rogue mage

[cosper123]

Was thinking of a build that would be a great addition to a group in the new areas...with the anti-magic traps and such. The idea is a full caster level mage with some rogue thrown in for disable traps and such. More focus on mage than rogue...


Threw in Clap of Thunder since (as I understand it) the spell will benifit from the sneak roll (7d6 total) if I'm in a sneak attack positions. This may be good for those instanced situations where rest is not always easy.

Was also considering Invis Needle but not sure what sort of damage it is, I'm assuming magic damage since it's 1d4 instead of the 1d6 sonic that Clap of Thunder provides.

Saving the last of the wizzie levels for epic levels to nab as many epic feats as I can. Although I'll be playing catch-up with spell penatration and such. Considered going ASoC instead of SD but HIPs is going to be useful for getting into position for sneaky Invis Needle/Clap of Thunder, getting aggro off me, etc.

Can anyone think of any alternatives or things they'd do differently?


Rogue 3/SD 1/Wizard 16/Arcane Trickster 10

1 Rogue 1 Spellcasting Prodigy
2 Wizard 1
3 Rogue 2 adept learner
4 Wizard 2 attribute+1
5 Wizard 3
6 Rogue 3 extend spell,
7 Wizard 4
8 Wizard 5 Empower spell, attribute+1,
9 AT 1 dodge
10 AT 2
11 AT 3
12 AT 4 mobility attribute +1,
13 SD 1
14 AT 5
15 AT 6 Practiced Spellcaster (wizard)
16 AT 7 attribute +1
17 AT 8
18 AT 9 Combat Expertise,
19 AT 10
20 Wiz 6 attribute +1
21 Wiz 7 Clap of Thunder
22 Wiz 8
23 Wiz 9 feat, bonus feat
24 Wiz 10 attribute +1
25 Wiz 11 feat
26 Wiz 12
27 Wiz 13 feat
28 Wiz 14 bonus feat attribute +1
29 Wiz 15 feat
30 Wiz 16

[cytoc]

I definitely wouldn't drop SD from the build; unless of course the mobs in the new areas have insane detection, but you should have a pretty solid hide / ms score.

I kind of prefer acidic splatter as the elemental reserve feat; it's ranged, whereas clap of thunder requires you to be in melee range; and generally the mobs tend to aggro onto characters sneak attacking them (at least in my limited experience, but never tried it sneak attacking with spells/these reserve feats).

I also like invisible needle (it does provide magic dmg), in case you're coming up against mobs that are acid immune (or whatever element you've taken).


I started, but never got into leveling a caster / rogue going either 20wiz/1rog/1SD/1ASoC (or possibly 18 wiz, 10 ASoC, never quite decided). Obviously, you do less damage when you can sneak attack, so if there are a suite of crit immune mobs, it might be worthwhile considering dropping AT for ASoC.

[shoujo]

If the goal is to make a wizard that can deal with traps, I don't see a need to go AT since rog 1 + able learner will be enough. Ditching AT also means you don't need SD levels to get into position to sneak attack. That'll free up a class slot for a different PrC you can use to become a better caster which you'll need to be if the new areas are as nasty as they sound.

I'm also not sure you need a mage to take on the rogue role because you don't need to max that many skills to deal with traps. I'm kind of considering using the CL for trap disarming. Rogue gets me evasion, bard and CL gets me bard songs, CL gets me full BAB and cleric levels. Going rogue instead of water cleric does cost me a cleric PrC, but it also means I don't have to burn a domain on the relatively crappy water domain.

Before that though, I'd test to see if familiars can be used to trigger traps. If they can trigger traps that are set on doors and chests and the dispel traps don't cause damage, an invisible familiar should be able to function as your 'rogue'. If doors aren't being used, I'd actually just use summon 1 familiars to set off traps. Cheap enough and won't cause you to sacrifice your combat prowess.

[Loudent2]

I tried building a rogue/wiz/AT type build once. For some reason I find it difficult to build anything other than a pure mage without SwiftBlade.

Go figure

[Beldar]

I have an arcane trickster. I got tired of kiting and quit playing him. Maybe if I gave him uber gear he would be fun to play.

I tend to think that if you are going to take 1 level of SD you should go ahead and take 2. Evasion and uncanny dodge are really powerful feats for just 1 more level.

[siegelayer]

Mar 11, 2009 12:10:20 GMT -5 Loudent2 said:

I tried building a rogue/wiz/AT type build once. For some reason I find it difficult to build anything other than a pure mage without SwiftBlade.

Go figure

<----- Swiftblade rehab is that way.

I'll be going this way. ----->

;D

I think it was the great Christopher Walken that once said, "I got a fever, and the only prescription is more Swiftblade!"

[cosper123]

Yeah the main idea with the arcane trickster was the additional sneak damage added to needle spell and such....so I could keep on going in these areas that are instances. I've always had problems running out of spell slots in instanced areas (I think it's a poor idea for mages, especially lower level ones, and no arcane rest doesn't make up for it)...so I'd still be useful with the Invis Needle and such, at least to some extent.

But yeah I'd feel extra gimped with no ASOC.....Dunno maybe I should go with a Rogue/Bard build instead...I've got to think it over.

[Loudent2]

I'm already brewing up a new build. One that should be able to reasonably hold their own sans magic, but really takes off when buffed. Naturally Swiftblade will be a part of the equation.

Honstly, this is the last swiftblade build.....I can quit at any time.....


It really is bad when you start considering it for a bard/cleric/lyrist build

[shoujo]

Heh, I've been trying to make a bard/cleric/lyrist/swift build myself. It's a really tough one because there are so many possible good variations. What split are you leaning towards?

Kinda leaning towards a bard 8/cleric 6/lyrist 10/swift 6 mix which gets the double duration and +5 GMW/MV with practiced caster. Only need bard 7 for swift, but I figure bard 8 makes the build slightly more party friendly than swift 7 (extra AC, d6 damage self only).

Bard 8/cleric 4/lyrist 10/swift 8 would get greater hero and the swift 7 AC/dmg buff, but it'll miss out on max GMW/MV. Still nets you persistent DF and the good 7th level heals.

Bard 8/cleric 7/lyrist 10/swift 5 would get 50% concealment when hasted and access to 9th level spells, but haste would be dispellable.

Edit: Then there's bard 7/cleric 4/lyrist 10/swift 9 which gets tripple haste, but loses legionnaire's.

[cosper123]

I don't think the triple haste would be worth losing legionnaires, IMO. But it's a tough call yeah.