The Magic Deceiver may be one of the coolest new Archetypes in A Dance of Masks DLC for Pathfinder WOTR, and this guide will cover everything you need to know about how this Arcanist Archetype works, alongside how to use Magic Fusion to create your own spells.
Magic Deceiver Archetype guide for Pathfinder WOTR Dance of Masks
The Magic Deceiver Archetype for the Arcanist class has the unique ability to use Magic Fusion, which allows you to fuse two spells into one and create a spellbook of created spells. There are also six different Ways of the Deceiver that can grant you abilities to fool enemies and manipulate magic. This guide to the Magic Deceiver Archetype will dive into the different Ways of the Deceiver, the best Magic Fusion spells, and how all your abilities work.
- Main stat: Charisma
- High saves: Will
- Class skills: Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (World), Lore (Religion), Lore (Nature), Use Magic Device
- Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons.
Magic Deceiver: All Ways of the Deceiver abilities
At Level 1, every Magic Deceiver can choose one of six Ways of the Deceiver. Let’s review each ability for all Ways of the Deceiver so you know which is right for you.
Fake Celebrity
You impersonate a celebrity — a famous actor or performer. You have learned a selection of their greatest pieces, which you can only use to weaken your enemies instead of empowering your allies.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Inhibit Courage: A 1st-level fake celebrity can use her performance to rob enemies of their courage, making them more susceptible to fear and weakening their combat abilities. To be affected, an enemy must be able to perceive the fake celebrity’s performance. An affected enemy receives a -1 penalty on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six arcanist levels thereafter, this penalty increases by 1, to a maximum of -4 at 17th level. The fake celebrity’s arcanist level does not stack with her bard level for the purpose of determining the effects of this ability, and she does not gain any bonuses from the Mythic Inspiration mythic ability. The fake celebrity can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to her arcanist level + her Charisma modifier. |
| 2 | Trick Magic: At 2nd level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on concentration checks equal to the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 4 | Spell Fabrication: At 4th level, a magic deceiver gains the ability to fabricate a spell from her spellbook and cast it. To do so, she must succeed at a Persuasion (bluff) skill check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + twice the spell’s level. The magic deceiver can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th (to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level). |
| 12 | Inhibit Heroics: A fake celebrity of 20th level can use her performance to make enemies look foolish and weak. An affected target receives a -4 penalty to AC and on saving throws. The fake celebrity’s arcanist level does not stack with her bard level to determine the effects of this ability, and she does not gain any bonuses from the Mythic Inspiration mythic ability. The fake celebrity can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to her arcanist level + her Charisma modifier. |
| 20 | Inhibit Heroics: A fake celebrity of 20th level can use her performance to make enemies look foolish and weak. An affected target receives a -4 penalty to AC and on saving throws. The fake celebrity’s arcanist level does not stack with her bard level for the purpose of determining the effects of this ability, and she does not gain any bonuses from the Mythic Inspiration mythic ability. The fake celebrity can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to her arcanist level + her Charisma modifier. |
Living Deity
You were born with a mystical gift and you use it for your own benefit. Following in the footsteps of Razmir, you have proclaimed yourself a living god to the foolish and gullible masses, spreading all manner of rumors about your alleged divinity.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mysterious Gift / Mysterious Gift – Curse / Mysterious Gift – Mystery: At 1st level, a living deity gains the oracle’s mystery and oracle’s curse class features, but she receives no benefits from her curse through level progression. She can only select atheism when making her choice of deity. She uses her Charisma instead of Wisdom while attempting Lore (religion) checks. She gains a revelation available to her mystery at 1st level, at 4th level, at 12th level, and at 20th level. Revelation: At 1st level, 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and so on), an oracle uncovers a new secret about her mystery that grants her powers and abilities. The oracle must select a revelation from the list of revelations available to her mystery. If a revelation is chosen at a later level, the oracle gains all of the abilities and bonuses granted by that revelation based on her current level. Unless otherwise noted, activating the power of a revelation is a standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the DC to save against these revelations is equal to 10+ 1/2 the oracle’s level + the oracle’s Charisma modifier. |
| 2 | Pious Guile: At 2nd level, a living deity receives a bonus on concentration checks equal to the number of ranks she has in Lore (religion). |
| 4 | Revelation: At 1st level, 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and so on), an oracle uncovers a new secret about her mystery that grants her powers and abilities. The oracle must select a revelation from the list of revelations available to her mystery. If a revelation is chosen at a later level, the oracle gains all of the abilities and bonuses granted by that revelation based on her current level. Unless otherwise noted, activating the power of a revelation is a standard action. Unless otherwise noted, the DC to save against these revelations is equal to 10+ 1/2 the oracle’s level + the oracle’s Charisma modifier. |
