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“Hide and Sleek!”
    —Trap Shadow's official catchphrase


Trap Shadow is a feline hunter who is one of the SWAP Force Skylanders in Skylanders: Swap Force.

Character Development

During development, Trap Shadow originally was a scary character that had a bowie knife.[1]

During early playtesting, Trap Shadow was poorly received because he came across as weak. His stealth ability originally had him fire darts that created splashes of shadow on the ground, and stepping into them turned him black as well. However, this power was later simplified into simply holding the secondary attack button to enter stealth mode, and his clawing attacks were given additional effects to make them look stronger.[2]

Background

Personality

The finest feline tracker of his tribe, Trap Shadow was the go-to cat if you wanted something caught. He mostly keeps to himself. However, since becoming a Skylander, he's been trying to become a team player. You have to get up early to catch Trap Shadow out - as the wicked wizards discovered. He sniffed out their plans and trapped them before they could trap him (or Eon, for that matter).[3]

Biography

Once part of an elite tribe of hunters in a remote area of Skylands, Trap Shadow used his cat-like cunning, ingenious traps and mystical stealth abilities to catch nearly everything that could be caught. As a result, his fame around Skylands grew so much that it attracted the attention of an evil cadre of wizards. They plotted to capture Trap Shadow and use his abilities to ensnare the most uncatchable thing of all - Master Eon himself. But Trap Shadow could sense them coming from miles away. Outsmarted and outmaneuvered, each of the wizards was easily captured by Trap Shadow's bewildering array of traps and snares until they were all locked away for good. Having saved Master Eon, he quickly made Trap Shadow a Skylander.

Gameplay

Trap Shadow attacks by slashing enemies with his shadowy claws, and can kick waves of shadows at foes. He can also throw magical traps that snap and damage enemies, and even turn invisible by using shadows, and create an explosion of shadows when reappearing.

Stats

These are the starting and maximum Statistics for this Skylander in the Skylanders games.

  • Health: 270 (max. 540)
  • Speed: 43 (max. 91)
  • Armor: 12 (max. 42)
  • Critical Hit: 8 (max. 58)
  • Elemental Power: 25 (max. 75)

Warning: These stats are not used in any of the Skylander games. They are only listed for completeness reasons.

  • Strength: 140
  • Defense: 180
  • Agility: 100
  • Luck: 80

Abilities

Basic Ability and Upgrades
The primary ability is available from the start of the game. Skylanders can buy new abilities from Persephone/Power Pods.

Clawing Shadow Snap Trap Sharp Magic Catch!
Trap Shadowtopprimarypower
Primary Ability
Press Attack 1 to swipe shadowy claws at nearby enemies.
Trap Shadowtopbasicupgrade1
Price: 300
Press Attack 3 to throw a magically animated trap which will snap at enemies and damage them.
Trap Shadowtopbasicupgrade2
Price: 800
Press Attack 1 rapidly to use powerful claw attacks that deal increased damage.
Trap Shadowtopbasicupgrade3
Price: 1000
Hold Attack 3 to aim Snap Trap, release to throw it.
Feral Instincts
View Trap Trickster
Use powerful new claw attacks to damage enemies!
Trap Trickster
View Feral Instincts
Gain new tricks for traps that damage entire groups of enemies!
Soul Gem Ability
Requires Soul Gem from:
Frostfest Mountains
Me-ouch!
Gloom and Boom
Nocturnal Predcator
Make It Snappy
Shadow Striker
Trap Shadowtoppath1upgrade1
Price: 1500
Hold Attack 1 to combo into a swipe that knocks enemies into the air.
Trap Shadowtoppath2upgrade1
Price: 1500
Traps will explode after a short time, damaging all enemies within a large area.
Trap Shadowtoppath1upgrade2
Price: 2000
Me-ouch! does increased damage. This kitty has claws... big, pointy claws!
Trap Shadowtoppath2upgrade2
Price: 2000
All traps are now more powerful and do increased damage.
Trap Shadowtopsoulgempower
Price: 3500
Press Attack 1 to rapidly to do quick claw attacks. While doing claw attacks, hold Attack 1 to unleash a powerful shadowy dash.

Basic Ability and Upgrades
The primary ability is available from the start of the game. Skylanders can buy new abilities from Persephone/Power Pods.

