treasure hunter build

I found a very old character (like 15 years old), but very low in skills. His highest three are Detecting Hidden (54.6%), Lock Picking (52.2%), and Remove Trap (11.9%). He has 1.0% in Cartography, and absolutely no magic or weapons skills. I'm thinking his goal was to be a treasure hunter. Usually in the profile I include a goal build, but Chester did not have one.  Off the top of my head, I made this q&d template:

100: Magery, Evaluate Intelligence, Meditate
100: Cartography, Lockpicking
100: Detect Hidden, Remove Trap

Is there an NPC who will train Remove Trap?  It is kind of an odd skill in that one needed to get 50 in both Lockpicking and Detect Hidden before training in Remove Trap.

My attraction to having a treasure hunter dates back to my very first guildmaster. We would have weekly guild nights, and one of the activities would be opening one or more treasure chests. So the GM's character would have runes prepared to gate us to the maps' coordinates. When we started, he'd go over what would happen and what our roles would be. Then we would go for it. His treasure hunter would often die, being at ground zero when the chest spawn hit.

As I'm thinking about it, maybe Eval Int and Med aren't the best fit.  To aid survivability, perhaps GM wrestling and resist magic would be the way to go.  He wouldn't really be using magery as a regular hunting skill; it would be more of a set of utility powers. Any feedback about a treasure hunter's build, and how his role fits in modern UO? BTW, my skill cap is 720, but I had no idea what to bring above 100.

Thief guildmaster I'd guess.  You no longer need it though.  Just cast telekinesis after moving away from the chest.

Yeah seems you could remove Detect Hidden and Remove Trap and simply use Magery Telekinesis spell to remove the trap on the chest. I might throw some Taming to do lvl 7 map ... maybe

Just in case you  did not know, treasure maps are now randomized in location rather than located at one of several fixed respawn locations. This made old t-hunter assist programs/websites and in-game rune libraries useless for finding the correct spot to dig.

To compensate modern treasure hunters use Mining in their template. This increases the area you dig for the chest by a few tiles so you do not have to click on the exact spot.

Another tip, matching the t-map to the in-game radar works best in the Enhanced Client because you can rotate the radar. Classic Client is still doable, just more difficult.

you might find this page helpful https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/gameplay/treasure-maps/

That article is very helpful, Mariah.  Thank you.  Thanks also to everyone who gave feedback.

Mining and Cart can both be soulstoned off.  They aren't necessary once you've done what you need them for.  Just another FYI if you have Soul stones available.

Was reviewing Chester and rereading this thread.  I understand how the Telekinesis Spell can replace the Remove Trap skill.  But why is Detect Hidden no longer useful for treasure hunting? If not useful for that endeavor, is there any practical use for it at all?

Detect hidden is used to find sigils in VvV https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/virtue-versus-vice/
To find hidden boxes in Exodus dungeon https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/pvm-player-versus-monster/stealing-in-exodus-dungeon/
and in Kotl City https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/pvm-player-versus-monster/treasures-of-the-kotl-city/ (although the event was halloween only, the boxes and contents can still be found there)

Mariah said:

Detect hidden is used to find sigils in VvV https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/virtue-versus-vice/
To find hidden boxes in Exodus dungeon https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/pvm-player-versus-monster/stealing-in-exodus-dungeon/
and in Kotl City https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/combat/pvm-player-versus-monster/treasures-of-the-kotl-city/ (although the event was halloween only, the boxes and contents can still be found there)

Mariah.  I like your posts.  *You liked this.*. 

Funny thing is I was looking up on how to update my T hunter after my return but after reading what others had mine was already there.    Cart, LP, Magery, Music, Prov and prob eval? and forget what else but 0 mining (soulstoned since I did use it one time).

Also to get 2 suits, one luck and one lrc/70's swap to lrc after the chest is dug up.  

The change to random spots was ok IMO still I make due without mining but it is a PITA sometimes.  I read also to get Daveys Locker as it helps as well. I also read chests got nerfed even though Devs say no.   

A character with cartography can put the map in a Davies Locker and see the coordinates of the map which pretty much eliminates the need for mining at all.

Even with cart, mining is still hugely nice. Neither Cart or Mining need to stay on your template though.

Animal Taming is much easier to train now.  You can just mythic it to 90 and get a mastery book and use the mastery to grind it to 120 quickly.  

My steps for treasure chests are simple...

1) Buy a map on Vendor Search.
2) Decipher map with cartography.
3) Pop it in a public Davie's locker for coordinates.  
4) Soulstone off Cartography.
5) Soulstone on Mining.
6) Go to general location.
7) Start to dig it up and move once you see location.
8) Mark a rune.
9) Go home and soulstone off mining.
10) Soulstone on combat skills and get pets.
11) Recall to marked rune.
12) Have pet Stay far away.
13) Dig it up and pre-cast invis.
14) Use invis and when they reveal, run off fast toward pet.
15) Mop up guardians with pet and lure them one by one as much as possible.
16) Get phat lewts.

Template
Animal Taming
Animal Lore
Vet
Magery
Eval Int
Lockpicking
Spellweaving or Med.  (Spellweaving is good to finish off big baddies that like to greater heal.)