5 Low-Level Debuff Spells That Never Stop Being Useful (in Pathfinder)

One of the unfortunate facts about magic in Pathfinder is that all too often spells simply don't scale in power along with your character level. Which means a lot of the time that when you start hitting the final arc of the campaign, you can end up never touching your low-level spell slots... after all, they just don't have anything to contribute when you're going up against ancient wizards of obscene powers, or colossal dragons who can smash mountains to dust with a swipe of their tails.

With that said, though, there are a few low-level tricks that are worth keeping up your sleeve. Just in case.

There. That should put a cramp in your style.

If you're a fan of debuffing spells, then here are a few that you should hang onto no matter your level, because they're always going to be good to have on hand... they just won't end encounters are higher levels the way they can when you're at the start of the campaign.

#1: Adhesive Spittle

Well, this won't end well for anyone...

Out of all the cheese we got to play with in the Advanced Class Guide, this spell remains one of my favorite additions. A first level conjuration spell, adhesive spittle is basically a magical tanglefoot bag that you spit out for an automatic hit. The difference is that you can hold the spell for 1 round/level before the spitting happens (it's only got a 15-foot reach), and the save DCs and attempts to get out of the goo are modified to reflect your spell DCs rather than what's standard in the book. That can be a big benefit as the game goes on, especially if you are specialized in conjuration.

The benefits of this spell, aside from not requiring an attack roll to hit, are that being entangled can seriously hurt an enemy's effectiveness. It cuts movement in half, even if the target isn't stuck to the ground, and they can't charge. They also take a -2 on attacks, and a -4 penalty on Dexterity (so a -4 overall to attacks from Dex-based enemies, but also things like reducing the Reflex save and AC, which can come in quite handy). Spellcasters who are entangled also need to make Concentration checks, which probably isn't a huge deal at higher levels, but every little bit helps. This spell also doesn't allow spell resistance, which is a big deal when you start hitting a lot of foes with SR.

It's not overkill, though, because it has all the same limitations as a tanglefoot bag. It can be torn apart, broken, or removed by the target, which removes the penalty easily, but still eats up actions and time. Additionally, it only lasts for 2d4 rounds once deployed, and it can't affect any creatures bigger than Large size. It's also ignored by freedom of movement, and spells which grant similar effects, which a DM might start tossing in if you liberally use this one. Still, within those limitations, it's a handy way to toss a spanner into the enemy's gears.

#2: Web Bolt

Speaking of things that aren't good for your enemies...

Something that came to us out of the Advanced Race Guide, web bolt is basically a one-target version of the web spell. In addition to being a 1st-level spell, web bolt also takes up significantly less of the battlefield, while still inconveniencing the subject of the spell in question.

This spell also doesn't require an attack roll, but targets do get a Reflex save. If they fail, however, they now have the grappled condition (which gives them a -4 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 to attack rolls except for attempts to break a grapple, and it prevents them from doing anything that requires 2 hands... they're also stuck in place). There's a concentration check for spellcasters who get grappled, as most wizards out there know. It also allows no spell resistance, and unlike adhesive spittle doesn't have a size restriction, so that can come in handy when your monster is just too damn big to actually use a tanglefoot bag on.

While this spell technically lasts for minutes per level, the creature can try to break free every turn with a CMB or Escape Artist check. While the negatives might stop them (especially if they have other debuffs on top of being grappled), you're still eating up their actions as they try to get free. A solid use for a low-level spell slot.

#3: Touch of Gracelessness

Fall down, go boom.

While most of us think of ray of enfeeblement as the go-to 1st level nasty debuff, in my book touch of gracelessness hurts so much worse. Brought to us in the Advanced Player's Guide, this transmutation spell gives you a much bigger bang for your buck. Short version is that you make a melee touch attack, and you inflict 1d6 + 1 per 2 caster levels (maximum 1d6 + 5) penalty on the target's Dexterity. If the target moves more than half their speed, they fall prone, and if they fly, they reduce their maneuverability category by one. It lasts for 1 round/level.

Now, the target gets a Fortitude save to resist this, which will cut the penalty in half. But at level 10 (the last time you'd get an increase), you can roll a minimum of 6, with a save that's at least a -3 penalty to their Dexterity. If you roll well, and they don't, it's a -11 penalty to their Dexterity, and that can be game changing. It represents a lowered attack in many cases, lowered AC, lowered Reflex saves, inability to run away... that target has become a sitting duck. And when combined with the two debuffs we've covered already, this could quickly become a nightmare in a one v. party throw down.