| 12 | Revelation Godly Fraud: At 12th level, a living deity receives a bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance equal to half the number of ranks she has in Lore (religion). |
| 20 | Hollow Spark: At 20th level, a living deity is surrounded by so many rumors and lies that she attains powers that can be perceived as divine. She can choose 2 divine domains and gain any powers granted by those domains. Revelation |
Magic Inventor
An avid experimenter, you have a way with magical items and carry with you an impressive collection to ensure that you always have the tools to dupe the odds.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Invention: At 1st level, a magic inventory receives a bonus on Use Magic Device skill checks equal to half her arcanist level. |
| 2 | Fake Enhancement: At 2nd level, any enhancement bonus granted to the magic inventor by an item increases by 1. If it is an enhancement bonus to an ability score, it increases by 2 instead. |
| 4 | Enhancer’s Fabrication: At 4th level, a magic inventor gains the ability to fabricate a spell from her spellbook and cast it. To do so, she must succeed at a Use Magic Device skill check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + twice the spell’s level. The magic inventor can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th (to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level). |
| 12 | Enchanter’s Penetration: At 12th level, a magic inventor receives a bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance equal to half the number of ranks she has in Use Magic Device. |
| 20 | True Enhancement: At 20th level, the bonus granted by the magic inventor’s fake enhancement ability increases to 2 (to 4 in the case of bonuses to ability scores). |
Razmiri Infiltrator
As a trusted follower of Razmir, you infiltrate communities and undermine regimes, making it easier for your divine master to seize control of these territories whenever he sees fit to do so.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Razmiri Mask: At 1st level, a Razmiri infiltrator gains a Razmiri mask. As she grows closer to the Living God Razmir, performing deeds in his name, her mask grants her ever-greater abilities. She cannot wear any other items on her face. Acolyte of the First Step: At 1st level, the Razmiri infiltrator’s mask makes her alignment undetectable and grants her a +2 circumstance bonus on Persuasion (bluff) checks. Priest of the Third Step: At 3rd level, the mask grants her a +2 circumstance bonus on initiative checks. Herald of the Eighth Step: At 8th level, the mask grants her a constant effect of the see invisibility spell. Mask of the Twelfth Step: At 12th level, the mask grants her spell resistance equal to 12 + her arcanist level. Vision of the Fifteenth Step: At 15th level, the mask grants her a constant effect of the true seeing spell and increases the DCs of all fused spells she casts by 2. |
| 2 | Trick Magic: At 2nd level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on concentration checks equal to the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 4 | Spell Fabrication: At 4th level, a magic deceiver gains the ability to fabricate a spell from her spellbook and cast it. To do so, she must succeed at a Persuasion (bluff) skill check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + twice the spell’s level. The magic deceiver can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th (to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level). |
| 12 | Fool Resistence: At 12th level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance equal to half the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 20 | Most Trusted Follower: At 20th level, a Razmiri infiltrator becomes so close to Razmir himself that he reveals to her secrets known only to a few. Once per round when an enemy within 30 feet of the Razmiri infiltrator casts a spell, she can attempt a Persuasion (bluff) skill check to counter that spell. The DC of this check is equal to the DC of the spell. |
Time Manipulator
You exploit rare forms of magic to make time itself fall for your deceptions.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Split Timeline: At 20th level, a time manipulator can return herself or one of her allies back in time. The affected creature returns to the state they were in at the beginning of the day after a complete rest. They restore all their spells, abilities, and hit points and get rid of any effects that are removed on rest. The ability can only be used once per combat. |
| 2 | Trick Magic: At 2nd level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on concentration checks equal to the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 4 | Chronomancy: At 4th level, a time manipulator can restore all her or her ally’s spells and abilities as if after a complete rest (without granting any other benefits of resting). Until the target rests properly, the DCs of all its spells and abilities will be decreased by 1 and it cannot be targeted by this ability again. This ability cannot be used in combat. The time manipulator can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th (to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level). |
| 12 | Split Second: At 12th level, a time manipulator can momentarily slow down the world around her to avoid danger. She can make Persuasion (bluff) skill checks instead of Reflex saving throws. |
| 20 | Split Timeline: At 20th level, a time manipulator can return herself or one of her allies back in time. The affected creature returns to the state they were in at the beginning of the day after a complete rest. They restore all their spells, abilities, and hit points and get rid of any effects which are removed on rest. The ability can only be used once per combat. |
Way of the Charlatan
You make the most of your ability to bend the laws of magic.
