Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

In PvE I love using traps, especially Trip Wire and Needle Trap, even Ambush. As I toggle between a P/P-P/D+SB weapon set, I’m wondering are there any ‘trap’ thieves in WvW or sPvP? What traps do you like? How do train opponents onto them? Any key builds or traits that really make using them shine? Any synergy with anything in particular?

If you generally regard them as useless, then why? What would you do to make them better?

Thanks!

Situation 1: Enemy zergs you.
Most traps are useless, they only hit 1 foe (2 if they by coincidence are running exactly next to each other). Using Caltrops would work better in this case. Only ambush would be nice if you are going to stand against them (quantity > quality in a zerg v zerg … quality quantity > quantity but it’s rare to have that)

Situation 2: Small fights
Traps are great. Immobilizing, kd’ing, shadowstepping and/or summoning an extra soldier can change the tide. Let’s say 2v2: Immobilize/kd target 1, gank on target 2.

Situation 3: Lots of chickens near you
Fear these chickens … They are expert disarmers! How often a trap of mine got disarmed at a supply camp because of them … Ragekill all of them!

Personally I don’t use traps in WvW anymore. My utilities are: Signet of shadows, shadowstep, scorpion wire.

In sPvP I use SoS, shadow trap and scorpion wire. Trapping the treb or a shrine so you can stop people from destroying/capping it.

In sPvP, I use shadow and ambush traps, with shadow refuge. How do I work?

- Capture a point and place both traps on the same spot (don’t move while placing them, so an enemy passing by will trigger both of them at the same time).
- Help taking another point with your team.
- When some ninja comes to capture the point, you get instantly teleported to shadow trap, and summoned thief will come to you like 5 seconds later (they are fast runners ;p).
- Gz, you just saved a point from being even neutralized. Proceed to kill the foe with Thieves guild + 2 additional thieves from ambush traps, and win the game for your team.

Facts about shadow trap:
- It has VERY long teleport range. I guess it is like 4000 units.
- Its effect cannot be mitigated by dodging, jumping over, triggering by a minion or anything (unlike needle and tripwire traps).
- Even if you are too far away from it to teleport, or you just can’t get there because of falling or jumping, you still gain stealth.
- It can be placed in the middle of combat right under enemies feets for instant 5 sec stealth. Be it defensive or offensive tactic.
- Shadow trap can save your life or totally backfire. Few times I got teleported away just a second before stomping defeated player, what saved his life. Another time, I got teleported + stealthed away while being downed, 1 sec before getting stoped. I imagine that guy was surprised and mad at the same time. Funny thing. And yeah, that guy which triggered trap didn’t even saw me, and walked away like nothing happened, allowing me to regenerate health to 100% in peace.

Facts about ambush trap:
- You can have 2 thieves summoned at the same time by this trap – they have randomly pistols or daggers.
- Its effect cannot be mitigated by dodging, jumping over, triggering by a minion or anything (unlike needle and tripwire traps).
- Few times some stupid mesmer casted Moa on the summoned thief – he kept fighting normally, but with other abilities… lol. These thieves can “eat” some combos instead of you.
- You can apply to the thief a venom by venomous aura, so it increases this perk’s effectiveness by 100%.

You should plant all traps before fight, so you can use them twice for extra power. Well, sometimes it is impossible, but try to predict your enemies’ moves.

^he asked for wvw :P

LOL I think Dagins just sold me on traps.

Looks like there is huge potential for Shenanigans.

Could also be super handy for farming events in Orr.

Tripwire in WvW is the greatest. Against a single opponent approaching, I’ll place it and just wait. Most of the time it’s usually a warrior rushing to get the first hit for his burst or another Thief being kitteny and skipping the whole “get the jump on your opponent” thing. They come anywhere near and… floored. 3 free seconds to rail in to him and I’ve won already.

What I also like to do is go in to stealth, put Ambush directly on the enemy feet to immediately trigger it and then hit Thieves Guild (while still in stealth, using C+D if it breaks at any point). Suddenly, the opponent has 3 thieves to deal with, and no sign of the leader. Then, backstab or PW just for lulz, depends what weapon swap combos I have (usually S/P + D/D)

A build I came with when I was experimenting with skills and traits. I don’t use it because I prefer to always use builds effective in the 3 enviroments (PvE, PvP and WvW), but it’s great for 1 vs 1 fights un sPvP:

Dagger/Pistol, with Scorpion Wire, Needle Trap and Ambush. Pick the trait that give +20% damage if opponent is under 50%, and the one that inmobs him if he is under 50% too. As you’re investing 30 and 30 on DA and CS, pick Corrosive Traps and Critical Haste too.

Place both traps when you see an opponent, and manage to pull him with your scorpion wire so he triggers both at the same time.

The summoned Thief nearly always appears to your left. Now use Black Powder and HS to activate stealth. Most times your opponent is in a hurry and will select target and attack, which means he will face your summoned Thief, meaning it is VERY easy to get his back and use Backstab. After that continue attacking until he is under 50% health and he gets another 4 seconds of inmob (most times the first inmob is still on him) and start HSing him until he is dead.

