D&D 5E Need help maxxing out an Arcane Trickster

[Minsc]

Hey guys.

I just joined a new group. They're a bit power-gameish, but I really like the people.

I decided to create a Human Arcane Trickster (although I am considering half elf or even eladrin).

I'll be joining the game at 5th level.

Any tips or tricks you guys can give me so I can make sure I get the most of his abilities in a game? Are there any "must have" spells? Any particular magic items I should drop the DM hints about that will really help me out?

TIA.

 

[kbrakke]

To get the most out of your arcane trickster you have to ask yourself what your ratio of rogue to magic is. If you want to have more magical options and be an extra good batman, I would suggest multi classing. I myself have a 5th level arcane trickster who is a Rogue 4 wizard 1. I like adding the wizard levels for more spells and the ability to add more spells to the spellbook and cast ritual spells. I am a firm believer in having every single ritual spell you an get. Given that they don't take a spell slot when you ritual cast them, they're basically cost less.

If you want to be more rogue than wizard, keep with the arcane trickster path and I would pick spells that don't scale off of your spellcasting ability. For me the best cantrips are Minor Illusion and Ray of frost. The ray lets you prevent pretty much anyone from catching you if you need to escape given that you get to dash and move while they are slowed 10 feet. Minor Illusion is pretty self explanatory.

For your 4 spells I am a huge fan of Silent Image and Disguise self for the rogue. For your non-enchantment/illusion spell it's really up to how you envision fighting. If you're going to go in to melee, shield is pretty good. If not you can get something like Featherfall, or some other good utility spell. For the 4th spell charm person is pretty reasonable, but you might consider Tasha's Hideous Laughter if you want some more options in combat.

As for magic items, you don't really need any but wizard spell scrolls are really good for you, giving you one time use options. They are even better if you take 1 wizard level to be able to copy them in to your spellbook.

tl;dr Take spells that don't rely on your spellcasting ability, if you want more utility take a wizard level, if you want more rogue, stay with rogue. No need for magic items, but scrolls are nice

 

[Cernor]

I haven't played an Arcane Trickster for very long (didn't reach 4th level before the campaign fell apart), but I personally like Sleep: it doesn't allow a save, and unconsciousness (and ergo automatic criticals) work great in conjunction with Sneak Attack.

 

[thalmin]

If you decide to multiclass, remember that you need to get to 4th level in one class to get the Stat bonus or feat, so if you are starting at level 5, you might want to be level 4/1, otherwise be ready to wait.

 

[ShadowSeeker]

My recommendations:

1. Stats: dump Str, max Dex, although recommended in the PHB don't bother with high Int

2. Race: Don't choose human. You want a race with darkvision. Hiding with a torch in your hand isn't much fun. I recommend wood elf for +2 Dex, +5ft speed (extra mobility) and mask of the wild (hiding).

3. Feats: If they are allowed I would consider sentinel. It let's you have an additional sneak attack per round. But uses your reaction which could collide with uncanny dodge.

4. Spells: Try to avoid spells that rely on Int. Don't choose damage spells (your damage comes from sneak attack).

a. Cantrips: Choose from Friends, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation or True Strike. Ray of Frost and Shocking grasp could be interesting for their secondary effects.

b. Level 1: For your free Spell choose Mage Armor of False Life. Other spells: Sleep, charm person, color spray.

c. Level 2: Blur, Mirror Image, Suggestion, Invisibility

5. Scrolls: You can use any wizard scroll (you have to make a check if the spell is higher than you can cast yourself). Get yourself a find familar scroll. I recommend owl (darkvision 120 ft., adv on perception and flyby attack). Your familiar is useful for scouting and could take the help action to grant you advantage in combat. Try to get other spells that are useful but situational, like[FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT]Protection from Good and Evil, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Alarm, Magic Missile (for auto hit).

