Edit: This has been edited to reflect some changes.
Hello everyone, I'm gathering up some of my PFS credit into a level 5 character. My plan is for a sorcerer that can feint and deliver touch spells to debilitate my enemies. I'd like some advice on it, since I've never actually played a caster before. Here's what I've got.
Race: Human
STR: 7 DEX: 16 CON: 14 INT: 7 WIS: 7 CHA: 20
Classes: Monk (Maneuver Master) 1/Sorcerer (Aberrant) X
Feats
1: Improved Feint (From Maneuver Master Monk)
1: Weapon Finesse
1: Spell Focus (Transmutation)
3: Greater Spell Focus (Transmutation)
5: Empower Spell
7: Heighten Spell
7: Combat Casting (From Aberrant)
9: Spell Penetration
11: Greater Spell Penetration
Trait: Magical Knack
Trait: Wayang Spellhunter (Touch of Gracelessness)
I'm taking +1 HP FCB for the first three levels of sorcerer, then the Human Sorcerer FCB that adds a spell of 1 level lower than my highest to my spells known every level after.
As far as gear, I'll be wearing an enhanced Silken Ceremonial Armor as well as an enhanced Mithral Buckler, which both have 0% spell failure and -0 ACP. Also a Mask of Stony Demeanor.
One of my skill points per level will go into Bluff of course. The other one will probably go into UMD each level.
At level 5 my spell list looks like this
Level 0
Detect Magic, Read Magic, Touch of Fatigue, Light, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead
Level 1
Enlarge Person, Touch of Gracelessness, Chill Touch, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands
Level 2
Elemental Touch
Touch of Gracelessness (and Calcific Touch down the road) will be my big ticket items for foiling my foes so my allies can tear them down, especially once I can empower them.
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My 1 skill point per level will go into Bluff of course.
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This might not help, but you get 2 Skill Points per level.
-Doomn
Whoops good catch, forgot about that limit.
Also forgot about the human bonus skill haha. Thanks.
As for feint, I just like to have something to do with each of my actions, and I felt it was a good way to guarantee a hit so I don't waste turns on dodgy opponents. It definitely does hurt not having higher level spell access, though thankfully my more interesting touch spells are only level 1-4 anyway. I wish there was another way to get Improved Feint easily, but with the heavy feat tax and 13 int requirement it's better to just dip. I think it also adds a different dynamic to my character to make him a little more interesting.
Thanks for the great help so far!
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Well, in that case, why not get more out of the monk level? You could be a wildblooded empyreal sorc and be wisdom based. Your bluff check would go down, but your AC and will save would shoot up. You would also be able to not be encumbered by that armor and buckler, which with a STR 7 will happen.
You would also lose access to reach on the touch spells, but you could just use spectral hand for that.
The armor only weighs 4lbs, and the Mithral Buckler only 2.5lbs, though that's a good point. If I stuck with the build as-is, I'd switch the armor to a Haramaki which is the same stats for only 1lb.
That bloodline is VERY interesting. It's such a shame Wildblooded and Crossblooded don't mix, that would be a perfect double-dip. I really like it a lot, but I'm on the fence about it. It would definitely make my AC and Will saves excellent. I'm not sure if it's worth losing the reach touch though. Spectral hand is definitely a viable option, but then I can't do Elemental Touch+Deliquescent Gloves on my touch attacks.
Definitely something to mull over, thanks for the great suggestion.
WAIT I think I've got this figured out. If I take the Accelerated Drinker trait and carry potions of Enlarge Person, there's my reach. So I can totally go with Wildblooded Empyreal.
Hellllll yeeeaaah!
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WAIT I think I've got this figured out. If I take the Accelerated Drinker trait and carry potions of Enlarge Person, there's my reach. So I can totally go with Wildblooded Empyreal.
Hellllll yeeeaaah!
Go with potions of longarm. Enlarge person will reduce your to hit since you are finesse based, and lower your AC, without giving you a bonus to damage from being large sized.
Another great catch! Your advice has been invaluable to this character, thanks a ton.
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I think the monk level is wasted in your build. Feint is a situational boost that you don't need to hit as you are already targeting touch AC with touch spells.
You are already delaying access to spells as a sorcerer, slowing it even further by multiclassing really hurts.
Touch attacks negate armor and shields, not DEX bonus. Feint negates the DEX bonus. The OP is trying to get the best of both worlds, i.e. negate armor and DEX.
Yeah, I think he just meant it's a waste devoting a caster level to achieving that since Touch is already pretty easy to hit in general.
Just wanted to post an update that I played him for the first time tonight and he worked out wonderfully! Three times, I feinted and hit because of the feint when I otherwise wouldn't have, delivering debilitating damage and side effects that otherwise would have missed. I worry about his effectiveness scaling, but as a level 5 in a 4-5 tier game he did splendidly.
Not to rain on your parade, but taking Improved Feint is NOT a legal bonus feat for a Maneuver Master, as feint is not a combat maneuver.
There is evidence to suggest that it counts. The Outrider Cavalier archetype for Lashunta for example says:
Maneuver Tactics (Ex)
At 1st level, an outrider receives an Improved combat maneuver feat (such as Improved Feint) as a bonus feat...
This implies that, while it is not a combat maneuver, it does count for feat selection, and has the same wording, just offering a different example.
Good catch. Carry on, then.