Oracle seems like the way to go.
Arcane Trickster isn't really what he's looking for at all. It's about combining Rogue and Wizard to get sneak attack with magic. Being a Sorcerer with the Shadow Bloodline would get him a decent version of Hide in Plain Sight, but being within 10ft of dim light isn't necessarily easy.
Is the player focused on Necromancy or are summons an option as well? There are lots of different ways to have minions and raising undead is just one option.
Animate dead can get expensive depending on how often you have to use it to get more or new minions.
Juju or Bones Oracle, Summoner, and Druid could all be valid options depending on exactly what falvor he would like to play.
Oh, and I don't need any comments on how "wizards are the best at minionmancy."
They aren't oracles are :p
Oh, you're right. So what would you recommend and why?Plan on the following feats:
By 7th: Skill focus: stealth, Hellcat stealth
By 11th: Eldritch Heritage: shadow, Improved Eldritch Heritage: ShadowTake a trait to give stealth as a class skill.. or find a PrC that gives it and advances casting.
-James
As a GM I would hesitate to allow Hellcat Stealth into your games.
Hellcat Stealth allows Hide in Plain Sight to be used in normal or bright light conditions. Shadow Bloodline ability allows a character to use Hide In Plain Sight in areas of Dim light. A character can carry throw some rocks with light spells on them and hide virtually anywhere on the battle field and be virtually impossible to detect ever.
Personally it's just something I don't like, but you can make up your own mind about it.
Play a small size character for the size bonus to Stealth and the likely racial Dex bonus on top of that.
Halflings have a racial Dex and CHA bonus. And nobody expects a Halfling to be a necromancer.
If it helps any the juju mystery has a revelation to ignore the pesky animating dead is evil and allows you to control 6HD per level.
That said Animating dead can be a little unbalanced for example:
Hypothetically and depending on the materials allowed a juju oracle can have 66Hd of undead at 7th LvL and all zombies will have max hp per HD.
So that's 3 200+ hp fast zombies using feats like undead master, corpse crafter and spell focus necromancy because it is required.
Kinda unbalancing but then again its your decision.
But back on topic yes an oracle is by far the best minionmancer.
Oh and if you can deal with the penalties the deaf curse gives free silent spell at no cost to spell level or casting time.
Gnome Bones Oracle with the Fell Magic trait. +1 Necromancy DC, small sized bonus to Stealth. The Favored Class bonus is also good for speeding up Curse progression.
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Personaly id rock a Sorcerer for the 1st level spell Blood Money and the False Focus Feat. The combo will allow him to make undead up to 4hd at a time for free using the Focus. When he wants to make 5hd+ creatures Blood Money will allow him take some str damage in order to do it saving some serious bag space and need to carry the correct material component. Also not sure what the rules say but my DM allows me to make Knowledge checks to figure out the number of HD a dead creature has.