Ok, been thinking about a new PC concept. This is at least partially inspired by a couple of books I've read over the years.
An arcane primary caster. Not sure yet if he is working for some arcane organization or if this is a self proclaimed mission. But he is hunting down and eliminating renegade arcane casters. Those that give the rest of them a bad impression. Not necessarily just evil casters. An evil caster could still be a useful member of a society as long as he hasn't lost control of himself. But those that are clearly destroying societies or have no net positive value. The ones that inspire the torch and pitchfork lynch mobs. Etc...
Anyway, he would need some capabilities at finding/catching them. Probably also disguising himself so he can get close enough without them knowing he is coming. Then of course eliminating them.
My first thought was a divination wizard. Most mage duels seem largely decided by who gets initiative. So the bonus to initiative would certainly help. Some divination spells to find the problem person in the crowd. An intelligence caster should have the skill points to at least be decent (if not necessarily excellent) at quite a few skills like disguise and sense motive.
But that was just the first idea that popped into my head. You folks have any other better ideas?
I'm not sure. I know there are some abilities that make it harder for enemy spellcasters to cast spells but I don't recall seeing any abilities like that which were associated with an arcane caster.
two things that seem like they would be useful to such a character would be the spell Blood Transcription and the feat Scrutinize spell.
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User /u/eeveerulz55 on Reddit created a viable Counterspell wizard build that is quite interesting. It's still a terrible choice in general for wizards, but if you are building an anti-wizard wizard, then you're pretty much guaranteed that you're going up against wizards, and that's when it starts making more sense. There are still better options, but this is the closest thing I've seen to making counterspelling useful if not almost-good (or at least, not not-good).
I'd go for a Magus with this. Kensai get some good initiative bonuses and you could VMC Wizard to get the divinition school as well.
The main thing though is often if you get close to a wizard and can hit hard you can take them down pretty quick. Bladed Dash and similar spells can get you right up to them, and then you have the advantage. You also have access to spells that can help you combat some of the magical defenses.
Arcanist with counter spell exploits, only .an immediate action to run. Their day, dimensional slide, with dimensional seal, means you can blip in and lock them down from teleporting too :D
What level range? If you’re going to be a high enough level I could see a wizard vmc rogue/arcane trickster fitting a mage hunter of mages concept. A wizard gets bonus feats so giving some up for vmc doesn’t hurt too much. Trapfinding, sneak attack and evasion all help in getting to, and then slaying your target. While it slows entry into the Arcane Trickster, using vmc over regular wiz/rog multi-classing means that you won’t delay your casting progression.
What level range? If you’re going to be a high enough level I could see a wizard vmc rogue/arcane trickster fitting a mage hunter of mages concept. A wizard gets bonus feats so giving some up for vmc doesn’t hurt too much. Trapfinding, sneak attack and evasion all help in getting to, and then slaying your target. While it slows entry into the Arcane Trickster, using vmc over regular wiz/rog multi-classing means that you won’t delay your casting progression.
If you don't want to mulitclass the following classes can take arcane trickster without delaying caster level.
Rogue- Eldritch Scoundrel
Magus- Greensting Slayer + Accomplished Sneak Attacker
unfortunately both routes stick you with magus progression.
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To me a nifty build is wizard 5/fighter 1 /eldritch knight 3 /arcane archer 2 and then back into eldritch knight.
You dip into arcane archer so you can cast antimagic field centered on your arrow, which is very inconvenient for enemy casters.
You can take feat which progresses the levels of casting that you miss from the prestige classes, which keeps you at almost full progression casting but also get you some melee prowess.
It's not necessarily the best character, but it makes an interesting mage catcher to me.
Make a wizard with UMD to be able to use a wand of silence. Cast silence on your weasel familiar. Have the weasel familiar stealth up to the opposing wizard and bite and grapple him. Then from outside the range of silence, cast spells that require Fort saves on the opposing wizard until he is incapacitated.
Good initiative is important, but it's not as important as "requiring" a diviner wizard.
Usually that's overkill IMO, and you can simply build for a decent initiative with high dex, improved initiative feat, and some item bonuses to keep you ahead of NPCs (which generally aren't going to be super focused on initiative).
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1. Cast antimagic field.
2. Be a dragon.
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1. Cast antimagic field.
