Arcane Trickmaster (3.5e Prestige Class)

Summary::What if Arcane Trickster didn't suck so much... Length::10 Minimum Level::6 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Moderate Fortitude Save Progression::Poor Reflex Save Progression::Good Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability::Prepared Arcane Spellcasting Class Ability::Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting Class Ability::Sneak Attack Class Ability Progression::Full

Arcane Trickmaster
"Poof, I vanish!"

Being a rogue is great, its got sneak attack, and skills, and stealth. Being a wizard is great, you got spells that do all sorts of things. Both are really great... hey, what if we could be both?

Arcane Trickster? Oh god no, they struggle to do both and end up doing neither well, spending the first 8 levels of their life in suffering.

But perhaps there is a way...

Becoming an Arcane Trickmaster
It's clearly a replacement for the good idea that is the Arcane Trickster, but woefully broken by poorly thought out pre-requisites. Still, the idea is the same. A caster who is also sneaky. A rogue with a magical touch. As such, the mental ability score of choice and a strong Dexterity wins the day here. And best of all, its not as fragile as paper.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the arcane trickmaster.

You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a arcane trickmaster, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

 : If the arcane trickmaster could not before, they now gain the ability to use mage hand at will, and may perform any one-handed task they could with their actual hand, including wielding a weapon, out to 30 foot range. Weapons wielded use their normal attack bonuses, as if you were attacking in melee as normal. Working at a distance increases the normal skill check DC by 5, and an arcane trickster cannot take 10 on this check. Any object to be manipulated must weigh 5 pounds or less. You cannot sneak attack with a weapon wielded by your ranged legerdemain.

This bonuses increases by 1 every four levels beyond 1st (5th, 9th, etc).

The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th). If an arcane trickmaster gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

If the arcane trickmaster already has (or later gains) Silent Spell or Still Spell, the metamagic becomes a +0 adjustment instead of +1.

At 7th level, you gain whichever metamagic you did not choose previously (Silent Spell or Still Spell).

At 5th level an arcane trickmaster no longer provokes attacks of opportunity for casting touch range spells.

 : At 5th level the arcane trickmaster's ranged legerdemain improves. They get an extra mage hand when they use their ability, now able to use tasks with two hands, their range increases to 60 ft, and their maximum weight for each hand rises to 10 lbs (20 lbs using both hands). The penalty for performing tasks at range remains, nor can they take 10.

Surprise spellcasting may apply if the target is denied Dexterity or flatfooted. The spell effects only the target, even if it would have other area effects. You can only cast a spell up to the number of sneak attack dice you possess. For example you would have at least 7d6 sneak attack by the end of this class, allowing you to cast up to 7th level spells through spell attack. You need 9d6 sneak attack in order to cast 9th level spells through this attack.

You choose to use spell attack at the beginning of your turn, and forgo sneak attack damage until the beginning of your next turn. Regardless however many sneak attacks you would have gotten, you can only use spell attack once per round.

Playing an Arcane Trickmaster
Combat: You're still a rogue, but you may fight more with touch spells than things like daggers. As a spellcaster you have options open to you, though you need to split focus between having a high spell DC and having a high attack bonus and/or high AC. Most important, you're less item dependent than your mundane brethren.

Advancement: Consider Eldritch Knight to continue on the way of the gish, or focus more on spellcasting or sneak attack in other classes.

Resources: Arcane Trickmasters are fairly few, and so would either be found in the company of wizards, or the company of thieves. Sometimes both.

Arcane Trickmasters in the World
"I transformed myself into a wooden log and hid myself in the fireplace to try and escape the guards. In hindsight, I should have fled once they came in bearing marshmellows and tindertwigs."

NPC Reactions: The only thing worse than thieves are thieves with the unpredictability of magic. You suspect people would not be fond at hearing your profession of choice, so its best to keep it on the down low.

Arcane Trickmasters Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Arcane can research arcane trickmasters to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Arcane Trickmasters in the Game
Adaptation: The class is flavored as arcane, but its easy to adapt to a divine trickmaster or psionic trickmaster, provided they can use mage hand (or the psionic version, far hand).

Pathfinder versions use a d8 instead of a d6, and add Fly to their class skill list.

Sample Encounter: The infamous thief known as the Black Fox is going to steal the crown jewels. No one has ever stopped the mystical menace before. Can you be the first to foil his plans?

EL 11: PENDING