Is the Trickster ACF, a buff to Spellthief?

[The Shadowmind]

In Dragon 353 there is a Spellthief acf, called Trickster that gives the spellthief bard casting and progression with the normal spellthief spells.

Being that Spells >= non-spells most of the time, this seems like it would be a pretty decent improvement, but that could be my own bias.

[Psyren]

In Dragon 353 there is a Spellthief acf, called Trickster that gives the spellthief bard casting and progression with the normal spellthief spells.

Being that Spells >= non-spells most of the time, this seems like it would be a pretty decent improvement, but that could be my own bias.

*reads*

Okay... it seems like you lose all your sneak attack except for the first 1d6, you lose trapfinding, you lose 2 SP/level (so 4+Int instead of 6+Int), and you lose Appraise, Bluff, DD, EA, Hide, Jump, MS, OL, Search, Swim and Tumble as class skills.

At first blush... well, don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer that spells > not-spells... but if you're giving up this much of the class to be a (skill-impaired) Bard, why not just be a Bard?

[Piggy Knowles]

Yeah, I'd much rather play a Spellthief 1/Bard X with Master Spellthief than a Trickster Spellthief.

[Glimbur]

If you plan to use a PrC to progress casting (probably with Master Spellthief) then it looks much better, especially if you only want Spellthief 1. But then you'll get in to arguments about what Master Spellthief says versus what it maybe should say.

[Waddacku]

It's stronger than regular Spellthief, yes. Note that not only do you get Bard casting, you also get several entire schools from the Sorc/Wiz list.
Compared to a Bard, you get a bit stronger casting and the ability to steal spells, spell effects, spell-like abilities, and so forth, in exchange for Bardic Music and Knowledge.

If you want to buff, Bard. If you want to magic ninja, Spellthief.

[The Shadowmind]

Well it is Bard + sor/wiz abjuration, divination, enchantment, illusion,
and transmutation spells. Which lets the spellthief get into shadowcraft mage with out much questions, if at level 11.

With the better spell progression, you can fuel the higher level domain spells from the godsblood feat easier from stealing from yourself.

Spellthief 1+ Master Spellthief isn't really a Spellthief, it is more of a caster level trick.