Shadow Kick Prowl Nine Lives Out of the Shadows
Trap Shadowbottomprimarypower
Primary Ability
Press Attack 2 to kick a wave of shadows at enemies.
Trap Shadowbottombasicupgrade1
Price: 300
Hold Attack 2 to prowl for a short time, causing any enemy touched to be damaged.
Trap Shadowbottombasicupgrade2
Price: 800
Health is increased. This cat is never done for.
Trap Shadowbottombasicupgrade3
Price: 1000
Hold Attack 2 to prowl for a short time, coming out of power causes a large explosion that damages nearby enemies.
Shadow Combat
View Prowler
Improve the magical power of shadow kicks!
Prowler
View Shadow Combat
Improve stealth and trapping techniques to control enemies!
Soul Gem Ability
Requires Soul Gem from:
Frostfest Mountains
Dark Magic
Shade Steps
Black Cat
Bumps in the Night
Living Shadow
Trap Shadowbottompath1upgrade1
Price: 1500
Press Attack 2 to kick a wave of shadow that can damage enemies farther away.
Trap Shadowbottompath2upgrade1
Price: 1500
Hold Attack 2 to prowl, moving while prowling leaves behind magical pawprints that damage enemies that touch them.
Trap Shadowbottompath1upgrade2
Price: 2000
All shadow wave attacks do even more damage.
Trap Shadowbottompath2upgrade2
Price: 2000
Shade Steps do increased damage. Huh? Who's footprints are these?
Trap Shadowbottomsoulgempower
Price: 3500
Press Attack 2 to prowl and become invisible. Who needs shadows to hide in? Just become one!

Skylanders can use abilities depending on their level.

Starting Powers

  • The One-Two Claw (Primary Attack): Press (Y) continuously to perform a two-hit melee combo.
  • Bite Trap (Secondary Attack): Press (X) to throw a biting trap that will chase enemies and latch on to them.
  • Stealth (SWAP Force Power): Press [L] to perform the Stealth SWAP power. While stealthed, enemies cannot see you. If you attack while stealthed, the effect ends, and the damage of that attack is tripled.

Upgrades

  • Displacer Slash (requires level: 3): Hold (Y) for a short time to activate a dashing attack at an enemy, setting you up behind them to continue the assault.
  • Midnight Hunt (requires level: 6): While using the Stealth SWAP power (L) you can now mark enemies by touching them. When coming out of stealth, you will attack any nearby marked enemies.
  • Bite Trap Buzzsaw (requires level: 9): Hold (X) to continuously swing a trap around your head in circles, damaging enemies near you.

Quests

Basic Quests

  • Bad Guy Basher: Defeat 1000 enemies.
  • Fruit Frontiersman: Eat 15 fruit.
  • Flawless Challenger: Complete a non-Story Mode level at full health.
  • True Gladiator: Win 10 PVP matches.
  • Totally Maxed Out: Reach level 20 and purchase all Upgrades for this Skylander.

Elemental Quests

Unique Quest

  • Oh Snap!: Defeat 50 enemies with your traps.

Quotes

Battle Cries

  • "Hide and Sleek!"
  • "Snap a trap!"
  • "Stay out of my way!"
  • "Into the shadows!"
  • "That's how to make an entrance!"
  • "Beyond the shadow of a doubt!"
  • "Oh yeah!"
  • "The claws have it!"
  • "Better luck next time!"
  • "Nice try, but nice only gets you so far!"
  • "You fell right into my trap!"
  • "Another success!"
  • "Gotcha!"
  • "Payday!" - treasure
  • "I needed that" - levelling up
  • "Power boost!" - levelling up
  • "The numbers don't tell the whole story." - when checking stats
  • "My credentials." - when checking stats

Character Trailers

Gallery

Trap Shadow/Gallery

Trivia

  • After purchasing his Soul Gem ability, "Shadow Striker", Trap Shadow wears the bandanna around his neck over his muzzle.
  • His catchphrase is a pun on "hide and seek".
  • When he turns invisible, his eyes glow purple, but in the Sneak SWAP Zone, he will fully vanish while leaving his purple aura shown at the bottom.
  • His appearance has some of the features of a saber-tooth cat (long fangs), panther (facial features), and tiger (fur color patterns).
  • He is the second SWAP Force Skylander with the ability to turn invisible, but only when his Soul Gem ability, "Living Shadow", is purchased. If not, enemies and bosses will spot him. Also, he stays invisible much shorter than Stink Bomb and can do so while the second attack button is held down.
  • He is the only SWAP Force Skylander on the 3DS with no dash attack upgrade.
  • He has many abilities that would later be associated with the Dark Element, such as hiding in shadows and using dark magic.
    • Oddly, these abilities were associated with Undead Skylanders (such as Cynder) at the time of Swap Force's release, not Magic.
  • Trap Shadow was one of the many Skylanders planned to appear in Skylanders: Ring of Heroes. Before the game's closure, only concept art of his Awakened Form was released.
  • While Trap Shadow is in stealth mode, music, ambient sounds, and dialogue become muted.
  • In the animated intro to his Soul Gem, Trap Shadow's eyes appear a much more vivid green than they do in-game or in his art.

References

  1. Character Balance in Skylanders: More than the Numbers. (Date Posted - Apr 22, 2017). YouTube
  2. Child's Play: Playtesting with children in the world of Skylanders, 24:10 timestamp. (Date Posted - 2014). GDC Vault.
  3. Skylanders Universe: The Complete Collection (SWAP Force), page 121

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Jet-Vac - Swarm
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Boom Jet - Free Ranger - Pop Thorn - Scratch
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Skylanders: Trap Team
Blackout - Knight Mare
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Hood Sickle - Starcast
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Bash - Dino-Rang - Prism Break - Terrafin
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