I like the build you have here. My only suggestion, and it's not necessarily a good choice for a spontaneous caster, but as a blaster caster you can't go wrong with 1 level Evoker Wizard and the Admixture School. The 1st level admixture school ability allows you to change the elemental properties of a spell 3 + your Int modifier. Add a rod of elemental spell, and ANY spell you cast that does damage now can take advantage of your bonus damage from your arcana's and abilities.
So, lvl 10 im thinking jsut level the 7 one up a bit, im not sure on feats, now, as I will have maxed out scorching ray and fireball with out playing with caster lvl.
Zephyre Al'dran wrote: I like the build you have here. My only suggestion, and it's not necessarily a good choice for a spontaneous caster, but as a blaster caster you can't go wrong with 1 level Evoker Wizard and the Admixture School. The 1st level admixture school ability allows you to change the elemental properties of a spell 3 + your Int modifier. Add a rod of elemental spell, and ANY spell you cast that does damage now can take advantage of your bonus damage from your arcana's and abilities. That ability makes even wizards much better at blasting than before. Fire elemental? Just hit it with a freezing ray, switched on the fly.
For trickster builds, I sorta favor wizard due to the synergy if high int with lots of spells and skill points. The flexibility of wizard kinda makes up for the fewer slots. It depends a lot on how your group plays, though. If your GM lets you do a lot of stealth and scouting, use ranged legerdemain, and that sort of thing, it's a fun class to play.
well the thing is, Arcane Trickster is already a niche thing to begin with. You only really need a few spells
Here's the Jimmy McPerson Build
Jimmy McPerson
Sorcerer (Primal) 7/Rogue 3/Arcane Trickster 4
Gnome: Pyromaniac, Eternal Hope, Academician (Knowledge Arcana)
STR 10
DEX 16+2
CON 14+2
INT 12
WIS 10
CHA 14+4
BAB: 7/2
CMB:6
CMD: 20 (cannot be grappled)
Initiative = +10 (4+4+2)
Saves:
F = 4+3+5 = 12
R = 7+4+5 = 16 (Plus Evasion)
W = 8+0+5 = 13 (+2 VS fear/despair)
AC: 10 + 4+1+2= 17 +4 mage armor +4 shield = 25
HP: 116
Attacks: Ray (7+4+1 = 12), +1 for Point-Blank, +1 to scorching ray if using alchemical fire focus
Feats:
Toughness (1)
Eschew Materials (Sorcerer)
Point-Blank Shot (3)
Spell Penetration (5)
Greater Spell Penetration (7)
Improved Initiative (Bloodline Feat)
Arcane Strike*
Precise Shot (Rogue Talent Combat Trick Feat)
Piercing Spell (11)
Quicken Spell (13)
Traits: Reactionary, Magical Knack
*At the time, we houseruled that arcane strike could be applied to ray spells. I'm not sure if that's how it works but that's how we run it. I'm sure it can be replaced with a better feat. If anything, I thought about replacing it with Quicken Spell Like Ability (Either Produce Flame but not really or the elemental ray. Both weak options though)
Abilities:
Sneak Attack +4d6
Trapsense +1, Evasion
Elemental Ray (7/day, 1d6+4)
Resist 10 fire
Ranged Legerdemain
Impromptu Sneak Attack 1/day
Spell-Like Abilities 1/day - Produce Flame (CL14), Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation, Flare
Spells:
0 = Mage Hand, Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Dancing Lights, Message, Prestidigitation, Spark, Mending, Read Magic, Burning Hands
1 = Vanish, Ray of Enfeeblement, Grease, Mage Armor, Floating Disk
2 = Invisibility, Acid Arrow, False Life, Web, Knock, Scorching Ray
3 = Fly, Dispel Magic, Ray of Exhaustion, Tiny Hut
4 = Greater Invisibility, Dragon's Breath, Enervation
5 = Overland Flight, Teleport
NOTES:
- Lv5 spell slots are used for quickened vanish spells.
- Dragon's Breath is awesome. Sure it caps at 12d6, but it deals ANY type of energy damage you need. So default it to fire, but choose any other type
- I held off on Dimension door cos of teleport, although I know that there are many inherent benefits. I didn't take black tentacles as though a) I'm not going for control, b) my caster level is 1 lower when casting the spell and c) it doesn't make stuff flat footed
- Tiny Hut = Instant one sided Cover
- Enervation = prepare to fail your save.
Note how i only really use 2 blast spells (In hindsight, Acid Arrow was a crappy spell choice, but what can I do? lol)
Gear:
Belt of physical might +2 DEX/CON
Headband of alluring Charisma +4
Glove of Storing (With a rod of Empower Spell in it)
Ring of Freedom of Movement
Cloak of Resist +5
Ring of Wizardry II
Goggles of Sniping
Helm of the Stag
Amulet of Nat Armor +2
Ebon Wayfinder: Ioun stone of sustenance (Wayfinder gives darkvision)
Wand of Shield
Alchemist Fire (spell focus)
Vial of Acid (spell component for dispel magic)
Handy Haverack
~ Second rod of empower spell, along with a rod of extend spell, and elemental rods of cold/acid/electric
~Other stuff
OTHER NOTES: My AC is only 25. I thought bout buying bracers of armor, but I think I'm better off being stealthy and not getting attacked in the first place.
Skills:
Disable Device: 21 (14+3+4+1 vs traps + MW picks)
Escape Artist: 11
Fly: 8 + 12 when casting a fly spell
Perception: +21
Stealth +30
Spellcraft +10
UMD +18
jacetms87 wrote: Now I am hung up on choosing spells and traits I need to select one, trait from jade regant, and the other is my choice.
