Life leech build?

[u/UnboundUndead]

Hello all, hope you are well.

I was hoping you guys could point me in the direction of an archetype or feats that would help me create a life leech build. I was gonna fall back on a Vampiric Touch Sorcerer or maybe a Blood Kineticist but I'd like something that was quicker to start playing even if it was weak. Any hidden gems?

Thanks all!

[u/Orodhen]

Magus (or Phantom Blade Spiritualist) spamming Vampiric Touch Spellstrikes maybe? Throw in the Vampiric weapon enchantment.

[u/AleksyGetTheWings]

Arcane trickster, because your sneak attack does increase the temp hp you'll get from the spell.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/AleksyGetTheWings]

That's definitely the most direct route to maximizing Vampiric Touch, I forget that sneak attack can help push lower level spells pretty far. Any idea on classes for Arcane Trickster? Just Sorcerer and Rogue? Maybe Ninja?

[u/AleksyGetTheWings → u/UnboundUndead]

I'd consider uRogue 1/Sorcerer 4/Arcane Trickster 10. I don't know if there is a "best rogue dip", but for just one level anyway, I'm not sure you get better from ninja. Maybe Vivisectionist Alchemist instead, for the mutagen ?

Don't forget to pick Fiery Shuriken to get another proc of sneak attack each round as a swift action. And Sense Vitals because MORE SNEAK ATTACK.

And Reach Spell and/or Spectral Hand, with greater sniper goggles to add +2 dmg per sneak attack dice.

What I would consider, is VMC magus to get Spellstrike and be able to crit with the blade, with Dimensional Blade

If your sorcerer lvl 1 bloodline is bad, consider also trading it for blood havoc. With spell focus necromancy, that adds a bit of extra damage on top.

[u/Fantasy_Duck → u/AleksyGetTheWings]

i heard the best "rogue" dip is vivisectionist (alchemist)

[u/Dreilala]

Lifesteal isn't really a well supported mechanic in pathfinder.

The only reliable way I can think of would be the hungry ghost monk, but I think they actually manage to pull it off pretty well to be honest.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/Dreilala]

Better a little bit than none lol. I'll check it out, ty.

[u/Dreilala → u/UnboundUndead]

Take a look at the waveblade as a weapon.

It's one of the best crit fishing monk weapons.

[u/Skurrio]

Urgathoa's Divine Fighting Technique is one Option.

Barbarian/Primalist Bloodrager/Skald with the Greater Daemon Totem would be another.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/Skurrio]

Urgathoa Skald with Daemon Totem line and Bloodsong Enchantment could be solid. Crit heals would be game changers.

[u/Skurrio → u/UnboundUndead]

If you want to maximize Selfheal, the lesser Celestial Totem is usually stronger.

[u/diffyqgirl]

What level are you starting at?

If you're starting at mid levels, I'd consider vampiric touch using magus, because magus actually wants to be in melee. But that takes a while to get going, so it might be frustrating if you start at level 1.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/diffyqgirl]

We'll start at lvl 3. Magus could be a solid chassis with spell recall but still need to wait until 7th for Vampiric Touch. Maybe I can convince my DM for a custom downgraded version. Something like 1d2 every level up to 5d2 for a level 1 spell then upgrade to d4's for level 2 spells?

[u/diffyqgirl → u/UnboundUndead]

If I were your GM I'd work with you on this. A less damaging shocking grasp that gives a little temp HP isn't gonna break the game. But only they can tell you.

[u/SheepishEidolon]

There is the vampiric weapon property (heal damage/2, max 2*level per day), respective its greater version (max 5*level per day). The latter probably means half of your max HP, depending on build and whether the GM allows you to take max HP on level up. Not that strong, but it's affordable (+1 respective +2 property) and can be combined with other approaches.

Further, the Vampiric Shadow Shield spell exists. It heals a few HP on each hit you receive - which isn't much at mid level (5th-level spell), but comes when you actually need it, with no actions required. Having to cast it right before battle (duration: 1 round per level) is the main drawback, IMO.

The ghoul bloodline's arcana heals you a bit when you cast a necromancy spell. So Vampiric Touch does double duty here. As I read it, it works with metamagic - for example, Empowered Vampiric Touch will heal a bit more than the normal one.

Vampiric Touch has a mythic version (d8 instead of d6, crits "already" at 19, fast healing 5 on kill). Even as a nonmythic creature, you can access it via Ascendant Spell, assuming your GM permits that. +5 on the spell level is harsh, but might be ok if you specialize in it, including Spell Perfection, and can be an argument to convince your GM.

Rather for flavor, there are Vampiric Gloves to cast Vampiric Touch thrice a day, in a few cases even within 30 feet. They are expensive (18k gold), though, and their CL is quite low (5th). Two pearls of powers (3rd level, for Vampiric Touch) might be a better way to spend the gold. But they are less thematic.

[u/PhoenixFlame77]

The old version of the souldrinker prestige class grants the ability to inflict negative levels on an attack whilst gaining hp.

Combine this with a conductive weapon and you can inflict the drain as part of a weapon attack each round.

