My style of play is slightly number-crunchy, but my style of balancing homebrew is significantly more so.
I disagree that rerolling 1s means you are never put at risk of failure. As my spreadsheet shows, you never have more than a 4.75% chance of turning what would have been a failure into a success, and even that is only on checks that are practically auto-succeed. Keep in mind that being able to reroll does not mean that your reroll is a success. Even if you only fail on a natural 1 there is always the dreaded double nat 1.
A +1 bonus to a roll is, for most rolls, a +5% chance of success. This means that rerolling all 1s is almost never statistically better than a +1 bonus. The exception is when a +1 bonus would not change your chances of success, such as when you need less than a 2 or need more than a 20. This doesn't come up very often so I don't think it is statistically relevant.
Edit: I would like to add that you are correct that there are some luck feats that are strictly worse than my rogue talents. I suggest that this is not because my rogue talents are overpowered.
Long story short: Rogues are not as awesome as they should be. There are lots of ways people have tried to 'fix' rogues in terms of power, but I'm more interested in making them more varied/interesting. I think a big part of the problem is lack of interesting rogue talents and archetypes (or at least ones that are interesting and also halfway decent). For both rogue talents and archetypes there are a few really, really good ones and the rest are all extremely bland. And so, without much further ado, I present my list of homebrew rogue talents and archetypes.
Rogue Talents!:
These talents are intended to expand the list of choices available to rogue and ninja characters. In particular, there are several collections of talents intended to increase the viability of character concepts based on poison, luck, ranged attacks, and also being an agile duelist-type combatant.
New Rogue Talents:
Advanced Ki Pool (Su) - Prerequisites: Ki pool rogue talent; Benefits: You may add half your rogue level to your ki pool. In addition, when making a full attack, you may spend a ki point as a swift action to make one additional attack at your full base attack bonus. Special: Ninjas cannot take this rogue talent.
Alchemical Item Mastery (Ex) - Prerequisites: Craft(alchemy) 2 ranks; Benefits: Whenever you use an alchemical item which you created yourself, you gain a +1 bonus on any attack rolls involved and the DC of any saving throws required increases by 2. This does not apply to poison.
Ambidextrous (Ex) - Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus; Benefits: When fighting with two weapons with which you have weapon focus, you take only half the penalty to your attack roll for fighting with two weapons (-1 when using a light weapon in your off-hand, or -2 when using a one-handed weapon in your off-hand).
Deliver Poison* (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: When you deliver poison to a vital area it affects the target much quicker than normal. When you successfully poison a target with a sneak attack, ignore the poison’s onset period, if any. In addition, the target must immediately make one save against the poison or suffer its effect. This is in addition to all normal saves required by the poison, and success does not count towards the number of saves to fight off the poison. This ability does not work on targets already poisoned with the same poison.
Dirty Alchemist (Ex) - Prerequisites: Improved Dirty Trick; Benefits: When you make a Dirty Trick combat maneuver, you may deploy a single alchemical item in a way which could reasonably aid the dirty trick. In addition to the normal effects of the alchemical item, it provides a +2 bonus on your combat maneuver check.
Dirty Trickster (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: You gain the Improved Dirty Trick feat as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet its prerequisites. In addition, you may take the Greater Dirty Trick feat as a feat without meeting its prerequisites.
Distant Advantage (Ex) - Prerequisites: Precise Shot; Benefits: When you make a ranged attack against an enemy which is flanked, your ranged attack gains bonuses as if you were flanking, including the bonus to attack rolls and the ability to apply sneak attack damage to your attack (provided you are within 30 feet). In addition, when you use the feint action on an opponent, that opponent is denied its dexterity bonus to AC against your next attack, even if it is not a melee attack.
Dual Strike (Ex) - Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidextrous, Base Attack Bonus +4; Benefits: When you make a standard attack, charge, opportunity attack, or use the Spring Attack feat while wielding two weapons you may make an attack with your off hand weapon in addition to your main hand (you take all applicable penalties for fighting with two weapons). Special: you may use this ability when you make an attack with the Vital Strike feat, if you do, only your main hand attack benefits from the Vital Strike feat, not your off hand attack. You cannot use this ability on a charge in conjunction with the pounce ability, or any other ability that allows you to make multiple attacks.
Lucky Save (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: Where others find catastrophic failure, you find miraculous success. Perhaps you are favored by the deity of fate, maybe you have a knack for finding the unlikely way out, or maybe you’re just plain lucky. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on a saving throw, you may reroll the saving throw. You must take the second result.
Lucky Shot (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: Where others find catastrophic failure, you find miraculous success. Maybe your attack ricochets in a strange way, or maybe your enemy stumbles at the right moment. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll, you may reroll the attack. You must take the second result.
Lucky Check (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: Where others find catastrophic failure, you find miraculous success. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on a skill or ability check, you may reroll the check. You must take the second result.
Nasty Surprise (Ex) - Prerequisites: craft(trap) 4 ranks; Benefits: You can construct a booby trap on your own body. Doing so takes one minute. The trap is triggered by the first melee attack that hits you after setting the trap. Select one of the following traps each time you set a trap. The trap has a modifer to all attack rolls equal to your ranks in craft(trap) plus your intelligence modifier. Punching Trap: If the trap hits with a melee attack the target takes 1d6 blugeoning damage and is knocked prone. Dart Trap: If the trap hits with a ranged attack the target takes 1d6 piercing damage (these darts may be coated in poison). Alchemist’s Fire Trap: If the trap hits with a ranged touch attack, the target is affected as if hit by a vial of alchemist’s fire (all adjacent creatures take splash damage, including you if applicable). The GM may allow other kinds of traps in the same vein.
Pack Rat (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: You hoard small items that you think might be useful later. You can produce any common mundane item worth no more than 1gp and weighing no more than 1lb. These items cost you nothing and do not weigh you down, but have no value and cannot be sold. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your rogue level. If your equipment is taken from you, you lose the ability to use this rogue talent until you have time to replenish your stock.
Poison Mastery (Ex) - Prerequisites: Craft(poison) 2 ranks; Benefits: whenever you successfully afflict an enemy with a poison you created, increase the DC of any saving throws required by 1.
Scoundrel’s Fortune (Ex) - Prerequisites: Hero’s Fortune; Benefits: You gain one fewer hero point whenever you gain a level (minimum zero). At the beginning of each day you gain a temporary hero point. You cannot have more than one temporary hero point from this talent at once, but it does not count against your maximum number of hero points from other sources.
