Your entire party must be wizards. GO!

[Dalebert]

You people impress me and scare me at the same time with your knowledge of the rules and your strategies. This could be a fun thread. This is a real game, though I don't know if it will be a one-shot or a campaign. The DM has been very confusing as far as that. I think it's a one-shot that could launch a campaign if we have enough fun. I also don't know which system we will use. I'm inclined to argue for Pathfinder because they've added some flavor to specialists but I'm inclined to argue 3.5 because of the vast array of feat choices and such. I don't know if he's allowing prestige classes but I'm inclined to say "no". He kind of likes the idea of forcing us to make do the best we can with str8-up wizards. We aren't ruling out D&D 5.0 (Next? or whatever it's called now).

I guess pick whichever system you want to and tell me what sorts of characters you might make. Put as much detail as you want or just toss some ideas out there, like "I'd specialize in evocation and take Sculpt Spell". Whatever. Feel free to toss Sorcerer ideas out there, but FWIW, I don't even think we're allowed them. He doesn't seem to like the idea of spontaneous casting and sees having to prepare spells ahead of an adventure as a huge limitation. Seems silly to me since sorcerers essentially have to do that for their entire careers.

[Theomniadept]

Locate City bomb and any and all metamagic specialization that would lessen the cost of using it. Done.

[Yuki Akuma]

Entire party of Wizards?

Incantatrix, Shadowcraft Mage, Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil aaand... I dunno, Rainbow Servant? All of them Focused Specialists of course.

If I were only making one of them...

Gnome Illusionist 3/Master Specialist 4/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Shadowcrafter 8

Feats: Spell Focus (Illusion), Earth Sense, Heighten Spell, Earth Spell, Residual Magic, Spell Mastery (Silent Image), Signature Spell (Silent Image), Arcane Disciple (Luck). Master Specialist grants Skill Focus (Spellcraft) and Greater Spell Focus (Illusion). Shadowcraft Mage auto-Silences and auto-Extends illusions. This'll require you to take a single flaw to be able to grab all the feats. You can skip Signature Spell if you aren't allowed flaws.

The purposes of this build are twofold;

One, to be able to cast shadow illusions that are more real than reality; and two, to be able to cast Miracle out of cantrip spell slots.

There is an argument around whether or not Arcane Disciple (Luck), Residual Magic and Shadow Illusion combined let you cast cantrip-slot Miracles. I prefer the interpretation that it does because it's hilarious.

[1pwny]

Does a Wizard 1/Psionic Artificer X count as a Wizard?

[Daishain]

Pure wizard? Or just characters with wizard casting at the core? I'll assume the former.

You're probably best off coordinating specialized schools rather than having any universalists. For instance, there's some strong encounter pwning synergy to be had between a master level Transmuter and Conjurer. Throw an Abjurer, illusionist, and/or enchanter in there for extra hilarity.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, someone's going to want to melee. Maybe something like duskblade 3/wizard 4/abjurant champion 5/spellsword 1/knight phantom 7, and then smash faces with channeled spells.

[snailgosh]

I would play a focused Conjurer, specialising in the Summon Monster line, with the standard action summoning ACF and feats buffing the summons.
If PrC's are allowed I'd choose Malconvoker and maybe Master Specialist

[sideswipe]

ok, well then he is asking you to make 4 powerful characters.

this is 3.5

a few hints that may be oversights.
- one of you needs max umd for your lesser vigor wands and your restoration scrolls e.t.c. maybe two of you.
- each take at least one knowledge, then you are not metagaming as you have an in game character reason for being able to pick apart monsters with precision like a surgeon.
- have at least one transformagist to be your front line. your all a bit squishy (that can be solved) but you need one person comfortable, not just capable with frontline fighting.

the powerful combination is (in my opinion)

a conjurer
a transformagist
a diviner
either - a conjurer summoner, an abjurer into abjurant champion or some form of minionmancer like a necromancer.

prestige classes are not my strong point so ask others about those.

