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So I'm starting up a melee-based Mesmerist in PFS (feinting focus), and I was trying to figure out what spells would be best for her.
For the cantrips, I've chosen the standards:
Detect Magic
Read Magic
Message
Light (Even though I'm a Tiefling from a Tiefling boon, I want to be able to light things up for people without darkvision)
For level 1 I have:
Farie Fire (I hate invisibility, and so I chose something that can deal with it.)
Telempathic projection (There are lots of diplomacy checks in PFS, plus it makes sense with her backstory)
However, I'm kinda stuck for what to do at higher levels. At level four I'm going to get anticipate thoughts for sure (great way to shore up my poor AC with the character, and if they fail their saves, good damage/to hit boost too!)
For second level I was thinking comprehend languages/share language (just as a way to deal with my language barrier thing), possibly lock gaze, so I can help anyone in the party that has sneak attack (though the DC doesn't scale with level, so past level five or so no one will be failing their save). Any other suggestions?
Lvl 1: the absolutely OP and encounter ending colour spray... XD Grease is your friend too.
Lvl 2: Haunting Mists, Hold Person, Mirror Image, Detect Thoughts are a few useful tricks to have up your sleeve no matter if you want to go into melee or not.
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Lvl 1: the absolutely OP and encounter ending colour spray... XD Grease is your friend too.
Lvl 2: Haunting Mists, Hold Person, Mirror Image, Detect Thoughts are a few useful tricks to have up your sleeve no matter if you want to go into melee or not.
Mirror image is good, I agree. However color spray levels very poorly (remember a mesmerist is like a sorcerer, their spell selection is semi-permanent.) So the save for color spray and greese will quickly become trivial
Plus as a player, I don't want to be 'that guy' who just ends a low level fight and doesn't let anyone else do anything.
Hold person/detect thoughts, have similar issues, because my saves aren't going to be spectacular (I'm not making a protoge who starts with 22 chr here) they quickly become useless as I gain levels which is why I tend to shy away from them.
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Avoid taking utility or situational spells in your very limited slots--Faerie Fire, Comprehend Languages and Share Languages would be perfect examples of that. Spells like that should be purchased on scrolls or in oils/potions.
Telempathetic Projection is very situational and not worth your slots--better to Aid Another on Diplo check than burn a precious slot.
Lock Gaze doesn't help sneak attackers (i.e. blinded for one round) unless the foe willingly leaves your line of sight. Also, most mooks don't live long enough for it to matter and most bosses will be out-action economied to escape (and if they have magical means to do so, they probably can make the initial Will save)
Avoiding DC-based spells for a melee mesmerist:
L1:
Anticipate Peril: A little better when you have more levels for the effect to last longer with a bigger bonus, but PFS for the most part telegraphs combats so it doesn't hurt too much at lower levels.
Expeditious Retreat: Ditto.
Grease: While your DC may not be spectacular, most melee mooks will not have great REF saves or acrobatics skills. This is a battlefield control spell to fight the battle on your terms--even if they don't fall, you've created an obstacle for the enemy to navigate around.
Ill Omen: No Save. Scales. Good for you vs a melee creature, good for party casters if you drop this on a focus fire target.
Silent Image: Rewards creativity and very flexible.
Vanish: Works on you or party member.
L2:
Anticipate Thoughts: Not hot on this one as it is vs one creature whereas Blur/Mirror Images is vs ALL foes. Also, with your limited number of slots, it's one creature per battle for maybe a battle or two.
Blur
False Life
Glitterdust: Most likely just have a few scrolls of this on hand.
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Silence
L3:
Displacement
False Life, Greater
Invisibility Sphere
Jester's Jaunt
See Invisibility
Vampiric touch
I am actually of a varying opinion when it comes to melee mesmerists and DC based spells.
Since one of your main class features debuffs will saves, it is much easier to go with save based spells than a melee bard.
You can run around with 14 CHA, and yet you act like you are practically an 18 cha sorcerer.
Mesmerists aren't as amazing with buffs, but they can deal with save based spells much better than similarly built bards. Obviously, it is never going to be your main focus, but I think you can do well.
And it isn't like you aren't aiming to do hypnotic gaze on everything, since you are obviously going to want painful state as a melee type.
