Arcane Trickster multiclassing in a campaign with free choice for casting stats

[Wasp]

Hi everyone

Following another discussion here in the forums about changing casting stats I am thinking about how one could optimize the Arcane Trickster with multiclassing if one had a free choice for every class what the casting stats would be (the change would also apply to other class features)?

I was thinking about a CHA based AT combined with Warlock for the Mask of Many Faces and Sorcerer for subtle spell to create some sort of super spy... How would you build that?

What other possibilities jump out to you?

[Sepok]

I would try to limit you multiclassing, if you add to many other class levels you will slow access to the higher Arcane Trickster class features.
- If you only want Mask of Many Faces, maybe just pickup the Eldritch Adept feat to get it.
- Same for subtle spell, just pickup the Meta Magic Adept Feat.

If you can choose which casting stat for all of your casting classes, maybe try multiclassing into a CHA based Trickery Cleric or Illusionist Wizard. Or just a normal Bard multiclass. Whispers/Eloquence Bards make very good spies.

[RogueJK]

I would try to limit you multiclassing, if you add to many other class levels you will slow access to the higher Arcane Trickster class features.
- If you only want Mask of Many Faces, maybe just pickup the Eldritch Adept feat to get it.
- Same for subtle spell, just pickup the Meta Magic Adept Feat.


Agreed. Diluting your Rogue levels with 2+ levels of Warlock and 3+ levels of Sorcerer will severely delay your primary Rogue class abilities. One or the other could be worthwhile, otherwise just use the abovementioned feat(s) to pick up one or both of those capabilities.

Specifically, if I were going to multiclass into one, I'd go one of two ways:

Sorcerer 3 > AT Rogue X gets you Shield, Absorb Elements, and Shadow Blade online ASAP, along with Subtle Spell, and CON save proficiency to better keep Concentration on Shadow Blade. Consider taking the Eldritch Adept feat for Mask of Many Faces, or if you won't be using Disguise Self that often you can just take it as a standard spell pick. Shadow Sorcerer would be an excellent subclass, for see-through Darkness for easy Advantage for Sneak Attacks. Otherwise Aberrant Mind for the free Subtle spells and flavor-appropriate abilities. This route also gets you some scaled upper level spell slots for upcasting Shadow Blade for additional damage.

Hexblade Warlock 3 > AT Rogue X gets you Shield and Shadow Blade online ASAP, CHA-based attacks, a Pact, and a few Invocations including Mask of Many Faces. You can still do see-through Darkness using the Darkness spell and Devil's Sight invocation for easy Advantage. Then just take the Metamagic Adept feat for a couple Subtle Spells per day. The downside is that the Pact Magic slots don't stack with your AT Rogue slots like a Sorcerer's spell slots would.

Of the two, I'd lean more towards the Sorcerer option. The higher level spell slots and CON save proficiency is likely worth more to you than the CHA-based attacks and additional invocations.

[PhantomSoul]

Hi everyone

Following another discussion here in the forums about changing casting stats I am thinking about how one could optimize the Arcane Trickster with multiclassing if one had a free choice for every class what the casting stats would be (the change would also apply to other class features)?

I was thinking about a CHA based AT combined with Warlock for the Mask of Many Faces and Sorcerer for subtle spell to create some sort of super spy... How would you build that?

What other possibilities jump out to you?

If you change Casting stat, there's presumably no change to the fact that you're casting Wizard Spells (both from the Wizard List and that they count as Wizard Spells)? Checking because it affects multiclassing to pick up the use of a Focus for the Spells you get as an Arcane Trickster

[Corran]

Fun reading for ideas. (https://critical-hits.com/blog/2014/10/04/tailor-tinker-soldier-spy-the-bard-as-a-spy-cryptography-and-the-fantasy-espionage-team/)

Think of what sort of spying and tricksy stuff you want your character to do (and tell us to have at least a point of reference). If you dont want this character to skip sessions while doing stuff on the background for the party (while you bring in a replacement), then also think which of these things can be done with your party presnt so to cut down any uncecessary investment that woud go for making you better at stuff you wont end up doing. Then think of which spells will make you better at accomplishing these things. You dont need a spell for everything, but most often spells minimize a risk, so when thinking of these spells write down some priority level for each one of them. This will help narrow down the various spellcasting multiclasses to the one that serves you best. Gimmicky multiclassing can be painful, so think twice before spreading your character thin. You might have to accept that you might not get all the cool things you want if at the same time you want to be effective on other stuff (eg combat), but keep your eyes open for replicating spells not taken through ability checks (which you'll boost) and other features (racial, sub/class ones) or feats.