[heavyfuel]

Assuming a 4 person party, there's gonna be need to add some survivability. So 2 guys will definitely be Focused Conjurers with Abrupt Jaunt. Another is probably gonna be focused on Illusions and the fourth on transmutations

[OldTrees1]

What level? At low level specialization is good. At high level it is a waste unless it is a prerequisite(for a class feature or prestige class)


High levels:

Abrupt Jaunt Conjurer X / Incantrix 10

Elven Domain(Renewal) Generalist X / Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 10
3rd)Touch of Healing Reserve Feat

Gnome Illusionist X / Shadowcraft Mage 5

Gnome Illusionist 3/Master Specialist 4/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Shadowcrafter 8
Elven Domain(???) Generalist X / Cleric(Magic Domain) 1 / Dweomerkeeper 10
(If Wizard is the only base class allowed, swap the Magic Domain to the Domain Wizard and swap Cleric 1 for Urpriest 1)

Note: With this list you get cheap healing and are not item dependent. Furthermore you have much more freedom.

[JoshuaZ]

This sounds like possibly the biggest headache for a DM ever. Even one well-done wizard can make life difficult for the DM and the campaign setting.

Heck, if one were going to do this one would consider for 3.5 being nice to the DM and sticking just with the SRD, and say a party of 4. At least then until high levels they'll have some trouble dealing with healing, but they'll need it pretty rarely.

No matter how you do this in 3.0,3.5 or PF, the ability for wizards to exchange spells means that they'll have a massive number of spells available, especially as they coordinate what spells they get for free when they level up. And the main weakness wizards have is not having the right spells prepared. But that's less of an issue since everyone just prepares different spell sets to cover pretty much everything.

What level this is intended for might matter since that will impact how plausibly they can advance their characters in a coordinated fashion.

[Feint's End]

Well I personally would prefer a clean setup. Something like:

Elven Generalist into Incantatrix. This guy is your versatility god wizard.

Gnome Illusionist into Shadowmagic goodies. This is your blaster, cc, ****ing with the minds of your enemies.

??? Conjurer into a summoning prc. This guy is for your melee capacities and to make up for spells the Generalist didn't prepare.

??? Focused Abjurer into Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. This guy is your defense monster. Mainly exists to ensure you take the least damage possible as a group.


Very distinctive wizards and lots of potential. That's how I'd go about it.

[Vogonjeltz]

You people impress me and scare me at the same time with your knowledge of the rules and your strategies. This could be a fun thread. This is a real game, though I don't know if it will be a one-shot or a campaign. The DM has been very confusing as far as that. I think it's a one-shot that could launch a campaign if we have enough fun. I also don't know which system we will use. I'm inclined to argue for Pathfinder because they've added some flavor to specialists but I'm inclined to argue 3.5 because of the vast array of feat choices and such. I don't know if he's allowing prestige classes but I'm inclined to say "no". He kind of likes the idea of forcing us to make do the best we can with str8-up wizards. We aren't ruling out D&D 5.0 (Next? or whatever it's called now).

I guess pick whichever system you want to and tell me what sorts of characters you might make. Put as much detail as you want or just toss some ideas out there, like "I'd specialize in evocation and take Sculpt Spell". Whatever. Feel free to toss Sorcerer ideas out there, but FWIW, I don't even think we're allowed them. He doesn't seem to like the idea of spontaneous casting and sees having to prepare spells ahead of an adventure as a huge limitation. Seems silly to me since sorcerers essentially have to do that for their entire careers.

D&D (formerly known as D&D Next) pretty much does away with the biggest flaws in 3.5 meta: preoccupation with skills as the means to determine if things happen, feats become much less common and much more optional (a variant in fact), and spellcasting was altered such that almost all the most outlandish schemes no longer function (the wish and gate spells were altered dramatically, among other things).

So I would say try out next if the system is still up in the air.

If you pick 3.5, do you have flexibility of class choice? Ie could you pick Wu Jen rather than Wizard per se? If so, I would pick that. If not, I'd go with an Aburation specialist whose profession is being a teacher, and so he specializes in saying "No."

[atemu1234]

If I were to design a solely wizard party, it would consist of four wizards.

1. A Gish with the fighter bonus feat ACF along with levels of fighter and Eldritch Knight PrC.
2. A Necromancer with a few ACFs from UA.
3. A Diviner. Obviously.
4. Probably an Evoker.

[Inevitability]

Party member #1: Saltomancer. Conjurer who uses infinite money cheese to gain, well... infinite money.

Party member #2: Hoardsealer. Abjurer who creates wards, alarms and traps to prevent people from taking your infinite money.

Party member #3: Mr. Mindrape. Enchanter who brainwashes adventurers into clearing all dungeons for you. Possesses a large share of #1's money for if someone succeeds on a saving throw.

Party member #4: Sir Backup. Generalist who continuously casts things as Clone, Genesis and Teleport Through Time to create as many backup plans as possible.


