Rogue 1/Wizard 4/Spellthief 1/Unseen Seer 5/Daggerspell Mage 10
Or...
Spellthief 1/Wizard 1/Human Paragon 3/Unseen Seer 5/Daggerspell Mage 10
Since both of them will get you 9ths. I'd much rather have Shapechange or Timestop than Penetrating strike.
Spellthief can likewise make it so your Wiz can cast in Light Armor and steal spells with your sneak attacks.
I would definitely pick either Human or Strongheart Halfling as race, with Changeling or Whispergnome as my alternate choices (though, honestly a goblin or kobold is always fun, if not very optimal).
Do NOT go focused specialist as a diviner unless you are planning to seriously abuse Arcane Strike.
Anyway, on to your questions...
* I can hand pick another divination spell from another spell list. Which is awesome with lv 8 spells as maximum?
I personally like Find the Gap if you're going to be hanging out in melee. It's a longer duration semi-wraithstrike. I can't think of any 'high level' divinations that aren't already on the Wiz/Sor list that are worth it off the top of my head.
* The last level is kind of there just to give caster level, and because it makes the build clean (and grant permanent non-detection and a spell). Is there any other class that is better?
Than permanent nondetection as an assassin? No.
* Looking at equipment, are there any particular items this character should be looking for?
Rogues Vest, Healing Belt, Gauntlets of Weaponry Arcane, Ring of Adamantine Touch, Deathstrike Bracers, Greater Truedeath Crystal, Greater Demolition Crystal, Wands of Vine Strike, possibly Gloves of the Balanced Hand (depending on how your DM reads them).
* His weapons still miss +2 enchantment to reach +10. I have thought of discipline focus, but I don't have initiator levels, and greater dispelling is so-so at level 20. Paralyzing have a low DC, Deadly precision only adds 3,5 damage and yea, I am open for suggestions.
Everbright, Hideaway, Slowburst, Spellblade, Vanishing Wand Chambered Cold Iron Daggers +1 (use GMW to increase) of Bloodstone, Magebane, Spell Storing, Enfeebling, Eager, Lucky, and Psychokinetic
At least, that's where I'd start off the top of my head.
* Any way to get some extra feats? I am drooling at Leadership, Arcane Strike and Travel Devotion.
1 level of Cloistered Cleric could give you up to 3 feats, either with the right domain choices or trading them for devotions. Going Incantatrix instead of Daggerspell mage would give you a bunch of bonus metamagic feats. Going human or Strongheart halfling gives you a bonus. The Heroics spell can grant you bonus fighter feats.
* Am I correct that you don't need spellcaster levels to take Metamagic feats that have no CL requirement?
You technically do not, I don't think, at least I don't see anywhere in the rules for those feats that you don't. I'd double-check the FAQ on that, though, as I have a feeling the Sage (and probably your DM) may rule otherwise.
* What should/can I exchange my familiar for? Beeing a diviner takes away the greatness that is Abrupt Jaunt...
Abrupt Jaunt is the only thing worth trading your familiar for (and even it is iffy if you're using your familiar to it's greatest potential). The extra actions and bonuses a familiar provides and potential backup at high levels are worth more than their weight in platinum.
Personally, I would rather have....
Rogue 1/Wizard 4/Spellthief 1/Unseen Seer 5/Daggerspell Mage 10
Or...
Spellthief 1/Wizard 1/Human Paragon 3/Unseen Seer 5/Daggerspell Mage 10
Since both of them will get you 9ths. I'd much rather have Shapechange or Timestop than Penetrating strike.
Spellthief can likewise make it so your Wiz can cast in Light Armor and steal spells with your sneak attacks.
I considdered the first, and it is good. I doubt I will use light armor though, as my dexterity will be to high at some point, and spellthief kind of clutters the build. Anyhow, the 9th level spell is a real asset hard to let down. My main issue though is to give up penetrating strike. As far as I can see, that is the difference between being useless and beeing reasonably useful in a lot of situations. I can get around the problem by carrying around items/scrolls or preparing a ton of low level spells, but I have a problem leaving key elements of the character over to such GM-touchable pleasantries
The second is out because of human paragon, even though its good.