6. 1 Level of fighter could be interesting for weapon, armor and shield proficiencies, fighting style and second wind. I wouldn't recommend 1 level of wizard because it requires a INt of 13 and you better spend your stat points elsewhere.

 

[Corpsetaker]

I am currently playing a Drow Fey Pact Blade Warlock 3 / Arcane Trickster 3 and it's great. I would recommend going over each spell and try to come up with as many useful scenarios as you can.

My current spell list is as followed:

Arcane trickster: Cantrips - Mage Hand, Blade Ward, Poison Spray.
1st level - Disguise Self, Colour Spray, Silent Image, Chromatic Orb.

Warlock: Cantrips - Eldritch Blast, Chill Touch.
1st level - Charm Person, Hex, Armour of Agathys, Arms of Hadar.
Invocations - Armour of Shadows, One with Shadows (Still talking about this one).

Drow: At-will - Dancing Lights.
1/day - Faerie Fire, Darkness.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

My recommendations:

1. Stats: dump Str, max Dex, although recommended in the PHB don't bother with high Int

2. Race: Don't choose human. You want a race with darkvision. Hiding with a torch in your hand isn't much fun. I recommend wood elf for +2 Dex, +5ft speed (extra mobility) and mask of the wild (hiding).

3. Feats: If they are allowed I would consider sentinel. It let's you have an additional sneak attack per round. But uses your reaction which could collide with uncanny dodge.

4. Spells: Try to avoid spells that rely on Int. Don't choose damage spells (your damage comes from sneak attack).

a. Cantrips: Choose from Friends, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation or True Strike. Ray of Frost and Shocking grasp could be interesting for their secondary effects.

b. Level 1: For your free Spell choose Mage Armor of False Life. Other spells: Sleep, charm person, color spray.

c. Level 2: Blur, Mirror Image, Suggestion, Invisibility

5. Scrolls: You can use any wizard scroll (you have to make a check if the spell is higher than you can cast yourself). Get yourself a find familar scroll. I recommend owl (darkvision 120 ft., adv on perception and flyby attack). Your familiar is useful for scouting and could take the help action to grant you advantage in combat. Try to get other spells that are useful but situational, like[FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT]Protection from Good and Evil, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Alarm, Magic Missile (for auto hit).

6. 1 Level of fighter could be interesting for weapon, armor and shield proficiencies, fighting style and second wind. I wouldn't recommend 1 level of wizard because it requires a INt of 13 and you better spend your stat points elsewhere.

Some good points, but I have to comment on one aspect. You recommend dumping INT, but you are aware that INT sets the DC for disbelieving illusions. Also you recommend considering shocking grasp or ray of frost, which are similarly useless without Int to help them land. Lastly Mage Armor is a whopping 1 AC over what he gets with rogue armor proficiency, so a waste of a pick IMO.

IMO INT is not something you should dump as an arcane trickster.

 

[KarinsDad]

If you want to multiclass, I would recommend a level of Cleric, either Tempest (rebuke is fine, and fog cloud can help with hiding) or War (extra attacks are very very nice, and Shield of Faith is a nice spell). That way, you can get all of the weapons and armor, you get healing spells and Bless, but mostly, you get more spells per day.

If you take a race that gets the longbow as a weapon, then you could take any of the Cleric domains.

