Rethinking Hybrid Classes - The Trickster

Back in October, I posted about the multi-classing rules in Pathfinder. I did this because I favored the hybridizing prestige classes (Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, Mystic Theurge) instead of the hybrid base classes from the Advanced Class Guide--and I wanted characters who followed the prestige class path to be on-par with single-class characters.  However, this "fix" has only served to make the rules more bulky--and there is too much for players--particularity new players--to remember.

On second thought, the Magus isn't a bad class.  In fact, it is better at being an Eldritch Knight than a Fighter / Wizard / Eldritch Knight.  Are there base classes that do this for the Arcane Trickster and Mystic Theurge?  Not in the Advanced Class Guide--so my distaste for the hybrid classes in that book remains.  My distaste for the concept of hybrid classes is in question, though.

In fact, hybrid classes have been a part of Dungeons & Dragons for several edition:

• Bard = Enchanter / Rogue [originally a Fighter-Thief-Druid "prestige class"]
• Paladin = Fighter / Cleric
• Ranger = Fighter / Druid [originally also Wizard]

And Pathfinder has given us a few new ones already:

• Alchemist = Transmuter / Rogue
• Inquisitor = Cleric / Rogue
• Magus = Fighter / Wizard

Though two arcane rogue hybrids exist--the Alchemist and the Bard--neither exactly replicate the niche of the Arcane Trickster as well as the Magus replicates the Eldritch Knight.  As one of my players is working toward this prestige class (and about to achieve it), I wanted to see if I could offer a similar (or better) experience with a single class.  To that end, I present the Trickster base class.

Trickster

Few can match the guile and craftiness of tricksters. These prodigious scoundrels blend the subtlest aspects of the arcane with the natural cunning of the bandit, using spells to enhance their natural thieving abilities. 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.

Role: With their mastery of magic, tricksters can make for even more subtle or confounding opponents than standard rogues or bards. Ranged legerdemain enhances their skill as thieves, and their ability to make sneak attacks without flanking or as part of a spell can make tricksters formidable damage-dealers.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The trickster's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack  Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Arcane bond, cantrips, sneak attack +1d6, arcane trickery
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Trapfinding
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Evasion, sneak attack +2d6
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Sneak attack +3d6, trap sense
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Ranged legerdemain
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Sneak attack +4d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Impromptu sneak attack 1/day, sneak attack +5d6
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Uncanny dodge
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Sneak attack +6d6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Tricky spells 3/day
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Sneak attack +7d6,
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Sneak attack +8d6, impromptu sneak attack 2/day, tricky spells 3/day
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Sneak attack +9d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Invisible thief, tricky spells 5/day
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Sneak attack +10d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Surprise Spells

Level		Spells per Day
	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	4	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	4	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	4	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	4	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	5	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	5	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	5	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	5	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	5	5	4	3	1	—	—
11th	5	5	4	4	2	—	—
12th	5	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	5	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	5	5	5	4	4	2	—
15th	5	5	5	5	4	3	—
16th	5	5	5	5	4	3	1
17th	5	5	5	5	4	4	2
18th	5	5	5	5	5	4	3
19th	5	5	5	5	5	5	4
20th	5	5	5	5	5	5	5

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the trickster.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A trickster is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow. Tricksters are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields. A trickster can cast trickster spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a trickster wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass trickster still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp): At 1st level, trickers (like wizards) form a powerful bond with an object or a creature. This bond can take one of two forms: a familiar or a bonded object. A familiar is a magical pet that enhances thetrickster's skills and senses and can aid him in magic, while a bonded object is an item a wizard can use to cast additional spells or to serve as a magical item. Once a trickster makes this choice, it is permanent and cannot be changed. Rules for bonded items are given below, while rules for familiars are at the end of the wizard section.
Tricksters who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be held in one hand. If a trickster attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly.
A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the trickster has in his spellbook and is capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the trickster, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the trickster's level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells that are not on the trickster spell list.
A trickster can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required item creation feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a trickster with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat in Feats). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the trickster who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the trickster prepares his spells. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A trickster can designate an existing magic item as his bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.

Spells: A trickster casts arcane spells drawn from the trickster spell list. A trickster must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the trickster must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a trickster's spell is 10 + the spell level + the trickster's Intelligence modifier.
A trickster can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see the Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells Table).
A trickster may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the trickster decides which spells to prepare.

Spellbooks: A trickster must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all tricksters can prepare from memory. A trickster begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level trickster spells plus three 1st-level trickster spells of his choice. The trickster also selects a number of additional 1st-level trickster spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new trickster level, he gains two new trickster spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new trickster level) for his spellbook. At any time, a trickster can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own (see Arcane Spells).
A trickster can learn spells from a wizard's spellbook, just as a wizard can from a trickster's spellbook. The spells learned must be on the trickster spell list, as normal. An alchemist (see the Alchemist description) can learn formulae from a trickster's spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A trickster cannot learn spells from an alchemist.

Cantrips: A trickster can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted in the table above under "Spells per Day." These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Sneak Attack: If a trickster can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The trickster's attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the trickster flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two trickster levels thereafter. Should the trickster score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a trickster can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.
The trickster must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A trickster cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.

Arcane Trickery:  At first level, a trickster must specialize in an arcane trickery.  Arcane trickeries are similar to arcane schools, and grant the same 1st level benefits as the equivalent arcane school.  Arcane trickeries do not grant bonus spell slots, and do not advance after 1st level.
The available arcane trickeries are:  Enchantment (Enchanting Trickster), Evocation (Evocative Trickster), Illusion (Illusive Trickster), or Transmutation (Transmutant Trickster).  This choice must be made at 1st level, and once made, it cannot be changed.  There is no "universal" trickery.

Trapfinding: At 2nd level and higher, a trickster adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A trickster can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

Evasion (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a trickster can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the trickster is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless trickster does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Trap Sense (Ex): At 5th level and higher, a trickster gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Impromptu Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, once per day a trickster can declare one melee or ranged attack she makes to be a sneak attack (the target can be no more than 30 feet distant if the impromptu sneak attack is a ranged attack). The target of an impromptu sneak attack loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, but only against that attack. The power can be used against any target, but creatures that are not subject to critical hits take no extra damage (though they still lose any Dexterity bonus to AC against the attack).
At 15th level, a trickster can use this ability twice per day.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 10th level, a trickster can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A trickster with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.
If a trickster already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Tricky Spells (Su): Starting at 12th level, an arcane trickster can cast her spells without their 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 3 times per day at 12th level and one additional time per every three levels thereafter, to a maximum of 5 times per day at 18th level. The arcane trickster decides to use this ability at the time of casting.

Invisible Thief (Su): At 18th level, a trickster can become invisible, as if under the effects of greater invisibility, as a free action. She can remain invisible for a number of rounds per day equal to ½ her trickster level. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her caster level. These rounds need not be consecutive.

Surprise Spells: At 20th level, an arcane trickster can add her sneak attack damage to any spell that deals damage, if the targets are flat-footed. This additional damage only applies to spells that deal hit point damage, and the additional damage is of the same type as the spell. If the spell allows a saving throw to negate or halve the damage, it also negates or halves the sneak attack damage.

Trickster Spell List

Available Here

Edited December 22nd, 2015 (balance tweaks); December 30th, 2015 (spell list links).