ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Does effective talent level unlock abilities that say "At Level X, gain Y". For example, Trap Mastery, or Unflinching Resolve? I just put 4 points into Traps with rogue and have 5.2 effective but no Nightshade trap.

That's exactly how it goes. When I'm looking at the traps it seems as if they use raw talent level. Most skills use the effective level though.

It depends on the ability. Many abilities that work like this will run off effective talent level. (For instance, manathrust becoming a beam, flame becoming a beam, Both will work off the appropriate level of effective talent level.)

Some however, use raw instead, and it should probably be clarified better. (These include the Cursed Aura talent (Defiling touch, IIRC?), the traps, and a few others.