I’m hoping for feedback on a Kitsune Mesmerist/Sorcerer build I’ve developed, starting Level 7, for a Rise of the Rune Lords Campaign. I would also love recommendations on next steps. I’m calling him Charlemagne. Lots of gratitude for Nova Wurmson’s Grandeur of Delusions guide and the many threads in various forums that contributed to my thinking.
In addition to Charlemagne, our party consists of a Paladin (Iomedae), Cleric (Desna), and Bard. In conceiving of the character, I aimed to compliment the party with rogue-like skills (emphasis on perception, sense motive, and stealth) while playing a caster. I also intend in the build to circumvent intra-party conflict by obscuring shenanigans from the paladin’s relentless moral policing, leveraging charisma skills (disguise, bluff, diplomacy) to pull off morally ambiguous acts. I don’t intend to supplant our Bard as the party’s face - I have more devious designs for Charlemagne.
In the past, I’ve most enjoyed arcane casters, having played summoner, sorcerer, arcanist, and an inquisitor (not arcane). I intentionally chose Mesmerist to explore a new class I might enjoy, capable of success within the objectives for the character I outlined above. In the process of developing the character, I explored Vexing Daredevil archetype, SpellThief, and Arcane Trickster options. Each of those options tended to under-deliver on casting and over-deliver on other skills superfluous to my needs.
At this time, the character has +13 to bluff, +18 to bluff conditionally, and an additional +5 to bluff (seven times per day); +12 to disguise (+22 if I am disguised as a fox in fox form); +10 diplomacy, +8 to intimidate, +15 to stealth (with a Cloak of Elvenkind), +16 to perception (with Eyes of the Eagle), and +10 to sense motive (+15 conditionally). Initiative +8.
I haven’t yet played the character. I’m hoping that the design capitalizes effectively in combat on the Hypnotic Stare to lower will save and the Kitsune’s enchantment bonus (coupled with Spell Focus Enchantment) to debuff or incapacitate opposition (with additional tools via spell selection that don’t rely exclusively on enchantment). And, to utilize the range of the Kitsune’s social skills and the spell selections to cast and blame (or deny responsibility) as well as manipulate magically - in non-combat. In addition to scouting, I think Charlemagne will be adept in securing surprise rounds and stealthing between psychic casting during combat (generally or as a fox with many options for stealth-providing cover as a tiny creature - with full casting capability in fox-form thanks to Eschew Materials).
What do you think?
As I’m starting Level 7, I didn’t sequence the following skills-selections and feats thoughtfully.
Name: Charlemagne
Race: Kitsune
Favored Class: Mesmerist
Ability Scores (15 Point Buy): STR/6, DEX/14, CON/12, INT/8, WIS/14, CHA/19
Traits: Canter (+5 to Bluff/Sense Motive for sending/receiving secret messages) & Reactionary (+2 to Initiative)
At second level, I took one dip into Sorcerer, Arcane Bloodline - for Eschew Materials and Arcane Bond (Compsognathus/+4 to Initiative and Alertness - +2/+4 to perception and sense motive) - the extra spells, arcane bolt, and bloodline arcana (+1DC to metamagic spells) felt worth it to me. And dipping a level for two feats that contribute to the build meaningfully also felt worth being a level-behind in Mesmerist.
Feat 1: Skill Focus - Disguise (+3) for Eldritch Heritage
Feat 2: Eldritch Heritage (Rakshasa - for Silver Tongue +5 to Bluff 7xDaily)
Feat 3: Spell Focus (Enchantment)
Feat 4: Fox Shape
Tricks: False Flanker, Mask Misery, Mesmeric Mirror, Reflect Fear
Bold Stare: Psychic Inception
First Level Spells: Mesmerist - Color Spray, Command, Expeditious Retreat, Charm Person, Psychic Reading (I’ve thought about Hideous Laughter but with the save bonus for other creature types, I took some other spells for flavor)
First Level Spells: Sorcerer - Grease, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Sickening
Second Level Spells: Babble, Eagle’s Splendor (have thought about buying a wand and swapping in Blistering Invective OR Instigate Psychic Duel, although the latter I’m sure would cause the rest of the party to hate me for the mechanics and protracted gameplay that would exclude them), Glitterdust, Invisibility, Mirror Image