| Level | Ability |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fool Magic: At 1st level, a magic deceiver can make Persuasion (bluff) skill checks instead of Use Magic Device checks. |
| 2 | Trick Magic: At 2nd level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on concentration checks equal to the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 4 | Spell Fabrication: At 4th level, a magic deceiver gains the ability to fabricate a spell from her spellbook and cast it. To do so, she must succeed at a Persuasion (bluff) skill check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + twice the spell’s level. The magic deceiver can use this ability once per day at 4th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th (to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level). |
| 12 | Fool Resistance: At 12th level, a magic deceiver receives a bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance equal to half the number of ranks she has in Persuasion. |
| 20 | Supreme Hoax: At 20th level, a magic deceiver becomes a legendary master of bluff. When she makes a Persuasion (bluff) check to cast a spell with her spell fabrication ability, the caster level and save DC of this spell increases by 2. |
All of these Ways of the Deceiver are special in their own ways, but the best ones have to be Time Manipulator and Razmiri Infiltrator. With Time Manipulator, you can restore your ally’s spell slots and abilities as if you took them back to when they completed a full rest. Razmiri Infiltrator grants you numerous abilities with the Razmiri Mask itself, and at level 20 you can roll to counter a spell.
Magic Fusion guide: Best spells and how to use
At 1st level, Magic Deceivers can create fused spells by combining the effects of two regular spells from their spellbook. While they may sound overpowered, you don’t receive bonus spells from ability scores and you can’t add spells from other classes’ spell lists to your spellbook. Here are some rules when it comes to Magic Fusion:
- Only fuse two spells together.
- Name your spell.
- Only hold a maximum of 10 fused spells in your spellbook.
- Fused spells gain descriptors and effects of initial spells.
- Their spell level equals the highest level of initial spells.
- Always cast as a standard action.
- Cannot modify with metamagic.
After choosing a name for your new fused spell, you have the option to choose the school of magic, the spell shape, or which save is required if both spells have differences in these qualities. This gives you a lot of versatility when it comes to what type of spell you’re looking for.
If the spell effects have limits on the maximum number of damage dice, the fused spell will instead follow these limits:
- Level 1: max 5 damage dice.
- Level 2: max 7 damage dice.
- Level 3: max 10 damage dice.
- Level 4: max 15 damage dice.
- Level 5: max 20 damage dice.
- Level 6: unlimited number of damage dice.
