Trap

A trap (Japanese: トラップ trap) is an object that can be obtained and used only in the Underground of Sinnoh. All traps, except the Digger Drill, are activated when stepped on and can be buried on the ground to slow down or to stop any trainer from returning another player's flag to their own secret base.

The maximum number of traps allowed to be placed by a player is sixteen. If a player exceeds the sixteen, the oldest laid trap will disappear and become impossible to retrieve. Traps laid by a player usually come in two different colors: light orange, for easier and less expensive traps, and dark red, for difficult and more expensive traps. Message traps, however, come in different pastel colors to indicate which message the trap will send out.

File:Underground-merchant-locations.png

Location of the merchants who sell and buy traps from players.

It should be noted that a laid trap does not differentiate between the player that set it from any other player, so care should be taken to avoid accidently stepping in it afterwards.

When buried on the ground by a different player or a computer, one can distinguish a trap from a sphere by looking at the color of the sparkling light. As the Nintendo DS's touch screen is touched, nearby traps will give out a white sparkling light while spheres give out a yellow one.

Players may help each other out of traps by speaking with the trapped. Strangely, this works even for the Alert Traps.

Some traps also come in furniture versions that can be placed in one's Secret Base. These traps are visible to everyone, but have the same effects as their Trap counterparts when stepped on.

List of traps by function

Alert traps

Alert traps send messages to everyone in the underground. The trap is otherwise harmless, and allows the player to regain control immediately. Alert Traps 1 and 2 send "hello" and "good-bye" messages respectively. Alert Trap 3 sends a message stating one is heading to the Union Room, and Alert Trap 4 sends a message to come to one's location. Alert traps come in pastel colors when set by the player. Trap merchants will usually purchase Alert Traps for Pale Spheres.

• Alert Trap 1
• Alert Trap 2
• Alert Trap 3
• Alert Trap 4

Bubble traps

Bubble traps create many bubbles around the player. After they all have been popped with the touch screen, the player can move again. The Bubble Trap makes more bubbles than the Foam Trap.

• Foam Trap
• Bubble Trap

Control-affecting traps

The Confuse Trap causes the trapped player's character to ignore commands, and will walk randomly around until the trap wears off after 50 steps. The Reverse Trap reverses the player's controls for 20 steps.

• Confuse Trap
• Reverse Trap

Digging traps

While it is not technically a trap per se, the Digger Drill is classified as a trap under the game's standards. It is only classified as a trap because it cannot be placed into the bag like a treasure, or be placed into the secret base like goods. It allows players to create a Secret Base.

• Digger Drill

Fire traps

Fire traps create a fire on the screen, which must be blown out using the DS's microphone. The fire will go back to full size if the blowing stops before they are out. After it has been blown out, the player can move again. The Fire Trap produces a larger flame than the Ember Trap.

• Ember Trap
• Fire Trap

Hole traps

Hole traps create a hole beneath the player. The player is stuck in them until he or she moves him or herself around with the D-pad enough to get unstuck. Pit Traps take longer to get unstuck from than Hole Traps.

• Hole Trap
• Pit Trap

Movement traps

Moving traps will move a player stepping on them in the indicated direction and they will be unable to stop themselves unless they hit into an obstacle or go too far. Stepping on a Hurl Trap will cause a player to move about twice the distance as a normal Move Trap.

• Move Trap ↑
• Move Trap ↓
• Move Trap ←
• Move Trap →
• Hurl Trap ↑
• Hurl Trap ↓
• Hurl Trap ←
• Hurl Trap →

Plant traps

Plant traps create a flurry of leaves or flower petals, depending on which Trap is stepped on. Similar to the fire traps, after blowing away the plant with the microphone, the player can move again.

• Leaf Trap
• Flower Trap

Rock traps

Rock traps drop a rock on the player. After the rock has been smashed away using the touch screen, the player can move again. The Rock Trap's rock takes less hits to smash.

• Rock Trap
• Rockfall Trap

Smoke traps

Smoke traps cause smoke to cover the touch screen. The player must rub the smoke off the screen in order to regain control. Big Smoke traps produce more smoke than Smoke traps.

• Smoke Trap
• Big Smoke Trap

This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.