I simply dont know what spells besides scorching ray, and fire ball to use for blasting, any gems I am missing?
I wont learn just all blast spells, as I want to have some utility ( black tentacles=win combat alot of the time) I just want to know what the go to ones are.
gear will be for level 7 chracters with full accsess to magic items.
Scorching ray and Fireball will be your main spells for blasting most of the time.Other good spells are Ball lightning(not beacuse it does high damage itself, but it takes a move action to direct wich is great for your action economy) and Chain Lightning and of course Cold Ice Strike.
Take a couple of controlls and buffs too.Haste and Slow are both great,
Wall of Ice or Wall of Force should also be on your spells known list.
Dispel Magic, Greater invisibility,resilient sphere.Maybe a summoning,Planar Binding is great for sorcerers.Teleport, Cloudkill.
Theres more but it would help to know the rest of your group.What do they play?
As for the feats:when you start out at level 10 you´ll probably reach level 15...and thats Spell Perfection Time!!!This Feat is a monster,every spellcaster needs it and Blaster all the more so.Yoú will need quicken spell too to make it really good.A rod of quicken spell is also mandatory for you,I know its expensive but its worth the money.Craft rod would help,too. I don´t know the jade regent traits,but you can´t miss magical lineage, it´s the best trait for spellcasters by far.
I was thinking magical liniage fire ball so at 12 I can quicken a fireball then, empower one in a turn, seem ok?
jacetms87 wrote: I was thinking magical liniage fire ball so at 12 I can quicken a fireball then, empower one in a turn, seem ok? If you want to make throwing fireballs your shtick thats ok.But switch out empower spell for Intensify spell then, its the same effect but its only a 1 level increase so with magical lineage an intensified fireball is still a 3rd level spell
Oh I just saw you get Leadership.
In that case don´t take craft rod, outsource your crafting requirements to your minion. Let him take craft wondrous items and craft rod and then make him work, rod of quicken,rod of maximize,rod of empower, headband of charisma,ring of protection and a selection of ioun stones for starters.
You need this one too eventually. It doesn't start paying off till you get a few levels past 10 though.
Intensified Spell (Metamagic)
Your spells can go beyond several normal limitations.
Benefit: An intensified spell increases the maximum number of damage dice by 5 levels. You must actually have sufficient caster levels to surpass the maximum in order to benefit from this feat. No other variables of the spell are affected, and spells that inflict damage that is not modified by caster level are not affected by this feat. An intensified spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
well at level 15 it makes your fireball spell a lv4 spell that caps at 15d6... which is 3d6 more than dragon breath...I dig it
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Most dedicated damage casters need a healthy range of elemental 'types' to counter monster immunites down the line. Just keep that in mind as you pick your spells.
TheLoneCleric wrote: Most dedicated damage casters need a healthy range of elemental 'types' to counter monster immunites down the line. Just keep that in mind as you pick your spells. Yup, which is why i vouch for Dragon's Breath. I'm a huge fan of the spell for the sheer versatility of the damage type.
I have essentially a plus 3 to caster lvl right now here are my feats and spells
spontaneous metafocus,( fireball)
spell spcilization, ( fireball)
improved init
leadership
dazing spell or verisian tatto ( dont know if it is worth it to have dazing at this lvl or wait till next)
intensify spell.
spell focus, evocation
spells known
0 12 detect m., light, mage hand, mending, message, read m., spark,
pretiditation, ghost sound, resistance, open/close, detect poisen
1st 6 enlarge person, grease, identify, magic missle, obsuring mist, mount
2nd 5 glitterdust, rope trick, invisability, false life, knock
3rd 4 fireball, sleet storm, haste, slow
4th 2black tentacles, dragons breath.
5th 0
I think you need more defensive spells. Three I'd look at for you are mirror image, fly, and improved invisibility.
Stoneskin is good, but the higher you go the less useful it gets in some ways.
Haste is a really popular spell, so that or slow are things I'd drop for fly, because there is a good chance someone else can cast haste. If no one else could cast haste I'd drop slow.
At 2nd level, I'd drop knock and get mirror image. Knock is an interesting spell, but unlike some utility spells (like unseen servant and feather fall) I think you can get by with a chime of opening (10 uses 3000 gp item) or a wand, either should get you by for an adventure or two or three.
I think mirror image and fly are must gets. At fourth level though I'd only take one offensive spell and have the other be defensive.
Improved Invisibility (errrr 'Greater Invisibility') maybe.
I tend to take dimension door asap as a 4th level spell. It's so darn useful even if you get Greater Teleport (it's really Teleport Without Error though) you'll still use dimension door.
Another great choice is Resilient Sphere. You can use it to take an enemy out for a while, or protect yourself or someone else in a pinch.
The sphere is a spell with many, many uses, as many as your imagination and dm will allow.
Personally I'd take black tentacles and resilient sphere (or dimension door) at 4th.
Dragon's Breath is good, maybe I'd take that instead of black tentacles, it's hard to go wrong with either.
Maybe Dragon's Breath and Resilient Sphere at 4th. Dimension Door for next 4th level spell.
Sorry I have these as my blood line spells
Blood line spells
(3rd) mage armour, (5th)scorching ray, (7)fly (9) elemental body 1
If you can slip it past your DM the emergency force sphere spell from the Cheliax book (page 23) is the absolute ultimate defensive spell in Pathfinder, especially for a spontaneous caster. It's pretty much a game-breaker... so have fun before your DM bans it outright! ;)
|