Lvl, Rogue vs. Multiclass, number of extra spells per day
1    0 0 0 0   2 0 0 0 0  2
2    0 0 0 0   2 0 0 0 0  2
3    2 0 0 0   3 0 0 0 0  1
4    3 0 0 0   3 0 0 0 0  0  Cleric/Rogue gains first arcane spell (1 level late)
5    3 0 0 0   4 2 0 0 0  3  Cleric/Rogue can gain a 2nd level arcane spell (2 levels early)
6    3 0 0 0   4 2 0 0 0  3
7    4 2 0 0   4 3 0 0 0  1
8    4 2 0 0   4 3 0 0 0  1
9    4 2 0 0   4 3 2 0 0  3  Cleric/Rogue can gain a 3rd level arcane spell (4 levels early)
10   4 3 0 0   4 3 2 0 0  2
11   4 3 0 0   4 3 3 0 0  3
12   4 3 0 0   4 3 3 0 0  3
13   4 3 2 0   4 3 3 1 0  2
14   4 3 2 0   4 3 3 1 0  2  Cleric/Rogue can gain a 4th level arcane spell (6 levels early)
15   4 3 2 0   4 3 3 2 0  3
16   4 3 3 0   4 3 3 2 0  2
17   4 3 3 0   4 3 3 3 1  4  Cleric/Rogue can gain a 5th level spell (normally, they cannot)
18   4 3 3 0   4 3 3 3 1  4
19   4 3 3 1   4 3 3 3 2  4
20   4 3 3 1   4 3 3 3 2  4  Cleric/Rogue can gain a 5th level spell (normally, they cannot)

The armor for a Cleric 1 / Rogue 4 of choice is a breastplate. This gives AC 16, AC 18 with a shield. And it still allows the Rogue to stealth without penalty. The weapon of choice is either Rapier or Longbow.

At levels 5, 9, 14, 17, and 20 (see table above), Cleric 1 / Rogue X gains the option of obtaining a higher level spell than normal, levels earlier than they normally could. As an example, the Rogue could get Hypnotic Pattern at level 9 (having a low Int is not terrible for this since there is only a single saving throw). Granted, he might want to use his level 9 spell gain (Rogue level 8) for a non-illusion, non-enchantment spell.

If you start out with Wis 14, you get 3 cleric spells prepped per day for the lifetime of the PC. I would recommend Wis 14 instead of Wis 13. The extra prepped spell and +1 to DC and for spell hits is worth it. But, these spells can be changed up, and they can be cast in higher level slots. For example, a Cleric 1 / Rogue 4 could cast Cure Wounds in a second level slot.


You cannot get sneak attack damage with your cantrips since they are not ranged weapons, but that's not the point of the build. Cantrips are for doing special stuff (Guidance, Light, Thaumaturgy), not for attacking with using this build. And because the PC is multiclassing, he does 1D6 less sneak attack damage every other level and gets rogue abilities one level later. But, the extra spells and better AC sort of makes up for that. The PC can Bless himself and with hiding/advantaged attacks, rarely misses.

 

[Corpsetaker]

You cannot get sneak attack damage with your cantrips since they are not ranged weapons.

I would say the PHB disagrees with you.

What Is a Spell?
A spell is a discrete magical effect, a single shaping
o f the magical energies that suffuse the multiverse
into a specific, limited expression. In casting a spell,
a character carefully plucks at the invisible strands of
raw m agic suffusing the world, pins them in place in a
particular pattern, sets them vibrating in a specific way,
and then releases them to unleash the desired effect—in
most cases, all in the span o f seconds.

Spells can be versatile tools, weapons, or protective
wards. They can deal damage or undo it, impose or
remove conditions (see appendix A), drain life energy
away, and restore life to the dead.

 

[KarinsDad]

I would say the PHB disagrees with you.

What Is a Spell?
A spell is a discrete magical effect, a single shaping
o f the magical energies that suffuse the multiverse
into a specific, limited expression. In casting a spell,
a character carefully plucks at the invisible strands of
raw m agic suffusing the world, pins them in place in a
particular pattern, sets them vibrating in a specific way,
and then releases them to unleash the desired effect—in
most cases, all in the span o f seconds.

Spells can be versatile tools, weapons, or protective
wards. They can deal damage or undo it, impose or
remove conditions (see appendix A), drain life energy
away, and restore life to the dead.

Note the phrase "can be". Is a damaging spell a "protective ward"? Plus, this is fluff. If a spells states that it can be used as a ranged or melee weapon, then sneak attacks "must be a weapon" phrase applies. Otherwise, spells are not weapons. Spells are in their own section of the book. Weapons are in their own section of the book.