I would definitely pick either Human or Strongheart Halfling as race, with Changeling or Whispergnome as my alternate choices (though, honestly a goblin or kobold is always fun, if not very optimal).
I know, I just have a heart for elves, so I tend to play them in some form anyway. Good suggestions none the less.
Do NOT go focused specialist as a diviner unless you are planning to seriously abuse Arcane Strike.
That was exactly my idea, but from another thread I just got the crushing news that Arcane strike have been errataed to swift action to activate, which makes it totally useless (as I will use swift action to get in position).
None the less, when I think of it I still think a focused diviner is good. I need to be a diviner to get Insightful divination (which is absurdly good), and loosing a school I would hardly use to get more utility spells is to me a good trade. I would probably give up evocation and enchantment, as necromancy (which I would usually give up) have key spells for trapping souls etc. Those extra spells will let me take care of the non-combat aspect of the "rogue" with even higher efficiency, which I considder to be swell.
Why do you think it is such a horrible trade? I am not sure I would ever prepare an enchantment spell anyway, since this character won't focus on pumping saves (and enemies get immune)
* I can hand pick another divination spell from another spell list. Which is awesome with lv 8 spells as maximum?
I personally like Find the Gap if you're going to be hanging out in melee. It's a longer duration semi-wraithstrike. I can't think of any 'high level' divinations that aren't already on the Wiz/Sor list that are worth it off the top of my head.
Find the Gap is fair, but when I have 6 attacks each round, making one into a touch attack is kind of meh... Maybe there are some potent utilities hidden somewhere, as combat is not the only area this character is supposed to excell at.
* The last level is kind of there just to give caster level, and because it makes the build clean (and grant permanent non-detection and a spell). Is there any other class that is better?
Than permanent nondetection as an assassin? No.
Good point. Anyhow, by this level I expect to have permanent mindblank, which I assume will have the same effect, no?
* Looking at equipment, are there any particular items this character should be looking for?
Rogues Vest, Healing Belt, Gauntlets of Weaponry Arcane, Ring of Adamantine Touch, Deathstrike Bracers, Greater Truedeath Crystal, Greater Demolition Crystal, Wands of Vine Strike, possibly Gloves of the Balanced Hand (depending on how your DM reads them).
Rogues vest, and the crystals will definantly be used. There are some gloves that grant sneak attack somewhere, which I think could be neat. I won't have ring-slots left for adamantine touch, better to just have adamantine weapons
* His weapons still miss +2 enchantment to reach +10. I have thought of discipline focus, but I don't have initiator levels, and greater dispelling is so-so at level 20. Paralyzing have a low DC, Deadly precision only adds 3,5 damage and yea, I am open for suggestions.
Everbright, Hideaway, Slowburst, Spellblade, Vanishing Wand Chambered Cold Iron Daggers +1 (use GMW to increase) of Bloodstone, Magebane, Spell Storing, Enfeebling, Eager, Lucky, and Psychokinetic
Ah! Spellblade, I had forgotten that one. Lucky and impaling could be nice to have. Spellstoring and bloodstone are definantly on though
* Any way to get some extra feats? I am drooling at Leadership, Arcane Strike and Travel Devotion.
1 level of Cloistered Cleric could give you up to 3 feats, either with the right domain choices or trading them for devotions. Going Incantatrix instead of Daggerspell mage would give you a bunch of bonus metamagic feats. Going human or Strongheart halfling gives you a bonus. The Heroics spell can grant you bonus fighter feats.
Yes...Cleric is out because I don't like them. Incantaterix is good, but kind of takes away the idea of the build. Heroics spell is noted.
* Am I correct that you don't need spellcaster levels to take Metamagic feats that have no CL requirement?
You technically do not, I don't think, at least I don't see anywhere in the rules for those feats that you don't. I'd double-check the FAQ on that, though, as I have a feeling the Sage (and probably your DM) may rule otherwise.
Good, this is what I thought.
* What should/can I exchange my familiar for? Beeing a diviner takes away the greatness that is Abrupt Jaunt...
Abrupt Jaunt is the only thing worth trading your familiar for (and even it is iffy if you're using your familiar to it's greatest potential). The extra actions and bonuses a familiar provides and potential backup at high levels are worth more than their weight in platinum.