Showboater (Ex) - Prerequisites: Cha 13; Benefits: You perform best in front of an audience. Once per day, when you make a skill check while being observed, you may add your charisma modifier as a morale bonus to your skill check. You may use this ability one additional time per day per five rogue levels. You cannot use this ability on any check that is already charisma based.
Skill Expertise (Ex) - Prerequisites: 4 or more ranks in the chosen skill; Benefits: Choose one skill in which you have at least 4 ranks. When you make a check with the chosen skill, you may roll twice and take the higher result. This rogue talent can be taken multiple times. Each time it is selected it must be applied to a different skill. If you are able to take 10 on this check, you may choose to take 10 with one die and not the other.
Sniper’s Instinct (Ex) - Prerequisites: 6 or more ranks in perception; Benefits: Increase the range at which you can make ranged sneak attacks by 30ft (to 60ft). In addition, when you make a ranged attack that otherwise qualifies for a sneak attack at a range greater than that range but less than twice that range, you still deal half of your sneak attack dice (rounded down).
Surprise Strike (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: As a swift action you may choose a single target. Your next successful sneak attack against that target before the beginning of your next turn deals 1d6 additional damage. This damage increases by 1d6 at class level 4 and every 4 levels thereafter.
Talented (Ex) - Prerequisites: none; Benefits: When you take this rogue talent you gain one additional skill point per rogue level. Whenever you gain a rogue level, you gain an additional skill point.
Trap Evasion (Ex) - Prerequisites: trapfinding, trap sense; Benefits: Whenever you are affected by a trap, you take half damage. If the trap does not deal damage, you instead get +2 on the saving throw.
Unstable Poison (Ex) - Prerequisites: craft(poison) 2 ranks; Benefits: Once per day per point of intelligence modifier (minimum 1) you can spend 10 minutes crafting an “unstable poison”. Choose an existing poison with a base price of up to your rogue level squared times 10gp. You must have the materials available to craft the poison, and you must make a craft(poison) check against the DC of the poison. If you succeed, the materials are not consumed and you successfully craft the unstable poison. If you fail by 4 or less you do not expend your daily use of this ability. If you fail by 5 or more you waste half of the materials and must start again. The poison’s effects are identical to the base poison except that it becomes inert and useless after 24 hours.
New Advanced Rogue Talents:
Accelerate Poison* (Ex) - Prerequisites: Deliver Poison; Benefits: An opponent damaged by your sneak attack must immediately make a save against one poison affecting them or suffer the effects of that poison. Regardless of the success of the save, the remaining duration of the poison is reduced by 1, and this save does not count towards the total number of successes required to fight off the poison. *This talent cannot be combined with other talents that enhance sneak attacks, such as Crippling Strike.
Fate’s Favorite (Ex) - Prerequisites: Scoundrel’s Fortune; Benefits: You may expend a Hero Point to gain a pool of three “Fate” points. You can expend a Fate point as an immediate action to reroll any d20 roll or cause any other character to reroll a d20 roll. You or the character must take the second result. Any unused Fate points expire after 24 hours.
Improved Distant Advantage (Ex) - Prerequisites: Distant Advantage; Benefits: Your timing and precision make it very difficult to defend against your ranged sneak attacks. You may make ranged sneak attacks against any enemy that has made any standard or full round actions other than a total defense or withdraw action in the last round but did not target you, even if they are not flanked or flat-footed.
Lucky Stiff (Ex) - Prerequisites: Lucky Save, Lucky Shot, or Lucky Check; Benefits: Increase the maximum number you can reroll on a saving throw (if you have the Lucky Save talent), attack roll (if you have the Lucky Shot talent), or skill check (if you have the Lucky Check talent) by 1. If you have more than one of these rogue talents this applies to all of them. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is lower. This talent can be taken multiple times, its effects stack.
Master Poisoner (Ex) - Prerequisites: Lasting Poison; Benefits: When you attack with a poisoned weapon, the poison lasts for a number of successful attacks equal to one, plus one per four rogue levels. However, each attack after the first has its save DC reduced by a cumulative -2. This ability does not stack with similar abilities.
Perfectly Ambidextrous (Ex) - Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidextrous, Weapon Focus; Benefits: When fighting with two weapons to which your weapon focus applies, you take no attack roll penalties for fighting with two weapons.
Unstable Poison Mastery (Ex) - Prerequisites: Unstable Poison; Benefits: You may use your unstable poison ability an unlimited number of times per day. Additionally, once per day per point of intelligence modifier (minimum 1) you may double the maximum value of the poison that can be replicated.
Vital Precision (Ex) - Prerequisites: Vital Strike; Benefits: When you make a sneak attack with the Vital Strike feat, you may apply your sneak attack damage to your attack twice.
Rogue Archetypes!:
Duelist Martial Superiority (Ex): A duelist gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls against any foe that made a melee attack or combat maneuver against him within the last round. This bonus increases by 1 at 9th level and again at 17th level. This replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Martial Skill (Ex): At any level that the duelist gains an additional sneak attack die, he may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, he may choose any one Combat feat as a bonus feat. For this bonus feat, and only this bonus feat, he may treat his rogue level as his effective fighter level.
Quick Reactions (Ex): At 3rd level, a duelist gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by 1 at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter. This replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense ability.
Counterstrike (Ex): At 20th level, a duelist can counter melee attacks. Once per round when the duelist is hit by a melee attack the duelist can make an attack roll as an immediate action. If the duelist’s attack roll is higher than the foe’s attack roll the attack is deflected and until the end of the duelist’s next turn the attacker is considered flat footed for the duelist’s attacks. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike.
Charlatan False Caster (Ex): A Charlatan gains a bonus on Use Magic Device checks to activate spell completion or spell trigger items equal to half her rogue level (min +1). In addition, whenever she makes a Use Magic Device check to activate such an item, she may make a bluff check opposed by any observer’s sense motive check to make it appear as if she is actually casting a spell. She adds half her rogue level on this bluff check (min +1). This replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Borrowed Power (Ex): At any level that the charlatan gains an additional sneak attack die, she may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, whenever she activates a spell trigger or spell completion item, she increases the save DC and caster level by a cumulative 1. The maximum value this ability can increase the save DC by is the charlatan’s Charisma modifier, while the maximum caster level of an effect produced by this ability (including the base caster level) is the charlatan’s class level (or the base caster level, if it is higher).
