Not quite sure of the use of spikes and exploding barrels, so here is an example I came up with.
-in a valley between two mountains, a rifleman is building his trap. The intel is placed In the center of
A room suspended on four pillars over a large pit. At the base of these pillars, hidden to all but the sniper,is a multitude of explosive barrels.
He retreats to a small blind on the mountainside.
As his quarry aproaches, he shoulders his rifle. When the team of three enters the seemingly unguarded building, he pulls the trigger. As the barrels explode, The enemies fall to their death, into a pit of spikes.
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The barrels may also have some use destroying buildings or bridges, and rendering tunnels impassable(if a gravity affected block is added) against the enemy.