[Cerek the Barbaric]

I started off with a straight elven wizard until I ran into the same problem. I found that just 1 level in Rogue allowed me to Disarm every trap I encountered. It also expanded the weapons I could use and gave me a better chance to hit with them.

My lockpicking skills aren't quite as good (even though I have the same score in both Pick Locks and Disarm Traps). I'm successful about 70% of the time (so far anyway). When I can't pick a lock, my Rogue level allows me to use those nifty Thieve's Tools I keep finding...and they improve my LockPicking skills dramatically.

But before taking a level in Rogue AND before taking Tomi as a henchman, I just used my familiar - a pixie. She was very good at opening locks, detecting traps, and disarming them. I also used Summon Animal and they would also attack any chest I couldn't open.

My question to you is....WHY did you take levels as a fighter when you already had paladin skills? (or did the paladin level come later - that would make more sense). As mentioned above, just ONE level in Rogue would eliminate almost all of the problems you have with traps and then you could use Daelan Red Tiger and his brute force to help with any chests or doors you can't open.

Of course, I kinda liked Tomi myself. I used him in the Peninsula District and he was very valuable. Then I let him go and hired the elven cleric, Linu La'Narel, to help with the undead in the Begger's Nest. After that, it was time to talk to that big half-orc with the even bigger double-axe!!! Red Tiger has been with me through the Docks AND Blacklake Districts.