Beguiler in PF or other trap finder choices

[joca4christ]

Just wondering, is there a beguiler-like class in PF, or any alternate class, archetype or whatever that allows trap finding ability without having to actually be a rogue?

[SamBurke]

I see a Ranger Archetype, the Trapper. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---ranger-archetypes/trapper) It appears to be spot on for what you're looking for.

Brother of Arms (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/a-b/brother-of-the-seal) is a Monk PrC that helps with that.

Cryptic is Psionic, which makes it cool. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/cryptic)

That should help.

[Cog]

An Oracle with the Seeker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/archetypes/paizo---oracle-archetypes/seeker-oracle) archetype gives you full casting and trapfinding (in effect but not in name). I'm not sure how Beguiler-ish you can get the spell list on it, though. (Edit: apparently Sorcerers have a Seeker archetype as well.)

[Corlindale]

Several Bard archetypes have it too. Detective, Archaeologist and Sandman at least - there may be more that I can't recall. Arch is notable for actually giving you a power that's superior to the Rogue's (with a universal boost to Perception checks). With the bard spell list you can become fairly beguiler-ish.

Crypt Breaker Alchemist has it too.

Maybe some prestige classes gain it too, but I'm not too well-versed on them.

[Psyren]

Note that trapfinding isn't nearly as vital in PF as it is in 3.5. Anybody can find high-DC or magical traps in PF - all trapfinding lets you do is use Disable Device to turn them off, and give you a bonus to your check to locate them. (The DC to find magical traps is pretty high, so the bonus helps a lot, but it's not strictly necessary.) But obviously, since they're magic, you could just as easily disable them with a dispel, trigger them from afar once detected, or even just throw up an AMF and waltz right over them.

So if you don't feel like playing or dipping a class with trapfinding to get access to the ability, you're really not much worse off.

[joca4christ]

Great advice, thanks for the input.

Been reading the entry in the PHB2 a little more, and really like the flavor. Anyone have any luck converting this class to PF, or should one just do a bard or sorcerer archetype?

Can I tell you what I thought was cool? Being able to know & cast EVERY spell on the list, spontaneously! That was epic awesome to me.

[grarrrg]

Guide linky thing (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12613046#post12613046)

Copy/Pasty thing:
Trapfinding (anything with "Disarm Magical Traps")
Alchemist 1A (Crypt Breaker)
Bard 1A (Sandman)
Bard 2A (multiple archetypes)
Oracle 1A (Seeker)
Ranger 1A (Trapper), or 3A (Urban Ranger)
Rogue 1
Sorcerer 1A (Seeker)

Aspis Agent 1
Balanced Scale of Abadar 1, only Temporarily disables Magic traps
Brother of the Seal 2
Cyphermage 1?, Can only detect "writing" based traps, can detect them with Perception or Knowledge (Arcana), can disable them with Disable Device or Spellcraft
Pathfinder Delver 1

[Feralventas]

Great advice, thanks for the input.

Been reading the entry in the PHB2 a little more, and really like the flavor. Anyone have any luck converting this class to PF, or should one just do a bard or sorcerer archetype?

Can I tell you what I thought was cool? Being able to know & cast EVERY spell on the list, spontaneously! That was epic awesome to me.

Well, getting every spell on the list hasn't done much for PF, but I do think it's an easy translation. Some of the spells on the Beguiler's list have been altered in PF, so make sure you look them up for the difference, and check the non PF spells with the DM to either be translated or replaced if they feel it's not acceptable for the game.

Most of the class features will remain the same; the Sandman Bard actually has something to the effect of Cloaked Casting. Advanced Learning should only grant you PF spells, don't pull from 3.5 content. Still spell and Silent spell are still pretty straight-forward, as is the Trap-finding (as you've seen) and armored mage idea (though it's usually Magus for Fighter/Mages instead of Thief/mages, but then again, Bard.)

However the big difference of PF would be that even casters are allowed to have a fair amount of options at low levels. In this you're probably looking at either getting the Wizard's Illusion or Enchantment specialization effects with your Beguiler level instead of Wizard, or perhaps the Rakshasa or Fae bloodline as a Sorcerer, but I'd point toward Beguiler still being an Academic, Learned school of magic rather than an inherited one, even if it is a spontaneous caster.

You could also haggle for a D8 HD, but I don't really think you'll need it.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Beguiler was a lot more than Trapfinding.

Overall, I would say witch is by far the closest class PF has to the beguiler. And as Psyren said, Trapfinding is hardly needed at all in PF. All it does is let you disable magical traps. Anyone can find an trap and anyone can disable mundane traps. Also, detect magic is now infini-cast and works for finding magical traps, too.

Class skills are easy to obtain thanks to traits, and if needed, the Additional Traits feat.