Trap It Up: Avoid the Burn

There are many offensively based accounts in Final Fantasy. There are just as many (if not more) players that enjoying trapping. However, the game is so intricate that many players don’t know where to start or how to defend. Today we will take a look at trapping, and the necessary elements to succeed.

The Basics

What is trapping? At it’s most basic level, trapping is winning an attack while pointing positive for RvR. That being said, not everyone has the same goals and all are valid. Some examples are;

• Capturing the attacking hero (the most popular)
• Killing the march
• Winning the attack on points and not burning
• Burn trapping (the most difficult to achieve at this point in the game.)

But how to accomplish any of these? Let’s drill down the options available for a successful trap. Note that not all of these will be released in all realms yet depending on your server.

Your Hero

Choosing the correct hero to trap with is essential. There are many heroes available now, but the best for trapping are Gladio, Cindy or Luna. All three of these have decent trapping abilities, with Gladio and Cindy leading the pack (assuming Cindy is at a decent hero level). Below we are only going to discuss the base hero skills. We will cover mastery skills separately as they apply at all times.

Gladio

If using Gladio, make sure that your Steal Enemy Attack and Steal Enemy HP are as high as you can get them. Secondarily master Spiked Armor.

Cindy

Cindy’s power lies in the fact that her skill tree contains multipliers for your gear. If you are using Cindy, be sure to skill the following:

• Helmet Armor Bonus
• Trap Armor
• Accessory All Stat Bonus
• Body Armor HP Bonus
• Trap HP
• Weapon Attack Bonus
• Trap Attack

Luna

Luna is my third choice, but in some newer Realms she is all that is available. Focus on skilling the following;

• City Defense Armor
• City Defense HP
• City Defense Attack
• Attack Resistance
• Defender Attack
• Defender HP
• Guardian Attack (if you have them)
• Guardian HP (if you have them)
• Hospital Capacity if needed

Mastery Skills

Mastery Skills work no matter which Hero is equipped so let’s address those separately. For defense, focus on these;

Cindy

• Trap HP, Armor and Attack (if using traps)
• Body Armor Attack and HP Bonus
• Weapon Attack and HP Bonus

Noctis

• All Elemental Troop Attack and HP
• Core Troop Attack and HP
• Limit Break: Armiger

Ravus

• Expanded Influence (get that extra expansion!)
• Troop Attack Bonus Against Cavalry
• Troop Attack Bonus Against Warriors
• Troop Attack Bonus Against Mages
• Troop Attack Bonus Against Mercenary Troops

Gladio

• Earth Elemental Troop HP
• Earth Elemental Troop Attack
• Warrior HP and Armor
• Warrior Attack
• Limit Break: Seismic Valor

Aranea

• Sunder Health
• Mercenary HP (if using Guards)
• Mercenary Attack (if using Guards)
• Cavalry HP and Armor
• Cavalry Attack
• Limit Break: Highwind Force

Ignis

• Exploit Weakness
• Fire Elemental Troop HP
• Fire Elemental Troop Attack
• Limit Break: Sagefire

Luna

• City Defense
• Ice Elemental Troop HP
• Ice Elemental Troop Attack
• Mage Armor and HP
• Mage Attack
• Limit Break: Hexatheon

Prompto

• Armor Piercing
• Lightning Elemental Troop HP
• Lightning Elemental Troop Attack
• Limit Break: Bioblast

Research

As always, research is essential. You can have 20 million elemental troops and 500k Undying Guardians, but without the research to back it up they’re useless. Focus on the following trees;

• Combat
• Defense
• Crafting
• Adventurer
• Advanced Combat
• Research Enchantments

Gear/Power Up

What you wear is very important, along with powering it up. Keep in mind how you’ve built your account. Very rarely will using a complete set make sense. The best traps combine different pieces that compliment their set up. One solid choice for everyone using an astral (which is necessary at this point in older Realms) is the Destiny Weapon. Pieces from the guardian, Hydraean, Infernian, Archaean, Magebane and Undertaker can make good choices powered up. Even Beastmaster has Trap Attack and Earth Elemental Troop Attack when powered up, if your other stats are powerful enough to use it to trap in.

An example of a good set up is shown below, but keep in mind that everyone’s account is slightly different. Make sure you have sufficient attack (of all types), health and defense. Also remember that Armor Shredding is huge at the moment, so defense can’t be your end all in terms of defense.