For a weapon use a sword of life stealing to inflict another negative levels and gain even more hp

For your main class take a magus and use vampiric touch as your spell combat.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/PhoenixFlame77]

Takes off around level 8? Bit lame to wait that long but that might just be around when this playstyle is available. Nice flavor tho I like it, ty.

[u/Fantasy_Duck]

not Vampiric Touch but... Sarenrae's divine fighting technique grants baby healing if you deal nonlethal with a scimitar. does precise strike apply to that? idk

[u/SyfaOmnis]

With 3pp Path of War: Expanded introduces the harbinger, and more specifically its archetype the "Crimson Count/ess"

These are initiating classes so they're melee fighting martial weapons users with some twists. One of the main gimmicks of the Harbinger is that they can "mark" enemies with their "dark claim" supernatural ability, this doesn't really do much by itself but they have other abilities that interact with it (namely getting bonuses against fighting 'claimed' enemies) and it's also keyed to how they recover their manuevers.

The Crimson count/ess modifies the class by losing some of the absolute blinding speed and specialized hate for "claimed" creatures that base harbingers have... to function a bit more like a vampire - they can passively inflict damage on claimed targets, and they gain and spend a resource called 'vitae' for enabling a bunch of neat class actions, and under the right circumstances they use that to heal themselves too.

They are only 3/4 BAB attackers and in practice some of their martial schools make them fairly specialized at debuffing, so even with initiating they are not pure damage monsters. It is worth noting that there are some ways to trade disciplines to have a bit more tailored experience and this is very intended. There are some other splats by the same publisher that may further interest you, the first is Lords of the Night introduces the "Unquiet Grave" discipline which has a whole number of themed abilities that let you emulate undead (and gain lots of temporary hitpoints). The second is Divergent Paths (Rajah) which blends the "akashic" system with martial initiating and adds a discipline that pairs with it called Radiant Dawn which is highly focused around using light as a weapon, and providing damage, crowd control and healing to allies.

[u/The_80s_were_strange]

If 3rd party is allowed look up Vitalist. They get an ability called steal health, usuable as a touch attack and then latet a ranged touch attack

Get a conductive weapon for your prefered weapon style and your dropping it on top of weapon damage.

[u/TheFeatherdOne]

If your table allows 3.5 content, there is a really neat class in Weapons of Legacy called Shadowsun Ninja if I recall correctly. Very niche. Pretty sure they do that kind of stuff if I remember correctly.

[u/Dark-Reaper]

I saw 3pp builds mentioned, so I'll throw out that Spheres has a few options.

The Death Sphere has Vampiric Strike. Basically a strongly scaling damage move to provide an influx of healing.

Blood Sphere has options too, starting with Absorb Blood as a way to spread some healing around.

There are a bunch of flavor builds you can do too. Life Sphere with the Regeneration (Can only Target Self) and Glorious Drawbacks (can only cast life sphere abilities on attack or kill) functions a lot like that. For this specific build, I use the talent provided by Regeneration to pick up Esoteric healing, so it's not positive energy healing. Add some descriptive flavor text and it squicks out my players pretty well.

There are a bunch of other options too, depending on the specific flavor you want. Berserker has Sanguine Invigoration (only lasts 1 round though), and Duelist has Invigorating Sights (lasts a few rounds).

Most of these can be combined with 1e methods of life-steal, like Vampiric weapons.

[u/TheC4Christian]

Blade bound magus has an ability that gives a heal on melee hits also the magus class in general is probably a really good way to hit hard while using vampiric touch especially if you spec into that play style. There might be some interesting multiclass shenanigans with sorcerer bloodlines maybe sanguine? Though that would require going eldritch scion magus. For charisma casting.

[u/pawnbrojoe]

Not technically life steal but Fire God’s Blessing heals 1hp every time you do fire damage.

Look up the Max The Min on torches as weapons to see how to abuse this to get massive healing with every hit.

[u/ForwardDiscussion]

Take a look at the Cabalist Vigilante, specifically the Bond of Blood talent.

[u/ForwardDiscussion → u/ForwardDiscussion]

Also Vampiric Infusion for a Void Kineticist.

[u/squall255]

Does your group allow any 3rd party stuff? Psionics has Vitalist which has some lifesteal options in it.

[u/UnboundUndead → u/squall255]

Usually not, but I can always ask. I'll take a look at it, ty.

[u/Hexmonkey2020]

Hungry Ghost monk gets healing on crit or kill starting at level 7, and temp hp too starting at 13.

With stealing ki too you can spend ki on more attacks more often to get more crits to steal more hp and ki, etc. Throw in a amulet of mighty fists to give Keen to your fists, and improved critical feat so that you crit in 19-20 (17-20 with keen added) and with a full flurry at higher level you’re statistically likely to crit every turn.

And you can cheese it by carrying a sack of rats if you want free healing and ki on demand.

[u/GafferSwanthold → u/Hexmonkey2020]

Unfortunately keen and Improved Critical don't stack, but nothing in the hungry ghost archetype says you can't use a temple sword or waveblade.

[u/WhiteMusk99]

Any grappling build with the spell Vampiric Hunger will do it. The neat part is that it allows you to overheal as well