Feats for a Nautical Beguiler?

[Palanan]

I'm working on a rogue/beguiler for my seafaring campaign. He's assumed the identity of one of the crew, and he'll be doing some corporate espionage for a rival merchant house. He'll be at the center of a small mystery the PCs will need to solve while the ship is alone at sea.

The beguiler will be seventh level, with a general build of Martial Rogue 1/Beguiler 4/Spymaster 2, and he'll be relying on a carefully cultivated cover identity while he's onboard. With this in mind, I have a couple of questions:


1. Which feats would be most useful to him here? I'm tempted towards Practiced Spellcaster, but other than that I'm at a loss for what would help him the most. Maybe Retributive Strike with Whelm?

2. And apart from a belt of healing, what items would be good choices for someone who's on a mission of subterfuge and misdirection? He's not expecting to wade into a fight, and too much eldritch bling wouldn't fit with his cover. What else would help here?
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[Black_Zawisza]

If you don't have a problem not being able to kill people, picking up Sacred Vow and Vow of Nonviolence gives you minor bonuses and +4 to Save DCs on all spells that don't deal lethal damage. Nobody will EVER make their saves against your spells. :smallamused:

EDIT: And If you're going to be summoning monsters anyway, it might be high-powered for the game (your call), but the amber amulet of vermin (Magic Item Compendium) will give you a huge monstrous scorpion for ten rounds once a day, 750gp (think).

[Waker]

I would say to strongly consider having the race be Changeling and take the Rogue acf from Races of Eberron. Huge bonuses to social skills make being an infiltrator much easier. The feat suggestions I make based on the assumption you go Changeling.
1. Persona Immersion will let you mislead the party with fake thoughts. Quick Change will let you assume another form faster.
3. Hat of Disguise is very nice for a spy.

[Palanan]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I know those exalted feats are often mentioned for beguilers, but this one may find it necessary to pitch a couple of witnesses overboard....

And I'll keep the changeling option in mind, although that might actually make him too subtle and powerful a challenge for a small group of fourth-level PCs.

With that in mind, here's the basic build that I'll be working with:


1st: standard - Improved Toughness
.......human - Cosmopolitan
.......fighter bonus - Improved Diversion
.......flaw - Improved Initiative
3rd: Practiced Spellcaster
6th: Retributive Spell

I like the last two feats, but still not convinced about the ones at first level. Any suggestions?
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[nedz]

Skill type feats such as Cosmopolitan are generally regarded as weak, but if you are going to be using these skills, in opposed rolls, a lot then maybe.
For this to be worthwhile these have to be skills you keep maxed out and are central to the character.
Cosmopolitan: +2 Bluff, Gather Information and Sense Motive

Improved Diversion is to help with your bluff based class features I guess ?
I'm not sure you need this ?

[Palanan]

Yup, I know feats like Cosmopolitan are considered weak; I'm using it here because those skills are central to the character, and right now he's swimming in feats.

Improved Diversion is very meh (and extremely situational) so I'm open to suggestions for alternatives. In fact, apart from Cosmopolitan, I'm not committed to any of his first-level feats. If there are some better options for this scenario, I'd like to hear about them.

[nedz]

You might be too low level for these, but you will need to consider them at some point.

Will you be engaging in Ship-to-Ship battles? If so then range is the most important thing. It equates to initiative, actually its more important than that. Most Ship-to-Ship battles are meeting engagements. Take Enlarge spell if this is the case.

Stealth might dictate Silent Spell also ?

The best way to destroy a ship is fire. You will need some way of doing this, and also putting a fire out. I guess you are going to have to rely on equipment.

What happens if the ship you are on founders ?
In other words: how can you avoid drowning ?

[Palanan]

All good advice, and I appreciate it. Definitely worth keeping in mind, especially the part about Enlarge Spell and ship-to-ship engagements. I can see...other applications for that, heh.

Unfortunately for this beguiler--and I should've emphasized this in my last couple of posts--for his first level he'll be a martial rogue, with no actual spellcasting talent yet. Sorry I didn't make that more clear.

So, I'm trying to think of feats that would be useful when he's just starting out, a young rogue who's going places. He'd much rather slip away than stand his ground in a fight, so I was thinking something that gives him an edge for escaping.

[SSGoW]

If you can buy a decnater of endless water. That would take care if your ship caught on fire... And if you and the party is drifting along on a makeshift boat after being thrown overboard you now have a motor boat :D. Plus you know sea water isn't good to drink.