Gems

Gems are very important, especially since they can be combined to Level 15 now. Be sure to have the following in your gear;

• Flux Gem: City Defense Armor with Astral
• Aeon Gem: Astral Attack Bonus
• Karlabos Defense Gem: City Defense HP Bonus

At that point start adding gems to increase what you need such as;

• Citrine: Trap Attack
• Emerald: Troop HP
• Amethyst: Troop Armor
• Rainbow: Mage, Cavalry, Infantry Attack
• Piercing: Armor Piercing
• Any of the Troop Specific Gems

Wall Traps

Ahh the Wall Traps. Mainly ignored until now, these are currently highly effective IF you are using T7 traps and have the research, skilling and Levi to back it up. Build your T7 traps using Ignis  (skilled for trap building), and switch back to your desired Defensive Hero. Keep in mind that unless you have Trap Repair you will need to swap BACK into Ignis to rebuild them. Many players are Ice Trap heavy. If using traps make sure you have done the following;

• Skill Levi’s Protection Aura
• Do all the Trap combat research you can afford under the Defense tree, especially Trap Attack/HP VI.
• Research Energized Traps in Enchantment Research
• Skill Cindy’s Trap Masteries
• Trap Gems

Below is an example of a defense using no Guardians. It can be done! The attacking rally had full elemental, three maxed Levis and Grandmaster Destiny Sword.

Guardians

For many players Guardians (especially Undying) are an essential part of their trap. Keep in mind that these are not totally necessary, but always helpful although expensive (especially if they die). A few things to remember about Guards;

• You need a good amount. 20-30k isn’t going to cut it.
• They may go to the hospital first, but if the hit exceeds your hospital capacity they will be pushed out and die.
• Undying are the most effective at the moment

Elemental Wells and Troops

In the new world, straight troops just don’t cut it most of the time. You need T7 Elementals. In addition to supplying materials to craft these Elemental Wells have underlying boosts.

• Fire Wells: Troop Attack Bonus
• Ice Wells: Troop Armor Bonus
• Lightning Wells: Armor Piercing
• Earth Wells: Troop HP Bonus

You must build at least one of each of these to train T7 Elementals. After that point, many traps choose to build more Fire or Earth Wells.

When training Elementals focus on Earth, Fire and Ice. The more you have the better. Many empires are 100% Elementals, and if your account, traps (and guards if using them) are set up right, the hit shouldn’t get through to kill any.

Astrals

There are currently two Astrals available to use in Defense; Levi and Shiva. Levi is the strongest Astral to defend with, assuming he is at a solid level (45+). Keep in mind that when you have both, a portion of the skilled boosts from the unequipped Astral still apply. Resetting Astral skills is free, so play around with the best skilling to compliment your base.

Defensive Monsters

One of the newest items for Defense, these live in your Walls and help defend upon attack. There are up to three available, but the second and third are fairly expensive. Learn more about Defensive Monsters and which to use here.  However, if you were able to get them, the Level 5 monsters are good options to place in your wall, with the Armored Karlabos or King Tonberry leading the pack. Lower level leveled up Karlabos are also good options if you don’t have a Level 5.

Reinforcements

Being reinforced with one or more high level Levi’s is solid. Even if you lose terribly your hero will be safe. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for rein!

Enchantments

There are a fair number of Enchantments to choose from now, depending on your Limit Break. Additionally multiple Enchantments can be run at once (on different gear pieces). Keep in mind these are all timed, so don’t use them until you are under attack.

• Weapon options;
  • Vengeance: Troop Attack per Enemy Troop Attack Bonus
  • Fortify: Earth Elemental Attack Bonus, City Defense HP Bonus
  • Frostbite: Ice Elemental Attack Bonus, Cripple Enemy HP
  • Flametongue: Fire Elemental Attack Bonus, City Assault  Attack Bonus
  • Polarity: Lightning Elemental Attack Bonus, Troop Attack per Enemy Armor Bonus
  • Armiger (Noctis’ Limit Break): Troop HP Bonus, Troop Attack Bonus
• Helm Option;
  • Sagefire (Ignis’ Limit Break): Fire Elemental Troop Attack Bonus, Anti-Armor Shredding
• Armor Options;
  • Hexatheon (Luna’s Limit break): Astral HP Regeneration Speed, Astral Attack Bonus
  • Seismic Valor (Gladio’s Limit Break): Troop HP, Attack and Armor per Earth Elemental Bonus
• Feet Option;
  • Bioblast (Prompto’s Limit Break): Armor Shredding, Attack March Speed
• Accessory Option;
  • Highwind Force (Aranea’s Limit Break): Mercenary Troop Attack Bonus, Troop Attack Bonus against an Astral

Cores

The Crystal Nexus also has Cores to benefit your defense. Take a look at the following;

• Diamondsteel Core: City Defense HP Bonus and City Defense Armor Bonus
• Red Fury Core: City Assault Attack Bonus
• Dark Heart Core: City Defense Attack Bonus
• Blazing Core: Fire Elemental Troop Attack, HP and Armor Bonus
• Sprouting Core: Earth Elemental Troop Attack, HP and Armor Bonus
• Freezing Core: Ice Elemental Troop Attack, HP and Armor Bonus

Defense is difficult but certainly not impossible at this stage of the game. As you can see from the above, you need to focus on many things. There’s not one Hero, Gear or Research that will work alone.

Do you have tips and tricks for Defending? Let us know in the comments below!