The Tavern

My current character is an OpFi^Goz with Snakebite and Throwing that has just finished Lair. I have been underwhelmed by gold distraction so far, even when I turn off gold autopickup and lure to killing zones that accumulate heaps of gold all over (I don't do this all the time, but the petrified forest Lair ending for instance was perfect for it). I've read that gold distraction is a powerful effect, though, so what am I missing?

the gold distraction effect kicks in when you kill the monster, not when you pick up gold (your gold turns blue when this is happening)

Oh. I had the impression that gold in the monster's LOS triggered distraction. So there's no harm in keeping a tidy dungeon? The distraction check only happens at the aut that the gold is created when a monster dies?

And for a little while thereafter, yes.