2. Be a dragon.
Fixed that for you blahpers ;)
What level range? If you’re going to be a high enough level I could see a wizard vmc rogue/arcane trickster fitting a mage hunter of mages concept. A wizard gets bonus feats so giving some up for vmc doesn’t hurt too much. Trapfinding, sneak attack and evasion all help in getting to, and then slaying your target. While it slows entry into the Arcane Trickster, using vmc over regular wiz/rog multi-classing means that you won’t delay your casting progression.If you don't want to mulitclass the following classes can take arcane trickster without delaying caster level.
Rogue- Eldritch Scoundrel
Magus- Greensting Slayer + Accomplished Sneak Attackerunfortunately both routes stick you with magus progression.
Using variant multiclass rules a wizard with a rogue secondary class and the accomplished sneak attacker feat will let you take arcane trickster at mid level without delaying spell casting progression.
I'd second the Kensai Magus. The ability to cast a spell and deal damage in the same round is actually quite useful as a mage killer. It allows you to use your spell to get in close, bypass an enemy defense, or just further buff yourself, while still allowing you to deal damage.
Magus also gets access to Fighter-based lockdown feats, like Pin Down, Step Up and Strike, or Teleport Tactician (especially nasty combined with a Phase-locking weapon). On top of this, they get a few unique abilities to really help deal with enemy casters, like Counterspell, Reflection, or my personal favorite, Lingering Pain.
With all of these tools, Kensai Magus are one of the most dangerous and threatening mage killers in the entire game.
For Arcane Trickster, another option (that delays your spellcasting by just 1 level and gives you some really useful things in return), I would recommend Vivisectionist Alchemist. Gets you into Arcane Trickster earlier, and doesn't require VMC anything.
For Anti-Magic Shell Imbue Arrow cheese, here's the cheesiest cheese I have been able to think up yet: Even though it is behind by 2(*) in spellcasting progression, you still eventually get 9th level spellcasting): Human Ranger 2/Cleric (Foundation of Faith, Separatist) of Erastil 3/Hinterlander x, except replace the 9th level floating feat with Clustered Shots, and all level-up ability score increases go to Wisdom.
(*)And Magical Knack compensates for the 2 lost caster levels; you could use this to compensate for 1 lost caster level as in an Arcane Trickster build with a 1 level Sneak Attack class dip, but it probably isn't worthwhile for that.
Finally, I've heard that Arcane Bloodline Bloodragers make decent anti-mages.
Finally, I've heard that Arcane Bloodline Bloodragers make decent anti-mages.
Like UnArcaneElection wrote, Arcane Bloodragers are the natural mage-killers.
By lvl progression, you can get Disruptive and Spellbreaker as bonus feats, while enemy concentrations checks increase by just standing next to them AND you get "free" attacks of opportunity against casters. Besides all the nerfs for enemy-wizards, you're a rager, you kick major ass against wizards
Using variant multiclass rules a wizard with a rogue secondary class and the accomplished sneak attacker feat will let you take arcane trickster at mid level without delaying spell casting progression.
Yes, I know. I was giving other options that would also cause you to not lose caster level if you didn't want to multiclass.
I like a lot of the concepts and I may use some of them at some point. However, for this character, I want him to just be an arcane caster. No levels at all of fighter, rogue, bloodrager, etc... I want him to just use spells to kill mages.
I think I'm most enamored with the VMC rogue to get arcane trickster. I never thought of that. At 8th wizard level, retrain a feat for accomplished sneak attacker to make it +2d6. Then arcane trickster from then on. That's pretty amazing. I wish I had thought of that before.
Here is a quick version without any gear or spells chosen.
Male ratfolk arcane trickster 7/diviner 8/rogue* (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 231)
N Small humanoid (ratfolk)
Hero Points 1
Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
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Defense
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AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)
hp 92 (15d6+30)
Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +10
Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge
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Offense
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Speed 20 ft.