Minor Magic (Sp): At 3rd level, a Charlatan gains the Minor Magic rogue talent. At 6th level she may choose a second cantrip from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list and she can use either spell in any combination that adds up to a total of 4 uses per day. At 9th level and every 3 levels thereafter, she again adds a cantrip and one daily use to this ability. This replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense ability.
Familiar (Ex): At 4th level a Charlatan gains the Familiar advanced talent, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. Her effective wizard level is her rogue level -4 (minimum 1). At 8th level her effective wizard level increases to her rogue level. This ability replaces the rogue’s Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge abilities.
Arcane Siphon (Su): At 20th level a charlatan becomes so adept at manipulating borrowed magic that she can even turn the magic of others against them. Whenever she succeeds on a saving throw against a spell (or resists the spell in some other way, such as spell resistance) she gains a number of arcane charges equal to the level of the spell. If she suffers a partial effect on a successful save or is not the only target of the spell, she gains half as many charges instead. The charlatan can use these charges to activate a spell trigger or spell completion item without using a charge by expending a number of arcane charges equal to the level of the spell triggered (multiplied by the number of charges used, if more than one). The charlatan can also use these arcane charges to recharge one staff per day as if she were a spellcaster by expending a number of arcane charges equal to the highest level of spell the staff contains. Arcane charges expire 24 hours after they are acquired if they are not used. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike.
Skirmisher Confident Footing (Ex): Once per round as a free action, a skirmisher may move up to 10ft. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The maximum distance moved with this ability increases by 5ft at 6th level, and again at 12th level and 18th level (to a maximum of the Skirmisher’s movement speed). Like a 5-foot step, the skirmisher cannot use this movement on a round in which she makes any other movement. This ability replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Blistering Speed (Ex): At any level that the skirmisher gains an additional sneak attack die, she may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, the Skirmisher increases her base movement speed by 5ft and gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with an Attack Action or Charge (also with single attacks made with feats such as Spring Attack, or Vital Strike). This ability stacks.
Fluid Movements (Ex): At 3rd level, a Skirmisher gains a +1 bonus on acrobatics checks to balance or move through threatened squares. This bonus increases by 1 at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter. Additionally, while using acrobatics to cross narrow or uneven ground, a Skirmisher may take a -5 penalty on her acrobatics check to retain her Dexterity modifier to her AC. This ability replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense.
Pounce (Ex): At 20th level, a skirmisher gains the Pounce ability. In addition, when she uses the Spring Attack feat she may make one attack for each attack she would get on a full attack, which can be made at any point or points during her movement. She does not provoke attacks of opportunity from her movement from any of the foes she attacks. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike.
Trapsmith Deadly Traps (Ex): At any level that the trapsmith gains an additional sneak attack die, he may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, he gains a +2 bonus on craft(trap) checks and all traps he sets up that deal hit point damage deal an additional 1d6 damage to targets that are denied their Dexterity modifier to their AC.
Snare Setter (Ex): At 4th level the trapsmith gains the Learn Ranger Trap feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. In addition to the trap granted by this feat, he learns how to construct the tripwire trap for free. For the purposes of this feat, he's considered a ranger of his class level. Whenever the trapsmith could learn a new rogue trick, he may instead learn a new ranger trap. This replaces the rogue’s Uncanny Dodge ability.
Disassemble Trap (Ex): At 8th level, whenever a trapsmith succeeds at a check to disable a trap by 10 or more, he can disassemble the trap into its component parts. This takes as much time as constructing the trap in the first place. If the trap is non-magical, he can carry the parts with him and reconstruct the trap later at a time. If the trap is magical, he can transfer the magic to a small, portable object. While in this state, the trap is completely benign. Later the trapsmith can re-setup the trap by transferring the magic to yet another object. If the trap has a duration it continues to expire in this state. If the trapsmith has the Quick Trapsmith rogue talent, then setting up the trap is a full round action. This replaces the rogue’s Improved Uncanny Dodge ability.
Trap Genius (Ex): At 20th level, the trapsmith’s traps are far beyond anything his peers can construct. All traps he constructs have their perception and disable device DCs increased by 10 and their critical threat range is doubled. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike.
Sharpshooter Distant Advantage (Ex): A sharpshooter gains the Distant Advantage rogue talent as a bonus rogue talent. In addition, the sharpshooter adds half his class level (min +1) to stealth checks made to snipe. This ability replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Archer’s Training (Ex): At any level that the sharpshooter gains an additional sneak attack die, he may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, he increases the maximum range at which he can make a ranged sneak attack by 10ft and gains one feat chosen from the following list as a bonus feat, provided he meets the prerequisites: Crossbow Mastery, Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Focused Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Parting Shot, Pinpoint Targeting, Point Blank Master, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run.
Long Shot (Ex): At 3rd level, the sharpshooter increases the range at which he can make sneak attacks by 10 ft. At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, this distance increases by a further 10ft. This replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense ability.
Improved Distant Advantage (Ex): At 8th level, the sharpshooter gains the Improved Distant Advantage advanced rogue talent. This replaces Improved Uncanny Dodge.
Freewheeler Born Lucky (Ex): Once per day per rogue level, after learning the result of a skill or ability check a freewheeler may choose to reroll the check take the second result, even if it is lower. At 10th level, the freewheeler may do this an unlimited number of times per day. This replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Luck of Heroes (Ex): At any level that the Freewheeler gains an additional sneak attack die, they may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, the Freewheeler increases the number of hero points they gain at each level by 1, and also increase the maximum number of hero points they can have at once by 1.
Lucky Charm (Ex): At 3rd level a freewheeler may use an immediate action to allow an adjacent ally to reroll a d20 roll. They must use the second result. This ability can be used once per day, plus one additional time per day every 3 levels after 3rd. This replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense ability.
Go With The Flow (Ex): At 4th level, whenever a freewheeler fails a saving throw, she may reroll it with a -5 penalty. This replaces the rogue’s Uncanny Dodge ability.
I Meant To Do That (Ex): At 8th level, when the freewheeler is the target of an attack, as an immediate action the freewheeler may force the attacker to roll twice on the attack roll and take the lower roll. This replaces the rogue’s Improved Uncanny Dodge ability.
