Few can match the guile and craftiness of arcane tricksters. These prodigious thieves blend the subtlest aspects of the arcane with the natural cunning of the bandit and the scoundrel, using spells to enhance their natural thieving abilities. Arcane tricksters can pick locks, disarm traps, and lift purses from a safe distance using their magical legerdemain, and as often as not seek humiliation as a goal to triumph over their foes than more violent solutions.
The arcane trickster is an archetype of the black mage class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The arcane trickster mainly focuses on DEX for combat and INT for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Class Skills, Spell Proficiency. 2nd – Elemental Shield, Mage Talent. 3rd – Dark Affliction. 5th – Metamagic Enhancement. 10th – Doublecast. 11th – Loremaster. 12th – Advanced Mage Talent. 14th – Advanced Mage Talent. 16th – Advanced Mage Talent. 18th – 1 MP Spell, Advanced Mage Talent. 20th – Advanced Mage Talent.
Prerequisite
Must pick the Grab cantrip as one of his cantrips.
Class Skills
The arcane trickster gains Disable Device, Perception and Sleight of Hand as class skills, but loses three Knowledge skills (chosen when attaining this archetype) as class skills.
Trapfinding (Ex)
At 1st level, an arcane trickster adds half her black mage level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). An arcane trickster can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. An arcane trickster who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.
This ability replaces spell proficiency.
Ranged Legerdemain (Su)
At 2nd level, an arcane trickster can use Disable Device and Sleight of Hand at a range of 30 feet. 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. She can only use this ability if she has at least 1 rank in the skill being used.
This ability replaces a mage talent gained at 2nd level.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 2nd level, this is exactly like the thief ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt is 1d6 at 2nd level, plus an additional 1d6 for every four black mage levels after 2nd (6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th). If an arcane trickster gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
This ability replaces elemental shield.
Impromptu Sneak Attack (Ex)
Beginning at 3rd level, once per day, an arcane trickster can declare any melee or ranged attack she makes against a target within 30 feet to ignore their Dexterity bonus to AC.
At 7th level and every four black mage levels thereafter, an arcane trickster can use this ability one additional time per day.
This ability replaces dark affliction.
Tricky Spells (Su)
Starting at 5th level, an arcane trickster can cast her spells without her somatic or verbal components, as if using the Still Spell and Silent Spell feats. Spells cast using this ability do not increase in spell level or casting time. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier. The arcane trickster decides to use this ability at the time of casting.
This ability replaces metamagic enhancement.
Invisible Thief (Su)
At 10th level, an arcane trickster can become invisible, as if under the effects of greater vanish, as a free action. She can remain invisible for a number of rounds per day equal to her black mage level. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her caster level. These rounds need not be consecutive.
This ability replaces doublecast.
Surprise Spells (Ex)
At 11th level, an arcane trickster can add her sneak attack damage to any spell that deals damage, even if it doesn’t have an attack roll. This only applies against targets that are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC. This additional damage only applies to spells that deal hit-point damage. If the spell allows a saving throw to negate or halve the damage, it also negates or halves the sneak attack damage. If the spell has multiple missiles (such as the ruin spell), the sneak attack only applies to the first missile.
This ability replaces loremaster and 1 mp spell.
Advanced Mage Talents (Su)
At 12th level and every two black mage levels thereafter, in addition to the normal advanced mage talents the arcane trickster can pick from, he also gains access to 1 additional advanced mage talent (see below).
Advanced Sneak Attack (Ex): The arcane trickster’s sneak attack increases by 1d6. The maximum of sneak attack damage can never exceed 10d6.