If your opponent has skills to break the first inmob, then use Steal to automatically close distances, and HS works well as a closer too, but it’s better to use it once he is under 50%.

The good part is that you can annihilate anyone who falls into this in a matter of seconds. Very good in 1 vs 1.

The bad part is that you use all your utilities at the same time (but really you can survive without them while they’re recharging and they don’t have very long recharges) and it may be a bit tricky to pull your opponent (very good at Point Defender).

In WvW I don’t think traps are of any use. You can find some lonely opponents every now and then, but for general use traps aren’t that great here.

Lokheit.7943:

In WvW I don’t think traps are of any use. You can find some lonely opponents every now and then, but for general use traps aren’t that great here.

Traps are tactical tools. They aren’t very effective in straight open fights. You should lure an opponent into them, which increases their power, because they are off cooldown already, so you can make a combo. If you have scorpion wire just to force an enemy to enter the trap, it is a waste of skill slot.

You can place a trap in a tight corridor, and use them for safe escape when things are getting worse – or make it impossible for your enemy to escape that way. Imagine someone running away with 5% hp, and suddenly triggering a needle or tripwire trap placed at a doorway. I managed to do this many times.

Traps are like spider’s web. Spider won’t start to weave it’s web just when he saw a fly. Spider will place it on a spot, which will be crossed by a fly in close future. Also, they know exactly where to place them, what makes them so deadly.

I have only played as a thief since launch, and only have one character, and I’m ashamed to say I’ve never used or bought shadow trap. I have all other traps though.

I never understood how it worked though. If I put it on top of a tower, and jump down, if it gets triggered, will I teleport all the way up to the top? Doesn’t that mean it acts almost like a mesmer Portal for yourself?

Also, does the person who trigger it get some signal that he triggered a trap? Like if I’m running away from an enemy in WvW and put it under my feet and keep running, will I just disappear for him or will he figure out that I teleported behind him? I usually just use Blinding Powder and immediately start running the opposite direction to enemy, but this trap can save me tons of time.

I think I’ll start using it in WvW anyway to get away from enemies. Sounds amazing thanks to Dagins.

question

If I put it on top of a tower, and jump down, if it gets triggered, will I teleport all the way up to the top?

No, you won’t get teleported while falling. You can’t shadowstep (this trap uses shadowstep mechanism), if you jump on some rock or anything, where you can’t walk back without falling or jumping. This trap has lower range than mesmer’s teleportation, but you can jump between bases in sPvP. Sadly, not between all bases, because some of them are too far away to each other, so you must keep right distance to make it work. Still, the trap is invisible and has infinite duration, unlike mesmer’s teleport.

Also, does the person who trigger it get some signal that he triggered a trap?

No, they won’t see any signals. They will just see you entering stealth, but nothing more. Experienced player (what means – almost nobody) can assume, that the thief used shadow trap, but he can’t know where and who triggered it, unless you are fighting 1 vs 1 on an open field in WvW.

I think I’ll start using it in WvW anyway to get away from enemies.

Yeah, even if you can’t use it at range, still it provides 5 seconds of stealth in melee, what gives you enough time to run away.

Dagins.5163:

Lokheit.7943:

In WvW I don’t think traps are of any use. You can find some lonely opponents every now and then, but for general use traps aren’t that great here.

Traps are tactical tools. They aren’t very effective in straight open fights. You should lure an opponent into them, which increases their power, because they are off cooldown already, so you can make a combo. If you have scorpion wire just to force an enemy to enter the trap, it is a waste of skill slot.

You can place a trap in a tight corridor, and use them for safe escape when things are getting worse – or make it impossible for your enemy to escape that way. Imagine someone running away with 5% hp, and suddenly triggering a needle or tripwire trap placed at a doorway. I managed to do this many times.

Traps are like spider’s web. Spider won’t start to weave it’s web just when he saw a fly. Spider will place it on a spot, which will be crossed by a fly in close future. Also, they know exactly where to place them, what makes them so deadly.

Yeah, I know all that, but what I was saying is that as you can only affect 1 opponent with them, there are very few situations where it will mean a great difference in most WvW events where there will be more Zergs to take care of.

In specific situations they’re useful, and I can see them being very frustrating for opponents if you camp a Jumping Puzzle to get easy kills, but for general WvW events and sieges they aren’t that big of a difference maker for the global fight.

In sPvP Ambush trap can be a decent weapon. If you don’t run a FotM build, but just go for one of the numerous high DPS, much dodging/evading options, then Ambush can add a chunk of DPS. It’s even better if you get the reduced trap cooldown trait.

That said, summoned thieves die easily and some opponents can neutralise them very quickly.

Tripwire could be a decent part of a backstab build in WvW I reckon, though this is just guessing. If you were roaming and trying to pick people off, a tripwire in a doorway might be a good way to get your chain off.