Probably a Coincidence (Ex): At 20th level, the freewheeler may roll twice on all d20 rolls and choose which result to use. This supersedes (and does not stack with) the Born Lucky and Go With The Flow abilities. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike ability.
Team Player Teamwork (Ex): A team player adds half her class level on aid another checks (min +1). When she successfully uses aid another, she grants a +3 bonus instead of a +2. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, +5 at 10th level, and +6 at 15th level. This replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding ability.
Advanced Teamwork: At any level that the Team Player gains an additional sneak attack die, they may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, they gain a bonus teamwork feat provided they meet the prerequisites. For the purposes of this teamwork feat, the Team Player counts twice. All feats that depend on the number of allies with the feat count the Team Player twice and all effects that are triggered by the Team Player’s actions are triggered twice.
Swift Aid (Ex): At 3rd level, once per day the Team Player may make an aid another check as a swift action. The team player may use this ability one additional time per day at 6th level and every three levels thereafter. This replaces the rogue’s Trap Sense ability.
Tactician (Ex): At 4th level, the Team Player gains the Cavalier’s Tactician ability. At 8th level, she gains the Greater Tactician ability. This replaces Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge. The Team Player may spend an Advanced Rogue Talent to gain the Master Tactician ability.
Perfect Coordination (Ex): At 20th level, all allies within 30ft of the Team Player gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all rolls. This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike ability.
Poisoner Advanced Poison Craft (Ex): A poisoner adds half his class level (min +1) on craft(poison) checks and never risks poisoning himself when applying poison. In addition, the poisoner gains the Unstable Poison rogue talent. The Poisoner adds half his class level to the number of times per day he can use this rogue talent. If the Poisoner takes the Unstable Poison Mastery advanced talent, he instead adds half his class level to the number of times per day he can use that talent. This replaces the rogue’s Trapfinding and Trap Sense abilities.
Potent Poison (Ex): At any level that the Poisoner gains an additional sneak attack die, they may choose to permanently forego that sneak attack die. In exchange, whenever they successfully poison a creature that creature takes 1d6 additional points of damage whenever it takes hit point damage from the poison, or 1 additional ability damage whenever it takes ability damage or drain from the poison. In addition, all poisons maximum duration is increased by one increment.
Unshakable Poison (Ex): At 4th level, whenever a Poisoner poisons a creature increase the number of successful saves required to cure the poison by 1. This replaces the rogue’s Uncanny Dodge ability.
Insidious Poison (Ex): At 8th level, whenever a Poisoner poisons a creature, that creature takes half damage from the poison even on a successful save (if applicable). This applies to both hit point and ability score damage. This replaces the rogue’s Improved Uncanny Dodge ability.
Deadly Poison (Ex): At 20th level, whenever the Poisoner poisons a creature, that creature takes a -4 penalty on the first save it makes against that poison. In addition, if the creature fails the first save it makes against the poison, it takes double the normal amount of hit point or ability damage (if applicable). This replaces the rogue’s Master Strike ability.
Rogues/ninjas actually can pull off pretty decent archers/shuriken throwers. If they take a level in oracle (waves) for. Fog sight and pick up obscurring mist they have pretty reliable sa damage. Ninjas also get a smoke bomb they can use, but it burns ki. A ninja with a level in monk, rapid shot, and the throw extra shuriken trick can dish out a fair amount of damage standing in one of those, greanted their BAB will be hurting pretty bad.
They could also use fog cutting classes or goz mask to the same effect, but.neither of those will come into play until later in the game.
If your gm uses darkness the right way your greatly undervaluin darkvision for classes with sa.
I was toying around with a build with the Fogcutting Lenses and the Moonlight Stalker feat, but the reliance on a mid-level magic item killed it. I'll have to take another look at it with the Oracle dip.
It is entirely possible that I'm undervaluing darkvision, but I don't feel it's a very reliable way to get sneak attack. You'll need to dispose of your enemies' light sources or use a spell or something to take advantage of it, it won't work on things that also have darkvision, and your allies will need ways to work around it. That said, it's still pretty useful when it does come up, and I think I rated it pretty highly.
lemeres wrote:
Some thoughts based on tricks I've found: The light armor proficiency might not be as bad as it seems. I say this because it is relatively easy to get access to medium armor with a trait and special materials alone. This comes from the fact that the penalty for nonproficient armor use is having the armor check penalty applied to your attack rolls...so if ACP is 0, the penalty is 0.
Mithral reduces ACP by 3, and the armor expert trait reduces it by another 1. That means that you could easily grab a mithral breast plate. And since that counts as light for purposes other than proficiency, that means any class other than full arcane casters and most monks can use this trick.
Another interesting thought: with a feat light build like the striker, you could try grabbing the animal ally feat. It admittedly takes 3 feats to work well (nature's soul, animal ally, and boon companion to cover up the effective druid level gap), but gaining what is essentialy a more troublesome version of the ranger's animal companion (troublesome since you can't take it until level 5, and thus, you can't get boon companion until 7) is nothing to sneeze at. It might help to close the gap around the levels where it becomes much more apparent. And by the point you can grab it, you could easily have grabbed
Dex based rogues won't really miss not having medium armor, and non-dex based rogues should probably dip into a class that gets those proficiencies, and both should really pick up the Offensive Defense rogue talent for standard use.
Atarlost wrote:
As I go through:
1) Rogues aren't top strikers. Power Attack from full BAB is generally better than Sneak Attack. A rogue might outperform a TWF ranger while flanking, but fighters, barbarians, cavaliers, and paladins are going to tend to just hit harder.
2) The accuracy gap between TWF and brute is a big deal. With the need to enhance two weapons you're looking at missing 15% of the time as a TWF that the brute would hit.
3) You cannot dump strength on a Dervish build because of carrying capacity issues. Sorcerers and Wizards might be able to, but you need to wear armor and carry a weapon and your thieves' tools and you should really have a shortbow and some arrows for when melee isn't an option...
4) Convincing Lie actually makes you worse. Without it, if you convince someone that a lie is the truth they do not use bluff at all to spread it because as far as they know they are not lying.
5) Minor Magic is probably better than yellow now that SLAs give you a caster level. You can, in turn, use that to qualify for Arcane Strike. From level 5 it's as good as weapon specialization and it keeps improving.
