Best Full Caster Class 5 into Chameleon?

[Bill Bisco]

So Silverbrow Humans gain Disguise as a class skill and the Apprentice (Criminal) feat grants Bluff as a Class Skill. 

So, by being a Silverbrow Human and spending your 1st level feats on Apprentice (Criminal) and Able Learner, you can easily qualify for Chameleon at level 6.

This means that

Wizard 5 -> Chameleon is feasible
Cleric 5 -> Chameleon is feasible
Druid 5 -> Chameleon is feasible
Psion 5 -> Chameleon is feasible
Erudite 5 -> Chameleon is feasible
etc.

Any opinion on what the most fun to play or powerful of the above would be?

[Keldar]

Erudite would get you a little of all the things, but Psion would do the same while being less obnoxious.

Personally I like Chameleon best with Warlock (for Item Creation shenanigans), or any full BAB class so the end result keeps melee/ranged ability even when using the spell casting options.

[Nifft]

Beguiler 5 -> Chameleon, so you can skip the Apprentice feat.

Bard 5 -> Chameleon, also saves the Apprentice feat.

Cloistered Cleric with the Trickery domain gives you the skills you need, too.

Disagree about Warlock -- the Warlock's item creation fun starts at level 12, which you will never see. They do have UMD fun starting at level 4, is that what you meant? (But with every Divine and Arcane spell on your list, I'm not sure what use UMD really is to a Chameleon.)

Cloistered Cleric 1 (Trickery + whatever) / Warlock 4 / Chameleon -> that could be fun. Pick up Practiced Spellcaster for CL5 and you've got access to wands, wondrous items, and arms & armor.

Binder 5 + Improved Binding -> you can bind Asteroth from the Cityscape enhancement, which gives you another floating Item Creation feat.

Dragonfire Adept 6 (for Humanoid Shape) -> Chameleon, you make Changelings jealous.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Archivist 5 would appreciate the day-by-day filling up. 
Cham 7 might do for normal Sword Of The Arcane Order stuff.
(not that you can't find one)


Erudite 7 psyref looping (burning exp) vs. Erudite 5 / Cham 2 , is only 1 caelic commandment behind.
StP usually requires significant help, but Cham 2 gets that AND goes self generated.
Discipline additionally requires 2 feats, 1 from Dr#349, but Cham in general fixes that.

I think a psi-adapted Cham focus is around here somewhere, specifically o.k.
So yeah Erudite 5 with StP and pick one Discipline, for the goods.

... any full BAB class so the end result keeps melee/ranged ability even when using the spell casting options.

Golarion Cleric skirts it close to the PF + 3.5 boarder :
http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2342.msg315571#msg315571

Mystic Ranger might not even need some of that support, and encourages prc-ing getting out anyways.

[Vizzerdrix]

What about using a mystic ranger or wildshape ranger entry?

Or duskblade maybe? Do they get anything good at 5th?

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Honestly it doesn't matter. If you go all out Chameleon you have reached the pinnacle of "my PrC should have been a base class". It's like enjoying meat and potatoes until you get the finest filet mignon and haricot vert.

I'd just dip 5 times.

[Fadier]

Why do you need 5 levels in a full caster class? To qualify for crafting feats? Then use Factotum, they get a caster level at 3rd level.
No need to waste feats on getting class skills and being able to add your Int to almost anything is pretty good.

[Keldar]

What about using a mystic ranger or wildshape ranger entry?

Or duskblade maybe? Do they get anything good at 5th?

IIRC Duskblade 5 is the 1/day quicken spell.

[Endarire]

Factotum5 has a full caster level and is an oft-suggested entry.