Arcane Trickster, how?

[nwnrules]

Anyone want to help me with character creation to set me on the right path for the AT prestige?
Rogue and Wizard right?

[Atalsen]

Well, if you have not done it so far, head over to the manual to check out Arcane Trickster: http://www.athasreborn.com/prc/manual/

There you can see the prerequisites for the AT PrC:
REQUIREMENTS:
Alignment: Non Lawful
Skills: Lore 4 ranks, Disable Trap 7, Pick Lock 7.
Sneak Attack: 2d6
Spells: Must be able to cast at least 3rd level Arcane spells.


Obviously if you pick one of the Lawful alignments you can't get in, so don't do that.

Then you need to pick up the listed skills. Earliest there is 3rd level (Rogue), which also gets you the sneak.
Then 5th level caster gets you the casting.

So Rogue 3 / Wizard 5 / AT X 

[nwnrules]

Sweet.

Any idea of other combos that could work?
Ninja/Warmage?

Also, when I'm ready to take an AT level. How do I do that?

[Atalsen]

Any idea of other combos that could work?
Ninja/Warmage?

Any combo of classes that give you the requirements will work, so since Ninja gives Sneak Attack (and skills) and Warmage gives arcane casting, that will work too.

Fair warning on Warmage, its often hard to know exactly how many spells you have left - its not like Sorcerer where your remaining spells are shown on the bar: you have to watch the messages ("You have X remaining Y-Level spells" messages that come up ever time you cast). {They do not show on the bar due to technical limitations of NWN}

Also, when I'm ready to take an AT level. How do I do that?

Once you meet the prerequisites of any prestige class, that class will be "highlighted" using white text instead of gray text. So just scroll down the list till you find AT, and when you qualify, select that instead of your other classes.

Classes are shown in the order they are in the 2da file which is basically the order in which they were added to the game (give or take), not in alphabetical order, so sometimes it takes a bit of hunting to locate any class in that long list.

[ThE LoSt BoY]

Dread Necro is also an option.

[xwarren]

One of my favorite characters was Ultimate Ranger/Wizard/Arcane Trickster. I don't remember the level spread right now (will have to search for a saved game or something). It was very fun to play - not very powerful, but very versatile - combination of warrior, rouge and mage in one character (+ winter wolf companion   )

It requires at least 11 levels of Ultimate Ranger though, so the fun really begins in epic levels...

[ThE LoSt BoY]

xw, you gotta post that build. Freebie 3d6 + 5d6 sneak dealing arcane blaster. Sounds fun. Just guessing was UR 12 / Wiz 6 / AT 22 based on BAB break point & AT L22 epic bonus feat.

Would suggest Beguiler (Disable Twerp, Pick Nose as class skills), but spell list is absolute crap. No IGMS, Avasculate, Avasc Mass!

One thing that looks strange (WotC geniuses) is AT doesn't do much past L10. No more +1d6 Sneak boost every other level & epic feat progression @ 1 per 4 is worse than most. This essentially removes incentive to go higher, except it's a PrC and gets to epic @ L11 vs L21 for base class.

Since AT is half BAB anyway, progression is the same as any base Arcane caster that gets L9 spells. 3/4 BAB would have been nice, WotC. 

Eldritch Knight = full BAB-full caster Arcane; Alaghar, Hospitaler, Master o' Shrouds, Fist o' Raziel, Sacred Fist are all full BAB-full caster Divine. Hos' gave tons of bonus feats, Sacred Fist has uber-class boosts, Master o' Shrouds has semi-infinite uber summons.  WotC

[xwarren]

I think in PRC Pack Arcane Trickster gets improved Sneak Attack in epic levels (I would have to check the scirpst to confirm this). I had another biuld - I called it "Arcane Sniper" and it utilised Spell Sneak Attack - I remember dealing over 100 points of damage with Ray of Frost (yeah - 0 level spell!). x2 with critical hit I am sure that character had over 20d6 of Sneak Attack...

In my opinion Arcane Trickster is not a very good option for Beguiler. True - both classes have similar skill sets, but Beguiler doesn't really benefit from taking levels in AT. No ray spells, so no Spell Sneak Attack. As a Beguiler you should stay away from melee combat, so the only option would be ranged sneak attack. Anyway I think you'll get better skills and feats if you stay with a Beguiler.

[ThE LoSt BoY]

xw, 20d6? Why is that not posted?


The beauty of a Beguiler is that all AT pre-reqs met @ L6 w/ racial Sneaks. No rogue-like classes needed if racial sneak meets pre-req. Beguiler free's third class slot 6 levels earlier than cross-class arcane caster (~ L12). There is only one AT epic bonus feat missed (@L14 AT) for those 6 more base caster levels. Some base casters will have bonus feats (Wizard, Warmage), etc. in those 6 levels, so trades need to be looked at.

Before I saw the atrocious spell list ([cough] Fuh-Cough, WotC! [cough]), this looked great to get L20 Cloaked Casting:
Naz Rak Beguiler 6 / Pally 4 / AT 10 pre-epic. Beguiler 26 / Pally 4 / AT10 final.

Truth is the Beguiler spell list is an absolute joke. Power words, Weird & Epic spells are about all the offense that Wasters o' the Coast clunker has.


Back to OP: If racial sneaks work toward AT pre-req, def go Naz Rak Dread Necro 24 / Pally 4 / AT 12. Exalted Sorceress + Undead Lord builds on sneak attack steroids. L40 caster w/Prac Caster + undead buffs & def's + 6d6 Racial + 5d6 AT + Imp Sneak series + Gr TWF + Div Might / Div Shield.

Alternate could trade more Pally BAB for lower caster level: DN 24 / Pally 6 / AT 10.

Just my $.02 on wicked Trickster build options.