I know the introduction is a little misleading, but this really is a rogue guide, not a "This is why you should play a barbarian" guide.
7 strength is tough to deal with, but entirely doable. You can carry 23lbs with 7 strength. A dex-based build is going to want a mithril chain shirt anyway and that only weighs 12 lbs. Everything else should be in a handy haversack or carried by a PC who didn't dump strength. If these options aren't available for you (if you're low level or live on Dark Sun for instance) then no, you shouldn't dump strength.
I did not know that SLAs count for Arcane Strike, and I find that just a little bit cheesy, but it seems to be upheld for now and rogues could certainly use the help.
You're forgetting the additional +4 for size and +4 for race to stealth for goblins. Add in the rank, the class bonus, and the easy 18 in dexterity and you have a +16 in stealth at first level with no feat or equipment investment. They are the paragon rogue.
How do you feel about the arcane bloodline for low-mid level (1-10) campaigns? Maybe I'm just confused, but I'm seeing it as a distinctly inferior option. ...
You make a very good point about metamagic not being useful at lower levels. The rating for the Arcane bloodline is based on how it performs across a range of levels, but if you know that you're not going to get above level 5 then perhaps you could find a better choice. Perhaps I should go through and re-evaluate some things. The overall rating for the bloodline is unlikely to change, even without the arcana the bloodline spells alone earn it at least a green rating.
Thaliak wrote:
Thanks for the enjoyable guide. I liked your comments on bloodlines as well, but I must admit I'm disappointed to find that the Arcane bloodline is stronger than most of the others in many situations. I love the bloodline, but some of the others have stronger flavor.
In any case, I'd like to make three suggestions for this guide...
Thanks! I could not agree more. I was very disappointed with most of the bloodlines. I wish they were a little more evenly matched.
Those are all very good suggestions. I'm adding them to the guide now. I was aware that you could only wear one glove at a time, but it seems I forgot to update the guide. I'm glad they clarified that gimmick with Magical Lineage, thanks for pointing that out. I've never allowed it in my games anyway.
Wow, lots of posts since I last checked. Ok, where to start?
DRedSand wrote:
What no love from craft staffs? I know normally they're not great, but you've been pushing the arcane bloodline rather heavily and for arcane sorcerers staffs are amazing. Give a level 16 sorcerer of the arcane bloodline a robe of arcane heritage and he can use three levels of spell slots in place of spending a charge, staffs are essentially extra spells known.
I respectfully disagree, crafting staffs is terrible for sorcerers because you have to know the spell that you want to craft, which defeats the point of having the staff. You're far better off paying a wizard to do it.
DRedSand wrote:
As to the spell list, I think spectral hand should at least be put on it, it's an amazing spell, some of the things can do with it, such as combining it with force punch, are just neat.
The thing is, I just don't like melee touch attacks that much. Even with the spectral hand, they're still keyed off strength. I feel like you need to build specifically for melee touch attacks to get any mileage out of them, and they're still not that good. So there's that. Plus as far as I'm concerned any combo that takes two turns and two spell slots to pull off had better be a hell of a lot better than a ranged force punch. EDIT: might I recommend the Reach Spell metamagic feat?
Peter Stewart wrote:
Something that jumped out at me on your spells guide - you cite circle of death again and again. You do realize it cannot affect a creature with more than 9 hit dice, right?
You also suggest combining an armored kilt with bracers of armor. You realize only one of them can be active at a time, right?
Oh crap! I completely missed that line in Circle of Death! That's terrible! I hereby revoke all recommendations of that spell.
I see. I was thinking that you could use the bracers for the armor bonus and the armor for the other enhancements, but I see that it is specifically called out in the bracers description that it won't work. That is unfortunate.
Cheapy wrote:
Since you were wondering why Runestones of Power are twice the cost of pearls of power, it's mainly due to RoP not requiring a standard action to fill again. If you need to cast fireball twice in a row, you can do that easily with a RoP. If you were a prepared caster, you'd need to cast fireball, use a standard action to refill the spell slot using your PoP, and then cast it again. Put another way, Pearls help prepared casters regain spells between encounters, and runestones help them regain them during encounters.
Yeah, I noticed that. I still don't think it's worth the price increase. I would much rather restore twice as many spells between combats than cast extra spells in combat.
I really dislike the crossblooded archetype. So many people post builds with it when all it really gives you is a bloodline arcana, in exchange for -2 will and a bunch fewer spells known (which, I might add, puts you yet another level behind wizards in terms of highest level spell known). Draconic is one of the better bloodlines, you don't need to cross it with anything.
Most of the other things should be covered by the guides RuyanVe posted.
I can't find any rules indicating that you treat melee weapons differently from any other item. You can try to sunder any item carried or worn by a creature.
According to this page on Damaging Objects a "projectile weapon" has hardness 5 and 5 hp, making it quite easy to sunder (relative to other items).
Yes, you still need to roll a stealth check. The spell gives you a +20 on the check, so it's really hard to fail, but you still need to roll. Essentially, you need to ensure that your character isn't breathing really loudly or standing in a small puddle or some other thing that could reveal his location.
People have mentioned the Monk movement speed bonus, but no one has mentioned the ability to spend a ki point to get +20 move speed for a round shared by both the Monk and the Ninja. It's only a temporary movement speed increase, but it is reliable.
I used to be like that, always wanting to play a ridiculously powerful character. I eventually realized that it is just as much fun to play a low-powered character if the challenges are appropriate and the other players are similarly powered. Essentially, I got over it.
If you want to keep the option to be a monstrous race, you could start at level 5 or higher and make use of the level adjustment = CR-plus-1-to-4 rule. I've found it to be much more balanced than the 3.5 level adjustment system. That way, you reward players who choose not to take a monstrous race by being higher level.
Playing with a 20 to 25 pt. point buy is no trouble at all, just be aware that your players will be capable of taking on slightly harder challenges, and you should make sure to keep things interesting.
You get your full normal number of attacks with your main hand, and all attacks with your off-hand come from feats. So if you are level 13 with Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, your BAB is +13/+8/+3 so you get those three attacks with your main hand, plus two attacks with your off hand from your feats (at +13/+8).
Actually you get the first off-hand attack just from wielding a weapon in it. The Two-Weapon Fighting feat merely reduces the stiff penalties that come from attacking with two weapons. Improved TWF and Greater TWF give you 2nd and 3rd attacks with the off-hand at the same BAB you would get them in the main hand.