Basically, you use infinite money (kept in a crazily guarded vault) and mind control to get others to do your tasks, while having thousands of 'plan Bs' for when things go wrong.

[JoshuaZ]

If I were to design a solely wizard party, it would consist of four wizards.

1. A Gish with the fighter bonus feat ACF along with levels of fighter and Eldritch Knight PrC.
2. A Necromancer with a few ACFs from UA.
3. A Diviner. Obviously.
4. Probably an Evoker.

Why? Necromancy is fun but it is one of the weakest schools and Evoking just doesn't do much damage. I agree with diviner but your other choices seem strange.

[rockdeworld]

I also don't know which system we will use.
This is the primary consideration for the playability of such a party. In 3.x/PF, the party will have few problems (maybe more in PF, given the fewer sourcebooks, but it's still doable). In 4e and 5e, as I understand them, wizards are considerably nerfed, so that the party would likely die.

Also, what starting level and what point buy? My personal experience of PF is that a level 1 wizard is about as useful as a wand of Infernal Healing, whereas a level 7 wizard is basically god. Similarly, summoning at level 1 is almost useless unless you're a Summoner.

It might be interesting* to try a Half-Orc Shapechange Specialist Shadowcaster Sin Magic Wizard with Str 15(+2 race=17)/Dex 14/Con 16/Int 14/Wis 7/Cha 7 with the Sacred Tattoo alternate racial trait and 2 traits being Fate's Favored and Rich Parents/Rice Runner (depending on party needs), with the Toughness feat. Apply the transmutation school +1 to Str (so 18 total) and wield a Falchion. Favored Class Wizard for +1 HP (for 13 at 1st level, +7.5/+8.5 average after that). Pre-combat buff with Mage Armor, Shield, Prot. from Evil for 22 AC. Then clean up after the other wizards use Color Spray/Sleep.

*Or fatal. Not playtested.

[Dalebert]

ok, well then he is asking you to make 4 powerful characters.

That's what I was thinking. "We have to play all tier 1 classes? Darn!" I have to admit, I look forward to demonstrating how ridiculously effective we could actually be. He seems to have notions that having to prepare spells in advance is some huge limitation to make up for how powerful wizards can be.


along with levels of fighter

I know he won't allow that. Then it's not an all-wizard party. I'm skeptical he'll even allow prestige classes, but if he does, it we'll probably have to get approval on a case-by-case basis and I'm quite confident he would restrict prestige classes to things that are still casting-focused IF he even allows them. I asked if witches would be an option and he couldn't even confidently say "yes" to that. He doesn't know much about them. I have a feeling he'll say "no" once he realizes they get some cleric spells.

The idea is for it to be an experiment of sorts, seeing how creative people can be with resource limitations. The idea seemed spawned by a conversation about a mis-matched party that didn't try hard at all to fill key roles.

The three specializations that jump to the forefront of my mind are transmutation, conjuration, and necromancy. A necromancer's minions could help fill in for lack of meat shields as could some summonings, though summoned monsters will not scale well. Summoned monsters are also nice for versatility outside of just combat uses since you can pick what you summon at the time you cast. An illusionist and shadow magic comes to mind in terms of versatility, though I'm not sure that's much of an issue with so many wizards each with their own spell sets.

A Diviner, "obviously"? What would they bring to the table when divination is something every wizard can do? You're banned from giving up the school as a specialist. Evoker? *shrug* Unless someone shows me a really impressive build to exploit it, it's one of the poorest applications of a wizard to be blasty IMHO. However, in a group of all wizards, maybe you can afford one well-built evoker.

[rockdeworld]

A Diviner, "obviously"? What would they bring to the table when divination is something every wizard can do? You're banned from giving up the school as a specialist.
Diviners in PF get +1/2 level to initiative and a free re-roll 3+int/day from the Foresight school. I'm not sure he was talking about PF, but there you go. In 3.5 they also get an extra school of magic over other specialists (except Elven Generalist and Domain Specialists).

[Phelix-Mu]

Alright, I don't have any claim to high-op chops, but I am pretty good at strategy:

#1: Mr. Familiar

- Race: Kind of tempting to go dwarf if Faerie Mysteries Initiate isn't on the table. Don't dump Con or get FMI, since you'll want to ensure the familiars don't die.

