Stealthy Casting

[miscdebris]

I'm working on 2 character ideas. Both have a similar problem.

Casting is obvious.

Idea 1:
Tiefling Razmiran Priest Rakshasa Sorceror
Feats (excluding prereqs): Cunning Caster, False Caster
Traits: Adopted (Obscure Traditions), Power of Suggestion
Racial Traits: Raksasha Spawn, Beguiling Liar, Pass for Human

This should pretty much cover it, False Caster and Raksasha Bloodline are the second line of defense should they notice me casting. Perhaps Psychic would be a better bloodline for lying about my casting. Thoughts?

Idea 2: Elf/Gnome School Savant Shadow or Mage of the Veil Illusionist Arcanist
Feats (excluding prereqs): Cunning Caster (probably the spell foci feats)
Trait: Clever Wordplay (Bluff)

For the illusionist, I'm mainly trying to avoid this: "A character faced with proof that an illusion isn't real needs no saving throw." by hiding my spellcasting. Pretty much anything with decent spellcraft auto-succeeds at this portion if they can see me casting.

Both of these have the same problem. Even if still, silent, and eschewed, they can see and ID that I am casting, which ruins the whole point. Cunning Caster helps...

How can I do it better?

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

Learn the art of misdirection. And I don't mean casting the spell of that name.

[lemeres]

Well, one of the best stealthy casters would be a mesmerist with cunning caster.

They are psychic casters (which means no verbal or somatic components- they have thought and emotion, which are their own cans of worms; still, very good for cunning caster), they have fantastic bonuses to bluff, and their spell list tends towards the subtle with enchantment and illusion (why I am advising this over other psychic casters). So they are REALLY hard to notice when you build it well.

[VRMH]

The Secret Signs feat may help. Or just hiding yourself while casting.

[baahk36]

If you want to make a sneaky spellcasters I'd go with a halfling sorcerer with the shadow bloodline, or umbral wild blooded if you like the 1st level power there better. You can get a really high stealth score with him. Take the swift as shadows alternate racial trait. All told you end up being really sneaky. Once you pick up the silent spell feat your enemies won't be able to hear you cast, and unless they make their perception checks they'll never get a chance to see your somatic components.

[miscdebris]

lemeres wrote:

Well, one of the best stealthy casters would be a mesmerist with cunning caster.

They are psychic casters (which means no verbal or somatic components- they have thought and emotion, which are their own cans of worms; still, very good for cunning caster), they have fantastic bonuses to bluff, and their spell list tends towards the subtle with enchantment and illusion (why I am advising this over other psychic casters). So they are REALLY hard to notice when you build it well.

That might work for the Illusionist, I'll have to explore it. I'm trying to the best I can without Occult (yes, I know I mentioned Psychic). My GMs might be friendlier without it.

VRMH wrote:

The Secret Signs feat may help. Or just hiding yourself while casting.

I wonder how many rolls I can trigger on spellcasting? Bluff/Sense Motive and Sleight of Hand/Perception, then cast with whatever rolls that generates, then they roll spellcraft at a penality of -2.

I'm not sure -2 spellcraft is much worth a feat though. Much like Skill Focus (Spellcraft) isn't much worth it. It's more worth it on the Sorc, as it totals to be -2-(level/2).

[VRMH]

miscdebris wrote:

I'm not sure -2 spellcraft is much worth a feat though.

Oh, it's not. But I interpret "an observer must make a Perception check opposed by your Sleight of Hand check to notice your spellcasting" as denying the Spellcraft check completely if they fail the check.

You can't identify what you don't even know is there. So long as the spell itself has no immediate, obvious effect, you should be able to cast 'till you're blue in the face.

[Dark Immortal]

You may wish to visit this link. It has some thoughts.

*edited the rest out as it was not entirely relevant.