skills. Remember to train and max skills when it's cheapest.
7. Consumables & Scrolls
   In the early levels you should have foxes potions and heroism potions with you. They give a cumulative +4 bonus to search and disable.
8. NPC vendors
   In the market place and in various houses you have the pawnbrokers. Have a regular look at their wares.
9. auction house
   If you can afford it look at the auction house. It's astonishing that you can make tons of money with individual items (e.g. omnispell dust, tomes, etc.). If you have the spare money then get yourself trapping gear updates.
10. Gear
    Nothing much to say here. The longer you play the more loot you assemble and with time you get gear that you can bank for your alts.
11. TRing
    If you play it safe you can TR at 20 and then you get more points to distribute to ability score. Maxing intelligence will be easy enough then without gimping you in other areas.
12. Inventory
    Make sure your best tools are first in your inventory. When looting chests you might end up looting tief's tools. If you don't pay attention it may happen that you try to disable a trap with inferior tools.

That's advice that can help you on a regular server for elite or reaper play as well.