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Traps are devices designed to damage individuals in their proximity and can be found all over the Mojave Wasteland in Fallout: New Vegas. They are particularly prevalent within the Dead Money add-on. Traps can be disarmed with a related skill level.

Types of traps[]

Vehicles[]

FNV Car 03

Though not considered a trap in the technical sense, a small number of decaying cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles can be found around the Mojave Wasteland. These nuclear-powered vehicles, suffering from two centuries of neglect, will catch fire and explode if sufficiently damaged (around five hits from a plasma rifle will destroy one outright). When a vehicle takes enough damage, it will release a small explosion and catch fire, giving the player several seconds to escape. Once that period has elapsed, the vehicle goes up in a much larger and more damaging nuclear explosion, similar in appearance and potency to a mini nuke. The explosion can be hastened by attacking the flaming wreck. Vehicles that explode will irradiate the area for a brief period of time.

An exploding vehicle can be deadly to anything nearby. Anything standing on or next to the vehicle will more than likely be killed instantly. In addition, the explosion may set off other nearby vehicles, potentially without any delay if the damage threshold is achieved. Fortunately, there are a minimal number of locations with multiple, destructible vehicles left close together.

Mines[]

Bottlecap mines, frag mines, plasma mines, powder charges, and satchel charges Lonesome Road (add-on) are commonly laid in areas occupied by hostile forces. They have a sensor that registers vibration on the ground, and when the vibration exceeds a certain level, it detonates. The length of the fuse is based on the player's Explosives skill; the greater the skill number, the longer the fuse and the longer it beeps before it detonates. These mines require an Explosives skill of 1 to disarm, meaning any player can disarm one. They can be picked up after being disarmed. Mines can be shot in order to cause premature detonation. Mines can sometimes be found tucked partly under orange traffic cones, boxes, dead bodies, or other objects, making it harder to find and defuse them before they detonate.

Companions will trigger mines as well, which can prove troublesome even to a player who has the Light Step perk, which allows the player to never set off floor-based traps. If any enemy or follower steps directly on one, there is a chance of them being knocked unconscious or killed instantly (when in Hardcore mode), as the blast could blow their leg(s) off.

Craftable mines include powder charges which are commonly found around Powder Ganger camps, bottlecap mines, and satchel charges.

Concealed mine[]

Concealed mine

Concealed mines appear as a small raised area resembling a tiny concrete hill. They can be disarmed in the same manner as a regular frag mine, and the player character will receive a regular frag mine upon a successful disarming. Unlike a regular frag mine and more like a trap such as a tripwire, a menu appears that gives the player the option to disarm and collect the mine or leave it alone. The disarm option requires 28 Explosives skill.[1] If the player gets within 16 distance units from the mine, it will explode. Concealed mines cannot be added to a player's inventory via the console. Concealed mines can be found mainly in the REPCONN test site basement; there is also a single one in Cook-Cook's territory north of the South Vegas ruins west entrance. There are three concealed mines buried underneath the rubble next to the junk wall behind the Freeside train station that cannot be triggered by the player.

Bear trap[]

Bear trap

Bear traps are a spring-operated pair of spiked jaws that snap shut on the player's leg if the pressure pad in the middle is triggered. This can sometimes cripple the limb. A Repair skill of 23 is required to disarm them. Shooting the switch or dropping an object on it also works. Bear traps can be reset, but this requires 55 Repair. One of the earliest locations these can be found is the cliffs overlooking Goodsprings source during the quest Barton the Fink.

Swinging object[]

Swinging objects are simple, heavy objects (often a girder, automotive engine, or rotting brahmin body parts) chained to the ceiling and held up by a tripwire. When the wire is broken, the object swings down and impacts the player for a moderate amount of damage, especially when the trap deals multiple blows, which often occurs. The tripwire requires a 22 Repair skill to disarm; alternatively, the object itself can be shot down or grabbed and manually moved to a safe "down" position without any required skill. Because of the nature of the trap and the physics of the game engine, a swinging object can remain dangerous even after the initial trigger. At certain angles, especially if walked into, it can cause damage, often several times in quick succession. It can also cause damage when manually moved by the grab action.

Grenade bouquet[]

See also: Locations
Grenade bouquet

A grenade bouquet is a cluster of three frag grenades hung from the ceiling. When triggered, either by simply walking into it, shooting it, or hitting a nearby tripwire/pressure plate, the pins are pulled and the three grenades fall to the ground, exploding after a few seconds. Both the activating mechanism and the grenades themselves can be disarmed, the latter of which requires 30 Explosives skill. Doing the latter adds the three grenades to the player's inventory. If the player lacks the required skill to disarm the trap, they may be able to shoot the rope holding up the grenades to make them fall and detonate, safely away from the player. This trap is extremely dangerous, as the combined force of three grenades can be deadly depending on the player's proximity to the blast. Even at a respectable distance or behind cover, the grenades can cripple limbs and do decent damage. They make a tell-tale rattling noise when they fall, alerting players if they fail to notice the trap beforehand, but their vector does not appear on the HUD like thrown grenades.

