sneaky arcanist

[mikkelibob]

I'm wanting to create a sneaky mage. I'm aware of the sage/seeker sorcerer. It is interesting. Wizard is interesting too. But I really love the idea of the dimensional slide exploit with the arcanist playtest. I figure decent dex and high int, plus extra skills via traits and/or feats would let me get most the sneaky skills that seem relevant without having to dip.

build up to lvl 5:

human arcanist 3
STR 8 [-2]
DEX 14 [5]
CON 12 [2]
INT 16 [10] +2
WIS 10 [0]
CHA 14 [5]
traits:
Trap Finder (campaign) - disable device & trapfinding
Eyes and Ears of the City (Religion) - perception skills
Convincing Liar (Social) - bluff skill
Magical Lineage (magic) - vanish
skills: 2+4(int)+1(human)+1(fav class). Acrobatics, Bluff, Disable Devices, Know (arcna), Perception, Spellcraft, Stealth. 1 more, maybe UMD or diplomacy?
(1) Additional Traits
(H) Island Blood /Hermean Blood (2 more class skills - acrobatics & stealth)
(3) Silent Spell (either as metamagic feat or feat through exploit)
(3) open exploit - maybe school understanding (air elemental)
(5) open feat - (improved initiative?)
(5) open exploit - potent magic?

The idea is a ninja-like sneaky guy. Part skill monkey; at least as a trapfinder. Between the dimensional slide and silent vanish, he should be a fun scout and burglar. I'll take a mix of sneaky flavor spells prepared, along with mostly utility/buff type spells. My question is whether I'm not taking enough arcane spell focus type feats, and will find the casting lacking. I also am not sure what other explots make sense. I was thinking that the School Understanding (air elemental) would be fun. Feather fall, levitate, and flight all seem useful for a burglar mage.

[The Bald Man]

I have thought about a sneaky wizard before. So an arcanist isn't far off. One thing the wizard has going for it is the shared skill with the familiar. Until the ACG comes out we won't know if there is a way to get a familiar, but I see that as a key class feature.

Personally I would drop acrobatics (between dimensional slide and other spells you shouldn't need it). I like to pick up UMD with an int item (won't be UMD'ing in an anti-magic field anyway).

I am coming across this late...have you already made the character? How is it working?