I've always loved the Thief series and was thinking about how to make the ultimate PF stealth character. Flavor is also important, which I why I am wondering what kind of ideas you guys have.
First things first: the Goblin. Goblin's get a +4 Dex mod, +4 racial bonus to Stealth and an additional +4 to Stealth for being small. Wow. So.... Goblin Ninja/Shadowdancer? Just my first idea. I wouldn't necessarily want to play a Goblin for every stealth character, but he's hard to beat, mechanically.
Second, anything that can cast invisibility. So that includes School illusion (glamer); Level alchemist, antipaladin, bard, inquisitor, magus, sorcerer/wizard, summoner; Domain trickery; Bloodline arcane. Which a lot. Get Stealth as a class skill and off you go. Arcane Trickster maybe...? ;D
Next, the rogue archetype Burglar, mostly cause of this:
Distraction (Ex)
At 8th level, whenever a burglar is detected while using Stealth, she can immediately attempt a Bluff skill check opposed by the Sense Motive skill of the creature that spotted her. If this check succeeds, the target assumes that the noise was something innocent and disregards the detection. This only functions if the creature cannot see the rogue. This ability can only be used once during a given Stealth attempt. If the same creature detects the rogue’s presence again, the ability has no effect.
This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.
Too bad it's not til 8th Lv.
Another idea is the Cutpurse, for flavor. They get some interesting pickpocket things. Chameleon's get 10 on Stealth rolls for a favorite terrain.
Lastly, the Ranger! You get the archery possibilities, lots of skill points, Stealth as a class skill, Favored Terran gives you a Stealth bonus, at 12th Lv you can use your Stealth skill to hide in any of his favored terrains (even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment) and 17th is Hide in Plain Sight. I don't know much about the archetypes, other than Urban Ranger, who I had a bunch of fun playing, very Zorro, very Batman.
Well, I gotta go back to work, but other ideas? Critique? Anything from Max/Mins to minor optimization to flavor, I'm curious what you have!
Actually if you want stealth go for a Slyph Archeologist Bard. Take the Wisper Wind alternate Race Trait for +4 on stealth. Vanish is available as a 1st level bard spell and can later be replaced with Invisibility, and greater invisibility. Windy Escape is a Slyph spell that allows you to turn to air as an immediate action only give DR 10/Magic and immunity to critical hits, sneak attack and poison but still a nice spell.
Take Vagabond child to get disable device as a class skill and you will be a better thief then a Rogue or even a Ninja. The Archeologist Luck gives you a +2 bonus on attack, damage, skill rolls and saves.
Bards get a lot of spells that fit into the thief role. Feather Fall, Expeditious Retreat and Pilfering Hand for 1st and second level spells.
Greetings, fellow warrior of the shadows. This is a character I made for a Thieves Guild game. He sports an impressive +26 Stealth at level 3, though I did get a +1 trait bonus and Skill Focus for free from the game, but that should just equal the +4 racial modifier you get.
I submit this character to you to help with the flavor part of your question. I had a lot of fun writing his backstory and I hope you enjoy reading it.
Now, goblin rogues also get a delicious Favored Class bonus to Stealth. You can UMD a wand of reduce person for an extra +5 Stealth (+1 Dex, +4 Size).
The cloak of elvenkind item grants a very nice +5 bonus to Stealth for only 2500 gp.
Take Skill Focus and Stealthy for an extra +5 Stealth (+10 after level 9)
The feat Hellcat Stealth might also interest you.
Greetings, fellow warrior of the shadows. This is a character I made for a Thieves Guild game. He sports an impressive +26 Stealth at level 3, though I did get a +1 trait bonus and Skill Focus for free from the game, but that should just equal the +4 racial modifier you get.
I submit this character to you to help with the flavor part of your question. I had a lot of fun writing his backstory and I hope you enjoy reading it.
Now, goblin rogues also get a delicious Favored Class bonus to Stealth. You can UMD a wand of reduce person for an extra +5 Stealth (+1 Dex, +4 Size).
The cloak of elvenkind item grants a very nice +5 bonus to Stealth for only 2500 gp.
Take Skill Focus and Stealthy for an extra +5 Stealth (+10 after level 9)
The feat Hellcat Stealth might also interest you.
I feel like I'm missing a link or something...
Just to be silly go for a ninja/monk. Get fast stealth and the vanish trick. Mad fast and stealthy (emphasis on MAD though...).
Click his name.
Oh. Haha?
@ Darkstalker
Cool. I enjoy your backstory. Are you currently playing the game? Your final detail is my favorite part, with the silver coin. Awesome. Makes me wanna play my thief even more!
Sniper, eh. Hmmm.
Hellcat is crazy. It's like the poor man's Hide in Plain Sight.
Feats I've been looking at:
-Good Unnoticed (yay small characters)
-Sneaky Vagabond (Urban Escape thief stuff)
And the more I look at PF Rangers, the more I love them. They're nuts. They get 6+Int Skill Ranks, and these skills:
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
And an urban Ranger adds Disable Device and Knowledge (local) to his list of class skills and removes Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) from his list of class skills. And you get "Favored Community" instead of Favored Terran.
You know. Plus, the full BAB and d10 HD. ....and plenty of combat feats.
I mean I played my Zorro/Batman Urban Ranger Switch-hitter with the double identity named The Black Lash, and I still can't get over how effective these guys are.
this might not be exactly what your looking for, but its worth a look.
The knockout sniper:
Goblin Sniper Rogue 10
20 Point Buy:
10 STR
22 Dex (28 mod)
11 Con
10 Int
10 Wiz
10 CharFeats:
Skill Focus: Stealth
Stealthy
Point Blank Shot
Sap Adept
Sap MasterTalents:
Weapon Training: Shortbow
Bleeding Attack
Combat Trick: Rapid Shot
Combat trick: Bludgeoner
Stealthy SniperRelevant skills: 10 in stealth for a +42 standard bonus (10 ranks + 3 class skill + 4 goblin + 4 small + 5 cloak + 9 dex + 3 focus + 4 stealthy)
Alternate favored class option: +1 to first sneak attack/level
Equipment: Shortbow +2, Sniper Goggles, Dex gloves +4, blunted arrows, cloak of elvenkind
Basically here we use our bludgeoner feat to give our arrows nonlethal damage, and use the sap tree to steroid that single attack. Sap Adept adds 2 to each sneak attack dice, sap mastery doubles the number of dice, and sniper goggles add a further 2 to each.
A snipe attack at 30 ft. with this build will be at +20 to hit, doing 1d3+10d6+20(goggles)+20(adept)+10(favored)+2(enhc)+1+10(bleed) for a total of 1d3+10d6+53+10(bleed) nonlethal damage on a single arrow. This is a min of 64 and max of 116, plus 10 per round of lethal bleed. At level 10, this lets us 1-shot most mooks and some minibosses into unconsciousness, who then bleed out over the next few rounds. Our goblin then makes a stealth check at a +32 (-10 for sniping) to remain stealthed.
If we want to go full-attack with rapid shot, it becomes +18/+18/+13 for 3d4+30d6+159+10bleed, a 189 min and 348 max if all hit, enough to toast any level-appropriate BBEG that can take nonlethal damage.
Now this was intended as a one trick pony, but its got some useful info anyways.