Building the Ulimate Stealth Character (PFS)

[Kysune]

I'm trying to build a character that is in stealth most of the time (similar to Sora from .hack//sign or Clementine from Overlord) that stabs enemies/monsters in the back when they least expect it. I took Eerie Disappearance + Rogue's Edge: Intimidate as it looks like a decent aoe debuff to inflict shaken or frightened.

I'm limiting this build to either Human or Half-Elf as I'm trying to "re-create" a character theme/concept, just an fyi.

Class – Unchained Rogue 6 / Shadowdancer 3 / (Eldritch Guardian & Mutagen Warrior) Fighter 3:

Race – Human
Alignment – CN
Deity - Pharasma
Traits – Reactionary, River Rat

Stats -
Str: 11
Dex: 18 (16+2)
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 12

TWF Dagger
1) Fighter 1: Bab +1 | Dodge (lvl 1), Focused Study: Stealth (Human)
2) uRogue 1: Bab +1 | Weapon Finesse (Rogue), FCB: 1/6 talent
3) uRogue 2: Bab +2 | Deific Obedience: Pharasma (lvl 3), Fast Stealth (Talent), FCB: 2/6 talent
4) uRogue 3: Bab +3 | +1 Dex, FCB: 3/6 talent
5) uRogue 4: Bab +4 | Mobility (lvl 5), Combat Trick-Combat Reflexes (Talent), FCB: 4/6 talent
6) Shadow Dancer 1: Bab +4 | HiPS
7) Shadow Dancer 2: Bab +5 | Hellcat Stealth (lvl 7)
8) Shadow Dancer 3: Bab +6/+1 | Eerie Disappearance (Talent), Focused Study: Intimidate (Human), +1 Dex
9) uRogue 5: Bab +6/+1 | Dampen Presence (lvl 9), 5/6 talent, Rogue’s Edge: Intimidate
10) uRogue 6: Bab +7/+2 | Weapon Training: Daggers (Talent), Combat Trick: TWF (FCB Talent), FCB: 6/6 talent
11) Fighter 2: Bab +8/+3 | Improved Critical: Daggers (lvl 11)
12) Fighter 3: Bab +9/+4 |

--Fighter Benefits--
Eldritch Guardian-Familiar for +4initiative or +4stealth animal choice.
Mutagen Warrior to get +4 alchemical dex bonus mutagens.
If I take fighter 2 levels higher I can use Weapon Training along with Gloves of Dueling for +3atk/+3dmg.

I feel that this build is a bit messy at the moment. The feats needed to go Shadowdancer limit me a bit on my available feats.

What can I do to improve Stealth, Damage output, or other effectiveness? Could really use some help. :)

[Zwordsman]

NOt sure all things considered. I don't know much about PFS honestly..

but are skill unlocks are legal given unchained rogue yeah? That stealth one is a good one to pick up I think.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will crop up.
Though I'll look up your stufff when I have more time this later week

[ohako]

I'm not sure that you can take combat trick twice. Although if you're willing to take the swashbuckler archetype (which is legal, I think), then you can.

Anyway, the best ways to get sneak attack damage is if you can pull it off automatically. No feinting, no Stealth checks (sorry), just roll to hit and smash face. (It's either a Bluff check or a Stealth check, and you don't want to fail either, so why roll?) There's a couple of ways I know about how to do this

a) the Scout archetype. This gives you sneak attack when you move after an attack. Makes TWF dicey though
b) flanking. Make sure you have at least one other melee friend on the scene, and flank, flank, flank
c) the feat Press to the Wall. You can flank with a wall. Noice!
d) I think there's something for flanking on weird edges, like you can treat a different square as the one you're flanking from? I don't remember any details.
e) the feat Surprise Follow-Through. It's for half-orcs, and it relies on Cleave, but it's very nasty when it works. Try flanking one target and surprise-cleaving the other. With a greataxe.
f) Something that gives you improved invisibility. The cheesiest thing I can think of is a decoy ring (yes, it works).

[Cellion]

Eerie Disappearance is not legal in PFS. (Scroll down to Heroes of the Streets) :<

[Kysune]

Cellion wrote:

Eerie Disappearance is not legal in PFS. (Scroll down to Heroes of the Streets) :<

I totally missed that, just furthers my belief that you can't have nice things in PFS. :(

Maybe Dazzling Display + Shatter Defenses with Rogue Edge: Intimidate? Or maybe it's not worth it?

@ohako - I already have a 2handed str scout ninja that's built on spring attack and is lvl 8. I'm really wanting a character this time that's just maxed stealth, party is talking to someone I can just search the desk and grab the info while they distract or other fun things.

The extra combat trick was by accident. There was a lot of stuff and I moved some of the fighter and rogue levels around. Any interesting fun feats or changes I could make? Also, are rogue archetypes allowed for the unchained rogue?

[Porridge]

As far as Stealth builds go, the Cipher (Investigator archetype) is pretty good... not sure how to mix that with the other classes you've taken, though, or whether it's a good choice if you want to focus on sneak attacks... hrmm...

[Chess Pwn]

all rogue archetypes are legal for unchained (except the spellcasting one for some strange PFS reason, something to do about nice things)

[Kysune]

Any easy way to get a familiar if going 9 levels rogue and 2 levels shadowdancer? Considering dropping the fighter levels if I can get the familiar in easily.... Easiest way is eldritch heritage and human's skill focus at lvl 1 and push skill focus stealth to lvl 8?