You are technically correct. The best kind of correct. That said, I've never seen anyone do two-weapon fighting without the feat, so it might as well come from that.
What is puzzling me, since I've never been a GM, or played a PC that had to worry about more two attacks, how do you work the multiple attacks of a higher level PC with two handed fighting?
Does the first weapon equal the first attack, the second weapon equal the second attack and then back to the first weapon? Is there a table or speared sheet to keep track of all the numbers?
You get your full normal number of attacks with your main hand, and all attacks with your off-hand come from feats. So if you are level 13 with Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, your BAB is +13/+8/+3 so you get those three attacks with your main hand, plus two attacks with your off hand from your feats (at +13/+8).
EDIT: I agree with TheSideKick, don't confuse optimization with min/maxing or munchkining. Optimization is about making a character that is what you want it to be and is ALSO awesome, which I think everybody who plays D&D/pathfinder should be doing. Just look at characters in fiction, especially action heroes. Most of the time they are extremely competent while remaining interesting characters. In my opinion, D&D characters are supposed to be action heroes.
I think your DM is really asking for trouble by letting such a huge stat-discrepancy slide (one of the many reasons why I always use point buy), but that's his business.
If you're stuck with those stats, I would DEFINITELY go with a summoner. Maybe a synthesist, maybe not, summoners are the least stat-dependent class in the game anyways. You could get by with a zero pt. point buy (7,12,14,7,7,14+2) and just buff your eidolon (or summoned creatures, whatever).
With the ability scores you listed, as a synthesist summoner, I would go with 10,10,10,11,12,14 and let your eidolon's physical ability scores overwrite your own. With a biped base-form eidolon, you suddenly have effectively a 23 pt. point-buy, which is nothing to sneeze at.
I would go with a scroll of communal resist energy or communal protection from energy. Then your party's caster can buff the entire party in one go. Get them at whatever caster level you want for whatever level of protection you need.
If you're only looking for a single target effect, or you don't have a caster, a potion of resist energy crafted by a ranger only costs 50gp (or 50gp per caster level, if you want better protection). Likewise, a potion of protection from energy crafted by a ranger only costs 400gp (for caster level 4, +100gp for each additional caster level).
If you know you'll need a lot of energy resistance you could go for a wand of one of the above spells, like tonyz suggested.
I almost want to try bard, but at the same time, I'm still very attached to the sorcerer class... Bards can't use divine scrolls, correct?
Correct, not without Use Magic Device anyway. You would also be locked into the buff/illusion/enchantment spellcasting role. If that's what you want, Bard is great, and you get 3/4 BAB out of it too.
This thread is obviously going nowhere, but I like to talk, so I'll still add my two cents.
If you compare a level 2 finesse Magus to a level 2 finesse TWF Rogue, you have essentially traded sneak attack for VERY limited spellcasting. You get two attacks and (assuming you cast shocking grasp) an extra 2d6 damage, while the rogue gets two attacks and an extra 2d6 damage if he's sneak attacking. You trade the restriction of having to sneak attack for only being able to do it a handful of times per day. Considering I think rogues are underpowered to begin with, this makes magus at least as underpowered, even if you interpret all of their abilities the most in their favor. This is before even considering the concentration checks you have to make.
I love the False Priest archetype for sorcerers. Sorcerer's naturally high charisma (and by extension bluff and use magic device) mean that the archetype itself makes you the ultimate false priest. At level 9 you can use divine items with your own spell slots. You can do all this with NO further build investment, so consider carefully how much each additional feat or spell known you spend on it contributes to your "False Priest" persona, and takes away from your versatility as a sorcerer.
Personally, I would just take a standard sorcerer build (with a smattering of battlefield controls, utility spells, and blasts), and perhaps a few choice illusion spells.
If it involved constant user of double barrel pistols, which with numbers like that I suspect it does, that wouldn't work (nearly as well) in this game.
True, it does involve double-barreled pistols, which many DMs rightfully nerf.
The main problem with fighting a tarrasque with level 10 characters is that you would have to defeat it fast or else you would lose many of your team. With it's attacks, swallow whole, charge, etc. you would be pretty much guaranteed of losing at least one character per round.
I mean, with some of the weaker members of the party, the tarrasque could just snipe them from hundreds of feet away with it's barrage of spines.
Here's the warforged race I made for my Eberron pathfinder game:
Spoiler:
Ability adjustments: +2 constitution, +2 intelligence, -2 charisma. Warforged are tough and analytical, but are unlikely to be outspoken or have particularly forceful personalities and sometimes come off as aloof or unsociable.
· Creature type: Construct(living construct).
· Size: Medium. As Medium creatures, Warforged have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
· Speed: 30 ft
· Composite Plating: +3 armor bonus, no max dex, no check penalty, 10% spell failure, counts as light armor. The warforged is automatically proficient with this armor. This armor can be enchanted, but the warforged must be present the entire time (or enchant himself). More commonly, warforged use special magic items called docents, which are small metal spheres that can be enchanted in the same way magic armor is, and grant their enchantments to the warforged plating when worn. The warforged cannot wear other armor or benefit from any magic item that takes the same body slot.
· Iron Fists: a Warforged deals 1d6 points of lethal damage with an unarmed strike instead of the normal amount for a medium humanoid (1d3 nonlethal). A warforged is always considered armed, and therefore threatens the area around him and does not provoke attacks of opportunity with unarmed strikes.
· Intuitive Crafter: Craft is always a class skill for warforged. They gain a +2 bonus to all craft checks.
· Endurance: Warforged gain Endurance as a bonus feat.
· Iron Grip: +2 bonus to CMD against disarm attempts.
