Arcane Trickster Is A Beloved Class...But Why?

[Scorponok]

In more than half the campaigns I've DMed, there always seems to be one guy who likes being this class. They seem to also be of the same type of personality to a tee - someone who plays a neutral character with evil tendencies who like to do things behind the party's back. Most of the time, the player playing the paladin will keep an eye out for the activities of this player.

But I'm looking at the class on d20srd now, and, well, is there something I'm missing here? Basically, it seems to be a thief who can cast spells and do some of their tricks from a distance. This might appeal to a rogue who wants to play 'safe' and not get their hand lopped off for failing to deactivate a trap, or even a melee character who wants to cast a few spells, but this class seems almost underwhelming for the amount of people who like it.

So, what's so great about the Arcane Trickster?

[Afgncaap5]

I've never been at a table where this was played, though I admit the idea of the class really does appeal to me. Having said that...

It lets ya do a lot of the fun stuff that you like to do as rogues, and it also lets ya dabble in some of the tricksy magic that the spellcasters always tout when talking of their crazy tiers and such. It gives more tricks to a tricky class. It's also a really simple premise: "Take a rogue. Add magic. Let's see what we get!"

I can't say that this makes it "popular", or is a good reason for it to be... but while there's not a lot about the class that stands out, there's also not a lot to the class stacked against it. Also it's right there in the DMG/SRD and, unlike a lot of those DMG classes that were designed primarily for NPCs "and maybe players if they really want", it actually works for player builds instead of just being there to develop world building.

So... maybe it's some combination of that stuff?

[Hackulator]

In more than half the campaigns I've DMed, there always seems to be one guy who likes being this class. They seem to also be of the same type of personality to a tee - someone who plays a neutral character with evil tendencies who like to do things behind the party's back. Most of the time, the player playing the paladin will keep an eye out for the activities of this player.

But I'm looking at the class on d20srd now, and, well, is there something I'm missing here? Basically, it seems to be a thief who can cast spells and do some of their tricks from a distance. This might appeal to a rogue who wants to play 'safe' and not get their hand lopped off for failing to deactivate a trap, or even a melee character who wants to cast a few spells, but this class seems almost underwhelming for the amount of people who like it.

So, what's so great about the Arcane Trickster?

It can be very cool and fun thematically.

Not everything is about power level.

[OldTrees1]

In more than half the campaigns I've DMed, there always seems to be one guy who likes being this class. They seem to also be of the same type of personality to a tee - someone who plays a neutral character with evil tendencies who like to do things behind the party's back. Most of the time, the player playing the paladin will keep an eye out for the activities of this player.

But I'm looking at the class on d20srd now, and, well, is there something I'm missing here? Basically, it seems to be a thief who can cast spells and do some of their tricks from a distance. This might appeal to a rogue who wants to play 'safe' and not get their hand lopped off for failing to deactivate a trap, or even a melee character who wants to cast a few spells, but this class seems almost underwhelming for the amount of people who like it.

So, what's so great about the Arcane Trickster?



Silver Key 2: Crafty Hands (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061106a&page=2)
At 2nd level, you develop the ability to manipulate mechanical devices with your mind, allowing you to make Open Lock and Disable Device checks at a distance of up to 60 feet. Activating this ability is a move action, after which you make the appropriate check as normal. You can move and manipulate objects weighing up to 5 pounds (including your warder's keys), allowing you to use any bonuses that such objects add to your checks. However, you cannot manipulate those objects in any other way (such as hurling them at a foe).


That is why I like Arcane Trickster but it is also why I use Silver Key instead.

It is the idea that the Rogue is peerless in their skill and are bending all assets towards the perfection of the craft.

Silver Key also comes with this ability


Silver Key 1: Wardsmith
You can use the Search skill to locate traps with a DC higher than 20, and you can use Disable Device to bypass a trap or disarm magic traps. (See the trapfinding rogue class feature, PH 50.) If you already have the trapfinding ability, you instead gain a +2 bonus on Disable Device, Search, and Spellcraft checks involving traps.

