[Nerull]

MINOR SPOILERS
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With levels in sorcerer, just summon a creature and send it ahead to blow up the traps. In fact, when you get later in the game, you get a ring that gives energy resistance, and another one that gives lesser resistance and regeneration. After that point, hp permitting, you can just run over traps. I took Sharwyn as an NPC with my fighter, and I was just fine. With all of the healing potions that you find in the game, and with the ability to go to temple and heal completely, you really don't need a thief in the game.

Chests have some of the nastiest traps. Just buy some energy arrows/bolts and shoot the trapped chest from a distance. Bashing chests is ridiculously easy once you get a weapon that does energy damage, so lockpicking is not needed. In fact, I just skipped the chests that I couldn't open in Chapter 1 (noting their location on the map with that function), and came back once I got an energy weapon.

My suggestion is to boost your Search skill instead of Disable Device and Pick Locks. That way you can see the trap beforehand, and use any of the above methods to get rid of it. If you take Sorcerer at first level, you should get a Wand of Unlimited Chest Bashing (oops, I mean the Unlimited Wand of Frost) for finishing your test.