I play in a campaign where anything in an official Pathfinder publication is allowed. I was just perusing my new dirty tactics book and I came across Accomplished Sneak Attacker:
Prerequisite(s): Sneak attack class feature.
Benefit(s): Your sneak attack damage increases by 1d6.
Your number of sneak attack dice cannot exceed half your character level (rounded up).
To qualify to become an arcane trickster, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Skills: Disable Device 4 ranks, Escape Artist 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks.
Spells: Ability to cast mage hand and at least one arcane spell of 2nd level or higher.
Special: Sneak attack +2d6.
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So it looks like a character could go Wizard 3/Rogue or Assassin 1 and start taking AT levels with character level 5 and only be 1 level behind a straight wizard in CL. Am I missing something cause I am having a hard time figuring out why anyone in our campaign would go straight Wizard if he can get all the AT benefits for loss of only 1 CL?
It may make sense to put a 2nd level rogue just to get evasion.
You are exactly correct. You won't be able to take Assassin at level 4 due to skill requirement on Stealth at 5, but Rogue, Unchained Rogue, Vivisectionist Alchemist, or Snakebite Striker Brawler all work for this.
Evasion is nice, but I think caster levels are a bit nicer, but maybe just me!
You also may be interested in Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue, a Rogue that gets 6th level spellcasting.
Eldritch Scoundrel is better for rogue with a dash of magic and Arcane Trickster is a bit more of a sneaky blaster mage. I definitely wouldn't underestimate the loss of school powers and - more importantly - 'just' 1 caster level.
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Why wouldn't everyone take this? Well, because you'll be missing out on the wizard's class features, such as the bonus feats, certain arcane discoveries, and the higher-level abilities of your arcane school. And of course you'll get all new spell levels a level later.
If you're a damage-focused wizard, then the better dip is probably crossblooded sorcerer; it gives you a more consistent boost than sneak attack would, and otherwise lets you progress your main class normally.
Yep, that's how it works.
Why not? you're still losing out on spells and the school powers and scaling on those school powers.