· Living Construct: Warforged are constructs, but they are very much like living creatures (more specifically, humanoids). In place of the normal construct traits, warforged receive the following traits:
o Immune to poison and disease, and the sickened and nauseated conditions.
o Cannot heal lethal damage or ability damage naturally, but can spend 8 hours and make a craft check to repair hit point damage equal to the craft check minus 10 (minimum 1) and one point of ability damage from each ability score. This also gives the warforged most other benefits other races get from 8 hours of sleep. The craft skill used for this check can be any of the following: armorsmithing, carpentry, jewelry, leatherworking, pottery, sculpting, stonemasonry or weaponsmithing. Warforged heal nonlethal damage normally.
o Can be affected by spells that target constructs (such as repair spells) in addition to spells that target living creatures (such as cure spells). They can also be affected by spells that affect wood, stone or metal (as long as those spells can affect constructs), such as repel wood and stone or rusting grasp, as their bodies incorporate all three materials. Note that spells that affect only objects and not constructs still do not affect warforged, but they might affect the warforged plating as if it were armor.
o Although the warforged body can use positive energy to repair itself, it is not quite as efficient as biological organisms. Any effect targeting the warforged that heals hit points heals one fewer hit point per die rolled. If the healing effect is not expressed as dice, such as the heal spell, it is reduced by one point per spell level. If the healing effect is not expressed as dice, and does not have an associated spell level, then it is not reduced.
o Not subject to damage caused by the disabled or dying conditions, or bleed effects. A warforged with 0 or fewer hp is automatically stable, but remains unconscious.
o Does not need to eat, sleep or breathe, but can choose to eat or breathe to benefit from magic or consumables such as potions or a heroes’ feast spell. Warforged cannot sleep, but are usually patient enough to sit quietly while others do, and usually take this opportunity to repair and maintain themselves.
· Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling. Warforged generally learn the languages of the creatures that share their battlefields, whether on their side or the enemy’s.
I toned down their immunities and also their healing resistance so they are easier to balance. I also removed light fortification, since constructs are no longer immune to critical hits and sneak attack.
You could give it an ad hoc bonus on disarm, steal, or dirty trick combat maneuvers. That would make it more competitive with other higher-stat animal companions and also more in line with what your player wants.
I made a gunslinger who could dish out 200+ damage on a full attack at level 10. The Terrasque has touch AC 5, so hitting is no problem. Give him a couple of commoners as cover and he could take out the terrasque in a round or two.
Pump him up to level 11 and it jumps to almost 400 DPR.
There are two reasons for a player to do this: one) roleplaying a greedy and probably chaotic neutral character; two) intent to be disruptive with no immediate consequences. I have played with both types of players. The former is identifiable by bringing more to the table than just skimming loot. Which type of player you are dealing with, whether this is a problem, and what your correct response should be is very much determined by your group, DM, and play-style.
About the transmutation thing: Just thought that at level 15 there are some nice transmutation spells for the sorcerer that allow saves: Reverse Gravity, Polymorph any Object, Slow, Baleful Polymorph, Flesh to Stone, dazing Snapdragon Fireworks, Telekinesis, Disintegrate and maybe Transmute Rock to Mud/Mud to Rock.
Those target all different saves while being versatile spells that mostly don't have issues with immunities. So I thought this would be a good choice.
Sure, there are a few. If you plan on using those spells a lot then go for it.
tlotig wrote:
Douglas Muir 406 wrote:
Dazaras wrote:
I missed the second half of nondetection, which does make the Hide Aura power quite a bit better. I'll change that, I think it should be at least orange. SR against divinations still isn't very good, especially since the rest of your party probably lacks similar protection.
This sort of thing is why I think the rak bloodline is better for building NPCs. Often, incredibly annoying NPCs. A single invisible character who can't be found with Detect Invisible (or any other detection or divination spell),
Doug M.
See invisible targets the caster. SR wont help against it any more that creatures with SR ignore mage armour
Nondetection doesn't literally give you spell resistance. It says that creatures must make a caster level check to detect you with divination spells. The spell text is a little ambiguous actually, and I'm unclear on whether it applies to all divination spells or not.
I'm afraid I don't have the time to read through the whole thread right now, but I just wanted to post my two cents:
The DM decides what style of game he or she wants. If you want your game to have a specific style, make that clear to your players so they can build their characters accordingly. If they don't like it, tough, you're the DM. If you don't want them to rely on having specific magic items, make it clear that they won't be able to buy whatever items they want and will have to deal with that. I love to optimize, but that's not the same thing as min-maxing. To me, optimization is about doing what you can with what you are given: if the DM places restrictions on the PCs then I consider it a challenge to make a successful character under those restrictions.
Second: I don't get what people have against dump stats. What I do get is what people have against bad roleplaying, ignoring carrying capacity, and certain other things that often go along with dump stats. If you have a dump stat, I expect you to pay attention to it. If it's a mental stat, that means roleplaying. If it's strength that means keeping careful track of carrying capacity (which I don't usually bother with for characters with decent strength). This is another problem that you should be able to fix by being clear with your players about your expectations.
Lastly: When I plan a character to level 20, it is just a rough guideline. I expect it to change as I get to know what the other players in the party can and can't do, our DM's style, and our weaknesses as a group.
Build a mage-killer barbarian. Spellsunder, Superstition, Eater of Magic, etc. If you do it right you can stand toe-to-toe with any caster and come out ahead.
Resistances are found on the third tab, and are broken down by level.
It looks to me like they vary wildly with level, but are all about even (except sonic of course, which has hardly anything).
Of course, this is completely ignoring the choices made by adventure designers and DMs. They might very well choose fire resistant enemies most of the time.
A horror story can have everyone survive, especially if they go through things like being undead and trying to eat people before getting cured. That's pretty horrifying.
Thank you a lot for your guide! I think it's the best sorcerer guide for PF as of now.
One big question others probably have too:
What do you think is the most optimal (in a min/max sense) choice for school power?
I thought about evocation and transmutation.
Evocation with dazing spell effects almost all monsters and targets reflex. But other then that, there are no really good fort or will targeting spells (except for maybe clenched fist), so no variety.
Transmutation can target all saves with good sorcerer spells. But it lacks the individual power of a perfected, persistent, dazing ball lightning forcing two reflex saves at DC 25+cha on metal armored foes each round.
[edit]forgot about scirocco for evocation
Thanks a lot!
Your choice of school for School Power depends a lot on your sorcerer's style. If you're a controller then pick whichever school you rely on most for control, like conjuration. If you're primarily a blaster you'll want to pick evocation for the reasons you mention (namely, dazing spell). Schools like enchantment suddenly become better if you apply School Power to them due to increased reliability. If you're trying to narrow down your options, you can cross off some schools pretty easily, like divination and abjuration, for not having that many saves. I don't see transmutation being a good choice here for the same reason.
What I'd like to know is whether there are any circumstances in which a crossbow is better than a longbow. The only one I can think of is on a character who dumped strength.
