NVMRC Forcefield Trap or Mouse DeathBot?

Seeing as these two traps are of similar price, many people are torn about which trap to buy. Ultimately both traps will serve you well. However, there are some key differences that are worth noting.

The short answer is that most people prefer the NVMRC Forcefield Trap, but read on to get the facts and draw your own conclusions.

Stats

For the Wooden Base:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	2671	Physical	12%	10%	12	Very Fresh
Mouse DeathBot	2800	Physical	15%	10%	2	Fresh

For the Wooden Base With Target:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	2716	Physical	12%	30%	12	No Effect
Mouse DeathBot	2846	Physical	15%	30%	2	Stale

For the Stone Base:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	3050	Physical	22%	10%	12	Fresh
Mouse DeathBot	3188	Physical	25%	10%	2	No Effect

For the Explosive Base:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	3101	Physical	17%	15%	12	Stale
Mouse DeathBot	3240	Physical	20%	15%	2	Very Stale

For the Dehydration Base:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	2884	Physical	12%	15%	16	Insanely Fresh
Mouse DeathBot	3019	Physical	15%	15%	6	Extremely Fresh

For the Polar Base:

Weapon	Power	Power type	Power bonus	Attraction bonus	Luck	Cheese Effect
NVMRC Forcefield Trap	3111	Physical	22%	10%	16	Insanely Fresh
Mouse DeathBot	3250	Physical	25%	10%	6	Extremely Fresh

Evaluation

The Mouse DeathBot always outdoes the NVMRC Forcefield Trap in power (sometimes by quite a significant amount), but the NVMRC Forcefield Trap has a much higher luck total. So which is better, power or luck?

Luck allows the hunter to capture a mouse, regardless of difficulty. Really strong physical mice like the Mobster Mouse are really only caught through luck, and without luck, you can't catch them. However, luck is not reliable -- it doesn't always work and doesn't work anywhere near as often as power does. Power is the more faithful way to catch mice, but it cannot catch all mice.

Additionally, the DeathBot can be transformed into the PartyBot if one receives a Party Hat as a Birthday Gift. The PartyBot has higher luck and power ratings than either the ordinary DeathBot or the NVMRC Forcefield Trap, and the latter cannot be enhanced through such crafting at the present time.

Historically speaking, most people picked the NVMRC Forcefield Trap because, given the environment of the Laboratory where it becomes practical for most hunters, the power is sufficient, while the extra luck helps to catch the Monster Mouse. On the other hand, certain recent developments such as the distribution of party hats, which cannot be purchased, and the utility of Stale Cheese have changed the calculations. In the end, it comes down to preference and the likelihood of obtaining a party hat. It is generally not worth buying both since many mice beyond the Lab have different power types, making all physical traps "less effective" in the hunter's future.

Meanwhile, the ACRONYM trap, which is essential at high levels, tends to catch the Monster Mouse in the Catacombs without particularly going out of one's way to do so. This arguably makes choosing strategy specifically around that mouse less essential than it was when some of the older guides were written, if a player prefers to catch all mice.