Your wardsense also allows you to use the Spellcraft skill to identify magic traps and wards within 60 feet as if you had cast detect magic or read magic. The DC of the Spellcraft check is increased by 2 over what it would be when using the appropriate spell.

For example, you can use Spellcraft to identify a glyph of warding or symbol without first casting read magic, but at DCs of 15 and 21 instead of 13 and 19, respectively. You can also discern the school of magic in a magic trap or ward without first casting detect magic, at a DC of 17 + spell level.

Wardsense does not grant you the ability to automatically detect magic traps or wards. You cannot use this ability for any purpose other than identifying magic traps and wards.

[Ellrin]

In more than half the campaigns I've DMed, there always seems to be one guy who likes being this class. They seem to also be of the same type of personality to a tee - someone who plays a neutral character with evil tendencies who like to do things behind the party's back. Most of the time, the player playing the paladin will keep an eye out for the activities of this player.

But I'm looking at the class on d20srd now, and, well, is there something I'm missing here? Basically, it seems to be a thief who can cast spells and do some of their tricks from a distance. This might appeal to a rogue who wants to play 'safe' and not get their hand lopped off for failing to deactivate a trap, or even a melee character who wants to cast a few spells, but this class seems almost underwhelming for the amount of people who like it.

So, what's so great about the Arcane Trickster?

Mechanically, the main draw is that it gives you full casting progression and full sneak attack progression, which are essentially the main draws of full arcane casters and rogues, respectively; essentially, you're losing very little in the way of important class features compared to single-classing.

Thematically, the underhanded, morally ambiguous, and/or just plain sneaky mage is a fairly popular fantasy archetype, and the arcane trickster is one of the mechanically better ways to achieve that in 3e, and probably the best representation printed in core.

[Endarire]

And Daggerspell Mage and Unseen Seers can combo well with the class and archetype/image of Arcane Trickster!

Plus there's a guide (https://archive.is/3fELz) to this archetype!

[danielxcutter]

In short, it's one of the very few PrCs from core that doesn't suck horribly in execution. Even without much optimization Rogue 3/Wizard 7/Arcane Trickster 10 is pretty neat, and gets good Int synergy too. Impromptu Sneak Attack is also a nice bonus.

The flavor is also really cool as well, so there's that.

[Keld Denar]

It's not the class abilities that make it, it's the chassis. Decent skill access list, full casting, moderate SA advancement. The class could be nearly denuded of class abilities and it would be decent because spellcasting is that good.

Unseen Seer is a little better, IMO, because it has fun class abilities, but overall, the spellcasting + skill access makes the class.

[SirNibbles]

It does exactly what it says on the tin and it does it well. It's mostly better than a basic Rogue since you keep Sneak Attack and you get full spellcasting. It's not as good as a full Wizard, but Wizard is so powerful that you don't really need full Wizard. It's a fun archetype to play as well.

I personally enjoy playing Arcane Pixters (Arcane Trickster Pixie Rogue/Sorcerers).

[Waker]

In addition to what others have already said, the other draw for the class are the easy entry requirements. The ranks in Decipher Script are unpleasant, but otherwise you don't have to take any feat taxes or fulfill some unusual story requirement. It's not the most optimized PrC to enter into, but it's ok. Especially when you compare it to two other DMG classes like Arcane Archer and Dragon Disciple.

[Psyren]

The Pathfinder version (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/core-rulebook/arcane-trickster/) is even more fun:

- Easier qualifications (less spellcasting, and the necessary skills are ones that rogues would typically be taking anyway)
- New class features (Tricky Spells, Invisible Thief, and Surprise Spells)
- Ranged Legerdemain at will
- Accomplished Sneak Attacker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/accomplished-sneak-attacker/) exists to get in even more easily

[rel]

The rogue mage who mostly just tricks people and probably doesn't have nearly as much magic as he claims is an amazingly cool archetype. Who doesn't want to play Gandalf from The Hobbit, tricking trolls to death, rarely even casting a spell and generally acting wise and mysterious.
In D&D this niche would be served by the bard if the bard didn't insist on singing. It might be served by a rogue if only the rogue had some spells. It definitely isn't served by the wizard.

