Author Topic: Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.  (Read 2036 times)

Offline faeryn

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Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.
« on: November 13, 2018, 09:36:03 AM »
Ok, so I've been playing in a couple Pathfinder campaigns recently and in on of them I'm playing an Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue... After looking through a lot of the source material for Pathfinder to try and familiarize myself with the differences from D&D 3.5, I ran across the Aether School from the Wizard class. I've been looking into the idea of taking a single level dip into Wizard to pick up the school, however, I wanted to know if there is any way to advance the School's abilities through other class levels.

The only way I've found on my own won't work for this character... The School Understanding Arcane Exploit from Arcanist lets Arcanist Levels stack with Wizard for determining the abilities and effects of Arcane Schools... Works great for my character in the groups other campaign, but not so much for this character since she's not an Arcanist.

I plan to take her into the Arcane Trickster PrC, so if there is anything like Devious Bloodline that would apply to Arcane Schools instead of Bloodlines, that would be great too...

Offline Nanashi

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Re: Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2018, 07:35:02 PM »
Variant multiclassing? This costs half your feats, though Wizard is, for the most part, one of the better Variant multiclass options (most of them are worse!) on a caster. You get specialization (extra spell slot each level, and since you're so specialized it's unlikely you'll miss one school) and most of the school powers, plus a familiar (very useful on a skill heavy character) and bonus feat from a limited but awesome list*. The 11th level ability is junk though (you need to cast to get any use out of the first ability! Why give a cantrip at level 11?  :banghead )

*Arcane Discoveries are essentially Wizard only feats. Since you're an elementalist with one opposition school, Opposition School Research (effectively lose an opposition school, though this doesn't remove the restrictions on crafting and Limited Wish) is a standard pick,
« Last Edit: November 13, 2018, 07:48:23 PM by Nanashi »

Offline faeryn

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Re: Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2018, 08:31:58 PM »
Variant multiclassing? This costs half your feats, though Wizard is, for the most part, one of the better Variant multiclass options (most of them are worse!) on a caster. You get specialization (extra spell slot each level, and since you're so specialized it's unlikely you'll miss one school) and most of the school powers, plus a familiar (very useful on a skill heavy character) and bonus feat from a limited but awesome list*. The 11th level ability is junk though (you need to cast to get any use out of the first ability! Why give a cantrip at level 11?  :banghead )

*Arcane Discoveries are essentially Wizard only feats. Since you're an elementalist with one opposition school, Opposition School Research (effectively lose an opposition school, though this doesn't remove the restrictions on crafting and Limited Wish) is a standard pick,

Doubtful that my DM will allow it... we're already level 3 in the campaign... but if he would allow it that would probably be the best option for me... though losing 5 feats is a bit heavy... All the added benefits do sound great though, so the 5 feat cost could be acceptable... but the main issue is getting it accepted by the DM... and I doubt he'd let me retrain my 3rd level feat selection out even if he does approve of it... granted I really wouldn't want to trade my 3rd level feat out anyways...

Are there any options that are more feasible for an existing character to pick up through a feat of feat chain?

Offline Nanashi

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Re: Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2018, 08:29:10 AM »
Unfortunately no. There's surprisingly few things that even interact with arcane school.

Though I do question taking Eldritch Scoundrel into Arcane Trickster. Don't see any point in it. If you really wanted to use the prc Rogue 1/Wizard 3 taking Accomplished Sneak Attacker (totally legal, the Kingmaker video game even has a companion that uses this as her default build) is better.

Offline faeryn

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Re: Advancing Arcane Schools with other classes.
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2018, 11:27:31 PM »
Ok... so my DM approved of Variant Multiclass... but added in that I must sacrifice 1 of my traits... no major issue there though... However... he is requiring me to retrain my 3rd level feat... which means I've just been dropped from 2d6 to 1d6 sneak attack >.< and now I have to figure out a familiar... was honestly hoping he'd let me skip the 3rd level ability...

So... I'm thinking about a Squirrel as my familiar for that +3 Sleight of Hand... and I'm considering giving it the Pilferer Archetype...

After looking over the spell lists for the other elemental schools I settled on Water as my opposition... and quite honestly I could actually skip opposition research and be fine with this choice, since there doesn't appear to be a single spell in the water school that my character would actually use.

Though I do question taking Eldritch Scoundrel into Arcane Trickster. Don't see any point in it. If you really wanted to use the prc Rogue 1/Wizard 3 taking Accomplished Sneak Attacker (totally legal, the Kingmaker video game even has a companion that uses this as her default build) is better.

It's primarily for the higher rate of Sneak Attack dice without sacrificing spellcasting... Eldritch Scoundrel caps at 5d6 at level 19, Arcane Trickster gives +5d6 over it's 10 level span...

I'm looking at progression wise:

Rogue:5/Arcane Trickster:10/Battlemage:5

though now that I'm only getting 5 feats instead of 10... I'm thinking about revising it some...

I now need to pick up Accomplished Sneak Attack at 5th level to get back up to my 2d6 SA for Arcane Trickster... and that leaves me with 3 feat spots left and needing to narrow down my choices from...

Weapon Finesse <- I have my reasons for not having taken this at 1st level
Arcane Strike <- Required for Battlemage
Black Cat <- Catfolk racial feat
Impressive Strike <- Sneak Attack on Criticals
Scribe Scroll <- Considering taking a level dip to get this as a bonus feat (Either Exploiter Wizard or Studious Librarian Bard... leaning towards Bard for RP reasons)

And it pretty much cuts me off from taking Prestigious Spellcaster to shore up that lost spellcasting progression from Battlemage 3rd level...

I am open to some alternative ideas on progression though... but do note, I can't change anything that I've already taken. My DM does not like retraining levels, he's allowing a single special case for the Multiclass Variant Wizard and only to replace 1 trait and my 3rd level feat with the Multiclass.

So... 3 Levels Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue are locked in place as is the Feat Catfolk Exemplar: Sharp Claws (my reason for not having taken Weapon Finesse at level 1, 1d6 claw attack instead of 1d4... plus my str is +2 and my dex is +3, negligible difference atm.)
« Last Edit: November 16, 2018, 12:33:51 AM by faeryn »