Or should I squeeze one level of Eldritch Guardian in for the familiar pet?

I'm considering taking Thug and Bandit archetypes. Full rounds during surprise would be really good with a +13-17 initiative....and thug's demoralizing seems good..unless picking up the rogue's edge intimidate is just as good or better. Thoughts?

[Chess Pwn]

Personally I feel that such lengths for stealth aren't needed for PFS. Stealth is hardly an option, and usually less often desired by the rest of the table, and the DC's aren't hard for most PFS uses.

So any option that gives usefulness at the cost of some stealth is going to be approved by me.

[K-kun the Insane]

Shadowdancer is excellent for Stealth. My favorite character to play is a PFS/CORE (meaning only options from the CRB are allowed) Cleric/Fighter/Shadowdancer/Barbarian and my favorite moment was a stealth way back before she got her shadow or anger issues.

We were in a tavern and learned our contact was being held upstairs. While the rest of the party continued to talk with the guy that had captured him, Serenity just left and went upstairs to free the contact. Only one person noticed her go and was a party member, so he kept the bounty hunter distracted while Serenity came downstairs with the contact and walked straight out the front door. Awesome.

A high Stealth modifier and a good roll, dim light in the tavern (Nidal is very gloomy), Hide In Plain Sight, and a distraction all contributed to this epic moment. Serenity actually being from Nidal may have helped, but not mechanically.

[Kysune]

Well I've updated the character build from the replies received and focused a little more on other things while still maintaining decent stealth.

Unchained Rogue (Bandit & Thug) 8 / Shadowdancer 3:

1) uRogue 1: Bab +0 | Improved Initiative (lvl 1), Focused Study: Knowledge Arcane (Human), Weapon Finesse (Rogue), FCB: 1/6 talent
2) uRogue 2: Bab +1 | Weapon Training: Daggers (Talent), 2/6 talent
3) uRogue 3: Bab +2 | Deific Obedience: Pharasma (lvl 3), 3/6 talent
4) uRogue 4: Bab +3 | +1 Dex, Fast Stealth (Talent), 4/6 talent
5) uRogue 5: Bab +3 | Eldritch Heritage: Arcana (lvl 5), Rogue’s Edge: Intimidate, 5/6 talent
6) Shadowdancer 1: Bab +3 |
7) Shadowdancer 2: Bab +4 | TWF (lvl 7)
8) Shadowdancer 3: Bab +5 | Dampen Presence (Talent), Focused Study: Stealth (Human), +1 Dex
9) uRogue 6: Bab +6/+1 | Hellcat Stealth (lvl 9), Bleeding Attack (Talent), Ninja Trick: Pressure Points (FCB Talent), 6/6 talent
10) uRogue 7: Bab +7/+2 |
11) uRogue 8: Bab +8/+3 | Improved Critical: Daggers (lvl 11), Slow Reactions (Talent)

Shadowdancer gets rid of the disadvantage of the Bandit archetype. The Thug archetype seems to mesh well with Intimidate skill unlock also. Not sure if there's any feats or talents that could get trimmed off for something better. Maybe Power Attack -> Cornugon Smash to free action Intimidate whoever I backstab? Or grabbing Dazzling Display?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

[the Diviner]

Unchained Monk (Monk of the Mantis) with Accomplished Sneak Attack.
Get the Dimension door feat chain at 9th with you retraining quite a few feats.

Be small and have a Dex and Wis bonus. Get a Amulet of Mighty Fists with Agile.

With a Ring of Ki Mastery you will be fantastic as a stealthy character.

You can dd in make a full attack and be out again. While flanking and sneaking with all of your attacks.

But no matter what class you go with be sure to have the feat:
Dampen prescence.
It allows you to hide from those with Blind sense and Blind sight.
So pretty vital in the higher levels.

[Scott Wilhelm]

I really like the Ninja Vanishing Trick. Then take the False Attacker Talent and invest in a Mask of Stony Demeanor. Maybe also take 3 levels in Monk, Drunken Master. I also like a dip in Arcanist for the Dimensional Slide Exploit.

But if your goal is pure Stealth, Ninja Vanishing Trick + Drunken Master and the Potion Glutton Feat so you can replenish your Ki constantly. Then dip a level in Arcanist for Dimensional Slide and those Ranged Touch Attack Cantrips. Use them while you are Invisible, and you get to make Ranged Touch Attacks vs. Flatfooted AC that lock in your Sneak Attack Damage. That makes my heart warm. Invest in a Wand of Scorching Ray, and do even more damage.

[K-kun the Insane]

Kysune wrote:

Well I've updated the character build from the replies received and focused a little more on other things while still maintaining decent stealth.

** spoiler omitted **

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Only problem here that I can see is that you don't qualify to take Shadowdancer levels.

[Rosc]

Depending on what you want, my advice is to play a caster with Invisibility Sphere. All the stealth in the world won't help when the party can be heard goint CLANK CLANK CLANK from two rooms away.

If you're still determined to solo stealth, consider something with Invisibility and some form of flight. I'm a huge fan of the Aether Kineticist, with their combination of at-will Invisibility and a kind-of flight as early as level 7. Mix that with fun utility and a reliable blast that scales pretty well and you've got yourself a scout to be reckoned with. As a bonus, their invisibility can negate tremorsense.

Just remember to play a race with Darkvision. Nothing blows your cover quite like a Light spell. Wayang are good for small size, good Dex, and iirc a racial steal bonus.