Best way to do a magical sneaky type?

[Rfkannen]

People talk about the idea of a magical warrior (a gish) a lot, but the idea of a magical sneaky type seems to come up a lot less in my experience. It is a fun character type; being able to be a stealthy magical person who either is more sneaky through magic or sneaks into place to use magic. Popularized by the elder scrolls games (night-blade is objectively the best oblivion class, don't @ me) and the night angel books.

Being a sneaky spellcaster is easier than in earlier editions, what with having urchin for a background making you as good at sneaking as all other non-rogue sneakers. And if you decide to take prodigy you are as good as a rogue!

The obvious ways to do it:


arcane trickster.

Illusionist wizard


Shadow monk

whisper bard

dreams druid (turn into a fly on the wall after casting pass without trace

shadow sorcerer

archfey warlock

gloom stalker ranger

trickery cleric.

And multi classes of all sorts (rogue/wizard and monk/

cleric deserve special attention) and probably other builds I can not think of

What do you think are the best ways to be a magical sneaky person? Under which circumstances would you pick different builds?

[Corran]

Invisibility and pass without a trace are among the first spells you'll want to look at for a character that augments stealth via magic. Personally, I quite like etherealness, though that would require many caster levels.

[Man_Over_Game]

Depends on your priorities between combat and non-combat elements, and how much you want your stealth and magic to synergize.

Arcane Trickster has the only known synergy between spells and Stealth, unless your spell makes an attack or improves Stealth.

Shadow Monk is a good combat-oriented hybrid, if you're not needing to cast much magic.

Or if you just want to Stealth into places so you can cause some mayhem with your magic, a single level of Rogue will be all that a Wizard would need.

[Ogre Mage]

Invisibility and pass without a trace are among the first spells you'll want to look at for a character that augments stealth via magic. Personally, I quite like etherealness, though that would require many caster levels.

A Circle of the Land Grasslands Druid has access to both invisibility and pass without trace at 3rd level, making it a strong stealth option which may not be obvious to many players. Even better, if you play a wood elf you gain the ability to hide when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, mist and other natural phenomena.

[sambojin]

Was about to mention that.

Firbolg also isn't a bad race for a Grasslands sneaky druid. Super Disguise Self, talk to animals, and the occasional invis pop rounds out a druid's abilities very well.

Little wildshape isn't bad in combat up to about level 5 too.

[Contrast]

While thematically appropriate Whispers bard doesn't really get any specific support. Depending on the party make up you might actually be better off going Lore Bard so you can pick up Pass Without Trace with your bardic secrets if no-one else already has it and eventually add your bardic inspiration to your own stealth rolls.

[Guy Lombard-O]

While thematically appropriate Whispers bard doesn't really get any specific support. Depending on the party make up you might actually be better off going Lore Bard so you can pick up Pass Without Trace with your bardic secrets if no-one else already has it and eventually add your bardic inspiration to your own stealth rolls.

Seconded.

Not only do bards get Invisibility and Enhance Ability on their spell lists (and the Pass Without Trace possibility for a MS at whatever level), but they also get natural Expertise which can be put into Stealth. And they can even Dimension Door out if things get dicey.

Furthermore, when flat out sneaking into a place doesn't work, they have the option to trick/bluff their way in. Disguise Self, Charm Person, Enhance Ability, Detect Thoughts, Modify Memory, and again Expertise in Deception and/or Persuasion means that bards are also masters at infiltration-type sneakiness.

So they're great at both aspects of sneaking, and all without a feat or multiclassing.

[stoutstien]

A shadow dragonmark artificer with a dip into rogue for expertise is up there. The alchemist is the best option with a few key spells and silent buffing with EE.

[Warlush]

Well what is sneaky? Is sneaky having a +7 to stealth? I've played a bunch of warlocks and bards with stealth and invisibility, and they didn't feel sneaky per say.
A druid in animal shape with Pass w/o a Trace could get in and out of a bunch of places, but couldn't accomplish much besides spying while there.
I have however seen sorcerers at my table out rogue everyone by using SUBTLE SPELL.

I mean look at the rules for spell casting, pick out your favorite spell and then tell me how to cast it in a room full of people without being noticed.

Also QUICKENED SPELL, gets used mostly in theory craft to try and max DPR on paper in a white room. It's way more useful to use your action to dodge,disengage, or HIDE after you cast your amazing spell.

So yes, almost any caster with stealth and invisibility can pass a stealth check. But I think the sorcerer is obviously the best at being sneaky while you are casting.

[Zirconia]

I find a Gloomstalker Ranger is pretty darned good at it, high dex, Pass Without Trace, and the Gloomstalker adds Disguise Self to the ranger list. Pass Without Trace also gets very important if you ever want to sneak anyone ELSE in (or out, say a captive you are rescuing). Easy to dip Rogue for Expertise, though your Stealth is already high enough that I thought it was more useful to Expertise Perception, nothing like blundering into a trap or guard to ruin your day.

[MilkmanDanimal]

While thematically appropriate Whispers bard doesn't really get any specific support. Depending on the party make up you might actually be better off going Lore Bard so you can pick up Pass Without Trace with your bardic secrets if no-one else already has it and eventually add your bardic inspiration to your own stealth rolls.

Agreed, and multiclass Lore Bard and a Warlock of some sort with a Criminal background for Stealth and Deception. Stealth Expertise + Devil's Sight and Mask of Many Faces for some Deception, plenty of spell options, and go Chain for the invisible familiar with opposable thumbs to distract enemies or open doors for you.