Hmm, seems like I'd be a fool to ever advance further than level 15 if you ask me ...

Nice work Alson,

Also worth noting is that one of these traps has an area of effect radius!!! A single powerful high level trap placed in the center of, for example, the fallen paladins (when neutral), and then causing them to become hostile, will of course trigger the trap. The trap effects mentioned by Alson (certainly the latter one that deals fire damage) will effect each and every target within range, making, IMO, high level thief traps substantially more powerful than the HLA spike traps. Imagine the havok you could create by using 7 of "3D8 Missile Damage, +4D8 Fire Damage" traps, and then taking on multiple enemies. Damage range of 49-392 damage to all hostile creatures within the area of effect.

You can even see the missile damage coming from the trap (looks like throwing knives) and flying towards multiple targets.

Final observations reveal that the trap(s) will fire at the first available target, so if one fallen paladin becomes hostile before the rest, this sole character will cop all the damage after the trap has triggered, with the other targets escaping unscathed. The best use for these snares is to lay a row of them down, and then attract a group of enemies down simultaneously. You can then be sure that the traps will target and damage all enemies that way. There is also no danger of hitting neutral targets like there is if you lay an explosive trap. Spike traps tend to deal massive damage to a single creature.

Next to time traps, the high level snares are the best (provided the targets have no fire/missile resistance) in the game.

All normal/BH traps have an AoE-effect, meaning they will hit anything hostile within range when activated.

Furthermore, BH traps can be tossed into position from a distance, which can turn a Bounty Hunter into an impressive artillerist. I recommend dualing a Bounty Hunter before he receives the third level of special traps though (lvl 17 I think) since neither Resiliant spheres nor Mazes are particularly effective when it comes to monster killing.

[ 03-08-2003, 09:21 PM: Message edited by: Rataxes ]

* makes a mental note to always have Jan wear an anti-Poison item when laying Traps with less than 100% invested in the skill. *

Though once you reach lvl 21 your snares become useless.... A slay-effect with a +4 saving throw bonus for the enemy ?!
You might get lucky and kill a rabbit with that in SoA,.. I'm not even talking about ToB yet :(

According to my observations, the level 21+ Traps never got implemented in the game, because Jan Jansen's traps and my Assassin's traps all still dealt fire damage even though they were well above level 30.

Due to the casting level cap of level 20 perhaps?

The fire traps can target up to a maximum of 2 targets, or concentrate on one target. They cannot hit more than 2 targets, making Spike Traps still better for single targets.

I suspect that a lot more than just spells got capped at level 20. The swashbuckler that I just finished playing, for example, stopped receiving any more THAC0 and AC bonuses after level 20.

Kit Bonuses should not be affected by the Casting-Level Cap. Usual questions, do you have both the Official Patch and the Baldurdash Fixpack?