Spell Thief (Rogue/Arcanist)

Rogues epitomize stealth and legerdemain, and often use these skills to pilfer rare and expensive objects. While this is the most common form of thievery, there are those rogues who possess an affinity for practicing and stealing arcane magic from others. By uniting his deft abilities with arcane power, the spell thief is seen as a figure of puissant and mysterious skill. Unseen and unexpected attacks, whether physical or magical, bolster this image. It is the signature power of a spell thief however, that evokes both dread and admiration–stealing spells and their magical energies from their initial source, whatever it may be. Whether absorbing arcane magic hurled in her direction, studying arcane manuscripts, or quickly and carefully observing spells being cast from afar, the spell thief learns to recreate these energies or unleash them as she sees fit.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The spell thief is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. She is also proficient with light armor. A spell thief can cast any spell thief spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. A multiclass spell thief still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Arcane Reservoir (Su)

A spell thief has an innate pool of magical energy that she can draw upon to fuel her arcanist exploits, or to cast and enhance her spells. The spell thief’s arcane reservoir can hold a maximum amount of magical energy equal to 3 + the spell thief’s level. Each day, when preparing spells, the spell thief’s arcane reservoir fills with raw magical energy, gaining a number of points equal to 3 + 1/2 her spell thief level. Any points she had from the previous day are lost. She can also regain these points through some arcanist exploits. The arcane reservoir can never hold more points than the maximum amount noted above; points gained in excess of this total are lost.

Points from the spell thief’s reservoir are used to fuel many of the spell thief’s powers. At 1st level, by spending 1 point from her arcane reservoir, a spell thief can gain a bonus to Stealth skills checks, Perception skill checks made to locate traps, and to Disable Device skill checks equal to 1/2 her spell thief level (minimum +1). A spell thief can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. Each of these powers is activated as a swift action.

In addition, at 4th level or higher, the spell thief can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir as a free action, in addition to points expended whenever she casts a spell. If she does, she can choose to increase the caster level of the spell by 1 or increase the DC of the spell by 1. She can expend no more than one point from her reservoir on a given spell in this way.

This ability and cantrips replace trapfinding and sneak attack +2d6, +5d6, and +8d6.

Cantrips

A spell thief can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Spell Thief Prepared Spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume spell slots or arcane reservoir points. As with her other spells, these spells are not expended when cast.

Sneak Attack (Ex)

This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name, except that the spell thief deals 1d6 damage at 1st level and an additional 1d6 damage every three levels thereafter, up to a maximum of 7d6 at 19th level.

Spellbook

A spell thief must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She can’t prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all spell thieves can prepare from memory.

A spell thief begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard/sorcerer spells. At 4th level, she adds two 1st–level spells of her choice to her spellbook. The spell thief also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new spell thief level thereafter, she gains one new spell of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new spell thief level) for her spellbook. At any time, a spell thief can also add spells found in other wizards’ spellbooks to her own.

Spell Filching (Su)

Starting at 2nd level, by making a successful sneak attack against an arcane spellcaster (bard, magus, summoner, etc.), the spell thief can attempt to learn a spell that the spellcaster knows. Select one spell available to the target spellcaster (this must be a spell on the sorcerer/wizard spell list); the spell thief then gains the knowledge of this spell for 24 hours, as if it had been prepared. During this time, the spell thief may write it down using the normal rules for copying a spell from another source. Once the spell thief has learned it, she may prepare the spell normally. A spell thief can attempt to learn 0th–level spells at 2nd level, 1st–level spells at 5th level, 2nd–level spells at 8th level, 3rd–levels spell at 11th level, and 4th–level spell at 14th level. A spell thief can learn (filch) only one spell in this way at a time. This ability replaces trap sense.

Rogue Talents

This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name, except that the spell thief gains a rogue talent at 3rd and every three levels thereafter. A spell thief can choose from the new exploits listed below or one of the following arcanist exploits that she qualifies for in place of a rogue talent: acid jet, consume magical items, counterspell, dimensional slide, face thief, flame arc, force strike, ice missile, illusion catcher, lightning lance, see magic, shadow veil, sonic blast, spell tinkerer, spell disruption. In addition, the spell thief adds the arcanist’s consume spells ability and trapfinding to her list of rogue talents.

Spellcasting

Beginning at 4th level, a spell thief gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the spell thief spell list. A spell thief must choose and prepare his spells in advance. 