Special Attacks sneak attack +7d6, swarming
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +21)
. . Constant—detect scrying
. . 9/day—diviner's fortune (+4)
Diviner Spells Prepared (CL 15th; concentration +21)
. . Opposition Schools Conjuration, Necromancy
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Statistics
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Str 5, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 23, Wis 11, Cha 7
Base Atk +7; CMB +3; CMD 16
Feats Accomplished Sneak Attacker, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Persistent Spell[APG], Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll
Traits bauble fascination, pragmatic activator, twitchy
Skills Acrobatics +7 (+3 to jump), Appraise +10, Bluff +2, Climb +1, Diplomacy +2, Disable Device +30, Disguise +2, Escape Artist +10, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +24, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +24, Knowledge (engineering) +12, Knowledge (geography) +12, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (nobility) +11, Knowledge (planes) +24, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +12, Perception +20, Sense Motive +18, Sleight of Hand +21, Spellcraft +24, Stealth +25, Swim +1, Use Magic Device +13; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, +2 Use Magic Device
Languages Aklo, Catfolk, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Grippli, Halfling, Undercommon
SQ forewarned, hero points, impromptu sneak attack, paranoid, ranged legerdemain, rodent empathy, scrying adept, trapfinding +7, tricky spells
Other Gear masterwork thieves' tools
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Special Abilities
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Conjuration You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Conjuration school.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Divination Diviners are masters of remote viewing, prophecies, and using magic to explore the world.
Diviner's Fortune +4 (9/day) (Sp) As a standard action, touch grants ally +4 insight bonus to many checks for 1 round.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Forewarned 4 (Su) Can always act in surprise rounds.
Hero Points Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Impromptu Sneak Attack (2/day) (Ex) You can declare any melee or ranged attack to be a sneak attack.
Necromancy You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Necromancy school.
Paranoid Aid Another DC 15 for attempts to help you.
Persistent Spell Foes must succeed at 2 saves or suffer the spell's full effects.
Quicken Spell Cast a spell as a swift action. +4 Levels.
Ranged Legerdemain (Su) Can use Disable Device or Sleight of Hand from 30 ft away, but +5 DC.
Rodent Empathy Ratfolk gain a +4 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks made to influence rodents.
Scrying Adept (Su) At 8th level, you are always aware when you are being observed via magic, as if you had a permanent detect scrying. In addition, whenever you scry on a subject, treat the subject as one step more familiar to you. Very familiar subjects get a -
Sneak Attack +7d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Swarming (Ex) Can share a square with another with swarming, if both att the same foe, he is flanked.
Trapfinding +7 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
Tricky Spells (4/day) (Su) You can cast a spell without verbal or somatic components.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex) Retain DEX bonus to AC when flat-footed.
I think I could live with this dude.
If I may throw in my 2 cents.
I personally like the Magus idea, but if full caster is the thought process, and VMC is an option, any of the caster classes VMCed with Magus can grab an Arcane Pool @ lvl 3, and an Arcana @ lvl 7 (personally thinking
if not only for the 'sniffing out mages' thematic.)
I've toyed with this concept with an Occultist VMC Magus (I have preference toward Silksworn, as they become arcane casters), as the Occultist gets Aura Sight as an at will ability @ lvl 3 I believe, whilst keeping a bit of a martial background to the character (if a spell/counterspell can't deal with that mage, a well placed punch to the mouth with brass knuckles will).
Divinations Wizard with Transmutation Focus. Divinations because you can never be surprised, have high initiative, and you get lots of rerolls every day if you get the Prescience ability from Foresight. Get Greater Spell Focus in Transmutation and Spell Perfection and Preferred Spell in Flesh to Stone, Disintegration, or a Polymorph spell.
Heightened Piercing Persistent Flesh to Stone. Quickened True Strike + Heightened Empowered Persistent Disintegrate. Heightened Piercing Persistent Baleful Polymorph. The sky is the limit here. But basically, you're going for a really, really powerful Save or Die vs. Fortitude. Most Casty types are going to be lacking in the Fortitude department.
If you really... REALLY, REEEALLY want to be an Arcane Mage killer, take 1 level in Fighter and start going Eldritch Knight with a 1F/5W/10EK build. Don't play him like a Fighter, play him like a Wizard who can attack in melee when needed :) You only need a couple of feats to make your melee good. You can get Power Attack and Cornugon Smash and a +1 Cruel Weapon enchant for the Shaken/Sicken Combo -4 to att/saves/skills/abilchecks. With -4 Saves, you can be pretty beastly. Get Step Up & Strike and Disruptive if you want to crank it up a couple notches. Or, you can get Dimensional Dervish so you can do teleport striking.