- Feats: Extra Familiar as many times as possible, and maybe one Improved Familiar. Possibly that one feat that extends the share spells radius to one mile. Should be able to start the game with 2-3 familiars, and end with almost a dozen, depending on precise build and race.

- Spells: Stuff to support the familiar's effectiveness, particularly anything that gets crazy with Share Spells right off the bat. The idea here is to win action economy, so stuff like cloud of knives spam and the like. At higher levels, imbue familiar with spell ability, wands for raven familiars, and maybe an Imp/Quasit/Coure Eladrin familiar (or something like that) for more magic missiles or the like.

- PrC: If an option, anything with full casting and d6 or higher HD is tempting, because the extra hp extend to the familiars. Would need a ruling on if all familiars follow Obtain Familiar (if used), or if they default to the basic class feature.


#2: Mr. Range

- Race: Something likely to do well with Spot, or something good at moving fast. Doesn't really matter. Natural flight would be a real perk, but probably not worth it.

- Feats: This one should have a familiar that can fly with the extended spell sharing. Maybe also Dual Wand Wielder or something.

- Spells: Ranged spells, with a focus on hitting touch AC and making sure the damage actually lands. So a Mailman-ish build, I suppose. The idea here is to mitigate encounters by increasing encounter range. At higher levels, some divination can help with scouting and extending sight range even further. Since range is important, keep wands of benign transposition and dimdoor around, to allow rapid relocation to a more advantageous position.


#3: Ms. Debuff

- Race: Dunno if it matters here. Extra feat looks good. Or some bonus points if she's a whisper gnome making good use of her racial silence SLAs.

- Feats: Fell whatever. That feat is incredibly useful for this kind of thing. Being able to metamagic on a wand might be nice, and I seem to remember a feat for that.

- Spells: Well, the name says it all. Obviously, those that include BFC and/or deny saves are really good. Wands for the perennial favorites like ray of stupidity or touch of idiocy (which each can end non-combat encounters before fights even start). Shivering touch. This is a build that can benefit from metamagic rods and metamagic feats to increase targets or spam spells (Split Ray, Widen, Chain, Repeat). Due to mid-to-close range status, may need decent defense or stealth capability.

#4: Ms. Tank

- Race: Dwarf?

- Feats: Hit denial and evasiveness. This is a tank that wants to avoid getting hit when possible. So magic armour, luminous armour, w/e. Feats that support this front-line role, at least until polymorph and such render it irrelevant. This build probably wants Conjurer with Abrupt Jaunt, since that is a pretty win ability for a front-liner. Possibly a tanky familiar to share damage with with that one feat chain...not sure of the efficiency of that.

- Spells: Alter self, haste, expeditious retreat for when things go bad. Mirror image and the greater mirror image. Polymorph or the more limited forms if you are using those, obviously.

So that's how I'd do it. I mostly went without PrC. I could have some more fun with role play suggestions, but that seems a little off-topic, hehe.

[Dalebert]

Diviners in PF get +1/2 level to initiative and a free re-roll 3+int/day from the Foresight school. I'm not sure he was talking about PF, but there you go. In 3.5 they also get an extra school of magic over other specialists (except Elven Generalist and Domain Specialists).

Point made. Those are pretty nice perks in PF. I didn't remember all the different specialist perks from PF. The extra school of magic in 3.5? Meh. Not a big deal at all in a party full of wizards, all of whom can cast divination spells.

[Story]

Diviners in 3.5 are useless (especially when stuff like Elven Domain Generalist and Spontaneous Divination are on the table). But they're the best in PF thanks to the initiative bonus and pre-rolls.

See if you can get him to allow Incantrix. At that point, you don't even have to try, and it is a very Wizardy Prc.

[Dalebert]

See if you can get him to allow Incantrix. At that point, you don't even have to try, and it is a very Wizardy Prc.

That's 3.0. Hardly anyone allows 3.0 material. I don't.

[Divide by Zero]

That's 3.0. Hardly anyone allows 3.0 material. I don't.

It was reprinted in Player's Guide to Faerun, a 3.5 book (and the 3.0 version was actually weaker IIRC).

[Dalebert]

It was reprinted in Player's Guide to Faerun, a 3.5 book (and the 3.0 version was actually weaker IIRC).

Oh, well I couldn't find a 3.5 version on DnD Tools. That's all I had to go by. It's there but hard to get to because for some reason doesn't come up in a search.

[atemu1234]

That's 3.0. Hardly anyone allows 3.0 material. I don't.

