Magical skillmonkey - character help

[FlyingScanian]

Well, new campaign will be starting up relatively soon, and I was thinking about playing the party skillmonkey... then I realized that you can sneak attack with certain spells (somehow, (lesser) orb of acid has been the prime example).

Thus began my ideas for playing a whisper gnome (gnome, only slightly less crazy... and thankfully silent) rogue/wizard/suitable prestige class. However, I have yet to play either a skill monkey OR a wizard (the closest is a cloistered cleric... which hasn't payed out as expected), so a bit of tip for character optimization (low, but I like being useful...), as well as obvious traps would be appreciated.

I was thinking about specializing the wizard into conjurer, with ACF from PHBII (teleportation is always fun...), and thus banning necromancy and enchantment. As for the prestige class, I was first thinking Arcane Trickster, though I've heard about Unseen Seer as well (and think I'm missing something...). As for spells, the main ones seem to be grease, invisibility and orbs... anything I've missed (most likely)?

Starting level will be 8, and I would expect the campaign to play out to somewhere close to level 15, at a rough guess. One feat will most likely need to be used for the campaign equivalent of Eschew Materials, and money will be... scarce (I think we will each have a grand total of 5000gp to start with), so some tips for suitable purchases are also appreciated. I was thinking a shortbow and dagger/shortsword for when the spells need to be conserved, thieves tools, a Handy Haversack and some scrolls (and a bunch of mundanes, of course).

[Last Laugh]

The usual response is Wizard 4/Spellthief 1 (Cadv.) with master spellthief feat (Csco.) allowing you to steal spells with every sneak attack, you can steal up to any spell level you can cast, and spellthief levels add to all caster levels.


PrC for magic skillery:
Unseen Seer (Cmage) is the best one, 6+int skills, full casting, progressing sneak attack, and free divinations from any list. Use practiced caster to offset the caste level penalty to non-divination spells. It takes skills and ability to cast divinations.

Hunter's Eye (SpC) is a divination spell which gives +1d6 sneak attack/3 caster levels.

Arcane trickster from DMG is basic and meh

Spellwarp Sniper from Csco is pretty cool, combine with uncanny trickster to increase the maximum spell level you can warp into rays.

Beyond that Orb of Fire from Spell Compendium is very good. great for sneak attack, get golem strike, grave strike, and vine strike to sneak attack more enemies.

Focus on ways to increase sneak attacks, and make opponents flat footed, pick up quicken spell and toss quickened grease around. Use Cloud of Daggers (PHB II) to get 1 free attack per round, giving you more chances to sneak attack.

Idunno, answer any questions?

Csco=complete scoundrel, cmage=complete mage, cadv=complete adventurer, dmg=dungeon master's guide, phb II=players handbook II

Edit: You might wanna go Spellthief at level 1, wizard 2-5 for bonus skills. make sure you still fit the skills for Unseen Seer in there.

The Feat Acidic Splatter is a reserve feat from Complete mage, it allows you to deal 1d6 damage/spell level of highest level acid spell. (level 3 acid spell makes it deal 3d6 damage) with a range of 5ft per spell level (15 feet using above example) at will, This lets you sneak attack people without using spell slots.

Invisible Needle is similar, but only 1d4 damage and is force damage. Nearly impossible to resist.

If you use either of these make sure you keep a spell to fuel it.

Abjurer is a very good specialization, pick up abrupt jaunt (PHB II?) and take Obtain Familiar later, if you want a familiar. Familiars are at the very least +2 all skills, a familiar within 5 feet of you benefits from Hunter's Eye, Cloud of Daggers, and any other spells targeted on you. This is kinda insane.

[FlyingScanian]

Lots of interresting ideas there. I do, however, encounter two problems...

1) Where did you say Hunter's Eye is? I searched Spell Compendium, but didn't find it there...

2) The main lack of Unseen seer (and wizard, though that's to be expected) is the lack of Disable Device and Open Lock as class skills, two things I see myself as going to need...

Also, I think I'm in love with a new feat (Acidic Splatter). Weapons are now regarded as strictly secondary... I thank thee greatly :smallwink:

[Draz74]

Hunter's Eye is from PHB2. People often say it's in SpC, but sadly it isn't.

Open Lock generally isn't worth sinking a lot of skill points into anyway. Many locks can be busted if you just have one rank of Open Lock, a good Dexterity, and masterwork thieves' tools, and Take 20 on your check. Gloves of Manual Prowess (MIC) are a decent, cheap item that will improve your open lock check even more (although they don't stack with Taking 20). Then, for the few locks you can't handle (and assuming you don't just want the party Barbarian to beat the door down with his adamantine hammer), there's the Knock spell. Buy a Rod of Escape (MIC) to get Knock daily for a very cheap price, as well as a couple other situationally useful abilities.

Disable Device is a bigger problem, especially if your DM actually knows how to design traps that can't be solved just by triggering them with expendable critters (purchased donkeys or Summons). If you don't mind being Human and blowing either a class level or a Feat (for Human Paragon or Able Learner, respectively), you can get Disable Device as a permanent class skill for all of your classes, Unseen Seer included. Or you can just spend two skill points per Unseen Seer level to keep your Disable Device skill maxxed. :smallannoyed:

[Dusk Eclipse]

Last Laugh: If you want Abrupt Jaunt you need to be a specialized conjurer, not an abjurer.

Draz: I think people confuse Hunter's Eye with with Hunter's mercy which is in the Spell compendium


Having said that my favourite skill monkey arcanists is rogue 1/wizard 5/Unseen Seer 10 /Spellwarp Sniper or Arcane Trickster 4

Wizard 5 is for spontaneous divination, which pairs pretty nicely with the abilities of the unseen seer. Human to take practiced spellcaster and Able learner to stop worrying about skills and CL.

Rogue is superior to Spellthief, due more skill points.

[IthroZada]

Just throwing it out there, Factotums and Beguilers make rather good skill monkeys as well. Beguilers do get less skill points, but Int is their main stat.

[Last Laugh]

Last Laugh: If you want Abrupt Jaunt you need to be a specialized conjurer, not an abjurer.

Draz: I think people confuse Hunter's Eye with with Hunter's mercy which is in the Spell compendium


Having said that my favourite skill monkey arcanists is rogue 1/wizard 5/Unseen Seer 10 /Spellwarp Sniper or Arcane Trickster 4

Wizard 5 is for spontaneous divination, which pairs pretty nicely with the abilities of the unseen seer. Human to take practiced spellcaster and Able learner to stop worrying about skills and CL.

Rogue is superior to Spellthief, due more skill points.
Doh, sorry was working from memory, Basic thought process: Abrupt jaunt, hmmmmm sounds like Abjuration.... that must be it.