You could dip one level of crossblooded sorcerer and take one of the bloodlines that lets you change the damage type of spells. You could also get a second bloodline like orc to buff your spell damage. This is probably not what you want if you weren't interested in spending a feat...
Normally you treat shuriken as any other thrown weapon. This means that you only get a single attack as an attack action, or however many attacks you normally get as a full attack action.
There is a ninja trick that lets you spend a ki point to throw two extra shuriken on a full attack, but it doesn't sound like that is what you're talking about.
I assume your DM knows this is not a normal rule and wants to make shuriken more powerful. You can always ask him.
The hit points are rounded down after adding them together. So one hit die would put it at 4.5 hit points, which rounds down to 4, then the next would put it at 9 hit points, an increase of 5. This is why you see an increase of 4 some levels and an increase of 5 at others.
I don't understand why it isn't 5 at every level though, like the d8 hit die classes.
I agree with Nicos, there are few enough DPR feats that you could grab them all and still have room for an extra feat chain or two.
Here's an example of something I might do:
feat progression:
1. Power Attack, Weapon Focus, Cleave
2. Combat Reflexes
3. Toughness
4. Weapon Specialization
5. Step Up
6. Vital Strike
7. Iron Will
8. Greater Weapon Focus
9. Improved Critical
10. Critical Focus
11. Improved Vital Strike
12. Greater Weapon Specialization, (retrain Cleave -> Bleeding Critical)
13. Staggering Critical
14. Devastating Strike
15. Critical Mastery
16. Greater Vital Strike
17. Stunning Critical
18. Following Step
19. Improved Iron Will
20. Step Up and Strike
EDIT: afterthought: As far as weapon choice is concerned, I'd go with a Bardiche at low levels for reach, or a Falchion to better benefit from critical hits. Greatsword is a classic, and also a good choice.
Spell Perfection. Pick your favorite spell and apply metamagic to it for free. It finds a place on most spellcasters I make, even if I have to pick up unnecessary metamagic feats just to qualify for it.
If you want to be a blast-y sorcerer, the Draconic bloodline with the tattooed sorcerer archetype is a good choice. I just like the Arcane bloodline too much. I still think Persistent Spell is better than Bouncing Spell in most cases, even though it costs one extra level.
There is no "best" order of feats to take. You really need Power Attack at 1st level, but other than that everything is up in the air. I assume you've looked at guides for this sort of thing, so you know how to find good feats. Just pick the feats that fit your desired play-style or cover perceived weaknesses.
The only other "mandatory" feats are Iron Will/Improved Iron Will, which you'll need to take since your will saves are terrible. You don't need to take those at level 1 though, you could safely wait until 10+ even.
Some suggestions: Cleave is good at level 1-5 or so, but then it falls behind (ask your DM if Overhand Chop applies), though as a fighter you can retrain your feats when they're no longer useful. The Two-Handed Fighter archetype is pretty good at standard attacks, so maybe think about the Vital Strike line. Full attacks are still better, but you can't always get those. Finally, at higher levels I hardly ever build a fighter without Critical Focus and one or two feats in that line. Staggering Critical is really good for action denial, and later you can upgrade it for Stunning Critical.
I like the idea of a metamagic based sorcerer. I just have a couple things that I would do differently if I were making a similar character.
How married are you to the draconic bloodline? In my opinion, if you want to focus on metamagic, there isn't anywhere to go but Arcane.
Second, you take a couple metamagic feats that I never take. Extend Spell and Bouncing Spell in particular are better from rods, IMHO, if you need them at all. I have yet to find a situation in which I would want to use Echoing spell at all.
On the other hand, I hardly ever flesh out a sorcerer build without making room for some feats like Dazing Spell and Persistent Spell. You'd really benefit from Spell Perfection at level 15 for your favorite spell.
I'd say yes. The havoc you can wreak with an advanced firearm doesn't approach that of a highly optimized double-barreled pistol build. Other than the increased range at which they penetrate armor and reduced misfire chance, advanced firearms aren't that much better than early firearms. Those are some nice improvements, but hardly game breaking.
That said, the pathfinder rules recommend allowing advanced firearms at higher levels only, so I'd probably wait until 10+ just for fluff reasons, if nothing else.
I think I would lean towards straight Ninja. I like to avoid multiclassing as much as possible in Pathfinder, and it seems like you want melee to be your primary skill. They cover the invisibility aspect of illusion about as well as any caster, and they can get a couple other abilities with an illusion-like feel to them.
Don't forget that you can abuse Use Magic Device to equip yourself with a variety of spells from wands and staves. The Image spells often don't require saves, so a wand could work fine, or you could spring for a staff at higher levels. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Shadow spells as anything other than utility spells, so save DCs might not matter there either. Ninjas like to have good charisma, so this works well with that class.
Bard and Alchemist could also be what you want. Bards are excellent at illusion magic, but sacrifice a lot in the assassin aspect I think you're looking for. Definitely look into the Dervish Dancer or Dervish of Dawn archetypes, they both sacrifice some of your ability to buff for greater melee skill. Vivisectionist Alchemists make very good rogue-replacements, but their spell list is pretty sparse on illusions.
All of the above ideas are good, particularly the dirty trick and low level guard ideas.
Ninjas at level 10 can get a death attack for this sort of thing, or you could use drow poison or some variation thereof (My games allow custom poisons)
The effects are on different weapons. Therefore they do stack.
I, for one, am 100% sure that they do not stack, no matter how many weapons you have. It's not that the weapon gets an extra attack, it is that the wielder gets an extra attack with the weapon. The fact that it does not stack with haste indicates that it is not intended to stack with ANY means of getting an extra attack, including a second weapon with speed.
Furthermore, every DM I have ever had has said that they do not stack.
I banned double-barreled pistols in my games once I made a level 11 character who could kill any monster in the bestiary in a single full attack.
Also, I always thought a Double hackbut based character would be interesting if you could get around the action cost to set it up. Using the dead shot deed, and maybe the mysterious stranger archetype for tons of damage with a single shot.
I've never thought much of the scatter weapons, but I suppose they could be useful against swarms or as a backup weapon if your main weapon misfires.
Prepare (or get a scroll at caster level 11) Resist Energy, Communal, and possibly Protection from Energy, Communal. Use it when the fight starts, then back up your teammates with Haste, Heroism, Fly, summoned monsters, and perhaps some other defensive buffs, like stoneskin. Dragons are inherently casters, so maybe dispel magic too.