But there are hefty risks involved. The first is that you have to make a melee touch, and that is especially bad at higher levels when you are squishy, and monster is dangerous. However, if you can sneak up unseen (or deliver the spell before the enemy can react) you may be able to abscond with your win. You could also have the spell delivered by a familiar, by the spectral hand spell, or by using the Reach Spell feat, or a metamagic rod. The spell also needs to actually get through spell resistance, which can be a pain at higher levels (though the potential reward can certainly be worth it).

#4: Frostbite

Baby, it's cold out here...

First debuted along with the magus in Ultimate Magic, this spell doesn't seem like that big of a deal. A touch attack that deals 1d6 + 1 point per caster level of non-lethal cold damage, it also bestows the fatigued condition onto any target as long as that damage persists. This spell is never going to be a big deal to a high-level monster's hit points... but that's not why you cast it.

For those not familiar, fatigue is a nasty condition. A creature cannot run or charge while fatigued, and it imposes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. And doing anything that would cause you to become fatigued instead renders you exhausted, which is a whole separate pile of particularly gross fish.

Now, that's only a -1 to Reflex saves and AC, to attacks (since we're hitting Strength and Dexterity both), and a minor issue with movements. It's not a huge deal, especially considering that it allows spell resistance, and you've once again got to get close enough to actually touch the target (or use one of the other methods of delivering the spell). It also won't work on creatures immune to fatigue, like undead, constructs, and the like. However, it's a nice bit of middle finger icing on the cake, and it can help stack just one more straw onto a target to help ensure they can't do as much damage to the party as they otherwise might. Additionally, and this is the really sneaky use, frostbite is a great way to mess with barbarians. Because more often than not they lack the ability to Rage while fatigued, which might allow you to shut off one of their main powers before they can hit the party like a truck... if your initiative is fast enough, anyway.

#5: Mudball

And here's mud in your eye!

Another one out of the Advanced Race Guide, mudball feels like one of those useless, gimmicky spells that only goblins toss your way in low level encounters. A conjuration spell with a close range, any target actually hit with a ranged touch attack is immediately blinded. They can make a Reflex save on their turn, or spend a standard action wiping the mud off their face on their turn, and as soon as they do, boom, the blinded effect ends.

However, the question is what can your party do between the time the mud ball lands, and the time the enemy wipes it off their face.

Because when a target is blind, they take a -2 penalty to their AC, and lose whatever Dexterity bonus they had to their AC. Your party is considered to have total concealment against them, meaning the target can't take attacks of opportunity while the others move into position. It also lets folks with sneak attack roll all of their dice when attacking the blinded creature. It makes them easy to hit with other effects while their guard is down, and best of all mudball doesn't allow spell resistance. So even if the bad guy shakes off the ball first thing on their turn, you've still got everything else that could happen. And if they don't manage to clear their vision with the Reflex save, you've also eaten up their standard action to wipe the mud out of their eyes... that's a big win at higher levels when they might instead have cast a devastating spell, or taken a dozen attacks against the party.

As with anything else, it's not a universal win. Creatures that have blindsight (dragons in particular) aren't going to be impacted at all. Enemies who have Uncanny Dodge or similar abilities may be able to fight blind, being down but certainly not out just because they can't see. Still, there are far more enemies who need their eyes than there are those who don't in the course of any given campaign.

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Some of The Best De-Buff Spells in Pathfinder

Magic is one of the most potent weapons in Pathfinder, but as the great and wise TreantMonk once said there are three types of spellcasters that will win the day for their party; the battlefield controller, the buffer, and the de-buffer. Today Improved Initiative is going to bring some spells to your attention that every de-buff lover should have on them at all times. You've never experienced true victory until the villain's attacks are rendered moot not because of the rogue's poison or the barbarian's greatsword, but because of the penalties you are forcing him to fight under.

These spells might not be the most debilitating out there, and they might not be the most powerful, but often the spells you use most won't be. Some of them ignore spell resistance, provide no saving throw, or offer a partial negative even on a successful save. Read the descriptions and I'll not only tell you what they do, but tell you why you should have them. Also, while they're separated by a single class make sure you check your class's spell list to see whether or not you gain access to them as well.

Also, if you're looking for even more de-buffs you might want to check out my Dirty Trick Master Character Build as well as this list of The Best Alchemical Items For Your Pathfinder Party.

Without Further Ado...

Look for touch of idiocy later on in the list...

Magus Spells

Frostbite (Ultimate Magic 221) [also Bloodrager, Druid, and Witch]

At first glance frostbite seems like your typical, low-level damage dealer. 1d6+1 point per level of non-lethal cold damage to the target. The spell also makes targets fatigued without a saving throw, meaning is a -2 to a lot of things, but it also shuts down a barbarian's rage immediately if they can't rage while fatigued. For that alone it's a good trick to have up your sleeve.

