Making a magic using thief (3.5e)

[MickJay]

I'm making a lev. 11 character in 3.5e that is supposed to fill in the party's thief role - sneaking, disarming traps etc. I would prefer to play a spellcaster of some sort, and a warlock (with a possible dip into a thieving class of some sort) would most likely be what I'm after. The group is currently dealing with hordes of undead, but that is likely to change soon.

LA races, as well as templates are (within reason) allowed, and so is buying LA off (in which case the final build could be level 10). Standard WBL. All official sources allowed. The game is fairly high-op (the monsters tend to have plenty of extra HD and immunities), and as I don't have access to most books, there's a good chance I'd end up with a fairly inadequate build if I were to make it myself - hence request for suggestions (race/template, classes, feats and equipment, and possibly for highly useful - but not very obvious - spells).

[Jeff the Green]

Beguiler (PHBII) is what you're after. Solid tier 3, illusion and enchantment spells, trapfinding, good skills, and plenty of versatility. Warlocks don't make great skillmonkeys.

[Flickerdart]

Beguiler is a good choice, but due to their sharply limited spell list, they can often have problems dealing with many kinds of opponents.

I would recommend something like Spellthief 1/Wizard 5/Unseen Seer 10/Arcane Trickster 4. Solid sneak attack progression (with the ability to grab Hunter's Eye off the Ranger list for even more SA), 19/20 spellcaster levels, playable for all 20 levels. If you feel like it, substitute the Arcane Trickster levels at the end for Incantatrix to persist some stuff.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Illumian (Krau/anything), Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 10/ (full casting PrCs) 5. Use flaws, get Practiced Spellcaster: Beguiler, Able Learner, Versatile Spellcaster, and any metamagic feat before 6th. Illumians are Humanoid (Human) so they can take Able Learner, and as an Int-SAD character you should have plenty of skill points. Specialize in Conjuration with Enchantment and Evocation prohibited, you'll get most of the best Enchantment spells via Beguiler anyway. Get the Abrupt Jaunt ACF in PH2, and consider using the Fighter feat variant for Wizard from UA to get Improved Initiative instead of Scribe Scroll. Also consider picking up the feats Darkstalker and Quick Recovery from LoM, which are good for sneaking and countering the drawback of the Celerity line of spells in PH2.

At level 11 you'll be casting as a Wizard 10 and as a Beguiler 5, both at caster level 13. You can use Versatile Spellcaster to spend Beguiler spell slots two at a time to cast any spell you know of one level higher, including any Wizard spells you've learned, and it also gives you early access to the next higher level of the Beguiler spell list. By level 15 you'll have Wizard 14 and Beguiler 8 casting, and you can apply your own effects in the most beneficial order so add Krau and Practiced Spellcaster before UM's Arcane Spell Power bonus and any other caster level bonuses (Orange Ioun Stone, Ring of Arcane Might). The last five levels can be anything that advances Wizard casting, such as a Mindbender dip for Mindsight, one more Wizard level to pick up a CC ACF, Incantatrix 3 or 4, Divine Oracle 4, Paragnostic Apostle, etc. If you intend to take Incantatrix or Divine Oracle, start out having gained its feat prerequisite via the Frog God's Fane or the Otyugh Hole, both detailed in Complete Scoundrel.

Start out with a Circlet of Rapid Casting (MIC) with a +4 Enhancement bonus to Int added (MIC p234), (Lesser) Metamagic Rods, a Ring of Enduring Arcana (CM) with a Deflection bonus to AC added (MIC), a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC), Shax's Indispensable Haversack (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148101), and check this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) but remember that spell buffs can give you a lot of those effects. Use (Extended) Heart of Water, Greater Resistance, (Extended) (Greater) Mage Armor, (Extended) Overland Flight, etc.

[Jeff the Green]

Beguiler is a good choice, but due to their sharply limited spell list, they can often have problems dealing with many kinds of opponents.

Eh, not as much as you might think, though it can depend heavily on the DM. Illusions are even better on mindless undead and constructs than humanoids, and even undead can be affected with Enchantment spells by using Song of the Dead (Dragon 312).

[Venusaur]

I think Spellthief seems pretty good for what you want. Factotum is a pretty good choice too.

[gorfnab]

Beguiler into Shadowcraft Mage (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=9aff1at0btvfebbur61u2h8vs0&topic=5638.0) can be quite nice.

[monkey3]

I am having a great deal of fun with my Begulier. My advice is to NOT multiclass too much (stay at least 15 Beguiler) or it will eat into your "thief" capabilities. As is, a beguiler is as good a skill monkey as a pure rogue (since you can skimp a bit on open locks - Knock, and stealth - Invisibility, diplomacy - Charm)

[Mirakk]

I made a fun thief wizard once, he was an Illumian with able learner. I started as a Factotum to level 3, before taking Wizard for 5 levels in order to qualify for the Loredelver prestige class. Hummingbird Familiar for the +4 Init, and Improved Initiative as a feat tossed in there on top of that.

Factotum allowed me to use my intelligence to boost my strength related skill checks with my int to improve jump/climb/swim etc. For sigils I took Aesh and Hoon, to help boost skill checks for skills I had lower stats in. He also had bardic knowledge, detect magic at will, arcane sight, and several SLAs that're handy in a dungeon (Knock, Greater Dispel Magic)

For feats I focused on Still Spell/Silent spell so I could start picking up Innate Spells (Greater Prying Eyes, Mordenkainen's Lubrication, Alamanther's Return at various levels), and counterspelling feats (Improved Counterspell, and Reactive Counterspell).


It was quite versatile and mobile. I enjoyed using non-offensive spells to help the party, but that was personal preference. At any time I could counter enemy spellcasters like they weren't even there. More than a few times I was able to rob the party blind and fence the loot behind their backs. Not something I normally do, but it was amusing when it lead to embarassing plot hooks (Angry Demon yelling "GIMME MY ANCIENT RELIC BACK YOU THIEF!" for instance).

[MickJay]

Thank you all for the suggestions! I may at a later date post what I'll end up with :)