Neverwinter Nights 2:Arcane Trickster 10/Wizard 6/Rogue 3/Pale Master 1
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General Build Notes
This is similar to the Wizard 18/Rogue 2 build, trading one additional 8th and 9th level spell and 2 mage feats for an additional 6d6 Sneak Attack, more skill points, and reclaiming the feat that was used by Able Learner. Spells come one to two levels later (i.e. the Wizard 18/Rogue 2 build will always be able to cast spells one level higher at the same total character level).
Race Selection
Sun Elf. Human gets you a free feat and an extra skill point per level, but Sun Elf gets you better intelligence, which also gets you an extra skill point per level, as well as continual searching, immunity to sleep, darkvision, etc. You lose 1 HP/level, but you have so few HP that you need to be not taking damage anyway.
Alignment
Any non-good. This needs 1 Pale Master level to keep from wasting skill points.
Abilities
- Str: 14
- Dex: 14
- Con: 12
- Int: 17
- Wis: 8
- Cha: 14
You will be boosting Int at every opportunity, or alternately boosting Int to 20, and then boosting either Str or Dex 2 points at the end, for more combat ability (either melee or ranged).
Level Progression
- 1: Rogue 1
- 2-4: Wizard 1-3
- 5: Rogue 2
- 6: Wizard 4 (Leave 1 skill point saved, Lore goes to 8)
- 7: Wizard 5 (Leave 5 skill points saved)
- 8: Pale Master 1 (Take 11 Heal)
- 9: Rogue 3
- 10-18: Arcane Trickster 1-9
- 19: Wizard 6
- 20: Arcane Trickster 10
Wizard Specialization
Either Generalist or Illusion. The three rogue levels, taken as early as they are, leave you really hurting for spell slots, so Illusion helps a lot, but it costs you Heroism and Greater Heroism, two of the better buff spells for boosting sneak attacks. If you are a Generalist, select Luck of Heroes as your starting feat, and focus on getting into sneak attack position, putting your last two ability point boosts into either strength or dexterity. If you are an Illusionist, choose Spellcasting Prodigy, and you may want to put all attribute points into intelligence.
Feats
Metamagic feats aren't needed very much for a wizard, but Practiced Spellcaster will come in handy to recover the 3 caster levels lost to Rogue levels. Unfortunately, as of v1.02, it can't be selected during level-up.
- Background: Either Troublemaker (for the Sleight of Hand/Reflexes) or Natural Leader (to boost teammate attacks)
- L1: Spellcasting Prodigy (Int effectively +2) or Luck of Heroes (+1 AC and saves)
- L1 (Rogue Bonus): Sneak Attack +1D6
- L3: Dodge
- L5 (L2 Rogue Bonus): Evasion
- L6 (Main): Lightning Reflexes
- L7 (Wizard 5): Craft Wondrous Item (for Scabbard of Keen Edges)
- L9 (L3 Rogue Bonus): Sneak Attack 2D6
- L9: Practiced Spellcaster
- L12: Craft Magical Arms/Armor
- L15: Spell Focus: Evocation
- L18: Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
(Spell Penetration / Greater Spell Penetration can be considered alternates for L15/L18, and Empower Spell/Extend Spell can also be useful, even for a wizard.)
Skills
- Appraise: 4 (starting Rogue skill points only)
- Concentration: 15 (+5 from Int 20, +3 from Int+6 item means defensive casting always succeeds)
- Craft Alchemy: 4 (only for reagents, not poisons)
- Bluff: 4+ (Starting points, plus put spares here)
- Disable Device
- Heal: 11 (Pale Master level, requires 5 skill points saved)
- Lore: 8 (use Identify or Legend Lore as needed)
- Open Lock: 4 (starting Rogue skill points only)
- Search
- Sleight of Hand
- Spellcraft
- Tumble: 10 (7 needed for Arcane Trickster anyway, spend 3 to get +1 AC)
- Use Magic Device
