Thugs/Traps..Info please!

Can somebody please tell me some experiences with this combo? How does it compare to bots/dark or bots/traps?

And what is with Poison Trap, did it get nerfed in the last few issues?

Short answer: Thugs/Traps is great.

I can't compare it to bots/Dark or Bots/Traps because I play neither. I can compare Thugs/Traps to Bots/FF: Thugs/Traps is a lot faster and more active. I still love Bots/FF but Thugs/Traps is by no means in second place power-wise.

Poison Trap did get nerfed but it's still good, no worries.

My Thugs/Traps is lvl 19 so far, and it's a blast.
Put the boys in BG mode, throw down caltrops, when the toughest in the bunch hits the caltrops, nail him with webnade.

You can keep the pets in defensive mode right on the triage beacon.

The thugs will keep everyone busy while you run around setting up acid mortar and poison trap, AND your FFG will stack with the manuvers ability from your enforcers.

So far, sooooooo good.

Thugs/traps is seriously strong. It was scoffed at a ways back. Until people beheld the power of TRAPS. Poison Gas Trap got nerfed but for a good reason. People were putting 4 procs in it dropping it and going to lunch. It would take out a whole spawn by itself. The puking was so powerful but no one ever cared. Until the wedding, then when the devs got hit with all the PGTs and they could do nothing but puke it got the bat. No site to this day has made me laugh as hard as watching the entire Freedom Phalanx Puke on the LRSF, before it got whacked.

Still strong. Favorite combo with a MM on traps is the following set up. Feel free to try it.

Set your map for an 8 man spawn.

1> Summon pets then buff them.
2> Summon FFG
3> Approach spawn, cast seekers.
4> Run in Drop PGT, Acid Mortar, Caltrops.
Sissies can also drop Triage if you picked it.
5> do emote /e evillaugh

That act always get a few Jaws droped on people who have never witnessed it. Especially when you don't face plant.

Thugs/traps is very fun and effective. I'll let everyone else tell you the specifics, and just show one synergy difference between it and bots/traps. Both thugs and bots lieutenants get defense buffs, but thugs' maneuvers only affect thugs, not other pets, whereas protector bots' will bubble any pet that you summon, as well as you (once). This difference doesn't affect much with traps, it just means that it will be a little harder for enemies to destroy your force field generator with bots as your primary. It also means that you can possibly make better use of the veteran combat pets with bots, if you have those available.
This doesn't make the bots/traps better though (in fact, I find bots/traps to be pretty boring compared to thugs/traps), it's just something to be aware of.

I love Thugs/Traps. Its great having good defense and thugs who can survive to dish out some pain. Plus, you get all the toys that confound and kill the enemies. Whats not to like? I'm only level 33 or so on mine, but I love him. Thugs/Traps can eventually soft cap itself and you can do it for a relatively cheap price.

For giggles, this is my build:

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Sidetrack: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Thugs
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Thugs -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(3), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(3), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), BldM'dt-Acc(5), BldM'dt-Dmg(46)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(A)
Level 2: Caltrops -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(7), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(7), Numna-Heal/Rchg(23)
Level 6: Equip Thugs -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(9), Flight-I(9)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- ShldBrk-DefDeb(A), ShldBrk-Acc/DefDeb(11), ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg(11), ShldBrk-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(33), RechRdx-I(33), Achilles-ResDeb%(33)
Level 12: Call Enforcer -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(13), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), DefBuff-I(15), DefBuff-I(39)
Level 14: Fly -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(17), Zephyr-ResKB(17)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def(19), DefBuff-I(19)
Level 18: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 20: Poison Trap -- Lock-Acc/Hold(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg(21), Lock-Rchg/Hold(21), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(23), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(37), Lock-%Hold(50)
Level 22: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 24: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(25), EndMod-I(25)
Level 26: Call Bruiser -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(27), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(27), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), BldM'dt-Acc(29), BldM'dt-Dmg(43)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(31), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(31), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SipInsght-%ToHit(46)
Level 30: Gang War -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(34), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(40), C'Arms-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), C'Arms-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(40)
Level 32: Upgrade Equipment -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Trip Mine -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(36), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Posi-Dam%(37), KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx(37)
Level 38: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(39), RedFtn-Def(39)
Level 41: Web Envelope -- TotHntr-Acc/Rchg(A), TotHntr-EndRdx/Immob(42), TotHntr-Acc/EndRdx(42), TotHntr-Immob/Acc(42), TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg(43), TotHntr-Dam%(43)
Level 44: Scorpion Shield -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(45), RedFtn-EndRdx(45), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45), RedFtn-Def(46)
Level 47: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(48), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(50), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 49: Recall Friend -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Supremacy

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Oh and another approach on the Gang War is to go with Soulbound a/r, a/d/r, and d/r, with a hami-o a/d for a total of 90% acc, dam, and recharge, which leaves room for both of the 5% pet aura defense uniques also, in case you want your pets to have even better defenses. Its a bit more expensive, but its an interesting option.

Lewis

Thugs/Traps is probably the best thing since Bots/Traps.

Thugs/Traps is insanely powerful, if used correctly, just as any AT, but more specifically a /traps MM, requires some interesting micromanagement to squeeze the most of it.

I myself am fond of Mercenaries / Traps.

Anyone have any additional Thugs/Traps builds? Has anyone been able to solo AVs with this combo?