A spell thief must prepare her spells ahead of time, but unlike a wizard, her spells are not expended when they're cast. Instead, she can cast any spell that she has prepared consuming a spell slot of the appropriate level, assuming she hasn't yet used up her spell slots per day for that level.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the spell thief must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell's level. The saving throw DC against a spell thief's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the spell thief's Intelligence modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a spell thief can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Spell Thief under “Spells per Day”. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

A spell thief may know any number of spells, but the number she can prepare each day is limited. At 1st level, she can prepare four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells each day. At each new spell thief level, the number of spells she can prepare each day increases, adding new spell levels as indicated on Table: Spell Thief Spells Prepared. Unlike the number of spells she can cast per day, the number of spells a spell thief can prepare each day is not affected by her Intelligence score. Feats and other effects that modify the number of spells known by a spellcaster instead affect the number of spells a spell thief can prepare.

A spell thief must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the spell thief decides what spells to prepare and refreshes her available spell slots for the day.

Like a sorcerer, a spell thief can choose to apply any metamagic feats she knows to a prepared spell as she casts it, with the same increase in casting time (see Spontaneous Casting and Metamagic Feats). However, she may also prepare a spell with any metamagic feats she knows and cast it without increasing casting time like a wizard. She cannot combine these options—a spell prepared with metamagic feats cannot be further modified with another metamagic feat at the time of casting (unless she has the metamixing arcanist exploit). Through 1st level and higher, a spell thief has a caster level equal to her spell thief level –3 (minimum 1). This ability replaces rogue talents gained at 4th, 10th, and 16th level.

Spell Thief Spells Prepared

Advanced Talents

This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name, except that the spell thief gains this ability at 12th level. A spell thief can choose one of the following greater exploit she qualifies for instead of an advanced talent whenever she could choose a rogue talent: burning flame, counter drain, dancing electricity, greater spell disruption, icy tomb, lingering acid, siphon spell, spell thief. She can also choose an advanced talent when she selects the Extra Rogue Talent feat. A spell thief treats her level as her rogue or arcanist level for the purpose of qualifying for talents or exploits with level-dependent requirements and calculating the effects of any talent, rogue ability, or arcanist exploit she's chosen.

Greater Spell Access

At 17th level, the spell thief gains access to an expanded spell list. She learns and places 10 spells from the sorcerer/wizard’s spell list into her spellbook as spell thief spells of their sorcerer/wizard level. She gains two of each of the following sorcerer/wizard spells not on the spell thief spell list: 0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, 3rd-level, and 4th-level. She can ignore the somatic component of these spells, casting them without the normal chance of spell failure.

Master Spell Thief (Su)

At 20th level, a spell thief becomes incredibly dangerous to spellcasters when dealing sneak attack damage. Each time the spell thief deals sneak attack damage against creatures with magical abilities, she can choose one of the following three effects: The target …

• is affected by a personal antimagic field that affects only the target for a number of rounds equal to the spell thief’s Intelligence modifier,

• immediately become subject to the effects of the expend spell that affects only the target, or

• loses one prepared spell or spell slot (spontaneous casters) of the spell thief’s choice and the energy stored like a ring of spell storing; the spell thief can store up to six levels of spells and then use this stored energy to cast the same spell(s) or any spell she has prepared.

Regardless of the effect chosen, the target receives a Will save to negate the additional effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the spell thief’s level + the spell thief’s Intelligence modifier. Once a creature has been the target of a master spell strike, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune to that spell thief’s master spell strike for 24 hours. Creatures that are immune to sneak attack damage are also immune to this ability. This ability replaces master strike.

Rogue Talents

The following rogue talents complement the spell thief multiclass archetype: Black Market Connections, Distracting Attack, Fast Getaway, Fast Stealth, Finesse Rogue, Guileful Polyglot, Major Magic, Minor Magic, Ninja Trick, Offensive Defense, Quick Disable, Rogue Crawl, and Snap Shot.

Advanced Talents

The following advanced rogue talents complement the spell thief archetype: Confounding Blades, Dispelling Attack, Fast Tumble, Hide in Plain Sight, Skill Mastery, Thoughtful Reexamining, and Unwitting Ally.

NEW ARCANIST EXPLOITS

The following new arcanist exploits are restricted to the Spell Thief multiclass archetype.

Borrow Spell (Su): The spell thief can borrow one prepared spell or spell known from an allied arcane spellcaster by expending 1 point from her arcane reservoir. The spell thief learns a single spell of a level she can cast of her choice for 1 minute. This spell must be chosen from an ally’s list of currently prepared spells or list of spells known, and must be on the sorcerer/wizard spell list. If the spell thief does not cast the spell within the allotted time period, the ability expires and the spell is lost. The spell thief must then expend an additional point from her arcane reservoir to relearn the spell or borrow a different spell of her choice from the same ally or another allied spellcaster.

