Fun idea help

[Azoth]

This is just a thought experiment for me, not something I intend to play.

We have all seen the idea in books and movies to varying degrees. The "useless" caster. The guy who walks around in normal clothing, may or may not carry a weapon, and is seemingly useless. What his comrades don't know is that he has subtly changed the outcome of every obstacle with the use of hard to notice magic.

Subtle things like making a party member trip, and due to that miss being beheaded by an enemy. Snuff out the lights in a room so that they group can escape.

He seems to have the right tool at the right time, and it is always something so minor you could overlook it as luck or coincidence.

How would someone like this be built? Feel free to list builds and spell selections if you wish.

[Waker]

Well, you could probably make a fairly effective attempt at it using a beguiler, cleric or wizard as the base. Make ample use of feats like Still Spell, Silent Spell and Invisible Spell to obscure your meddling.

[avr]

A Psion (Telepath) could mess around with people this way. Attraction, Aversion, Cloud Mind & Psionic Suggestion for a start. Control Light if you want to turn out the lights. Psionic Knock to have doors always be unlocked when you come to them.

[Waker]

A Psion (Telepath) could mess around with people this way. Attraction, Aversion, Cloud Mind & Psionic Suggestion for a start. Control Light if you want to turn out the lights. Psionic Knock to have doors always be unlocked when you come to them.

I'm sad that I thought of Invisible Spell before I remembered that psionics doesn't follow the whole verbal somatic components thing like magic does.

[Fyermind]

Almost everything you are talking about could be done with prestidigitation and ranks in bluff and sleight of hand.

[Waker]

Requires a bit of houseruling, but a Psion who can advance his psionics with the Fortune's Friend (CSco) might be fun. The whole class is basically devoted to getting Luck feats, rerolls and other silly things. I'm sure you can find something to work with.

[Azoth]

In regards to the presditigitation comment, those were small examples.

The basic premise of the idea is a caster/manifester who uses magic that doesn't draw attention to be useful. So instead of throwing fire balls, gating in Solars, dropping down evards black tentacles, and the likes...he is using "subtle" magic. He also wouldn't be the obvious buffer so no haste, bull's strength, enlarge person, ect.

The magic he uses is still effective though. Maybe a debuffer that focuses on not so obviously noticeable affects.