Or, consider getting Blinding Critical and going with a Keen weapon with 18-20 x2 crit multiplier. Go with a Fauchard if you want 18-20 x2 and Reach :) Blind casters are severely limited in what they can cast.
As a 1F/5W/10EK you're going to have Haste almost whenever you want so getting Full-Attack Actions is one way to be extremely efficient while attacking with a 2h weapon like a Fauchard. Step Up & Strike would synergize well with this because you can line up Full-Attack Actions when you actually feel like getting into melee while also focusing on casting Spells without losing ground on your enemy, :)
If I were you, just pick 3-5 combat feats, and the rest of your feats should be casting-focused.
Another thing that makes Kensai incredibly deadly as a Mage Hunter, they can use Spell Combat to full attack and then use Antimagic Field to prevent their target from using magic. Or, if there's a contingency of importance, they could do the opposite, and use AMF first, before then full attacking.
All they need then, is to be able to get in close as a swift action, which is easy with Dimension Door and the Quickened Magic Arcana.
Arcane Duelist Bard!
It has Arcane Strike & Bonded Weapon.
He gets Disruptive/Spellbreaker as bonus feats.
Gets medium/heavy armor proficiency, and the ability to cast in them.
3/4 BAB, 3/4 spellcasting... still gets Inspire Courage, can use a longspear for Flagbearer/Banner of Ancient Kings shenanigans.
The best way to kill a wizard, is to be part of a team that kills wizards...
Never hunt mages alone.
Put him with a Child of War Fighter using Gorum's Divine Fighting Technique with a greatsword and the Disruptive/Spellbreaker feats... all hopped up on Inspire Courage. Maybe he even has a level or two of Bloodrager for some Rage!
What if the party has a Magus archer with an Orc HornBow?
And an Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer battlefield control specialist?
Or an Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue with Dimensional Savant?
This doesn't even include the obvious answer to bring a wizard to kill a wizard.
Agree about never hunting mages alone (if you can help it), except for one thing: The Child of Acavna and Amaznen (Child of War) Fighter archetype is just terrible. Better to be a Myrmidarch Magus instead, even though this is itself less than fully optimal. Compared to Child of Acavna and Amaznen Figher, Myrmidarch Magus gets:
Pro
* Vetter spellcasting even with Diminished Spellcasting
* Weapon Training, which both unlocks Advanced Weapon Training and lets your total attack bonus be only slightly behind
* Armor use (including Armor Training) without needing to burn a Swift Action to cast spells having Somatic components without risk of failure while wearing armor
* Spell Combat and Spellstrike (and even Ranged Spellstrike, although that takes some investment to make good)
* A few Magus Arcana
* A better Will Save (remember no Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bravery) to boost this for Child of Acavna and Amaznen)
* Better weapon proficiency (doesn't lose two-handed weapons, although usually you won't want to use these as a Magus anyway, since they don't work with Spell Combat)
Con
* Worse hit points (d8 instead of d10)
* Somewhat fewer Bonus Combat Feats (but remember that Child of Acavna and Amaznen loses a LOT of the Fighter's Bonus Combat Feats)
I just wanted the arcane spellcasting Fighter archetype to qualify for this discussion, AND allow him to use Gorum's Divine Fighting Technique with a greatsword and the Power Attack/Vital Strike/Disruptive/Spellbreaker feats on a charge. If it takes one level of Bloodrager, he can use all the crappy spellcasting the Child of War gets... both being from the Bloodrager spell list. He is the big, dumb fighter to be inspired by the Arcane Duelist Bard's Bard's Inspire Courage. Teamwork...
All of these characters casually meet the requirements of the original post...
One level of Bloodrager, Child of War Fighter, rages using Gorum's Divine Fighting Technique...
The Arcane Duelist Bard Inspires Courage with a longspear flying the Banner of Ancient Kings, right behind the guy with the greatsword...
The Eldritch Archer Magus stays in the back, within the Inspire Courage aura...
The Eldritch Scoundrel flanks, or the Eldritch Scrapper contains the battlefield...
Still without the obvious; bring a wizard to kill a wizard...
Everything involves the whole team...
The arcane casting Fighter,
The Arcane Duelist Bard,
The Eldritch Archer Magus,
And
The Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue
Or
The Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer
We hunt together...