For a high level game we're playing, there's a slight possibility that my character might get executed for something that I won't go into detail, but enough that I'm working on a secondary character in case things hit the fan.
The character level will be 15, and here's the concept I have so far:
1 unchained rogue
4 Magus(I haven't decided an archetype)
Take the "accomplished sneak attacker" feat
10 arcane trickster.
The idea is that I can use magical abilities to aid in the delivery of sneak attack, and if I'm invisible it's real easy to stack up quite a bit of damage in a single spell combat.
However, one thing that I noticed is that there will be a very small amount of HP on this character, at least for a level 15, and the BaB will be low which means I'll need to rely on every other method that I can get (such as sneak attack, who knew).
The problem with it is that I have zero experience playing a rogue, so I don't know what tools are available. How do I mitigate the low HP, perhaps what tools can I use or what items specifically to look out for.
In addition, is there a nice magus archetype to look into? What arcana might be valuable other than the obvious Prescient attack?
You don't get a lot of good stuff with the one level in UnRogue. Two other options to consider are Snakebite Striker Brawler (for the better BAB and hp) or Vivisectionist Alchemist (for extracts and mutagen). Since you are likely to have a high Int for your Magus levels, there is nice synergy with the Alchemist option.
One of the best ways to deal with low hp is to use a ranged build. You should look into the Myrmidarch, Card Caster, and Eldritch Archer Magus archetypes since they all get ranged versions of Spellstrike. Being able to deliver an attack with both Sneak Attack and Spellstrike is sweet.
To help offset the low BAB, I would suggest the Arcane Accuracy Magus Arcana. Bullseye Shot is also a possibility, although it won't work with a full attack action. Arcane Pool, of course, can improve both your 'to hit' and damage.
I play a Rouge magus arcane trickster once he hit really hard I went with Rouge poisoner and hexcraft magus with for feat spell heighten, so I could get prefer spell vanish and scorching ray(you can get sneak attack on each ray). Close range is a must for any magus along with truestrike.
i would drop the level of Unchained Rogue personally and would go straight magus with VMC rogue then qualify by 10th with Accomplished Sneak Attacker
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
|
You can cover for the low hit points with a high constitution (add belt or ioun stone as needed to boost it by at least +4), and you can cover for the low to-hit with the Magus's plethora of self buffs.
That said, I don't see the Arcane Trickster adding a lot, considering you'll lose several Magus Arcana and all of its higher level class features. I'd suggest one level of any sneak attack class, then go full Magus all the way, and take Accomplished Sneak Attacker for another SA die and use Spell Blending to grab the Sense Vitals spell.
After considering everything, I've decided to make my character into something of a switch-hitter. He can do ranged spell sneak attacks or he can do melee shenanigans as the magus does.
As for what the tradeoffs are...
Losing 10 levels of magus, past 4. At level 15, this equates to:
level 5: Bonus feat
Level 6: magus arcana
Level 7: Knowledge Pool, Medium Armor
Level 8: Improved spell combat
Level 9: magus arcana
Level 10: Fighter training
Level 11: Improved spell recall, Bonus feat
Level 12: Magus Arcana
Level 13: Heavy Armor
Level 14: Greater spell combat
Medium armor, Heavy armor, improved/greater spell combat, fighter training, and knowledge pool are all irrelevant, given that I can throw gold at knowledge pool and the build will be high-dex. From what I've been fiddling with it's high enough dex that I don't even benefit from any light armor. Concentration check bonuses are irrelevant at the high level 15 I'm starting at, as well as the fact that I'm spending a lot of time invisible, so I won't need to cast defensively. This shortens the list down to:
2 bonus feats, 3 magus arcana, improved spell recall, and also +3 worth of enhancement bonus from arcane pool progression.
Compare this to what the arcane trickster gets:
Ranged Legleblegle(however you spell it), 5d6 sneak attack, Impromptu sneak attack x2, Tricky Spells x5, Invisible Thief, Surprise spell.
Ranged Lorgleing is worth at least a feat by itself, and is very useful for general adventuring.
Given impromptu sneak attack, 5d6 of sneak attack as part of class progression has to be worth at least another feat, so those two bonus feats are covered.
