Working on this Master Spellthief build

[gallagher]

I'm listing my planned build and other things as I decide them, feel free to comment where you think I could improve! My job is as the group's sneaky, rogue-like character and do some back up casting, so I am playing a master spellthief build to cover illusions and fill my role to the max. We are playing in a short-staffed party filled with some power, but I dont want to step on the main casters toes, nor do I want to do early entry. Nothing too cheesy

Whisper Gnome ST1/Beguiler4/Arcane Trickster 3/Unseen Seer 2/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Spellwarp Sniper 5

Skills needed: Coupled with the needed rogue skills (open lock, search, and disable device) and will need things like tumble, jump, balance, and potentially climb, I will need:

Decipher Script 7 ranks, Disable Device 7 ranks, Escape Artist 7 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks by level 5

Hide 8 ranks, Search 8 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks,
Spellcraft 4 ranks, Spot 8 ranks by level 8

4 more ranks in Bluff by level 10

Concentration 8 ranks, 4 more ranks in Spellcraft by level 15

Feats I am planning on using:
1: Spell Focus (Illus.)
3: Point Blank Shot
6: Master Spellthief
9: Heighten Spell
12: Craven
15: Dont Know
18: Dont Know

I get Silent Spell at USS 2, and Precise Shot at Spellwarp Sniper 3


So that is what I have so far. Feel free to comment on the build I have thus far and what kind of gear I should look at trying to buy throughout the game.

[gallagher]

Please also remember that this guy is going to be primarily fill the rogue role. He is a secondary caster, and I will be using my beguiler spells to augment my roguishness. I will gain some offensive casting capability in Shadowcraft mage, and I will be using those illusory fireballs or whatever as ray spells for more sneak attacking.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

What's the rest of your party look like, whose toes do you not want to step on, and what do you specifically want this character to do?

It looks like you should list the Unseen Seer levels before Arcane Trickster, since otherwise you won't meet the sneak attack prerequisite of AT.

You're trying to do too much. Narrow down this character's shtick, and don't sacrifice how good he is at that for something that's secondary.

If you're going to be the party skillmonkey, then you have too many levels in low-skillpoint classes considering all the high-rank prerequisites you'll have to take.

If you want to deal damage, then you have both too few sneak attack dice and no suitable spells for filling that role. Once you get Shadowcraft Mage it could start to work out, but you don't have room for the good Shadowcraft Mage feats (Earth Spell, Residual Magic), plus it appears way too late in the build.

If you want to be a Caster + Skillmonkey, go Batman for your casting. A good build would be Beguiler 1/ Spellthief 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 10/ whatever, Master Spellthief gives you some caster level shenanigans, and get Able Learner and Versatile Spellcaster.

If you want to do Spell Sneak Attacks + Skillmonkey, go something like Spellthief 1/ Rogue 3/ Wizard 1/ Assassin 5/ Arcane Trickster 10, using AT to advance Wizard casting, and take the Acid Splatter reserve feat.

If you want Skillmonkey + Illusionist, just go Beguiler 5/ Mindbender 1/ Beguiler 14, with Versatile Spellcaster your Advanced Learning spells can be Ray of Stupidity, Shadow Form, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Greater Shadow Evocation, and Superior Invisibility. Maybe even take Magical Training at 1st to get a spellbook and (arguably) the ability to add spells to it as a Wizard does, which interacts quite well with Versatile Spellcaster. You can't really make a dedicated Shadow Illusionist work and still be a useful skillmonkey, so don't spread yourself too thin.

[gallagher]

Well I can switch USS before AT, and do more USS instead of Sniper, but I want to keep the Shadowcraft Mage. I already am most of the way to being good on USS with my skills (starting at level 2), so I can slowly build the stuff for AT.

The caster with whom I do not wish to bother is a Conjuration and Transmutation kind of guy. We also have a Necromancer Cleric and a Barbarian. I need to try and focus on Skillmonkey>Illusions>Damage. I have a longspear for flanking with the barbarian.