| pippinTook |
I'm making a human mesmerist who will be significantly more successful when he reaches 2nd and I multiclass him.
Here's the basic build (and I opted for the additional +2 to a stat rather than the extra feat and skill point).
Str: 10
Dex: 18 +4
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 10
Cha: 18 +4
I'll have unnatural lust as a 1st level spell (because making the foe run lovingly towards a barbarian is just a good choice). I'll be using a wand of hypnotism. He'll suggest that there's great music playing and they should dance. Because it's funny. His feat choice at 1st will be spell focus: enchantment.
At second level, I'll have him multiclass into swashbuckler as it's also charisma-based and will work gloriously with his sword cane. He also gets weapon finesse as a free feat at that point. I'm thinking opportune parry and riposte will be a rather featured move for him.
Hopefully, I'll be able to do some filed control with the spell casting, but if not, I'll at least have some decent success with a blade (+5 to hit).
Thoughts?
| pippinTook |
Having to multiclass to make a viable character tends to indicate that the Mesmerist itself is not effective.
In my playtesting (and in that of several others from what I've read), the mesmerist does not work extremely well as is. However, it does seem to have a skill set and build that stacks nicely with the swashbuckler. It seems that multiclassing has fallen further and further out of favor as Pathfinder has continued to develop, but I still really enjoy the concept of a multiclass, and this seems like a pretty perfect fit to me.
I'm debating whether or not I want to try dumping stats a bit to get the charisma score higher to increase the DC for the spells.| pippinTook |
Okay, I've fine tuned this idea a bit, but I still have some areas where I'd appreciate some input.
Here's the new build:
Str: 10
Dex: 17 +3
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 8 -1
Cha: 20 +5
The will save will get boosted when I take the second level of mesmerist and can add my cha bonus to will saves.
I'm looking at taking a one level dip into swashbuckler so this character can do field control with mesmerist magic and tricks (such as false flank which makes an ally think they're flanking so they get the bonus), but also have some melee function so he can flank and do at least some damage (sword cane as his weapon of choice). The swashbuckler's finesse will let him use the dex bonus to hit and the dex also boosts his AC (which will be a 17 as I'll wear lamellar leather). I'm using a 1 chronicle character slot to build this, so I'll be getting him a wand of ill omen (which has no saving throw and makes the target roll twice taking the lower roll) and I'll also use hypnotism (and my DC will be boosted by spell focus: enchantment as my 1st level feat) to help make foes ineffective. DC for a 1st level enchantment spell will be 17.
My logic with this build is that both the swashbuckler and mesmerist are charisma-based, so that's solid overlap, the sword cane will be easier to sneak into "weapons not welcome" areas so we can have someone armed, I'll have a functional role against spell resistant foes or in an anti-magic field, and as a support character, flanking is a good way to support. Also, opportune parry and riposte sounds outstanding, though that and the swashbuckler's finesse are the only features I really want from the swashbuckler, so the level dip seems perfect.
The questions
1. I'm debating between unnatural lust (which would move an enemy into melee range, though they get a +4 if they wouldn't ordinarily be attracted) or murderous command (which gives the one round of foe on foe, but doesn't help with getting foes into range.
2. Does it make more sense to have both dex and cha at 18 so I have more skill at swashbuckling, or is it better to boost the cha to 20?
3. Would anyone recommend using beguiling gift? I'm a bit torn on it as it seems to include getting into 5ft range and then having to cast defensively. Can I cast it and then 5 ft step up to hand the item?