traps - some suggestions and comments.

[oaknott]

Since there is always a chance of taking damage from disarming traps (or rather spectacularly failing to disarm them ), could successful disarms earn a small amount of xp commensurate with the risk involved?

Can automatic self-resetting traps be scripted so that once they have gone off, the traps reactivate after a very short time and the reset cycle only stops when they have been disabled? I don't envisage this for all traps, and certainly not for trapped treasure, but maybe one trap in five or so. This would restore a lot of value to the rogue and inconvenience the characters who rely on large HP totals and plentiful cures bumbling through them as if they didn't matter, which some seem to do regardless of the detriment this causes to the players around them.

Is there any likelihood of the "recover trap" etc options coming back in? Or if they are there and I haven't found them, could someone give me a heads up on how to do that.

Oaknott

[papaya taco]

Egh, traps. I don't know why Obsidian decided to remove taking 20 on disabling traps outside of combat.

Is there any likelihood of the "recover trap" etc options coming back in? Or if they are there and I haven't found them, could someone give me a heads up on how to do that.

Oaknott

Right-click to open the drop-down menu, select 'recover' from there.

[Bobzim]

Recover traps works just fine. Right click, select recover trap. It actually makes a trip to the Troll caves worthwhile.

[Chia]

What I would not mind seeing is traps that do more damage than currently set but are easier to disarm than their damage level would suggest, particularly given the requirement to make the roll even when out of combat.

Too many people harmlessly running through traps with some sort of elemental resistance from a spell. Bad for business

Incidentally, recovering a trap bumps the DC quite high. During a recent outing to the Bugbear caves, I managed to trigger every trap I attempted to recover...

[The Explorer]

You can't thoughtlessly run through the Orc's setting off traps becomes quite a few of them are epic.

[Peregrinus]

Egh, traps. I don't know why Obsidian decided to remove taking 20 on disabling traps outside of combat.

Is there any likelihood of the "recover trap" etc options coming back in? Or if they are there and I haven't found them, could someone give me a heads up on how to do that.

Oaknott

Right-click to open the drop-down menu, select 'recover' from there.

Probably because in PnP, you cannot take 20 on the disable device skill. This is because there is a chance of critical failure on a trap (if you fail to disable by more than 10 you set the trap off). Technically "taking 20" means you try 20 times (technically taking 20 should have taken two minutes), starting with a "roll" of 1 and working your way up to 20, or until you succeed, whichever comes first. You can "take 10" on trap in PnP, but risk the "critical failure" if you miss the trap DC by 10 or more.

As it stood, I'm glad they took it out, in order to make traps in NWN1 that were properly scaled for the difficulty of the party, it made the DCs a bit on the ridiculous side.

[Elerion]

Can automatic self-resetting traps be scripted so that once they have gone off, the traps reactivate after a very short time and the reset cycle only stops when they have been disabled?

Almost all floor traps in Dasaria mid-high level dungeons remain on the ground even after you have stepped on them. Which is why people unfamiliar with the level 10+ dungeons often can end up getting fried, since two people running through a lightning trap = 2 triggers = both getting hit for double damage.

What I would not mind seeing is traps that do more damage than currently set but are easier to disarm than their damage level would suggest, particularly given the requirement to make the roll even when out of combat.

Too many people harmlessly running through traps with some sort of elemental resistance from a spell. Bad for business Wink

I think the traps in the level 10+ dungeons are very much fine as they are. A lot of them are capable of taking out low hp characters in a single activation, and some are even capable of taking out a fighter with close to full hp. If the damage was upped, it would make it extremely hard for non-rogue parties to get through the dungeons. I realise rogues want to feel appreciated, but you can't put a requirement on bringing rogues for all the dungeons. They are already required for Shai, and increase both speed and loot return from the other dungeons heavily.

I understand that rogues can feel unneeded in Kalem and especially Bugbears due to the weakness of the traps, but it's important that players get a ramp up in difficulty, so we don't have a bunch of people leaving the server at level 6 because they can't find a rogue to bring along. Once people reach level 11 xp slows down considerably, thus increasing player saturation, making those levels better suited for requiring certain classes. And when you reach those levels, you definitely want to bring a tank, a healer/resser and a rogue for maximum efficiency.

So far the hardest two dungeons for me to complete has actually been Goblins #2 and Wererats, exactly because they heavily favored rogue groups, and there were so few players around of appropriate level that finding a rogue was hard.

[Bobzim]

Very well put Elerion. I completely agree.

Again, I have noticed and very much appreciate the balance the PW builders here have sought in the areas I have hunted (all of them). The only one I dislike is the trolls (for obvious reasons - nobody but warlocks "likes" the troll caves).

Truth is that most scroll boxes and weapon racks require very little disable device to handle (i.e., I think the DC is 14 on scroll boxes and 15 on Cearian Racks). A minimal skill in disable device along with some trapper gloves (or lesser trapper gloves if you're poor) and you're all set.

As for the traps on the floor, a rogue should be needed for some of the harder areas, or a knowledge of the area, some key buffs and appropriate resist gear to deal with the inevitable zaps are in order. There are no traps I have come across that "require" a rogue. You can almost always tip toe around the trap to meet your next objective.

