Cantrip Focused

[Xuldarinar]

I discussed this concept a year ago, in the context of 3.5. A character that optimizes the use of level-0 spells and similar effects (such as psionic talents). How would you do it? Would a class need to be built around such concept to make it worth anything at the table?

[Abd al-Azrad]

I don't think singleminded focus to cantrips will work very well, but for weirder reasons than in 3.5. Pathfinder cantrips are cool, you never run out so they can serve as a go-to form of attack all day and night. And if you can think of some good free rider effects to stack upon them, I can imagine these would be fairly serviceable for quite a while.

Of course, no matter which class you play, you'll probably quickly load up with higher level spells and effects. So keeping your cantrips relevant will be more of a challenge than anything. DCs are obviously going to be a problem. Here are some thoughts I have for the concept.

Magus: The always cheesy use of Arcane Mark for free TWF through use of Spellstrike. You could start stacking rider effects on to this, to make it more powerful (Riving Arcane Strike makes this a fairly nice debuff) but those can apply to pretty much any spell.

Investigator: This one's kinda new to me, but taking the Minor Magic rogue talent (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/rogue-talents/paizo---rogue-talents/minor-magic-sp) as an Investigator talent gives you access to Arcane and Riving Strike at full level. Mix that with the Sickening Offensive talent and Enforcer and you can dish out a -6 penalty to enemy saves with a punch. However, the cantrip here is more useful as fuel for better powers than a power in and of itself.

Winter Witch: At high levels, you gain the Numbing Cold hex, which adds a rider effect to your Cold spells that staggers foes and deals Dex damage. I would say to add the Rime Spell metamagic (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/metamagic-feats/rime-spell-metamagic) to your Ray of Frost cantrip, but I think by RAW this would entangle targets for 0 rounds, making it a useless addition.

[Psyren]

It's generally much easier to focus on optimizing a first-level spell like Magic Missile or Shocking Grasp. The reason being, those spells scale so you have something to work with and cultivate further. Cantrips tend to be pretty static.

You can build a low-level (e.g. P6) Magus around Arcane Mark who spellstrikes with it all day long to always get multiple attacks.

[Zubrowka74]

Since the cantrips are of unlimited use and that there are a fairly limited number, I'd say it's pretty useless to specialise in them. A high level wizard or sorcerer will have accès to the most useful of them and more, this without even trying hard.

[Ruethgar]

If you can use Dragon #302 and choose your side effects(within reason) then it could be ok, never optimized, but doable at least.

[Laughingmanlol]

One possibility I've come across is likely inefficient or flawed, but might have potential:
Spells with attack rolls can be used for sneak attacks if the target is within 30ft. It appears that if a spell involves multiple attacks with seperate attack rolls, such as Scorching Ray, the sneak attack damage applies to each attack.
From this question, http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2kvtr?Rules-Clarification#6, the extra sneak attack damage is part of the spell.
The trait Havoc of the Society would normally be a poor choice, adding a single point of Force damage to every damaging spell.
Various bloodlines offer a bonus point of damage per die on spells, typically of an elemental type, although Orc is an exception, applying it to all damaging spells.

This means a single-level Orc/Black dragon crossblooded sorcerer dip on a ninja would enable the character to take a swift action to turn invisible, then a standard action to cast acid splash. This is a touch attack against a flat-footed opponent, and the single point of force damage will mean the base spell is almost guaranteed to deal damage, triggering the sneak attack damage. From the stacking bloodlines, this will be increased by 2 points per die. Not bad, even without considering the versatility the 1st level spells add to a ninja.

Now, there are a couple of possibilities here:
An Inquisitor archetype called the Grand Inquisitor is sadly 3rd party, but at level 3 grants the ability to add the effect of a cantrip, one being acid splash, to any spell cast on an enemy. This otherwise uninspiring feature requires a 3-level dip, but results in the acid splash+sneak attack damage being doubled on every casting.
Arcane Trickster could be entered without taking any more levels in sorcerer, providing the character's race provides a 2nd-level arcane spell-like ability. I'd recommend Drow, as Darkness fulfils the criteria and the ability score boosts synergise well. This advances both sneak attack and spellcasting.
Maximise spell would apply to the sneak attack damage, meaning once 3rd level spell slots are available, you can cast a cantrip for 3+2 points of acid damage, 1 point of force damage, and 6+2 points of acid/force sneak attack damage per sneak attack die. However, the multiclassing this build requires slows sneak attack and spellcasting, resulting in mediocre, albeit reliable, damage.

I think there's potential here, but I can't see what more can be done with this.