Tricky spells is 5x better than 2 magus arcana, even though those arcana are a bit less valuable. However, given the class is going to be arcane trickster, they would be arcana I might have just taken anyway given the slots. At 5x uses per day, It's definitely great.
Impromptu sneak attack is comparable to and often better than arcane accuracy in terms of usefulness to a sneak attacker, so that's another arcana covered. It's especially amazing in that you can be looking the enemy in the eye and, if you really need to, still sneak attack him. Just an amazing ability.
So we're left with comparing Invisible thief and surprise spell to Improved spell recall and HD/BaB/Pool losses. In my opinion, for the class we're going for here, those two far outweigh the loss of some HP and BaB as well as improved spell recall. This is, of course, my opinion, but because of this opinion I really want to try out this build.
So, onwards to the build I have so far.
Race: Elf.
Scores(rolled base)
str 12
Dex 24(16+2 racial +2 levels 4/8 +4 item)
Con 18(15-2 racial +1 level 12 +4 item)
Int 23(15+2 racial +6 item)
Wis 11
Cha 8
Racial traits:
Fleet footed(initiative)
Elven magic
Elemental resistance(cold(setting related))
Low-Light Vision
Character traits:
Reactionary
magical Knack
Class levels:
Kensai Magus 4(For the extra AC, essentially. However, diminished spellcasting and loss of spell recall? is there a better way to have no armor?)
Vivisectionist Alchemist 1(great idea, there.)
Arcane Trickster 10
Feats:
Bonus: Weapon focus(estoc), Throw Anything, Brew Potion
1-Toughness
3-Improved Initiative
5-Accomplished Sneak Attacker(for arcane trickster qualification by level 6 via magus)
7-Weapon Finesse
9-Extra Arcana: Spell Blending: mage armor, Fiery Shuriken
11-Intensified Spell
13-Spell penetration
15-Extra Arcana: Wand Wielder(for use with wand of vanish. yeah.)
Magic Items:
headband of vast intelligence +6
belt of physical Might +4(Con, Dex)
Cloak of resistance +5
Ring of Invisibility
Sniper Goggles
Keen Estoc +5
Ring of Protection +2
Amulet of natural Armor +2
Miscellaneous purchased spells ~2100 GP
Wand of Vanish
Leaving roughly 7800 to play with, before random adventuring gear.
This puts my HP at 147, assuming 4 points of FC magus, 8 HP first level, and average-round-up.
AC: Base 25, from 10 + Dex 7 + Items 4 + kensai 4. 29 with mage armor, 33 with shield, 37 with alchemist's mutagen enhancing Dex.
Saves(we're using fractional saves system)
Fort = +16
Reflex = +20(22 during mutagen)
Will = +14(13 during mutagen)
CMD = 34
Initiative = +15(17 when in mutagen, doesn't come up as much)
Magus arcana at 3: Arcane accuracy
Notable spells:
0: Acid splash, arcane mark, detect magic, prestidigitation.
1: magic missile, shield, mage armor, shocking grasp, true strike,
2: Bladed dash, Mirror Image, Fiery Shuriken, Stone call, Pyrotechnics
3: Fireball, Haste
4: Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
5: Greater Bladed Dash
Basically, anything that grants mobility, invisibility/sneak attack uses, or good uses of surprise spells will be my main spells. Are there any spells I might be missing? I have plenty of gold to throw at more spells, so I'd be glad for suggestions.
Fireball, magic missile, and stone call are all great for surprise spell, and fiery shuriken was simply too amazing to pass up, given that it's 8 applications of sneak attack at a "don't roll a 1" hit chance. That's 8d8 + 56d6(+112 due to sniper's goggles at close range), notably far better than scorching ray's 33d6(+42) damage in the same situation.
That just about covers the numbers that I ended up working out. What do you guys think about it? I'd love advice for minor tweaks.
Okay, so I just found this very saddening FAQ, which reduces the usefulness of fiery shuriken quite a bit.
Because of that, I'm considering going all in on ranged and just taking eldritch archer instead of kensai. This seems to have a number of advantages.
I wonder how I can work a gun into this abomination...