I'm pretty sure a majority of people allow at least case-by-case access to unupdated 3e materials.

[Bad Wolf]

I'd play a Gray Elf Necromancer 10/Pale Master 10. For feats I'd take Collegiate Wizard and Spell Mastery, maybe Spell Penetration. I'd switch my familiar for a Skeletal Minion. I'd also get the Enhanced Undead variant or Domain Wizard (can I stack both?). Maybe an item creation feat or two for my wizard bonus feats.

[Dread_Head]

#1: Mr. Familiar

- Race: Kind of tempting to go dwarf if Faerie Mysteries Initiate isn't on the table. Don't dump Con or get FMI, since you'll want to ensure the familiars don't die.




If you are doing this I recommend going changeling for the morphic familiar feature and taking the racial emulation feat to take the elf wizard 3 sub level for natural link so each familiar can change its form once per round giving you double the bonus that familiar normally grants. With all the skill boosting familiars providing double the bonus you can be quite an effective scout / skill monkey at lowish levels.

Here's the party I would go for using all wizards and skipping prcs when they aren't necessary. I think this has pretty much all of the roles covered. The generalist might need to do some summoning as well or dip some gish classes to be able to handle being on the front line. The changeling would do well with the a level in rogue or factotum at the start of the build and able learner. Some Wild Cohorts or animal companions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#sorcererWizard) may be useful to act as meatshields. Basically you want the evoker to boost initiative super high to go first and cast a BFC spell. Then the summoner to add an ally to the board. The other two can wait til later so don't need to boost initiative as much.

Changeling Focused Specialist Illusion & Transmutation Wizard 20 with changeling substitution levels at 1, 5 and 10 and elven substitution level at 3. Role: Buffing > Illusions > Skillmonkey. Banned necromancy, enchantment, abjuration and evocation. Key Feats: Racial Emulation, Extra Familiar etc. Buff party members and summons and use illusions for some crowd control. If you think your DM is going to be tough on illusions then use racial emulation to take the elven generalist sub level at 1 instead.

Focused Specialist Conjurer 10 / Malkonvoker 10. Role: Summoning > Debuffing > Enchantment > Abjuration. Banned illusion, transmutation and evocation. Key feats: Spell Focus Conjuration, Augment Summoning, anything to boost summoning, Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic Fell Drain. Summon up some allies then start debuffing your enemies.

Elven Generalist 20. Role: Abjuration > Divination > Utility. Stock up on utility spells and some buffs. Take what feats you want. Possibly take a level of Sacred Exorcist and the Divine Defiance feat if you want to focus on counter spells.

Focused Specialist Evoker 10 / Incantrix 10. Blasting > BFC > Utility. Banned enchantment, illusion, necromancy. Key Feats: Metamagic feats and metamagic reducers. Throw down a BFC spell to start combat then start blasting away.

[Dalebert]

Great stuph in this thread. I couldn't help laughing a little at folks who couldn't resist completely ignoring the restrictions and level dipping into rogue or some other clearly-not-even-remotely-wizard class. If that were an option, I'm sure some folks would be tempted to just take one level as a wizard and say "See? I'm a wizard!"

I feel like people have mostly exhausted their ideas for various prestige classes, and since I'm fairly confident he's going to literally restrict us to playing actual wizards, how would you shape your wizard given those extreme confines? 3.5, PF, or 5.0, whichever you please or all of the above.

PF, if I had the luxury of making the whole party (I won't though), I'd probably have a necro, a diviner, and maybe a transmuter and a conjurer. That's off the top of my head. I'll have to spend some time looking over feats depending on the system. I would def not have a diviner in 3.5 and probably not a necro since they don't get anything special and it's not like we especially need a LOT of necro spells.

[NotScaryBats]

I DM'd a game like this. You can read the IC here if you want to (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?274533-Malgoyne-the-Wizard-s-Journey-IC-3-5-Game)

The party was four level 1 wizards: a lesser Tiefling Enchanter, a 12 Int 16 Str 'beatstick' dwarf, a Domain wizard dwarf that was also handy in a fight, and a human diviner. They fought some kobolds and a fiendish spider, and then the campaign ended. It was a lot of fun working around the weaknesses of level 1 wizards, and I wish I hadn't let the game end.

I think I let one of the dwarfs take a racial sub level that is usually for sorcerers to like give up familiar for blindsense or something...

