Target Painter Trap
Stats
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Ground trap (placed, triggered) |
| Supply cost | 5 (lowest tactic in WvW) |
| Effect Radius | 1,200 units |
| Targets | Up to 50 enemies on activation |
| Avoidable | No — cannot be avoided |
| Binding | Account Bound |
What it does
The Target Painter Trap is placed on the ground (invisible to enemies) and triggers when an enemy walks into its 1,200-unit detection range. On trigger, it marks up to 50 enemy players with a visible icon above their heads — including stealthed players, who lose stealth and become targetable.
This is the cheapest tactic in WvW (5 supply) and one of the most impactful for small-group play. A single Painter Trap on a known thief gank corner converts a stealth ambush into a 5v1 in your favour.
Placement
- Inside a breached gate — when attackers push in, they all walk through the trap simultaneously. 50 marked targets means your defending zerg knows exactly where to focus AoE.
- On a Tower's lord room entrance — anyone trying to capture takes the mark, even if they sneak in solo.
- At known stealth-thief gank spots — bridge corners, sentry approaches, choke points where roamers like to vanish.
- On dolyak paths — catches roaming dolyak gankers reliably.
The stealth break
Crucially, this trap reveals stealthed enemies by applying the mark icon. Many roamers (especially Thieves and Mesmers) rely on stealth as their primary defensive layer. A revealed thief without burst left is a dead thief.
Painter Traps are a small group's best answer to constant thief harassment around their objectives.
Usage tips
- Stack 3–4 in your inventory — they're cheap (5 supply each) so you can spam them at known choke points.
- Re-place after each trigger — the trap is consumed when activated.
- Coordinate with arrow carts — a Painter Trap inside an AC kill-zone is a death sentence for any group that walks through.
- Don't bother on remote roads with no traffic — the trap doesn't expire but supply spent there is wasted.