|
Not really what you're looking for, but if I wanted to create a character who was a divine spellcaster and could be described as a "trickster", I'd go with a cleric of Sun Wukong with the Trickery and Chaos (Protean) domains, focused on melee touch spells. For added fun, make him a gnome and take a one level dip into bard with the Prankster archetype from the Advanced Race Guide.
Could always do a 1-dip in Arcane Trickster and then go Evangelist after that. 3/4 BAB and Deific Boons for one level lost.
Also, you can just take Minor Magic Rogue talent for Mage Hand, avoid the two feats. Need an Int score of 10, sould be doable.
About viability: I really like Sneak Attack. I also really like religion. I've tried to make a bunch of variations on a character like this. Never actually seen play with it, but one of my characters I'm always hoping I can play one day that has a ton of builds and rebuilds. Inquisitor + few rogue levels + Grey Gardener is my usual method, but I've done Cleric + Grey Gardener, Cleric + Assassin (Occult Mysteries has a faction that let's you replace poison use in the Assassin class with +cleric spell casting levels), and the Arcane Trickster with Cleric, Rogue, Assassin, Evangelist. In this case, I obtained Mage Hand with the Two-World Magic trait as I had the open trait slot.
Would I have been better off doing straight Ninja or straight Cleric? Probably. But I think the Cleric Trickster was probably the best version if you want 9th level spells.
Ooh, a sneak attacker! Would an Inquisitor with Precise Strike tickle your fancy?
(In other news, I approve of this thread.)
You can do a Cleric 1/Rogue (or Rogue equivalent) 3/Arcane Trickster 1/Evangelist X.
At level 12, you will have spell-casting as an 8th level Cleric and Sneak Attack as a 10th level Rogue.
If you wanted to get better Cleric casting, you could do Cleric 4/Rogue 1/PrC with Sneak Attack at level 1/Arcane Trickster 1/Evangelist. I'm not too familiar with what PrCs are available in PFS, but if there was one with minimal requirements you could get by with one more level of Cleric casting 5th-level spells.
Ooh, a sneak attacker! Would an Inquisitor with Precise Strike tickle your fancy?
(In other news, I approve of this thread.)
I've love the inquisitor, but it's not really a sneak-attacker and kind of feels more like a divine bard with some good combat potential. You're talking about the +1d6 precision damage teamwork feat...eww...teamwork feats should be at least double a normal feat since at least two feat equivalents are required to use them. (Either two people take the feat or one has an ability which
...like the Inquisitor's Solo Tactics and free Teamwork Feats powers? Or the Inquisitor's Bane power?
I really like the Grey Warden/Grey Gardener PrC. As a heads up, last time I recommended it I was told it was not PFS legal. Not sure if this is the case still.
I really like the Grey Warden/Grey Gardener PrC. As a heads up, last time I recommended it I was told it was not PFS legal. Not sure if this is the case still.
Yea, the problem with Grey Gardener in PFS was the entry requirement. Having to publicly execute someone can be disruptive of the party and be viewed as "evil".
Hmm...besides lore, and maybe Dramatic Interrogation/Final Demise getting out of hand, I can't really think of a reason for it to be excluded from the allowable PrC list from Paths of Prestige. To be fair, the Gray Gardeners and the Revolutionary Council aren't exactly a "good" organization.
A druid with the monkey domain gets ranged legerdemain at 6th level and some skill boosts from the start. For situational damage boosting give the monkey familiar a wand and you have two characters blasting away - when you can afford it.
OK, here's the druid I was suggesting, in a little more detail.
Garuda-blooded Aasimar
STR 12
DEX 14 +2 racial
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 16 +2 racial
CHA 8
Traits: Trap Finder, one that makes stealth a class skill.
Plains Druid archetype, Monkey domain
Druid 1 Familiar, Monkey Athletics, Two-Weapon Fighting
Druid 2 Plains Traveler
Druid 3 Run Like the Wind, Skill Focus (Stealth)
Druid 4 Savanna Ambush
Druid 5 Dampen Presence
Druid 6 Ranged Legerdemain, Wild Shape
Druid 7 Improved Familiar
Max Acrobatics, Disable Device, Stealth & Perception; use your favored class bonus to get at least one rank of Survival for verisimilitude. You can beat people up with a shillelagh'ed quarterstaff from level 1, you're an expert acrobat & you get various bonuses to stealth in natural surroundings (especially but not exclusively plains). When you get an improved familiar which can speak your familiar can use wands for that burst damage.
i.e. trickster without the PrC.
