Octavia - Arcane Trickster
End Game: Rogue 2 / Wizard 8 / Arcane Trickster 10
Ranged Damage Build
Build Notes: Octavia is one of the hardest characters to build for before her default build is as close to perfect as you can really get. The auto-level will give her Accomplished Sneak Attacker and then feed directly into Arcane Trickster until it maxes it out, then return to Wizard levels. Almost every build you'll find anywhere conforms to this standard because there's not really anything better. So differences tend to be superficial in most casts.
The jist of this build is just having Octavia auto-attack with Jolt / Acid Splash and letting her Sneak Attack bump the damage up. Once you get Scorching Ray it can be used for taking down particularly tough targets, especially with Spell Specialization helping to send out multiple rays. Later on, Disintegrate will become a mainstay, especially when Quickening Scorching Ray.
Starting Stats
Rogue-1 / Transmuter-1
10 Strength
17 Dexterity
08 Constitution
19 Intelligence
10 Wisdom
14 Charisma
Skills: Persuasion 1, Knowledge (Arcana) 2, Knowledge (World) 1, Mobility 2, Perception 1, Stealth 2, Trickery 2
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Spell Focus (Transmutation), Weapon Finesse
Spells: Enlarge Person, Expeditious Retreat, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Snowball, Color Spray, Vanish
Leveling Stats
Level 3 - Rogue 2
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +2
Feats: Evasion, Accomplished Sneak Attacker, Precise Shot(RT)
Notes: The singlemost controversial level. Most guides will tell you to to go straight Wizard and skip Rogue levels entirely. However, I find that this level of Rogue is worth the investment. Evasion will ALWAYS be useful, particularly as a backliner. Further, you get Precise Shot a couple of levels earlier with this build, making Octavia immediately useful.
Level 4 - Transmuter 2
Attribute: Intelligence +1
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Hurricane Bow(1), True Strike(1)
Level 5 - Transmuter 3
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Spell Focus (Evocation)
Spells: Scorching Ray(2), Web(2)
Notes: SF Evocation is for Spell Specialization down the road. It raises your CL by 2 with a spell, and since Ranged Touch Attacks like Scorching Ray are your bread and butter, we're working toward it now.
Level 6 - Arcane Trickster 1
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Acid Arrow(2), Glitterdust(2)
Level 7 - Arcane Trickster 2
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +2, Perception +1
Feats: Spell Specialization (Scorching Ray)
Spells: Haste(3), Heroism(3)
Level 8 - Arcane Trickster 3
Attribute: Intelligence +1
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Slow(3), See Invisibility, Communal(3)
Level 9 - Arcane Trickster 4
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Weapon Focus (Ray)
Spells: Ice Storm(4), Volcanic Storm(4)
Level 10 - Arcane Trickster 5
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Dimension Door(4), Greater Invisibility(4)
Level 11 - Arcane Trickster 6
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Spell Penetration
Spells: Animal Growth(5), Baleful Polymorph(5)
Level 12 - Arcane Trickter 7
Attribute: Intelligence +1
Skills: Mobility +6, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Icy Prison(5), Angelic Aspect(5)
Level 13 - Arcane Trickster 8
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Metamagic (Quicken Spell), Spell Specialization (Disintegrate)
Spells: Disintegrate(6), Hellfire Ray(6)
Notes: A strong level for the build. Scorching Ray naturally has its third ray and can be quickened and cast simultaneously with Disintegrate. Spell Specialization should be switched to Disintegrate near-permanently now since it represents an additional 4d6 damage.
Level 14 - Arcane Trickster 9
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Elemental Assessor(6), Transformation(6)
Level 15 - Arcane Trickster 10
Skills: Mobility +1, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Greater Spell Focus (Transmutation)
Spells: Resonating Word(7), Legendary Proportions(7)
Level 16 - Transmuter 4
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Prismatic Spray(7), Summon Greater Elemental(7)
Level 17 - Transmuter 5
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Improved Critical (Ray), Greater Spell Penetration
Spells: Polar Ray(8), Angelic Aspect, Greater(8)
Notes: The Transmuter special gives a +2 to any physical stat at this level. This is a good time to shift it to either Constitution or Strength and use Dexterity-enhancing magic items.
Level 18 - Transmuter 6
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Spells: Summon Elder Elemental(8), Summon Monster VIII(8)
Level 19 - Transmuter 7
Skills: Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1
Feats: Toughness
Spells: Fiery Body(9), Icy Prison, Mass(9)
Level 20 - Transmuter 8
Attribute: Intelligence +1
Skills: Mobility +5, Trickery +1, Stealth +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +1, Knowledge (World) +1, Perception +1, Persuasion +5
Spells: Heroic Invocation(9), Summon Monster IX(9)
Post edited January 08, 2019 by Roahin