Best Items for Arcanist

[Karlosuno]

Hi, im playing an Arcanist in a Adventure with a party of 5 members more(figther, alchemist, barbarian, paladin, healer).
What are the most usefull and non-expensive items and robes for my character?

STATS:

STR-13
DEX-18
CON-13
INT-20
WIS-12
CHA-16
Traits:
-Reactionary
-impredictable magic (lore)

Feats:
-Thougthness

I have the archetipes Brown-fur Transmuter, and Spell Specialist. And by now im lvl 2.
Are those Archetypes Good Enought? or something that i can improve?

[Brother Fen]

Just the basic stuff as usual. At higher levels, a metamagic rod.

[Melkiador]

Are you thinking of going dragon disciple? That arcehtype combo always makes me think of them. The brown fur transmuter is a great buffer if your teammates are willing to do the work of modifying their characters. The spell specialist is generally for blasting, but you aren't limited to doing that.

I can't think of any unique and needful gear for the arcanist. The handy haversack is always nice. You can pull out those rods, scrolls, wands or spellbooks with just a move action.

[Thedmstrikes]

Melkiador is right, a Handy Haversack is almost a requirement for a spell caster with a book (or books at higher levels). Meta magic rods are useful too, but are limited in use per day (and quite expensive too). I never played any of the archetypes because I found them too limiting, but every arcanist should be adept at staying out of trouble enough so that relying on feats such as toughness instead of something magic related is counter productive (however, if it is a prerequisite for something in your concept, disregard this whole statement) especially given how many martials are already in your party. They need an enabler (if the cleric is focused on healing) or a blaster. Anything that makes you harder to hit is great. Grappling will literally crush you, so anything to remove that effect is even better. Any rings of wizardry to increase your spell allotment (though, those tend to get expensive too) and a meridian belt to switch them as needed.

[Karlosuno]

Yeah, my concept of the Arcanist is to be the most usefull in combat and out of combat, so i understand why you say that spell specialist limit the amount of spells prepared.
Which feats do you recomend me to improve my character? Spell Focus?
I'have the Haramaki and Spell Component Pouch.

My SpellBook contains:
Cantrips:
- Read Magic
- Detect Magic
- Daze
- Ray of frost
- Dancing Lights (Drow)
- Faerie Fire (Drow)
- Darkness (Drow)
Lvl 1:
- Burning Hands (Spell Specialist)
- Sleep
- Mage Armor
- Snowball
- Ear-Piercing Scream
- Enlarge Person
- Mount
- Silent Image
- Thunderstomp
- Color Spray (known by study)
- Comprehent Languages

[Thedmstrikes]

I have a few suggestions, but preface with I am unfamiliar with the brown fur transmuter (I will look at it before I comment again though):

First, the Drow cantrips you listed are a spell-like ability, so do not belong in your spell book (darkness and fairie fire are first level anyway).
As a specialist you should have one designated on your cantrip list too.
You should have access too all zero level cantrips in your spell book, but if the brown fur transmuter is limiting that, I suggest open/close as it is highly useful out of combat and sometimes in combat too).
An arcansit's biggest schtick are his exploits. I find the extra reservoir feat to be useful at all levels. Also, I would have switched my Cha and DEX scores to increase DCs for my exploits (when they apply) and increase the number of times per day I can use consume spells

I will hold up there until I get a chance to look over the archetype...

[Melkiador]

The hard part about that combo is that you can't get exploits until level 5.

Spell focus is good if you intend to focus on one school of spells, but it sounds like you are going for a generalist build. Is crafting going to be an option in this game? With your smaller number of memorized spells per day, being able to craft scrolls could be extra handy. And for 3rd level, craft wondrous item can come in pretty handy too.

[Thedmstrikes]

So, got a chance to review the archetypes (I originally thought there was only one, but now I understand it to be two). I also originally had a long treatise about the archetypes being in conflict, but it was starting to get out of hand so I dropped it. You are expecting to get something of value down the line with those archetypes, but you will be sacrificing your flexibility in doing so (your main powers will be concentrated around a single spell per level and transmutation, which you will be able to give to willing PCs).
To reduce the impact on your spell specialist restrictions, you can take expanded preparation feat (for each level and not as the highest level you can cast, you will understand after you read it). It is a hefty price to pay and will probably eat your feats that could have gone toward metamagic, but you can overcome the flexibility the archetype takes away.
The brown fur transmuter seemed better balanced as it only costs you two exploits and you can share transmutation spells that are normally only for the caster. It takes two feats for you and one for every ally you want to give personal transmutations to and you will also have to give up an exploit for a familiar, so this one makes sense if that is something you expect to do, alot.
Some form of increased movement (dimension slide perhaps), a metamagic rod of quicken (the hardest one to get mind you) and you will be able to launch your signature spells every round (with the rod) while you go around with your extra distance and make the necessary changes to your fellow PCs as needed.