[Dalebert]

I just talked to the DM about this. New details:

1) Pathfinder
2) 3rd level to start (probably just a few games and then we'll see about continuing)
3) All wizards. Not witch; not sorcerer; not summoner. No prestige classes, but pretty confident archetypes will be okay.

The premise sounds pretty decent. The idea is that we're all in some kind of wizard school and have some reason to work together and go on an adventure with our limited resources.

[Endarire]

3.5?

The Enervating Buffer (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=4157.0) I have handy.

Additionally, check out my Curse of the Crimson Throne (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=12305.0) solo Wizard experience.

[Ruethgar]

Half Human Elf Necropolitian Generalist Wizard 1
Lvl 1: Heighten Spell, Sanctum Spell, congrats you can now chaos shuffle your 6 racial feats away, not clue what to do beyond that. You have 7 feats to work with, do magic.

[jiriku]

There's really going to be a lot less role separation than you're expecting, I think, because they're all going to be copying and sharing spells back and forth. Quills of scribing and rapid scrivening will be necessary for everyone. At least one should be an item-mancer who focuses on crafting, preferably a devotee of Boccob who can take Craft Relic and True Believer and has access to circle magic. You'll do this because with a tome of ancient lore will get you every wizard spell in the game by 10th level, and then you can share them all with the whole group, and make boccob's blessed books for everyone at half price, as well. At that point, you all quickly learn every important spell from every school you haven't banned, and your particular array of metamagic feats is really the most significant difference between the four of you.

Wizards need healing too, and someone should take the various alternate summon monster choices that allow you to summon creatures that heal. The best summonable healers at each summon monster level are musteval guardinal (3rd), cervidal guardinal (4th), xag-ya (5th), bralani eladrin (6th), movanic deva (7th), hollyphant (8th), and firre eladrin (9th). Note that the movanic deva can raise dead as a spell-like ability for no gp cost. Assuming the summoner has Circle Magic available, using circle bonus levels to cast maximized summon monster spells with no spell level adjustment can get you a surprising amount of healing just when you need it most. Greater planar binding to nab a planetar wouldn't be a bad idea either, as the planetar brings 17th-level cleric casting to the table. Everyone who can learn it should pick up limited wish, since that can be used to mimic heal (from the adept spell list) when it's needed in emergencies.

[Malroth]

ranks in UMD and a wand of lesser vigor/cure light wounds takes care of 95% of your out of battle healing needs.

[Dalebert]

EDIT: I just looked up Scrollmaster in the PFSRD and discovered more details that make it far less appealing. I didn't realize the scrolls take damage when you use them. I'm going to look into maybe a drow so I get some weapon proficiencies and poison use. I'll be less of a skill monkey but that's okay. I like the darkvision.


ranks in UMD and a wand of lesser vigor/cure light wounds takes care of 95% of your out of battle healing needs.

Agreed. Already thinking in that direction since I'm looking to act as the party's skillmonkey "rogue". I don't think this build really pays off that well in the long run but since we're only 3rd level and the game probably won't go on long, I'm aiming for being a decent scrapper in the meantime.

This is what I'm thinking right now--

Race: Aasimar Samsaran (remembers two class skills from a previous life as a rogue)
Samsaran skills: Disable Device, Stealth
Drawback: Paranoid for an extra trait
Traits: Vagabond Child (Escape Artist), Dangerously Curious (UMD), Seeker (Perception)
Specialize in Divination: Always act in surprise round, bonus to initiative, Extra pre-rolls on attacks 6 times a day
Archetype Scrollmaster: Can use a scroll as an enhanced short sword
Feats: Weapon Finesse(1st), Two-Weapon Fighting (3rd) -> scroll/dagger or scroll/club

Some likely spells prepared and on scrolls to help with melee and roguey stuph: Mage Armor, Shield, Monkey Fish, Defending Bone, Knock

Potential magic items (assuming 3000 gp starting): Ring of protection +1, MW Darkwood Club, MW Dagger, Bunch of scrolls I make myself, of course

Thoughts?

[Malroth]

Do you still get free martial weapon proficiency as an Asimar? If so an actual short sword or rapier would be a good investment

[Dalebert]

I'm going elf. I didn't realize they get +2 Int in PF plus a lot of good weapon profs. I won't be quite the skill monkey as with the Samsaran (I accidentally put Aasimar when I meant Samsaran--fixed). But the bonus is I get +2 Int and +2 Dex which is better.