A Skulk wizerd build

[Duff]

I'm looking to become an Arcane trickster with minimal (NOT nescassarily minimum, but not much more...) non-casting levels and on the way pick up 2 levels of Shadow dancer (for dark-vision).

Stats - Strength 8, Charisma 7, Dex 21, Int 17, wis 14 con 14, Seems a pity not to use the dex a bit. Currently finished going up as a skulk, have taken level 1 Wiz.

[Bosh]

There's no way in hell that darkvision is worth losing two caster levels.

[Solo]

just Permanancy the Darkvision spell if you want Darkvision

[Duff]

But first level shadowdancer gives hide in plain sight - which every skulk wants, also we're doing cauldren and without spoilers (none at all please!), I just Know we will fight a beholder one day!

[Solo]

Is Greater Invisibility better than Hide in Plain Sight or vice versa?

[Dhavaer]

Is Greater Invisibility better than Hide in Plain Sight or vice versa?

HiPS can't be defeated by See Invisibility/True Seeing, it doesn't take up a spell slot and it can go as long as no-one makes the Spot check.
On the other hand, you can't make a full attack with it, you need to max out Hide for best usage (probably Move Silently too) and generally you need some kind of circumstance (a shadow within 10ft. in the case of the Shadowdancer) to make it work.

Assuming you're using rays, I'd probably prefer HiPS, if it weren't for the two lost caster levels (on top of those used for Arcane Trickster).

[Person_Man]

1) Entry into Arcane Trickster tends to use one level of Rogue, followed by Wizard, followed by Unseen Seer from Complete Mage, followed by Arcane Trickster. Unseen Seer has full caster progression, requires 1d6 Sneak attack to get into, and grants additional Sneak Attack as part of its progression, thus qualifying for Arcane Trickster.

2) You can also can into Arcane Trickster with the loss of 0 caster levels using a 2 feats (Martial Study and Martial Stance) to get Assassin's Stance from the Shadow Hand style in the Tome of Battle, which grants 2d6 Sneak Attack. But I think that's a huge waste of feats for 1 caster level, and this tends to delay your entry into Arcane Trickster because of Skill requirement issues, which means you usually end up taking Able Learner as well to avoid cross class skill costs.

3) Shadowdancer is one of the weakest prestige classes in the game, and Hide in Plain Site is a joke. Read the combat modifier rules. Anything that grants concealment or cover allows you to attempt a Hide check. There are numerous spells and situations that grant either. For example, a lesser Cloak of Displacement grants constant concealment (and is a great defensive item to have anyway). Having a friend in between you and your enemy grants cover from that enemy. Greater Invisibility will work much better most of the time. And the rest of the time, its usually quite simple to find someone or something to allow you to make a Hide check.

[Duff]

1) Entry into Arcane Trickster tends to use one level of Rogue, followed by Wizard, followed by Unseen Seer from Complete Mage, followed by Arcane Trickster. Unseen Seer has full caster progression, requires 1d6 Sneak attack to get into, and grants additional Sneak Attack as part of its progression, thus qualifying for Arcane Trickster.

Thanks, I've been looking at Unseen seer but not buying it, a few levels sounds good, Excellent advice!

1)
2) You can also can into Arcane Trickster with the loss of 0 caster levels using a 2 feats (Martial Study and Martial Stance) to get Assassin's Stance from the Shadow Hand style in the Tome of Battle, which grants 2d6 Sneak Attack. But I think that's a huge waste of feats for 1 caster level, and this tends to delay your entry into Arcane Trickster because of Skill requirement issues, which means you usually end up taking Able Learner as well to avoid cross class skill costs.

Thank you again, I will pass on this option since feats is also limiting. As a skulk, I took "Eschew material components" as my 1st feat to help with the sneaking around naked bit

1) 3) Shadowdancer is one of the weakest prestige classes in the game, and Hide in Plain Site is a joke. Read the combat modifier rules. Anything that grants concealment or cover allows you to attempt a Hide check. There are numerous spells and situations that grant either. For example, a lesser Cloak of Displacement grants constant concealment (and is a great defensive item to have anyway). Having a friend in between you and your enemy grants cover from that enemy. Greater Invisibility will work much better most of the time. And the rest of the time, its usually quite simple to find someone or something to allow you to make a Hide check.

Again the skulk nudity clause makes the cloak unappealing, spells would do but the idea is to be able to wake up after going to sleep underground and SEE the foe without casting, to wander around in the dark without a light source all the time to avoid having to give away that I'm there and to be able to vanish at a moment's notice if I do end up getting caught.

The 2 special abilities for shadowdancer's 1st 2 levels are things the character very much wants to do, I would find quite handy and am willing to sacrefice a couple of caster levels to get.