[Karlosuno]

Thedmstrikes wrote:

So, got a chance to review the archetypes (I originally thought there was only one, but now I understand it to be two). I also originally had a long treatise about the archetypes being in conflict, but it was starting to get out of hand so I dropped it. You are expecting to get something of value down the line with those archetypes, but you will be sacrificing your flexibility in doing so (your main powers will be concentrated around a single spell per level and transmutation, which you will be able to give to willing PCs).

To reduce the impact on your spell specialist restrictions, you can take expanded preparation feat (for each level and not as the highest level you can cast, you will understand after you read it). It is a hefty price to pay and will probably eat your feats that could have gone toward metamagic, but you can overcome the flexibility the archetype takes away.
The brown fur transmuter seemed better balanced as it only costs you two exploits and you can share transmutation spells that are normally only for the caster. It takes two feats for you and one for every ally you want to give personal transmutations to and you will also have to give up an exploit for a familiar, so this one makes sense if that is something you expect to do, alot.
Some form of increased movement (dimension slide perhaps), a metamagic rod of quicken (the hardest one to get mind you) and you will be able to launch your signature spells every round (with the rod) while you go around with your extra distance and make the necessary changes to your fellow PCs as needed.

I will try to Tallk with the DM to change the Spell specialist archetype, i realized it's linking me to only a few spells that most of the times i wont use. And the next lvl i can get a feat it will be craft wondorous items i guess, so i can made items for all the party at "cheeper" cost. Do you know more feats despite Metamagic that will be usefull?

Thanks

[Zautos']

Blessed Spellbook at later levels.

1000 page spellbook for 12.5k

You will need 6 to know all spells on your spell list.

2 pathfinder pouches to store them in as well.

[Karlosuno]

Zautos' wrote:

Blessed Spellbook at later levels.

1000 page spellbook for 12.5k

You will need 6 to know all spells on your spell list.

2 pathfinder pouches to store them in as well.

Got it! I'll get those items when my economy allow me to buy it.

The two items seems pretty usefull for the adventure.
Thanks!!

[Karlosuno]

Thedmstrikes wrote:

I have a few suggestions, but preface with I am unfamiliar with the brown fur transmuter (I will look at it before I comment again though):

First, the Drow cantrips you listed are a spell-like ability, so do not belong in your spell book (darkness and fairie fire are first level anyway).
As a specialist you should have one designated on your cantrip list too.
You should have access too all zero level cantrips in your spell book, but if the brown fur transmuter is limiting that, I suggest open/close as it is highly useful out of combat and sometimes in combat too).
An arcansit's biggest schtick are his exploits. I find the extra reservoir feat to be useful at all levels. Also, I would have switched my Cha and DEX scores to increase DCs for my exploits (when they apply) and increase the number of times per day I can use consume spells

I will hold up there until I get a chance to look over the archetype...

For the DEX and CHA, the problem is that all the party rolled stats (2d6+6)so i got;

STR - 15
DEX - 16
CON - 15
INT - 18
WIS - 10
CHA - 16

and get in mind that im a Drow (for Lore), but my DM let me get the Elve bonf stats so they are actually like this;

STR - 15
DEX - 16 +2
CON - 15 -2
INT - 18 +2
WIS - 10
CHA - 16

[Karlosuno]

Im looking the bloodline exploits by now, i'ts viable to get any? or just a lose of exploit?

[Thedmstrikes]

The Bloodline and School Understanding exploits were underwhelming. They allow you to take another step toward a standard sorcerer or wizard, but only a step. Then you have to use an arcane pool point at the higher levels to get the full monty, for a very short period (based on your charisma bonus). The one exception is School Understanding for the admixture school. This gets you the ability to change the damage type of some spells (i.e. a fire ball that is actually dishing out cold or acid damage instead of fire). No sonic or force, but still very useful for exploiting monster weaknesses once you know them.

[Melkiador]

Those exploits are mostly for multiclassing purposes, and multiclassing is usually a bad idea as a primary spellcaster. The bloodline one combos pretty well with Dragon Disciple, but you'd need the Spell Specialist archetype to qualify for DD as an arcanist.

Or if you wanted to make a blaster Arcanist, you might consider a crossblooded sorcerer dip. But in my opinion waiting till 4th level for 2nd level spells is hard enough. Waiting till 5th level for 2nd level spells sounds unbearable.