Enter the arcane trickster who does not actually fit this archetype without a lot of work but really feels like it should.

If you want to see less arcane tricksters, point your players to the beguiler which fits the sneaky charlatan archetype perfectly.

[Zombulian]

I think a better question is... why not?
Let's go through the reasons why the class would be popular:
Is it in the DMG and thus not branching too far into the depths of 3.5? Yes.
Are the entry requirements hard to achieve? No.
Is the skill list good? Yes.
Are the class abilities flavorful as well as useful? Yes.
Does it have full casting progression? Yes.

In all honesty, I don't understand what problem you have with it. Sure, it's not *that* powerful, but it does exactly what it says it does, which is not something that can be said for most of the PrC's in the DMG. Would I like it to have more skill points per level and a better than poor BAB? Yeah, that'd be nice. But really, the class handles weaving the archetypes of the mage and the thief together very handily, with very little work on the player's side.

Honestly, this thread prompted me to look at the class for the first time in a while, and it's got me contemplating a Human or Changeling with Able Learner Rogue 1/Trickster Spellthief 7/Arcane Trickster X because that may really make one of the most cohesive sneaky-mage builds I've ever heard of.

[Elkad]

If you want to see less arcane tricksters, point your players to the beguiler which fits the sneaky charlatan archetype perfectly.

Ick. Enchantment and Illusions. Completely different feel from a thief with magic to help him past the obstacles.
No levitate, fly, passwall, various teleports, etc.

[Scorponok]

I have no problem with players playing the class. The ones that have have made them interesting actually. So far, I find they attract a certain type of player - one that likes to dance to his own tune and not always go with the party 100%.

The explanations given here explain the appeal better than just reading the class in the DMG. Thank you all.

[rel]

Ick. Enchantment and Illusions. Completely different feel from a thief with magic to help him past the obstacles.
No levitate, fly, passwall, various teleports, etc.

Levitate, fly and teleport isn't really in character for a magical thief in most fiction, enchantment and illusion is.

[danielxcutter]

Levitate, fly and teleport isn't really in character for a magical thief in most fiction, enchantment and illusion is.

Depends on the thief I guess. Using them as tools for thievery seems perfectly fine for me.

[Elkad]

Levitate, fly and teleport isn't really in character for a magical thief in most fiction, enchantment and illusion is.

I disagree. Magic to get you past traps, alarms, and obstacles is common enough.

Just from one book I can think of using an earth elemental to quickly dig a tunnel under a magically-warded wall, short-range LoS teleportation to cross a guarded area without detection, levitate to get to a high window, divinations for scouting and trap detection, mind blank to prevent magical thought detection, and various other things.
Including a second party in a race condition who failed at the same task by trying flight and invisibility, those being 2 more-common tactics the facility owner had put specific defenses against.

[rel]

I guess I read different books.
In my experience the tricky charlatan rarely uses magic at all and mostly relies on wits and cunning.

Flight and teleportation are actuially quite rare in the fiction I read and only seems to come up in D&D and stories inspired by D&D.

[Ellrin]

I guess I read different books.
In my experience the tricky charlatan rarely uses magic at all and mostly relies on wits and cunning.


The roguish mage is definitely a less common archetype than the mundane wag, but it's definitely a presence in its own right in fantasy literature. The archetype actually predates modern fantasy literature, going back to mythological tricksters such as Loki and Coyote.

[Florian]

Hm... Actually, it´s pretty simple. In 3.5E, Sorcerer/Wizard is just a bunch of empty levels and progressive spellcasting. Arcane Trickster does what it says on the tin, progressing two class features at once, spellcasting and sneak attack, so why not?

[Telonius]

Another reason that helps its popularity: availability. It's in the DMG, it's on d20srd, it's (legally and freely) available to everybody with an internet connection. Nobody in the group needs to own "Races of Obscure Location" to find the thing. If you have the game at all, you have access to it.