Gas leak[]

Gas leak

Gas leaks are areas that have filled with volatile gases that ignite if any sort of combustion occurs within the area of the leak. They are usually found in tunnels and can be visually detected by noting a wavering distortion in the air. When a gas leak is ignited, anything in the immediate vicinity takes a small amount of damage, is set on fire, and is knocked down for a few seconds. This can be particularly dangerous in combat situations if the player is caught in the explosion and the enemy is not. Guns will set off a gas leak if fired within a cloud but not from outside. Energy weapons, such as the laser pistol, will set off the leak if the shot intersects the cloud at any point. The detonation of any kind of explosive, such as a frag grenade, within the cloud will also set off the leak. Finally, any item with an open flame, such as the flamer, heavy incinerator, or Shishkebab, will ignite the gas if it comes into contact with the cloud, regardless of whether or not they are actually fired since the pilot light used to ignite them is active. Holstering these weapons will prevent this. To safely remove gas leaks, ignite them from a safe distance.

Some gas leaks can be removed by taking away their source, which is often a leaking gas valve that can be shut off with 33 Repair skill. Gas leaks are not very common but occur in a number of places like Vault 34, and the kitchen of Cantina Madrid and the suites in the Sierra Madre Casino & Resort in Dead Money. Although most traps are manmade, deliberately placed to damage others, this is an exception, unless someone has intentionally cut or smashed a pipe, or simply cranked a gas valve.

A variation of this type of trap is used as an optional component of the quest There Stands the Grass. In this instance, the Courier is asked to deliberately ignite explosive gas which now fills the entirety of Vault 22. Unlike standard gas traps, being caught by this trap is scripted to kill the player almost immediately.

Hologram[]

Hologram

Added by the Dead Money add-on, holograms aren't traps in the traditional sense of the word. Installed as part of the Sierra Madre Casino & Resort's security, holograms are invulnerable to weapons and capable of killing anything unable to hide from or outrun them in a matter of seconds. A hologram is only vulnerable through its emitter, which can be destroyed with weapons or disabled with a Repair skill check of varying difficulty.

Rigged shotgun[]

Rigged shotgun

The rigged shotgun is a simple but dangerous trap consisting of a single shotgun wired to a pressure plate or a tripwire. When triggered, it fires a single blast at the position of the trigger. A Repair skill of 45 is required to disarm the gun itself. Disarming the gun rewards the player with only one 20 gauge shotgun shell; the shotgun itself will be removed from the trap, but will not at any time be added to the player's inventory, or anywhere else for that matter. Unlike traps such as grenade bouquets, rigged shotguns can be disarmed after having been triggered.

Rigged mailbox[]

Rigged mailbox

There is only one rigged mailbox in Fallout: New Vegas, found at the abandoned home west of Monte Carlo Suites. It can be identified by the small metallic antenna poking up near the rear and the sound it makes as it triggers when nearby. Much like how it performed in Fallout 3, when approached, the explosive sequence will start unless it is disarmed in time with 28 Explosives skill, but when disarmed it does not add the explosive to the inventory. If disarmed, the player will then have the option of leaving the trap alone, having it explode by putting it on a ten-second timer, or having it act as an improvised proximity mine. If fired on with a weapon, it will explode.

Trapped terminal[]

Trapped terminal

Another variation of the deadly ordinary objects theme, trapped terminals can be found in certain locations. Attempting to use the terminal triggers the trap, causing a slight electrical shock followed by the detonation of the main frag grenade inside. These can be recognized by the antenna on the back and the warped rear panel. The trap can be deactivated by defusing the back panel with 45 Explosives skill. Disarming the trap will add the grenade into the player's inventory. The terminal can then be rearmed with a grenade from the player's inventory, but this is of limited utility as NPCs are unable to trigger these traps. When looking at the terminal, it will show "Trapped Terminal." Trapped terminals can be found at Zapp's Neon Signs, the REPCONN test site, and Vault 11.

Sierra Madre radio

Radios and speakers (Sierra Madre)[]

Dead Money Sierra Madre radios that interfere with the explosive collar can be shot or switched off. Speakers were specially shielded to prevent vandalism. Some have broken over time as indicated by their activation light, however, and these damaged speakers can be destroyed.

Firing mechanisms and initiating actions[]

Some traps can also be disarmed by disarming the triggering mechanism. For example, the grenade bouquet can be disarmed by disarming it directly or by disarming the tripwire that holds it up.

