I want to build a PFS half orc sorcerer/ ninja. The favored class option for sorc is 1/2 lvl to fire dmg. What I want to do is dmg buff 0 lvl spells with that and set up for SA. That is the main tool I want to use, beside all the other sorc/ninja goodness. This kills the arcane trickster option for me because favored class options don't apply to PrCs.
Anyone have any ideas how to best make this work? Or is this a hopeless option?
Is crossblooded and the orc bloodline PFS legal? If so, don't worry about the favored class bonus and go elemental fire/orc bloodlines which will stack plenty of damage onto your fire spells.
Just not as much 0 lvl spell dmg. I want an inexhaustible Ranged SA. I am looking at efriti/ Orc cross blood.
Fire Gods Blessing may be a good choice for some bonus healing as well. With 4 sorc lvls I can do 1d3+ 3 with a 0 lvl spell and with touch of rage I get +2 to hit, dmg, and will saves, and heal 1dmg every time.
Here is a question though... Would I get +1 dmg per SA dice if it is from a spell? That would put me (with ninja3) at 1d3 + 2d6 + 7 for a 0 lvl spell.
Here is the quote from the Orc bloodline arcana power. "Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled."
I guess that after 4-6 lvls of sorc, arcane trickster wouldn't be too bad.
Bump
You are in the advise section, not rules, so I will post my opinion: you don't get the bonus per die damage. My basis is that it only applies to the spell damage, not to the precision damage.
I can see the basis for adding the extra damage dice to the sneak attack, but I don't think that was the intent.
That's fine I gues... Still not too shabby as is. Do you think it would be worth going AT and alternating sorc every 2 lvls to get that dmg and bloodline bump?
It works on all dice and is more effective than the favored class bonus.
Ravingdork has a couple of arcane trickster threads floating around and I have a guide you can read on the arcane trickster if you want to.
Do you have a link?
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2o3ow?Another-Arcane-Trickster-Guide#1
I can't properly link it on my phone, but that is the thread I linked it in. You'll need to take the space out of that link for it to work.
Wonderful stuff, great guide! Let me lay out the progression I have in mind.
Half-Orc (racial traits?), reactionary and freed slave for character traits.
Str: 7
Dex: 16
Con: 13
Int: 12
Wis: 12
Cha: 15 (+2)
1) sorc (cross blooded Orc/ elemental)- Weapon finesse
2) sorc-
3) ninja- imp initiative
4) ninja- vanish trick (+1 cha)
5) sorc- Fire Gods Blessing
6) sorc-
7) ninja- point blank shot
8) ninja- pressure points (+1 con)
9) sorc- toughness
10) sorc-
11) AT- weapon focus: touch
12) AT- (+1 Cha)
A little wonky on the build, but taking the half Orc fcb gives me plus 3 to all fire dmg. I could see losing pressure points for an extra sorc or AT lvl as well. That puts me at 1d3 + 3d6 + 4 from Orc arcana + 3 hit/dmg from bloodline power + 3 from fcb = 21 avg dmg on a 0 lvl spell.
What do you think?
Any final thoughts?
Yeah, sorry needed sleep.
I think you're going to hurt a lot. Bouncing back and forth between the base classes isn't going to get you much of anything as your caster level hurts and your lack of sneak attack hurts.
I personally think you could cut out the level 9~10 sorcerer and get at there.
Look at it this way: You want those sorcerer levels for an extra +1 damage.
If you instead took the AT levels you would get +1d6 from sneak attack plus the same caster levels but you would also get +1 from your bloodline abilities. Basically every sneak attack die you pick up makes up for the lack of favored class bonus since that sneak attack die gives you another die to get your bonus damage on. Getting those AT levels also means you're getting more good stuff from your prestige class.
On taking 4 ninja levels I'm 'meh' -- on the one side an extra ninja trick (plus ki point) on the other side it hurts your saves delays your spell casting more. Yes you do get an extra point of BAB but that's not as huge as it could be -- one you're already getting past +6 so you'll get an extra swing if needed (hopefully it never is) and the simple +1 isn't a huge deal when you'll be dealing with no dex touch attacks so often, and going with 5 levels in AT means another sneak attack die (which means 3 compared to 2) which means another point of bonus damage.
Personally I wouldn't go elemental on the bloodline -- I would go dragon. Doing so means an extra +1 damage per die meaning adding sneak attack to the means +3d6+6 damage instead of just +3d6+3 damage. There are plenty of spells available at all levels that you shouldn't have to use your bloodline to turn other spells into fire spells.
Finally I would personally consider not going crossblooded very carefully. Crossblooding means you won't have a spell of your highest spell level when you first gain that spell level and that can be very frustrating. Also the bonus damage isn't quite enough to me to justify not getting 5 spells known.
Very interesting suggestions there. The fcb is not too great, but I thought it a good way to advance the bloodline as well. 2 sorc lvle give me +1 dmg from fcb, +1 to hit dmg and will (touch of rage), a bloodline feat, and a bloodline spell. So that is the trade I was looking for. AT gives the extra SA without sacrificing any more spell progression, and that is the only thing that I am looking to draw from it.
The 4th ninja lvl is by no means needed, just a bit bump that I could do without.
Being crossblooded is also bad on the will save. If you have attributes to spare (like you rolled them or something) then it's a bit better. Crossblooded is also mostly useful for builds that use a lot of metamagic, since the slots are more important than new spells known. You aren't using metamagic, so I'd steer clear.
Also, Abe is right on when it comes to the favored class bonus vs. the dragon bloodline. Listening to him will give you more mileage.
Also, considering your idea, you might want to look into this spell in the future when you get to that caster level.
Thanks, great tips! I will revise and tweak accordingly.
|
I'm just going to throw this out here.
You want the sorcerer to get an at will touch attack you can sneak attack with, yes? And you want to keep going sorcerer because the FCB gives 1/2 damage per level? Please, correct me if I'm wrong.
If this is the case, you're doing it wrong. Every two levels you get an added die of sneak attack damage. That's an average 3.5 damage over the 1 damage from two sorcerer levels. Also, the sorcerer damage boost from the FCB is restricted to fire damage, which is highly resisted.
Instead, may I suggest a couple levels in admixture wizard, perhaps a one level dip in cross blooded for the damage, and the rest in ninja? This gets you the versatility of having every elemental energy, the damage boosts of sorcerer, and the higher damage of sneak attack.
Yes and no... It's the fcb, the advancing touch of rage, and bloodline feat and spells as well. Cross blooding Orc and elemental lets all my energy spells be fire, and gives me access to meta magic bloodline feats as well. Not optimal, but not sub optimal either. I am shooting for a fire and shadow spell sniper more than AT, but I certainly see the advantage of the class for its SA+ spell progression. I just don't want to lose too much on bloodline advancement.
I can't see the look up some of the stuff from work right now. But if I recall correctly.
Things from the ARG half-orc section ARE allowed.
Things from the ARG orc section are NOT allowed.
I'm not sure which section some of the things you mentioned are actually from. But I thought some of them were from the orc section. So double check the source.
It could be nothing with what you want to do, but my suggestion is: not focus in one element. I played a AT until level 18 and elemental resistance will be a problem since the sneak attack damage takes the type of the spell you cast.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Yeah I didn't say it but part of the reason I suggest not crossblooding is orc is flat extra damage based on dice without any connection to energy type, opening up your options against different energy types. Flexibility is always good.