Charge Repository (Su): The spell thief can use his arcane reservoir to power magic items with charges, such as wands, staves, and so on. By expending 1 point from his arcane reservoir per charge required to activate a specific item or power, he can activate the item without expending a charge (or charges) from the item. For example, a spell thief could expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to activate a single use of a wand of chill touch, or 3 points to activate the wall of fire effect from a staff of fire. This exploit has no affect on single use items like potions.

Consume Spells (Su): The spell thief gains the arcanist’s consume spells ability.

Deadly Sneak Attack (Ex): The spell thief can increase the damage of a single sneak attack by infusing her weapon with arcane energy. By expending 1 point from her arcane reservoir as a swift action, the spell thief deals sneak attack damage as a rogue equal to her level. The spell thief must be at least 6th level to select this exploit.

Mental Strike (Su): The spell thief can spend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to make a single melee attack at her highest attack bonus against a spellcaster (arcane or divine). If the attack is successful, the target takes 1 point of temporary Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma damage for 1 minute, dependent upon the target’s primary spellcasting ability score. This penalty increases by 1 every 6th levels beyond 1st, up to a maximum of 4 points at 19th level. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack. Only one use of this exploit can be in effect at a time.

Spell Reserve (Su): The spell thief can cast a prepared spell without using a spell slot of the same level. This expends 1 point from the spell thief’s arcane reservoir per level of the spell.

NEW GREATER EXPLOITS

The following new greater exploits are restricted to the Spell Thief multiclass archetype.

Greater Filching (Su): The spell thief can use her spell filching ability to steal a spell and store its potential. By expending 1 point from her arcane reservoir, a spell thief that makes a successful sneak attack against an arcane spellcaster (bard, magus, summoner, etc.) can force her target to lose one prepared spell (or spell slot if a spontaneous caster) of the spell thief’s choice. The spell thief then gains a number of arcane points equal to the spell’s level. The spell thief can then use these points to cast the same spell or any spell she has prepared. The filched spell must be on the sorcerer/wizard spell list for her to add it to her spellbook, but not to cast it using her arcane reservoir.

Resourceful Reservoir (Su): The stealth arcanist ability to cast spells or activate charged magic items using her arcane reservoir becomes more efficient. Whenever she expends arcane reservoir points to cast a spell, or use the charge repository exploit to activate a single use of a charged magic item, she reduces the number of point required to cast the spell or activate the item by 1 (minimum 1).

SPELL THIEF SPELL LIST

Spell thieves gain access to the following spells.

0th-Level Spell Thief Spells—arcane mark, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, haunted fey aspect, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic.

1st-Level Spell Thief Spells—alarm, animate rope, blend, bungle, comprehend languages, darkvision, detect secret doors, disguise self, endure elements, erase, expeditious retreat, feather fall, floating disk, hold portal, identify, illusion of calm, jump, lighten object, mage armor, magic aura, magic missile, magic weapon, mirror strike, moment of greatness, shadow weapon, shield, sleep, true strike, unprepared combatant, vanish, ventriloquism, voice alteration.

2nd-Level Spell Thief Spells—acid arrow, alter self, arcane lock, blur, book ward, cat’s grace, codespeak, darkness, disguise other, eagle’s splendor, fiery shuriken, flaming sphere, fog cloud, fox’s cunning, hideous laughter, invisibility, knock, levitate, locate object, mirror image, misdirection, pilfering hand, protection from arrows, protective penumbra, resist energy, rope trick, see invisibility, shatter, spider climb, web.

3rd-Level Spell Thief Spells—ablative barrier, arcane sight, blink, darkvision (communal) daylight, deep slumber, discern value, dispel magic, displacement, draconic reservoir, flame arrow, fly, gaseous form, haste, healing thief, improve trap, invisibility sphere, keen edge, lightning bolt, locate weakness, magic weapon (greater), nondetection, pellet blast, prehensile pilfer, protection from energy, secret page, shadow projection, shadow step, shrink item, tongues, twilight knife, water breathing.

4th-Level Spell Thief Spells—arcane eye, ball lightning, create holds, darkvision (greater), detect scrying, dimension door, echolocation, fire shield, fire trap, flaming sphere (greater), illusionary wall, invisibility (greater), mislead, passwall, project image, resilient sphere, scrying, shadow walk, shout, stoneskin, telepathic bond, veil.

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