Best Magic Fusion spell combinations
With how many options there are available to you, it’s hard to say what fusion spells are best. You could combine any two spells and they’d inevitably be even more powerful than casting those spells on their own. After testing these destructive spells out in combat, here are my ten favorite Magic Fusion spell combinations.
| Spell Combinations | School of Magic | Saving Throw | Spell Shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Burning Snowball” Burning Hands + Snowball | Evocation | Reflex | Cone |
| “Flash Disintegrate” Chain Lightning + Disintegrate | Transmutation | Fortitude | Single Target |
| “Banshee Scream” Shout + Banshee Blast | Necromancy | Fortitude | Cone |
| “Slimy Serenity” Touch of Slime + Serenity | Conjuration | Fortitude | Single Target |
| ” Frigid Darts” Frigid Touch + Silver Darts | Evocation | Reflex | Cone |
| “Acidic Fireball” Fireball + Acidic Spray | Evocation | Reflex | Burst |
| “Frozen Blindness” Hold Person + Blindness | Enchantment | Fortitude | Single Target |
| “Crackling Snake” Fire Snake + Lightning Bolt | Evocation | Reflex | Line |
| “Explosive Deformation” Excruciating Deformation + Explosive Runes | Transmutation | Deformation | Single Target |
| “Laughing Gas” Haunting Mists + Hideous Laughter | Illusion | Will | Burst |
When choosing the right fusion spells, it’s good to think about what two types of spells would make the most sense together. It may be useless to combine two spells that are too similar to each other in terms of damage type and other effects. I tried to make combinations that would double the damage or hinder enemies with multiple debuffs at one time.
For example, my incredibly named fusion spell Laughing Gas mixes Haunting Mists (attacks made in mist contend against total concealment and all creatures make a saving throw to not be shaken for 1d4 rounds) and Hideous Laughter (forces enemies to be prone and cannot take actions). While the Haunting Mists force concealment on everyone, it can also make them become shaken for a -2 on certain rolls and Hideous Laughter forces them to become prone in the mist, hindering their ability to flee from the area.
If you’re looking for all-powerful fusion spells, look no further than “Explosive Deformation” which mixes Excruciating Deformation (target takes 2d6 direct damage each round until they can resist the spell) and Explosive Runes (6d6 force damage). This spell would be for enemies with a ton of health, and it would deal instant damage alongside damage over time.
It’s important to keep in mind that if you have a strong spell that only deals damage to a single target, mix it with another spell that has the Cone or Burst shape. That way, you can make your powerful spell affect numerous enemies at one time instead of just one. These are just a few ideas on the spells you can create, but try them out for yourself in your own game to see what creates the best effects in combat.
All Magic Deceiver cantrips and spells in Pathfinder WOTR Dance of Masks
From Levels 1 to 20, your Magic Deceiver will slowly unlock the ability to cast spells at different spell levels. If you’re curious about which spells Magic Deceiver Arcanists gain access to, here’s a full list.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| Cantrips | Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Jolt, Daze, Resistance, Tough of Fatigue, Light, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Dismiss Spell. |
| 1 | Sleep, Corrosive Touch, Snowball, Incendiary Runes, Peer Into Energy Resistance, Burning Hands, Shocking Grasp, Color Spray, Ray of Sickening, Reduce Person. |
| 2 | Explosive Runes, Acid Arrow, Peer Into Reflexes, Hideous Laughter, Frigid Touch, Molten Orb, Boneshaker, Blindness, Excruciating Deformation, Haunting Mists. |
| 3 | Dispel Magic (Target), Silver Darts, Peer Into Mind, Hold Person, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Rainbow Pattern, Ray of Exhaustion, Vampiric Touch, Slow. |
| 4 | Curse of Magic Negation, Tough of Slime, Peer into Endurance, Confusion, Shout, Phantasmal Web, Boneshatter, Enervation, Obsidian Flow, Fear. |
| 5 | Arcana Theft, Acidic Spray, Peer Into Avoidance, Feeblemind, Fire Snake, Cone of Cold, Phantasmal Killer, Wracking Ray, Baleful Polymorph, Hold Monster. |
| 6 | Dispel Magic, Greater (Target), Caustic Eruption, Peer Into Spell Resistance, Serenity, Ki Shout, Phantasmal Putrefaction, Banshee Blast, Circle of Death, Disintegrate, Chain Lightning. |
Hopefully, you now know a lot more about the Magic Deceiver Archetype from Pathfinder WOTR A Dance of Masks than you did before reading this guide. Speaking of A Dance of Masks, you can try out the Magic Deceiver fusion spells in the Echo of Fury arena.
Published: Jun 14, 2024 01:56 pm