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I'm making a secret agent master of getting information hybrid class of rogue and wizard (diviner), but before I continue I'd like to know what people consider the best or most important divination spells.
Detect magic
Detect thoughts
See invisibility
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance:
Tongues
arcane eye
scrying
contact other plane
legend lore
true seeing
Arcane Sight, Greater
Scrying, Greater
Vision
Discern Location
Honestly you are better off going straight caster. Mixing a poor BAB and 3/4 BAB class will not help you in combat. If you don't care about combat, your wizard will have more skill points than a rogue due to his intelligence.
Normally I would not have included that many divination spells, but due to you trying to be a master at getting information/spy they will all be useful.
Detect magic
Detect thoughts
See invisibility
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance:
Tongues
arcane eye
scrying
contact other plane
legend lore
true seeing
Arcane Sight, Greater
Scrying, Greater
Vision
Discern LocationHonestly you are better off going straight caster. Mixing a poor BAB and 3/4 BAB class will not help you in combat. If you don't care about combat, your wizard will have more skill points than a rogue due to his intelligence.
Normally I would not have included that many divination spells, but due to you trying to be a master at getting information/spy they will all be useful.
This is for making a hybrid class, so whether wizard is better than rogues is irrelevant, though thank you for the list.
Ok. I missed the "hybrid" part.
In that case I would have given a smaller list based on the theme if the idea is information gathering.
Other spells I'd add:
true strike (I like to use it in combo w/ pilfering hand)
locate creature
prying eyes
Create treasure map
Heightened Awareness is a superb self buff. It snuck in with the advanced class guide without too many people noticing.
Detect Secret Doors is a spell I seldom carry. But I like to have it on my spell list. Either have a scroll or memorise it in an empty slot as needed
Locate object, speak with dead, identify, augury, commune.
Detect poison, detect [alignment].
Also might be useful to list common protections from divinations: non detection, detect scrying, private sanctum.
Residual Tracking
Heightened Awareness
Blood Biography
Create Treasure Map
Detect Secret Doors
Cultural Adaptation
Not actually divination, but up your alley:
Speak With Dead
Investigative Mind
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Divination spells fall into several categories -- you may want to figure out which one(s) of them your class will use. (Note that not even diviner wizards or Knowledge-domain clerics get all the divination spells; figure out a theme and stick to it.)
Category one: Special Glasses let you see things from where you are. Darkvision, most of the detect spells, see invisibility, and others fall into this category. They negate environmental obstacles, help you see through illusions of various types. They're nice if you can fight, or can cast them on combat types accompanying you, but usually don't reveal hidden mysteries. Most of these are low-level spells, though some of them (like true seeing wait till the mid-levels). Magic that boosts your Perception or Sense Motive probably belongs in this category as well.
Foiled by: invisible medusas. "You really didn't want to see me."
Good for: People who want to do things while wearing Special Glasses -- so either buff spells to cast on someone else, or spells for a magic/martial hybrid class to cast on themselves.
Category two: Remote Viewing lets you see things that are far away, usually (but not always) on the same plane. Clairvoyance, scrying, arcane eye; these are usually mid-level spells, and good for remote scouting. Seeing through a familiar's eyes, or an animal's, provides similar abilities. These spells effectively place your eyes somewhere else and let you look around.
Foiled by: being on another plane, lead sheeting, and (sometimes) measures that defeat sight. Some of these spells work with Special Glasses, many of them don't.
Good for: High-magic people who can scry (sometimes) and do other things (most of the time), information gathering types.
Category Three: Brain Implants let you know things and ask questions and act on information that you wouldn't otherwise have. Speak with dead, blood biography, tongues, comprehend languages, speak with animals, find the path, and so forth. Spells that boost your Knowledge skills (including Linguistics and Appraise) usually fall into this category, as do abilities that boost your initiative or let you act in the surprise round. These things are found at all levels.
Foiled by: asking questions of things that don't have the information in the first place, or want to lie. This is where your own skills in intepreting the information (Sense Motive, knowledge skills, ability to think on your feet and/or read the GM's hints well) become important.
Good for: Classes that schmooze with people and use Knowledge skills a lot, detectives and investigators.
Category Four: Plot Breakers are similar to Brain Implants, but are more noted for their ability to make unimaginative GMs cry if used effectively: divination, commune, vision, contact other plane, legend lore, etc. These are mid- to high-level spells (though some classes can get an improved familiar with commune as early as 7th level.
Foiled by: GM fiat, player boneheadedness (GMs may not want to reveal their plots, players may persist in asking the gods the wrong questions), and (sometimes) inability to afford expensive material components. USE WITH CAUTION. Note to GMs: This is one of the things that happens in high-level play; maybe you should talk over these things with your players before getting too high-level. Also figure out what your BBEGs are doing with these spells.
Good for: Any adventuring class, but you can also sometimes get the same information from NPC Mouthpieces of the Gods, or GM Informants. Spells of this power should probably only be available to full-caster classes or very thematically appropriate classes.
When you're designing a class, think about which categories you want them to be able to use, and when they're usable. Special Glasses are mostly good for combat or dungeon-crawling and in the heat of action. Remote Viewing is good for scouting and dungeon-crawling but you probably wouldn't cast them during combat. Brain Implants can be good at any time depending on what ability they enhance, but they're often handiest in face time or scouting outside of combat. Plot Breakers are almost always non-combat spells. Try and make sure your class has more than one option available -- it should be able to do something (not necessarily magic) in all situations.
What category would Locate Object/creature be in?
You might want to look in to getting Gloves of Reconnaissance (allow you to see and hear though solid material)at 2000gp. I find these to be rather useful particularly when combined the arcanist's dimensional slide exploit. What is a good idea is to keep divinations spells that are not too hampered by caster level on wands/scrolls.
I'm playing a diviner in our current campaign and the spells I've found most useful thus far are: detect magic and detect undead which are the most frequently used, I have clairaudience/clairvoyance but tend to use the above mentioned gloves, I've only used detect charms once but we now know a party member has been possessed. Though not a divination spell Enter Image could be of use (though its range is frustrating) you could mint coins bearing your likeness and see to it that they end up near or in the hands of a target - since it's part of the transmutation school spells and items that block divination would be ineffective.
You might want to look in to getting Gloves of Reconnaissance (allow you to see and hear though solid material)at 2000gp. I find these to be rather useful particularly when combined the arcanist's dimensional slide exploit. What is a good idea is to keep divinations spells that are not too hampered by caster level on wands/scrolls.
This isn't for a character, though I might still give it a look for ideas on divination class features.
The categories aren't perfect, but I'd generally put Locate object/creature in the Brain Implant category. You get a bit of knowledge in your brain (where the target is in relation to you), but don't actually see it or the area around it.
I love just the spell Divination. I spammed it all of my last campaign, usually once or twice per session. Nothing like some divine input to make a decision easy :)
Commune is great as well. My next character (actually a reprise of a previous character) is the Arch-Diviner, Wizard 10/Arcane Savant 7, with the Arcane Savant levels specifically to get Divination and Commune. And the Fortune Teller feat so I can spam Divination for free.
So you're looking to make something similar to 3.5s unseen seer?
So you're looking to make something similar to 3.5s unseen seer?
Effectively.