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<blockquote data-quote="Bacon Bits" data-source="post: 7868372" data-attributes="member: 6777737"><p>There aren't very many <em>actual</em> traps, though. A trap option isn't merely suboptimal. A trap option is one that looks beneficial, but has such a minimal benefit that it's actually a hindrance or -- worse -- isn't actually beneficial at all. A trap option is one that is deceptive or misleading. 3e's Power Attack is the classic example, since you took -1 to hit for +1 to damage. Mathematically, that's a terrible idea because a +1 to hit is worth more than a +1 to damage. While an individual player might want to gamble on that, it still meant that your character was spending a feat slot to learn a <em>mathematically bad</em> ability.</p><p></p><p>The only major trap options I can think of in 5e are the Beastmaster Ranger and Four Elements Monk, due to the poorly designed pet and poorly designed spell system, respectively. Arguably the Warlock Invocations that let you cast a spell once per day for a Warlock spell slot should be included, but you can exchange them for better options later.</p><p></p><p>As for minor trap options? <em>Spare the dying</em> (a healer's kit with 10 "potions" of this cantrip costs 5 gp), <em>true strike</em> (only useful in an ambush or when you have a high level spell attack), <em>friends</em> (consequences too high in most situations), <em>stoneskin</em>, etc.</p><p></p><p>I think Barbarian over level 8 isn't particularly compelling, I think Sorcerer in general is narrow, and I think a single class Warlock is too shallow, but I don't know that I'd call those trap options so much as my subjective opinions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bacon Bits, post: 7868372, member: 6777737"] There aren't very many [I]actual[/I] traps, though. A trap option isn't merely suboptimal. A trap option is one that looks beneficial, but has such a minimal benefit that it's actually a hindrance or -- worse -- isn't actually beneficial at all. A trap option is one that is deceptive or misleading. 3e's Power Attack is the classic example, since you took -1 to hit for +1 to damage. Mathematically, that's a terrible idea because a +1 to hit is worth more than a +1 to damage. While an individual player might want to gamble on that, it still meant that your character was spending a feat slot to learn a [I]mathematically bad[/I] ability. The only major trap options I can think of in 5e are the Beastmaster Ranger and Four Elements Monk, due to the poorly designed pet and poorly designed spell system, respectively. Arguably the Warlock Invocations that let you cast a spell once per day for a Warlock spell slot should be included, but you can exchange them for better options later. As for minor trap options? [I]Spare the dying[/I] (a healer's kit with 10 "potions" of this cantrip costs 5 gp), [I]true strike[/I] (only useful in an ambush or when you have a high level spell attack), [I]friends[/I] (consequences too high in most situations), [I]stoneskin[/I], etc. I think Barbarian over level 8 isn't particularly compelling, I think Sorcerer in general is narrow, and I think a single class Warlock is too shallow, but I don't know that I'd call those trap options so much as my subjective opinions. [/QUOTE]
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