Of course, if you can grab great no save spells, that is fine (I mean...who wouldn't want to remove the bet...unless they are using pathfinder to recover from a gambling addiction), but I wouldn't fear save based spells.
So I'm starting up a melee-based Mesmerist in PFS (feinting focus), and I was trying to figure out what spells would be best for her.
For the cantrips, I've chosen the standards:
Detect Magic
Read Magic
Message
Light (Even though I'm a Tiefling from a Tiefling boon, I want to be able to light things up for people without darkvision)For level 1 I have:
Farie Fire (I hate invisibility, and so I chose something that can deal with it.)
Telempathic projection (There are lots of diplomacy checks in PFS, plus it makes sense with her backstory)However, I'm kinda stuck for what to do at higher levels. At level four I'm going to get anticipate thoughts for sure (great way to shore up my poor AC with the character, and if they fail their saves, good damage/to hit boost too!)
For second level I was thinking comprehend languages/share language (just as a way to deal with my language barrier thing), possibly lock gaze, so I can help anyone in the party that has sneak attack (though the DC doesn't scale with level, so past level five or so no one will be failing their save). Any other suggestions?
Speaking from experience, the Mesmerist class has a lot of debuffing potential in their spells. One well placed Ray of enfeeblement can seriously lessen the threat of a BBEG bruiser. For 2nd level spells, Mirror Image is a must if you are going into melee. I've used that and Mesmeric Mirror to save me and my allies a lot of pain.
You are worried about being 'that guy' and it's completely understandable. But understand, the moment you picked the Mesmerist class, you became 'that guy'. This class has the capability to completely shut down any significant threat. Combined with a token amount of feats and weapon choices, you can easily impose upwards of -6 to -7 penalties on will saves (and attack rolls if you have the right debilitating stare options). So, any Will save based spell you use is likely going to stick pretty easily. Having said that, if you want to completely forego DC based Save or Suck spells and focus solely on melee, there are ways to do it.
For spells, your buffs are a bit lacking until 4th level when you get your hands on Greater Invisibility and Freedom of Movement. At that point you're going to have a much easier time in a fight. The 3rd level spell Enchantment Foil is pretty much an all day buff which further shores up your will saves vs mind affecting stuff. This isn't so much for you. It's for the friends you've implanted mesmerist tricks into like Gift of Will, ensuring they don't fail that crucial will save vs domination or curses or what have you.
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Avoid taking utility or situational spells in your very limited slots--Faerie Fire, Comprehend Languages and Share Languages would be perfect examples of that. Spells like that should be purchased on scrolls or in oils/potions.
Telempathetic Projection is very situational and not worth your slots--better to Aid Another on Diplo check than burn a precious slot.
Lock Gaze doesn't help sneak attackers (i.e. blinded for one round) unless the foe willingly leaves your line of sight. Also, most mooks don't live long enough for it to matter and most bosses will be out-action economied to escape (and if they have magical means to do so, they probably can make the initial will save
Lock gaze gives everyone else concealment, allowing them to make stealth checks.
I understand what you're saying, I honestly do. On the other hand I was thinking about it like this:
The majority of my damage is coming from painful stare. Painful stare is precision damage. So I get shut down if I can't deal precision damage. Being able to see my target allows me to use one of my main class features.
As for telempathic projection, I agree it isn't spectacular, but As a mesmerist I am probably going to be the go-to guy for diplomacy, not the one aiding another, and I'd like to be able to give myself a boost on those crucial checks.
As for anticipate thoughts: up to a +5 AC, hit, and damage seems really good to me. Cast it on bosses or when I'm in a fix. Mirror image is great too, and I may pick that up first and anticipate thoughts second, but I like that spell.
You've sold me on grease though, and I like all of your 3rd suggestions.
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Lock gaze gives everyone else concealment, allowing them to make stealth checks.
If you're pretty sure that you'll always be running with a couple of rogues or slayers every scenario then that's definitely a force amplifier...but given the nature of PFS, if you don't have those classes in party it's dead-ish slot.
I re-read Anticipate Thoughts and came around on it when I realized it would be better once you have your defenses-in-depth going and almost guarantee those misses. I would only be concerned about the Will DC of your foe (stare notwithstanding).
Otherwise, have fun!