Building a Shadow Dancer...without actually building a Shadowdancer

[13ones]

Morning Giants.

So I've got a character concept in mind. A character who is stealthy, agile, and blending sneak attack melee damage with magic to their advantage.

Now normally I'd be all over the Shadowdancer prestige class but I've had my GM rule that Shadow Jump doesn't work with Dimensional Agility because Dimensional Agility doesn't mention Shadow Jump by name like it does Dimension Door and Abundant Step. So I'm trying to make it work another way.

My first through it either Ninja or Stygian Slayer then later into 3 levels of Horizon Walker to grab the Dimension Door ability that comes with it.

This game will be starting at 16, 25 point buy, with Core Book, all the Ultimate and Advanced books but no additional Splat, and the GM is still up in the air about Ultimate Intrigue and Occult.

So any ideas, Giants? Or am I on the right path?

[Florian]

If the Advanced books are in, you might want to use a Fetchling as base race, use thre Shadow Traveller (ARG) feat to turn the racial Shadow Walk ability into DimDoor and go into Dimensional Assault based on that, spending feat gained at level 5 to 7th.

Talking about a lvl 16 character is a different matter, tho, as we need to talk about effectiveness, complexity and and the level of pain you want to pile on.

[13ones]

Well I'm filling a sort of striker role in the party. The idea is to be highly mobile. Hit hard and fast. We've got a solid front line with a Polearm Master fighter and Cleric/Inquisitor/ Holy Vindicator. Magical support is there with a Menhir Savant Druid and School Savant Arcanist. Ranged damage is coming from a Bolt Ace Gunslinger. So I'm trying to fill the gaps in Scouting and mobile damage.

Ideally I'd like to be spiking on damage when I can get a solid full attack off but I'd still like to be able to do a little bit of something if I'm forced to not be able to use my teleporting tactics.

[Kurald Galain]

The obvious choice is Magus, using spell combat to cast Dimension Door for a teleport pounce effect. Yes, this does explicitly work with Dimensional Agility. Take a one-level dip in rogue, the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat, and Spell Blending for the Sense Vitals spell to deal sneak attack. Use the prescient attack arcana to be better at sneak attacking than an actual rogue.

Magus guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?423754-Myrrh-Frankincense-and-Steel-Kurald-Galain-s-Guide-to-the-Magus).

[Ellrin]

The obvious choice is Magus, using spell combat to cast Dimension Door for a teleport pounce effect. Yes, this does explicitly work with Dimensional Agility. Take a one-level dip in rogue, the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat, and Spell Blending for the Sense Vitals spell to deal sneak attack. Use the prescient attack arcana to be better at sneak attacking than an actual rogue.

Magus guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?423754-Myrrh-Frankincense-and-Steel-Kurald-Galain-s-Guide-to-the-Magus).

I'd argue that vivisectionist alchemist is a better one level dip than rogue for a typical magus (you get the 1d6 sneak attack, brew potion, a ten-minute mutagen, and getting one or more first level extracts makes losing a level of casting sting very, very slightly less), unless maybe you're going for a finesse build and using the UC rogue.

Alternatively if you have more feats than you know what to do with, VMC rogue will get you a substantially better sneak attack without any dips, and you could skip Accomplished Sneak Attacker.

[13ones]

I do not have access to the Dirty tactics tool box. Core, the Ultimate and Advanced series of books, except Occult and Intrigue are the only thing I can use.

[Florian]

I do not have access to the Dirty tactics tool box. Core, the Ultimate and Advanced series of books, except Occult and Intrigue are the only thing I can use.

You want to play an ultra mobile striker, that more or less gives you the choice between Barbarian and Magus. Kurald has a very good guide on the Magus, N. Jolly has a very good guide on the Barbarian. The AM Barbarian section can by combined with by tips on the Fetchling.

Edit: I know because I´ve taken one Fetchling Barbarian into Wrath of the Righteous.

[13ones]

So no thought on the Ninja or Slayer combined with Horizon Walker for similar DD tactics?

[Florian]

So no thought on the Ninja or Slayer combined with Horizon Walker for similar DD tactics?

Nah, not really. It´s nice to be able to do it this way, but the cost is simple to high for what it offers.

[Steven]

If your GM can be convinced then this could do the trick: http://archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Flexible%20Shadow%20Jump