I've seen some of the discussion on the other parts of this forum about Rogues and cantrips, which gave me this idea.
Eldritch Trickster
You were born with a talent for magic, but whatever reason you've never been able to really hone your gifts beyond the basics. Your ability to use magic, however minor, does give you some unique tools that have helped you in your career. Perhaps you use your magic to assist in heists, to defend yourself against dangerous foes, or even con the gullible into believing that you are a mighty mage!
Choose one magical tradition (arcane, divine, occult, or primal). You gain two cantrips from that magical tradition's spell list. You can cast those two cantrips as innate spells at will. A cantrip is heightened to a spell level equal to half your level rounded up. You are also trained in the spell DCs associated with your tradition. Your proficiency with those spell DCs increases to expert at 7th level, and master at 15th level.
You are trained in one extra skill, depending on which magical tradition you chose. You are trained in Arcana if you picked arcane, Religion if you picked divine, Occultism if you picked occult, and Nature if you picked primal.
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I would change the proficiencies increase to be together with the Rogue Class DC ones (lvl 9 and 17), like the Champion and Monk does.
Their lvl 10 debilitation could inflict stupified 1 or gain weakness 5 of your choice between fire, acid, eletric and cold.
Maybe a focus spells (getting it with a feat) that have the effects of Illusory Disguise/Object, making it worded kinda like Fey Glamour from Fey sorcerer.
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Rogue should definitely not get expert/master at the same level as wizard.
Even 9 and 17 might be fast, since straight up multiclassing wizard gets you 12 and 18.
One thing that comes to mind, since this racket probably mostly wants to sneak attack, is that you could give it progression in spell attack rolls but not save DCs; they are technically separate.
If this Rogue racket is intended to be using Cantrips for damage and sneak attack, they need to have their accuracy increase at the same levels as normal. Becoming Expert in spell attacks at 5 and Master at 13 is important for keeping them on-par with the other rackets. Furthermore, they need to be able to trigger Debilitations with their spells, as the current trigger requires a Strike specifically. It may also require giving them the Magical Trickster feat early, since they'd be behind on damage for a while and they don't get much to compensate for it if they're not getting spells too.
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I agree that accuracy is important, but it's also important that a Rogue racket isn't straight better than multiclassing Wizard.
Best solution is probably, like I suggested, giving progression only in attack rolls and not in save DCs.
Even then, I'd be tempted to set them back a couple levels just so that they aren't getting increases at the same time as a wizard - it's not like they lose their normal proficiency, after all.
Not sure I agree that it needs to be better than mc wizard, but it does need to be different.
If the aim is to replicate Arcane Trickster, giving mage hand as a focus spell, followed by a number of class feats that replicate Arcane Trickster abilities (e.g. ranged legerdemain, tricky spells, etc.) should do it. If the aim is simply to make an alternative to mc wizard, I’m not interested.
One thing that should be noted is that the original Arcane Trickster assumed you were a standard Rogue (I.e. one with the thief racket) without allowing for other styles. Adding further feats that allow for these styles would allow better customisations.
I agree that accuracy is important, but it's also important that a Rogue racket isn't straight better than multiclassing Wizard.
Best solution is probably, like I suggested, giving progression only in attack rolls and not in save DCs.
Even then, I'd be tempted to set them back a couple levels just so that they aren't getting increases at the same time as a wizard - it's not like they lose their normal proficiency, after all.
They only get cantrips, so they won't be equal to a wizard or MC wizard at all. They may have good accuracy, but won't be able to put it to as good of use with much less powerful effects.
They only get cantrips, so they won't be equal to a wizard or MC wizard at all. They may have good accuracy, but won't be able to put it to as good of use with much less powerful effects.I agree that accuracy is important, but it's also important that a Rogue racket isn't straight better than multiclassing Wizard.
Best solution is probably, like I suggested, giving progression only in attack rolls and not in save DCs.
Even then, I'd be tempted to set them back a couple levels just so that they aren't getting increases at the same time as a wizard - it's not like they lose their normal proficiency, after all.
If they multiclass as a wizard, they will get spells, and with faster proficiency progression will be better at them than other mc wizards.
I agree that accuracy is important, but it's also important that a Rogue racket isn't straight better than multiclassing Wizard.
I mean, why? Saying it must be worse than Wizard MC seems kind of arbitrary.
If they multiclass as a wizard, they will get spells, and with faster proficiency progression will be better at them than other mc wizards.
Arcane Sorcerers make better MC wizards than other classes too.
it's not like they lose their normal proficiency, after all.
Which is an argument for keeping heightened proficiency, not against it.
If you pick a rogue racket specifically to fight with magic only to find out that you're better off using weapons because you're suffering a -3 or higher to attack rolls for a huge chunk of the campaign, the specialization is a failure.