In a game with guild fame and traits in play (allowing Esoteric Training & Eclectic Training) what build do you think would grant access to the widest range of spell lists for a primary caster?
Any paizo published material is allowed. Dreamscarred Press (psionics) and Radiance House (pact magic) may be possibilities but using other 3PP may be more of an outlier (not banned outright but …). No WotC 3.5 sources however.
Other than that, I’m thinking the Sorcerer\Wizard list must be fully accessible (though I could be swayed on that point). Snagging access to other class lists is preferable over just sniping a handful of spells unless they can be swapped out on a day to day basis. I’m also planning on using the retraining rules to stay on the progression curve in the early levels and then remodel when there is more leeway (it is a lot less painful to be a level or two behind on spell access at the mid-range levels than at mid-range+).
Offhand, I’m thinking of a mystic theurge build but I’m not sure what options should be pulled into that or if I’m missing a hidden gem. I’m leaning against using a cerebremancer from Dreamscarred with a psychic mage archetype wizard base since I used it with one of the main bbeg’s in the last campaign. Item crafting is usually my job as well when I play so with that in mind, thoughts, suggestions (items in particular), or builds?
Wizard (Foresight) with bonded object: Amulet
Cleric (Luck, Travel)
As a divination school specialist you get an incredible school power, and you get a lot of utility spells that provide your party enormous amounts of information. You could choose Evocation and Necromancy as opposition schools, as these school provide few utility spells.
The Sor/Wiz spell list has plenty of utility spells, especially in the Divination and Transmutation schools. I immediately think of spells like Rope Trick, Tiny Hut and Detect Thoughts. It might actually be fun to take Spell Mastery with spells like Minor / Major Creation and Fabricate, since you can simply instantly create any utility object you would need at any given time. Spells like Telekinesis, Wall of Stone and the (Forceful) Hand spells will be major assets to your spell allotment.
As a cleric with the Luck domain you get an amazing domain power at 1st level. The Bit of Luck power will help you and your party members succeed at the most important rolls. It also has plenty of useful spells. The Travel domain gives some extra utility in teleportation spells.
As a cleric you can provide your party with a tremendous amount of debuff-removers, ability healing and protection spells. You might even keep your Wisdom modifier lower than your Int since you should mainly focus on non-offensive cleric spells.
For race I would recommend playing a Human, for extra skill points, a bonus feat and +2 in Intelligence. As a favored class bonus, I would choose the extra skill point at each level.
Put ranks in Spellcraft and Knowledge skills. After all, as a Utility focused spellcaster you'll need to have a lot of understanding of what is going on in the world around you, in order to prepare accordingly.
Taking Craft feats also makes you useful, but I would stick with Craft Wondrous Items and Craft Magic Arms and Armour. You don't really need all of the other craft feats. Just put a lot of ranks in Craft (alchemy) and perhaps even Use Magic Device if you can.
You might also want to become an item-hoarder, storing any tools, mechanical objects, machinery and all kinds of magic items.
Get a handy haversack and/or portable hole, and eventually create your own demiplane to store stuff safely.
You need to be able to summon these things whenever you need them.
Do a good bookkeeping to keep track of everything you're carrying around.
Samsaran Exploiter Wizard 3/Cleric 3/Mystic Theurge X could be incredibly versatile.
Shamans can also access an exceptionally wide range of spells (with a little MADness), but I'm not as familiar with them.
MADness isn't too much of a problem as I generally dislike save or sucks and most of the other PCs usually tend towards Beatsticks, glass cannons, or one-trick-pony casters (with the only exception in this group is the guy taking over for me in the GM-ing chair). It shouldn't be too hard keeping enough meat between my caster and the enemy so a hit to Con shouldn't be too much of a sacrifice in any case.
20 point buy as a side note and obtaining a +4 ability enhancement by the mid-level range is generally pro forma.
I'm leaning towards playing human, more for RP reasons in that the rest of the party tends towards the more exotic races than core (or rather rarely play a core race if ever;-) but I'm not married to the idea (and I have a few weeks before I wrap up the current campaign after about a three year run).
You might also want to become an item-hoarder, storing any tools, mechanical objects, machinery and all kinds of magic items.
Get a handy haversack and/or portable hole, and eventually create your own demiplane to store stuff safely.
You need to be able to summon these things whenever you need them.
Do a good bookkeeping to keep track of everything you're carrying around.
Yup, I got my start with 1e casters where resource management and book keeping of just your wizard's individual spell components took up a sheet or two. I'm used to having a virtual bag of tricks available both in mundane equipment and single-use\charge stuff accessible as a move action or faster.
I'm half-tempted to suss out how to get a more Alchemist focused build for that sort of fiddly book-keeping if I could work out something that worked out like a full-caster like the old 1e Bard game's Compleat Alchemist ( http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5027&editionid=5634 ) than Paizo's take on it.
As far as my item-hoarder tendencies go, I'm more looking for things that will add to the build's spell selection or other boosts that help versatility.