...The character level will be 15, and here's the concept I have so far:
1 unchained rogue
4 Magus(I haven't decided an archetype)
Take the "accomplished sneak attacker" feat
10 arcane trickster.
Would the [self plug] spiderhawk magus archetype [/self plug] from Wayfinder #10 (free) work for you?
Would the [self plug] spiderhawk magus archetype [/self plug] from Wayfinder #10 (free) work for you?...The character level will be 15, and here's the concept I have so far:
1 unchained rogue
4 Magus(I haven't decided an archetype)
Take the "accomplished sneak attacker" feat
10 arcane trickster.
Hmm... Removes need for a single level dip, gives some nice rogue options. I would have to check with the GM, but that's if I decide to go more melee and less eldritch archer.
Fly!
Sense Vitals is an awesome spell for arcane trickster
Sense Vitals is an awesome spell for arcane trickster
This raises an interesting question. How does it interact with the "accomplished sneak attacker" feat?
Okay, new build!
Human level 15(same rolled stats, just rearranged)
Str - 11
DEX - 15 + 2(racial) + 4(item) + 2(levels) = 23
CON - 15 + 4(item)+ 1(levels) = 20
INT - 16 + 6(item) = 32
WIS - 12
CHA - 8
Feats:
1- Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Firearms), Rapid Reload(Pistol)
3- Gunsmithing
5- Accomplished Sneak Attacker
7- Amateur Gunslinger
9- Point Blank Shot
11- Rapid Shot
13- Deadly Aim
15- Precise Shot
Levels:
-First level take snakebite striker brawler so that you can qualify for EWP. However, this makes it very awkward to be a level 1 character, as you're essentially two feats down until level 2.
-2-5: 4 levels in eldritch archer magus.
-6-15: complete the Arcane Trickster class.
Essentially, because of the previously discovered ruling where those multi-ray touch attack spells can't apply sneak attack multiple times, I figured I'd work to get around it.
This iteration is the result. I especially like it because he's essentially touting a primitive looking laser pistol and attacking from the shadows.
At level 15, this build can get 5 attacks in a full attack, including the free one from spellstrike. If you're invisible, such as from "invisible thief", all 5 of them will be against touch ac while they're denied their dex bonus, which is essentially a "don't roll a 1" attack. The damage is, if I use scorching ray for example, 1d8 + 11 + 4d6 + 7d6 + 14 for the 3 scorching ray attacks, and 1d8 + 11 + 7d6 + 14 for the other two. If they all hit, that's a total of 5d8 + 47d6 + 125, or an average of 312 damage at "don't roll a 1" accuracy, and assuming I have the "sniper's goggles" item. All for a level 2 spell and 1 round out of 10 free rounds of invisibility. And some ammo.
Quick point about the Kensai build - with that Dex score (+7) a suit of celestial armour with its +8 dex bonus would be enough to let you do all your dodging and still have a +3 suit of light armour.
If you decide on that build I'd definitely invest in the armour. Personally I like the kensai but diminished spellcasting is not what you want with this build.
Quick point about the Kensai build - with that Dex score (+7) a suit of celestial armour with its +8 dex bonus would be enough to let you do all your dodging and still have a +3 suit of light armour.
If you decide on that build I'd definitely invest in the armour. Personally I like the kensai but diminished spellcasting is not what you want with this build.
The alchemist's mutagen was what pushed the bonus to a +9, and I figured relying on that and mage armor was worth not needing any sort of armor. Especially with how much GP that freed up.
Aside from that, I've actually changed the build quite a bit(see above). I'm a lasor pistol toting eldritch archer now!
EDIT: I am now realizing that I just built this guy.
Dear god.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but 1 Brawler/4 Magus/10 Arcane Trickster is
2 attacks from 9 BAB
+1 for Spellstriking Spell Combat
+1 Rapid Shot
=4 attacks?
Also not sure were the +11 damage comes from (+6 Deadly Aim, +1 Point Blank, +1 Arcane Pool, +3 weapon?)
Even with the sniper's goggles, you'll be doing this from 20 feet, or 40 feet with distance enchantment? Not to mention you'll not be able to shoot into melee well until you get precise shot (which is horrible at low levels)... oh and any concealment means you can't Sneak Attack.