Help Me with my Mesmerist Build

[D4rtagnan]

Hey Folks,
I recently joined a new roll20 campaign. The GM is running the updated version Curse of the Crimson Throne. After much internal debating I have decide to go with an Aasimar Spirit-Walker Mesmerist. I am playing a deceiver/manipulator, focusing mainly on the roleplaying aspect. I want to be effective in combat but I don't feel like it should be my main focus. The feats I plan on taking are as follows:

1-Decietful
3-Conceal Spell
5-Spell Focus Enchantment
7-Leadership
9-Greater Spell Focus (Ench.)
12-Extend Stare
15-Reflective Gaze
17-Spell Pen

I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice? How does my feats look? Is there any other feats that counts as Deceitful for the purpose of Prerequisite?

[avr]

First, is leadership OK with your GM? It's about the most commonly banned feat, since not everyone has even heard of sacred geometry.

Gaze Reflection (assuming that's what you mean) is very, very specialised and I wouldn't recommend it unless that AP has a lot of creatures with gaze attacks. The 10' range bonus from Extended Stare seems unlikely to be useful often assuming you've done anything to improve your movement abilities by 12th level. Almost any other Stare or Trick feat looks likely to be better.

Gnomes get access to a feat which can replace Deceitful, Casual Illusionist, but it's not a significant improvement besides being not available to aasimars.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Ah, Conceal Spell -- Paizo's most recent attempt (after Cunning Caster) to solve the Spellcraft problem.

Spirit Walker: undead are everywhere, so the ability to affect them is v. good. Giving up Consummate Liar is painful, but Deceitful will mean you're still a respectable bluffer.

Do beware of the "I'm a mind-affecting hammer, everything looks like an enchantable nail" issue. At low levels, Stare + Charm will be your go-to social spell, and Stare + Daze will be regular in combat (Daze is overpowered for a spammable cantrip (sorry, "knack") to begin with, and your Stare makes it worse), but not EVERY situation will be crackable with enchantment.

Combat: Mesmerists can be okay in combat if you build in that direction. You're not doing that, which is okay. Just remember that your AC is crap and you don't do a lot of damage (Painful Stare is just +1 damage until you're 4th level), so treat yourself like a squishy arcane caster unless the situation is truly dire. If you do want to be a backup combatant, use tricks, but remember that they're all one-shots, so don't just rush in.

Tricks: Read carefully through the list of tricks and then look around you at the composition of your party and think about what you'll be doing. Like a bard, the Mesmerist has a party-support function; the interesting difference is that (1) Mesmerist Tricks are one-shots, but OTOH (2) they can be tailored closely to the needs of the party. So, for instance, if your party is melee-heavy and includes a rogue, Misdirection looks good. If you have a high-AC tank, Meek Facade looks good. If you have the party's best Will save, Gift of Will. If you think it might be useful to disguise the entire party as a group of city watchmen or something, with a fun bonus Intimidate check when the disguise is dropped, go with Fearsome Guise. And so forth. If you can't think of anything, then just go with Psychosomatic Surge -- it's very solid.

Bold Stares:Here's a Guide to Stares. In your case I would suggest Disorientation as your 3rd level Stare.

I think it's a really fun class. Enjoy!

Doug M.

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

Another note on tricks, if anyone in your party uses sneak attack false flanker will be amazing for that.

Another route for debuffing is the stare feats, when one of your buddies hits the opponent with your stare on em trigger painful stare and make em shaken or fatigued or something. That's pretty kewl.