Another idea -ninja 3./ oracle (seeker, elementalist oracle archetypes, deaf curse) 1 / arcane trickster X. Essentially spells replacing all but one ninja trick, and they're all silenced for use when sneaking. The downside is that neither cleric spells nor oracle mystery spells are heavy on things that benefit from sneak attack - I added the elementalist oracle archetype just to get Elemental Touch.
Is that one spell (w/sneak attack), arriving at character level 7, enough to carry the character in combat from that point in your opinion?
Another idea -ninja 3./ oracle (seeker, elementalist oracle archetypes, deaf curse) 1 / arcane trickster X. Essentially spells replacing all but one ninja trick, and they're all silenced for use when sneaking. The downside is that neither cleric spells nor oracle mystery spells are heavy on things that benefit from sneak attack - I added the elementalist oracle archetype just to get Elemental Touch.
Is that one spell (w/sneak attack), arriving at character level 7, enough to carry the character in combat from that point in your opinion?
Look up "Mist Assassin" on the boards. The original build was for a deaf Waves Oracle/Rogue, but the Rogue can be easily replaced with a Vivisectionist or Ninja.
It would use Obscuring Mist and the Water Sight revelation to get full concealment against an opponent for all the sneak attacks one could want. Starting at 4th Oracle level, it adds Silence to its tricks. That way, the target couldn't see and target the assassin, can't hear him, can't cast spells or call for help.
Note that using Obscuring Mist offensively is a problem for everyone else in the party, who won't benefit from the strategy. But it's scarily effective and very thematic for a one-on-one combat.
I was thinking of using invisibility & sneak attack to buff spells rather than using mist to hide and reach weapons for offence. A different emphasis and probably different feats.
The Mist Assassin does look effective though as you say better for a lone assassin, or perhaps a BBEG with suitably trained and prepared minions.
Edit: Though it could be a backup plan. It wouldn't take that much investment.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, Contributor
|
There are a couple different ways you could do this with a druid base that might be easier than using cleric or oracle. The druid spell list is a lot more conducive to magical sneak attacks. Also, several spells can give you multiple touch attacks (produce flame, frostbite, flame blade), which will be helpful with the low BAB that any kind of mix like this will ultimately have.
Options 1: More casting, later entry
Race:
-Aasimar or Tiefling
--Garuda-blooded or asura-spawn are probably best.
Traits:
-Magical Knack
-Technic Tinkerer or Wealthy Dabbler
Class layout:
1 Druid 1
2 Druid 2
3 Druid 3
4 Druid 4
5 Rogue/Ninja 1
6 Inner Sea Pirate 1
7 Arcane Trickster
Advantages: Full casting, wide range of druid options via archetypes, wild shape 1/day (great for scouting). No feat restrictions. Should be viable (few dead levels) from level 1. Get to be a pirate.
Drawbacks: Skill point allocation is tight. Doesn't get sneak attack until level 5. (Could do druid 1, rogue 1, druid 2, druid 3, druid 4, but quicker access to 2nd level spells is probably better than 1d6 sneak attack and trapfinding.) Have to be a pirate.
Option 2: More sneaky, less spellcasting
Race:
-Aasimar or Tiefling
--Garuda-blooded or asura-spawn are probably best.
Traits:
-Magical Knack
-Technic Tinkerer or Wealthy Dabbler OR Trait of your choice, if you use your rogue talent for Minor Magic (Mage Hand).
Class layout:
1 Druid 1
2 Rogue 1
3 Rogue 2
4 Rogue 3
5 Arcane Trickster 1
Advantages: Quickest entry into arcane trickster. Sneaks like a rogue. Evasion. Options available via rogue talent. A few (sort of) interesting rogue options via archetype. No feat restrictions.
Drawbacks: Loses out on interesting druid class features. Level 2 (and probably 3) are going to be a bit rough. You want to be making touch attacks with this build, and you won't really have the spells for it until later levels.
Notes:
-Normally, I'm ninja > rogue, but even with the second build, that makes for a pretty MAD stat spread. Possibility, though; vanishing trick is good, as are extra attacks.
-I kept this PFS legal. There are some other options if you go outside that.