Is the Arcan Trickster (T&B) a playable prestige class?

[The Cardinal]

the *truly* best way to become an AT:

Assassin 1 / Ninja 3 / Wizard 5

death attack, poison use, SA +3d6, can cast assassin spells...

 

[Al]

Actually, given total disregard for roleplaying, it's quite easy to get Arcane Trickster and top-level spells.

Just take Wiz6/Rog3/Lrm1/ArcT10 and you have top-level spells. Feats is very straightforward: you already have two bonus MM/item creation, so just Skill Focus (Knowledge) and another MM are required to qualify for loremaster.

This is the best way of getting 9th level spells and arcane trickster. Decipher Script is a class skill for loremasters, in case you were wondering.

The prestige class itself is very good indeed. Depending on which way you look at it, as a rogue you sacrifice 4 skill pts/level and high-level abilities for full spellcasting progression and a few nice tricks. From the wizardly perspective, you sacrifice two MM/item creation feats for full SA progression, more and better skills and a few nice tricks. It's a very strong prestige class.

 

[bret]

Yes, but that's because the PHB didn't include the material from the DMG, T&B, FRCS, OA and company. Among the classes in the PHB, Decipher Script is exclusive to Rogue and Bard (and frankly, I find it sad Wizards can't get it, as it is so much a scholarly skill...). But other classes, notably prestige classes, have it.

Sorry, should have rephrased that. I was only intending to quote the PHB without adding the complication of all the PrC that provide Decipher Script as a class skill. In past threads about the Arcane Trickster, I've even mentioned the use of LoreMaster to get that last rank in Decipher Script.

As for why the core classes only give it to Rogue and Bard, it is a holdover from the 1e and 2e rules. It was one of the special thief skills (bards got it in 2e I think) called Read Languages.

I personally think that going Wiz6/Rog3/LoreMaster1/Arcane Trickster 10 is probably one of the best methods, even though it is extremely skill heavy and requires use of a feat.

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

I don't have the book handy, but couldn't you just burn a feat on Cosmopolitan for Decipher Script and so get into the PrC earlier?

Are there any other ways (using feats or such) that you could become an Arcane Trickster at an earlier level than the usual approach?

 

[Darkness8Me]

I don't have the book handy, but couldn't you just burn a feat on Cosmopolitan for Decipher Script and so get into the PrC earlier?

I don't have the book in front of me, but I'm almost positive that you can't select an exclusive skill with the Cosmopolitan feat.

 

[PA]

You'll need 4 levels of rogue to get 7 ranks in Decipher Script, as has been pointed out. So, to not lose exp, you'll need 2 more levels of barb and 2 more levels of rogue before going AT. That is, unless that other PrC you took has Decipher Script, in which case you don't.

Loremaster.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

I don't have the book handy, but couldn't you just burn a feat on Cosmopolitan for Decipher Script and so get into the PrC earlier?

Are there any other ways (using feats or such) that you could become an Arcane Trickster at an earlier level than the usual approach?

Nope Cosmopolitan only works on non-exclusive skills.