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So I was considering playing a Mesmerist for an upcoming game, naturally built for Painful Stare because I love melee more than anything. But as I was building the character I realized that... she has nothing to boost her accuracy? Bards have Inspire Courage, Clerics have Divine Favor, pretty much every 3/4 BAB class that is intended to have "fight with a sword" as an option has some way to bring their to-hit up to at least match that of a full BAB class without other bonuses.
I'm not seeing anything like that with the Mesmerist; as far as I can tell the only spell the class gets that can boost its melee power is Alter Self and that's it. Am I missing something or does crippled accuracy make this concept largely non-viable?
I believe that a mesmerist focuses on weakening opponents, rather than increasing your own bonuses. If you lower their AC, that is as good as boosting your to hit. A downside though is that that requires keeping your DCs as high as possible, which does further reduce your combat abilities.
And one nice thing is even you don't hit, if someone else does you can still painful stair them for some damage.
That definitely sounds correct, and while the Mesmerist has a crap ton of options to debuff enemy DPR through spells and bold stares it doesn't seem to have any options for debuffing AC.
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command: fall, prone enemies are -4 penalty to melee ac.
hideous laughter: also prone
jitterbugs: -4 to dex (makes -2 AC)
shadowtrap: Entangles, includes -4 to dex
touch of gracelessness: -1d6+1/2 levels to dex
vanish: this one gives you +2 to hit as well as ignoring opponents DC
that is just level 1.
Still, you are probably correct that if you want to mostly melee, Mesmerist isn't your best option. I'd personally be looking at a reach build and focusing on debuff, if I had the chance to AoO and trigger a painful stare I'd use it, but I'd plan on it being my allies that did the hitting most of the time.
...Well I feel silly now. In my hunt for something that specifically dropped AC I completely glanced over all of the spells that cause an effect that in turn reduces AC. >.>
Burst of adrenaline isn't efficient on spell slots but it could give you +4 to an attack for your swift action. Invisibility (especially greater) can help too.
On stares, if you ever target CMD there's infiltration but they don't seem to directly affect AC - unless you spend a feat. Perturbing stare or blinding stare for example.
I'll often through in a barbarian level and extra rage for a small boost. That should be enough rounds for the day.
I don't think you can use mesmerist abilities with it though so maybe urban barbarian. I believe you also get some fatigue removal stuff which is nice.
The simplest answer is "skip things like power attack".
If you take manifold stare, you can get enough uses of painful stare to cover all your iteratives. With intense stare, you enough damage to still make the attacks worth it, even without power attack.
When you factor out that common accuracy down/damage up, then you are hitting at around the same level as a bard with inspire courage.
You can also try for a one big hit build that relies upon furious focus. Obviously, this is not great... but it isn't a terrible option either, at least as back up. You do a fairly big chunk of damage that can happen after a move that way.
The vexing daredevil archetype, possibly with a dip in inspired blade swashbuckler (one level to qualify for Fencing Grace) or snakebite striker brawler (three levels for Snake Feint), could be one route toward a melee-focused mesmerist.
The vexing daredevil archetype, possibly with a dip in inspired blade swashbuckler (one level to qualify for Fencing Grace) or snakebite striker brawler (three levels for Snake Feint), could be one route toward a melee-focused mesmerist.
I have done the former and can confirm it works wonderfully
Decent Ac+parry riposte+mirror image makes for a very difficult target
Then you just feint people to hit them.
Might even be worth trying for a hurtful curnogon build on top (only need 13 STR for PA)
Move action feint, implant surprise strike dazzling display, standard action PA, swift action hurtful attack, free action surprise strike.
Manifold stare taken twice.
Your full round action leaves someone flat footed, shaken and you get 3 Attacks 2 at full BAB and one at minus 5.
Take a while to come online but could build to it.