Well, I am not sure I agree about the usefulness of the Familiar (which tend to die horribly if he ever leaves his masters hidden pounch), but in lack of serious options I guess I better just keep it.
Thanks a lot for the comments, they were very useful
I considdered the first, and it is good. I doubt I will use light armor though, as my dexterity will be to high at some point, and spellthief kind of clutters the build. Anyhow, the 9th level spell is a real asset hard to let down. My main issue though is to give up penetrating strike. As far as I can see, that is the difference between being useless and beeing reasonably useful in a lot of situations. I can get around the problem by carrying around items/scrolls or preparing a ton of low level spells, but I have a problem leaving key elements of the character over to such GM-touchable pleasantriesWith 9th level spells, you are NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER useless (not even in a dead magic zone). There are so many ways to 1rnd almost anything that isn't a deity with 9ths, it's almost not fun playing. Penetrating strike is not worth 9ths.The second is out because of human paragon, even though its good.
I know, I just have a heart for elves, so I tend to play them in some form anyway. Good suggestions none the less.
Well going the HP route gets you 2 bonus feats, an adaptive skill, and +2 to a single stat.
If you really want to play an elf for the flavor, that's completely cool, just make sure you understand what you are giving up.That was exactly my idea, but from another thread I just got the crushing news that Arcane strike have been errataed to swift action to activate, which makes it totally useless (as I will use swift action to get in position).
I'm looking at the complete warrior errata right now and I don't see anything of the sort. I think there is a pathfinder feat with the same name, which has a completely different effect, and that one is probably a swift action.None the less, when I think of it I still think a focused diviner is good. I need to be a diviner to get Insightful divination (which is absurdly good), and loosing a school I would hardly use to get more utility spells is to me a good trade. I would probably give up evocation and enchantment, as necromancy (which I would usually give up) have key spells for trapping souls etc. Those extra spells will let me take care of the non-combat aspect of the "rogue" with even higher efficiency, which I considder to be swell.
Why do you think it is such a horrible trade? I am not sure I would ever prepare an enchantment spell anyway, since this character won't focus on pumping saves (and enemies get immune)
It's not a 'horrible' trade. There are only a handful of spells I'd mem as a rogue-caster from evo, and they can be covered with shadow evo or other spells. Most of the enchant spells I'd want as a rogue type are low level ones that get me around low-level obstacles, like charm person or sleep, but they're probably not worth it in and of themselves. I do think that spells like ray of stupidity and Greater heroism suck to lose, but not over-much.
My real problem with focused specialist in regards to diviner is the divination spells. I've used diviner and focused diviner for a number of gish builds and found that in several spell levels I almost always memmed the same spell 3 times, since there was only one decent divination spell for that level.
YYMV, of course, and Insightful Divination and the Advanced learning do make things quite a bit better.Find the Gap is fair, but when I have 6 attacks each round, making one into a touch attack is kind of meh... Maybe there are some potent utilities hidden somewhere, as combat is not the only area this character is supposed to excell at.
Most (if not all) of the good utility ones are already on your list.Good point. Anyhow, by this level I expect to have permanent mindblank, which I assume will have the same effect, no?
Nope. Mindblank only blocks you from scrying and from divinations that try and read your mind or thoughts in some way. It won't stop true seeing from seeing through a disguise self or shapechange, nor through Superior Invis. Nondetection will (potentially).Rogues vest, and the crystals will definantly be used. There are some gloves that grant sneak attack somewhere, which I think could be neat. I won't have ring-slots left for adamantine touch, better to just have adamantine weapons
Don't make adamantine weapons. The demo crystals already allow them to overcome as adamantine (and you'd be using them whenever figthing anything that had DR/adamantine anyway). Always make your weapons cold iron and use the crystals and gloves to overcome the other two metals. It's the cheapest way to do it.Well, I am not sure I agree about the usefulness of the Familiar (which tend to die horribly if he ever leaves his masters hidden pounch), but in lack of serious options I guess I better just keep it.
Familiars Handbook
Getting the Most out of your Familiar
If you use them correctly, they're one of the greatest things you can have. They give you actions, and actions are the key to winning.Thanks a lot for the comments, they were very useful
You're welcome.