Proximity fuse[]

All mines work on a proximity fuse. The Light Step perk will negate ordinary mine fuses but not the fuses of rigged mailboxes or concealed mines. The only other way to get past a proximity-based trap is to disarm the explosive before its timer runs out.

Tripwire[]

Tripwire

Tripwires are thin, easily broken wires suspended a few inches off the floor, often just behind doors so players won't see the posts they are tied to. Only actors can trigger tripwires; objects will not. Players with the Light Step perk can walk over them without fear. They require 22 Repair skill to disarm, and the player must interact with the posts to disarm them, as the wire is intangible. Tripwires make a snapping sound when walking across them, breaking the wires.

Laser tripwire[]

OWR X-13 tripwire

Laser tripwire in the X-13 research facility

Far less common than regular tripwires, laser tripwires follow the same general principle for triggering and avoidance. They can be identified by the narrow beam of light that projects from a wall-mounted emitter. The emitter is also the point where it can be disarmed. They are often employed across an entryway. However, they can be set to project at various heights and angles, and even blatantly across a room.

  • One laser tripwire can be found on a door in the HELIOS One solar collection tower that releases five Protectrons, disarmed with 85 Repair or 67 Science.
  • Old World Blues (add-on) Sixteen laser tripwires can be found throughout the X-13 research facility, which will trigger when the Courier starts X-13: Attack of the Infiltrator! and/or Project X-13, but can have the IFF hacked so the player can cross them without triggering. They can be disarmed with 50 Repair or 50 Science.
  • Lonesome Road (add-on) Five are seen scattered across the two lower missile path walks in Ulysses' Temple, protecting the computer terminal at the end of the paths that can be used to hack the eyebots if the player chooses to fight Ulysses. They emit a blue ray and can be disarmed completely with 90 Repair.

Pressure plate[]

Pressure plate

Pressure plates are weight-activated mechanisms set off when they sense pressure from the player stepping on them, making a clunking sound and triggering the associated trap. Pressure plates require 22 Repair skill to disarm. It can be very tricky to find the exact right spot to activate a pressure plate in order to disarm it. Bear traps have built-in pressure plates. The Light Step perk will allow players to avoid triggering either variety. The bear trap version can also be triggered with a direct gunshot or an object. There are only two pressure plates in the base game: one is in the H&H Tools factory which triggers a swinging steel beam, and the other is in the booby-trapped Nipton house (Editor ID NiptonHouse8Paranoid) which will open a cage with three bark scorpions. In the add-ons, three are scattered around the Dead Money Residential District, and one is hidden under branches near a supply stash on the ridge across from Honest Hearts Three Marys cavern. These all trigger grenade bouquets.

Proximity detector[]

Proximity detector closeup X-13

Proximity detectors are only found during Old World Blues (add-on) Project X-13. They simulate mines and function similar to land mine proximity fuses, but there is no skill requirement to disarm them and they do not explode; instead, they will "detect" the player if they stand in proximity for too long, causing them to fail the active X-13 test. These five sensors will not spawn until the player has started the expert test at least once, and will rearm themselves every time the Courier starts it again, regardless of whether or not they were disabled previously. The same detectors are rearmed during the robot compliance test. The motion sensors won't be set off if the Courier has the Light Step perk.

Usage[]

Rigged equipment such as terminals are triggered by any attempt to use them. A separate area on the object must be interacted with to disarm it.

Notes[]

  • The rigged shotgun trap no longer provides a usable weapon when disarmed, as it previously did in Fallout 3.
  • The test cell for traps is a small developer test room that contains many of the traps that appear in Fallout: New Vegas. It can be accessed on PC using console commands. It also contains several unused traps from Fallout 3: a pitching machine (requires 33 Repair to disarm), a rigged baby carriage (requires 60 Explosives to disarm), and a trapped pipe which can only be disarmed by disarming its attached pressure plate.
  • Toilet traps are included in the game files as legacy content, and are not used anywhere in-game.
  • There is a separate skill requirement variable for tripwires, TRAPTripwireSkillReq, to require a Repair skill of 37 to be disarmed. This is unused in the final game, as the variable used by tripwires is instead the pressure plate skill requirement variable. This is the same setup as in Fallout 3.

Bugs[]

PCPC Xbox 360Xbox 360 If a throwing weapon (such as a throwing spear, throwing knife, etc.) is thrown at an armed bear trap, it results in an explosion.[verified]

References[]

  1. "Quest NQlvl, Quest Stages, 1, Result Script, set NQlvl.TRAPMineSkillReq to 28 ;disarm, expl; The script attached to the item refers to NQlvl.TRAPMineSkillReq"
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