Fairly new to posting in forums. Long term reader, first time thread creator so please, bare with me.
I have a character build idea in mind that would at level 16, deal 27d6 + 54, with a fireball, averaging our to a total of 148dmg, or 74dmg if they make their save. I find this pretty impressive myself.
So, as far as the build goes, I only have level progression and the fact that you need the Magical Knack Trait figured out:
1st: Cross-Blooded Sorcerer (Choosing Draconic (copper is recommended to better deal with higher level fire resistance) and Orc bloodlines) unfortunately you will always only have 1 spell for this class. Make it something useful: Grease, Obscuring Mist, Shield (I don't recommend Mage armor, as you'll take that with your Wizard levels, and a first lvl shield spell should last you through most combats)
2nd - 4th: Wizard Evocation Specialist (Admixture subtype, allowing you to switch dmg types to acid, cold, fire, or electric)
5th: Vivisectionist Alchemist (Or Rogue or Ninja, just need that SA I prefer Vivisectionist Alchemist, there may be a better Rogue Archtype)
6th: Assassin (yes, this means you must be "evil") gives you the required 2d6 sneak attack dmg for the next 10th lvls of:
7th-16th: Arcane Trickster. (Going this path basically demands an alignment of either NE or CE, both can be fun, but only NE is really all that cohesive with an adventuring party)
17th - 20th: Wizard
So, at 8th lvl, you could, in theory, use a scorching ray (acid) for: 4d6 (Base Scorching Ray dmg)
3d6 (Sneak attack dmg)
+14 (Sneak dmg counts as the same energy descripter as the spell, therefore, your Draconic and Orc Bloodlines both add +7 static dmg)
and a second ray for 4d6+8 (as sneak attack can only apply to the first shot).
Or at 16th lvl, you could hit with the Fireball I mentioned above.
Any remarks/advice/critics/praise are appreciated
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Thanks for posting! Welcome! That's a big fireball!
I ran Rise of the Rune Lords, ending with Level 16 PCs. At that level they each inflicted about 300+ HP per round. The entire party dealt 1500 HP to 2000 HP of combat damage per round, sometimes more. A small fraction of that was from the Fireball-specialist Wizard. While the wizard did less damage than your build, his job was to control the battlefield, not to inflict damage. His thing was Dazing Fireballs, because those locked down foes and prevented them from acting while the other PCs chopped them into little pieces.
The best damage burst was actually from the Life Shaman! This guy inflicted over 1200 damage in one round, with a single spell, by hitting every foe on a crowded battlefield. Despite doing a lot of damage, his purpose was not to inflict damage, it was to hinder enemy actions. It's generally best for high level spell casters to work at hindering or disabling foes, and leave the actual damage to the martial PCs. Martial PCs can only inflict damage, and can generally inflict a lot more single-target damage than any caster.
Snakebite striker brawler archetype gives 1d6 sneak at lvl 1, so you wouldn't have to be evil.
If you have some way to make things flat footed, elemental aura would be pretty cool.
Yeah, I understand that if you build a blaster, you are under-utilizing a caster's abilities, but still, sometimes you just need to build a monster fireball. How many creatures did that Life Shaman hit at once?
Snakebite striker brawler archetype gives 1d6 sneak at lvl 1, so you wouldn't have to be evil.
If you have some way to make things flat footed, elemental aura would be pretty cool.
My DM hasn't opened up Hybrid classes yet. Snakebite Brawler would be cool, and Assassin's pretty generally suck, though the INT necessary for this build would make Death Attack almost worth it.
Sleepless Detective in Paths of Prestige can get you that second sneak attack dice if you want to go that way.
Taking 1 level of Vivisectionist and 1 level of Rogue or Ninja should get you the 2 sneak attack dice you need as well.
There is no need whatsoever to be an Assassin or have an evil alignment unless you want to.