But we don't want rogues to have no use. And most parties don't want to wait for a rogue to use tactical trap setting pre-battle because none of the content is hard enough to warrant it. They'd rather get to the killing and let the rogue perform as a dps class. Now THAT puts a limit on Rogue RPing (i.e., when a class can not realize its raizon d'etre).

[Rob]

Since there is always a chance of taking damage from disarming traps (or rather spectacularly failing to disarm them ), could successful disarms earn a small amount of xp commensurate with the risk involved?

I'd like to see this and an xp reward for picking locks. Both are currently possible. How much xp would be appropriate for such feats?

Can automatic self-resetting traps be scripted so that once they have gone off, the traps reactivate after a very short time and the reset cycle only stops when they have been disabled? I don't envisage this for all traps, and certainly not for trapped treasure, but maybe one trap in five or so. This would restore a lot of value to the rogue and inconvenience the characters who rely on large HP totals and plentiful cures bumbling through them as if they didn't matter, which some seem to do regardless of the detriment this causes to the players around them.

Traps do not reset without serious scripting effort. 1.06 promises a function that will make this easy.

[LONOmakesWAR]

i would love to see XP for traps and locks

also I would love to see the xp calculated on difficulty of the trap and number of people in party

if more than one rogue in party then they weoill have to take turns and RP it out

[Wumpus Slayer]

There are some traps in the Tower that are slightly below the floor and near impossible to reach in order to disarm. I would love to see that fixed.

[kikkelipoika]

damn i just hate the amount of traps every single cave and dungeon has. Where the hell did those trolls get all those traps there!? I think that there should be less traps, and that the traps should have a significant impact on the dungeon crawling. What i mean is, place the few traps in critical locations, doors to some extra content and stuff. Make it so that there is a deadly trap infested corridor that serves as a shortcut to the ph4t lewt and boss fights, but that there is an optional longer way, that would be more combat focused. What i'm suggesting, make optional rogue-like solutions, but don't restrict other classes. I just think that the amounts of traps everywhere is ridiculous and not credible in any way. Why would anyone place a trap in the middle of the livingrooms floor? Or a trap to block a stairway that is obviously used frequently?

[urgualamand]

darn i just hate the amount of traps every single cave and dungeon has. Where the hell did those trolls get all those traps there!? I think that there should be less traps, and that the traps should have a significant impact on the dungeon crawling. What i mean is, place the few traps in critical locations, doors to some extra content and stuff. Make it so that there is a deadly trap infested corridor that serves as a shortcut to the ph4t lewt and boss fights, but that there is an optional longer way, that would be more combat focused. What i'm suggesting, make optional rogue-like solutions, but don't restrict other classes. I just think that the amounts of traps everywhere is ridiculous and not credible in any way. Why would anyone place a trap in the middle of the livingrooms floor? Or a trap to block a stairway that is obviously used frequently?

... well I think that traps are not meant to be realistic.. but are there to enhance gameplay. If you want a story behind the traps, then here is one ; lets say you enter a building and then the magical alarm sounds. Then the residents activate the traps while hoping that they did not place the traps too obvious

I love traps! More!.. they seem to make questing in a group more fun! You have to be more careful and position your tank or let the rogues go first. And a trap damage can turn your ah so brilliant plan upside down because suddenly your tank is hurt and has to run for cover.. damned tanks, discipline I say! But all good fun

[Chia]

One of the main reasons I generally solo is that it is extremely difficult to find a group that will have the time to accomodate a long playing time. Usually, everybody is on their own schedule, to lesser or greater extent, and far too often it ends with a power-run through the area that, personally, I prefer to enjoy a little bit more.

I had in the past spent hours in a dungeon the size of the rat quest area, with a party that reacted to the environment in a greater degree than clicking the mouse to bypass a trap. For me, the immersion factor far more outweights the time, experience, and gold "lost" through delaying in a dungeon (or any other situation, for that matter).

What high density of dangerous traps does is to force players to slow down a bit, allowing people like me to throw in the occasional line or emote in an otherwise, far too often, rat race toward the loot and experience.

Besides, it's absolutely hilarious to watch Gonzo the super-powered-cleric get fried by traps in his mad dash to close in with the kill.

[oaknott]

Recover traps works just fine. Right click, select recover trap. It actually makes a trip to the Troll caves worthwhile.

thanks for that, I tried this when I first installed the game but it didnt work then, and I hadn't tried since.

Almost all floor traps in Dasaria mid-high level dungeons remain on the ground even after you have stepped on them.

I like that I haven't got up to that level yet so I wasn't aware of that. The more I find out about this server the more I like it.

Which is why people unfamiliar with the level 10+ dungeons often can end up getting fried, since two people running through a lightning trap = 2 triggers = both getting hit for double damage.

ROFLMAO

I would so love to see that its so funny when the macho, beefcake fighter gets his whiskers (and other bits) burned off 'cos he didn't have the patience tolet the rogue do his job

Oaknott