Snowball (Pathfinder Player Companion: People of The North) [also Druid, Sorcerer/Wizard, Summoner and Witch]

Your basic 1d6 per caster level (up to 5d6) this spell is useful since it ignores SR. Not only that but if you hit your target has to make a fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round. Ulfens don't fight fair.

Mudball (Advanced Race Guide) [also Druid, Sorcerer/Wizard, Witch]

You conjure a ball of mud that flies at a target's face, blinding it on a hit. On the target's turn it may make a Reflex save to shake off the mud, or use a standard action to wipe it away. This debuff is a delaying tactic, ensuring the target is blind for part of a round with the added benefit of making it waste its standard action to clear its vision if it fails the save. Not a bad spell for a wand, useful at low levels

Frigid Touch (Ultimate Magic 221) [also Bloodrager, Druid, Sorcerer/Wizard]

This spell deals 4d6 of cold damage, and it leaves your opponent staggered for 1 round with no will save (SR does apply). If you strike with a critical hit (something a magus with a keen scimitar has a good chance to do) then you will leave the enemy staggered for a minute instead. That can be a combat killer when you take away the enemy's ability to perform full round actions.

Wizard and Sorcerer Spells

Ray of Enfeeblement (Core Rulebook 329) [also Bloodrager, Magus, Witch]

A favorite of necromancers everywhere this spell fires a black ray at a target as a touch attack that will inflict a penalty equal to 1d6+1 per two caster levels, maxing out at 1d6+5. What makes this debuff so great is that even if the target saves they still take half of the penalty. So if you're a level 10 caster and roll minimum on the penalty, and they save that's still a -3 to strength. If they fail and you roll max that's a -11, which can be a combat ender right there if the target is depending on raw might to carry the day.

Touch of Gracelessness (Advanced Player's Guide 250) [also Bard and Bloodrager]

This spell is a lot like ray of enfeeblement, except that it's a touch attack and it reduces the target's dexterity. The target still takes half the penalty on a successful save, but if it fails then the target's flight skill is reduced by one step, and if it moves more than half its speed the target falls prone. Hilarity will ensue if you smack the target and then acrobatically tumble away only for it to fall down chasing you.

Color Spray (Core Rulebook 256) [also Bloodrager and Magus]

Every low-level party's friend, Color Spray is a cone that can leave your enemies stunned, unconscious, and blinded. At higher levels (if your enemies have 5HD or more) it will only stun them for a round, and since it's negated by a will save it's a good idea to pick up a wand of it at level one, use it up, and then move on to more practical de-buffs after level 5 or so.

Chill Touch (Core Rulebook 255) [also Bloodrager, Magus, and Witch]

This one is a favorite of magi who can deliver spells through their weapons. Every touch delivered does 1d6 of negative energy, and has the potential to deliver 1 point of strength damage. You get one touch per level, so if you've got even a halfway decent caster level you can reduce an enemy down to nothing in relatively short order. And even if you don't get the strength damage, you still get that extra d6 of negative energy. It's also handy for driving off undead.

Animate Rope (Core Rulebook 242) [also Bard and Artifice Domain]

This one often gets overlooked, but it can be a lifesaver for bards who drop their whips. As long as you can get a rope, or something rope-like, near an enemy you can render them entangled, or trip them. This is particularly nice for spellcasting foes, since in addition to the penalties that come with being entangled they have to make a concentration check to cast any spells. That can be a major life saver when the cleric of Zon Kuthon loses three spells because she's all tied up. It also allows no spell resistance, which is another great bonus.

Glitterdust (Core Rulebook 290) [also Bard, Bloodrager, Magus, Summoner, Witch]

Nothing can screw over a party faster than enemies that can become invisible at will, and there's nothing more embarrassing than being a high level party where no one can find the villain as he chips away at you. In addition to making your enemies David Bowie levels of fabulous, though, you've got a chance of blinding them. What makes glitterdust such a great de-buff spell is that it ignores spell resistance, which can be a life saver when SR keeps blocking your magic. That, and if there's a big enough group someone's going to fail the save.

Touch of Idiocy (Core Rulebook 360) [also Bloodrager and Witch]

This spell reduces your target's intelligence, wisdom, and charisma by 1d6. There's no saving throw (but there is spell resistance), but if you can slap this onto a wizard or cleric who's giving your party grief then you have just lowered the saves on that caster's spells, and you might get lucky and strip out some of their big guns. A definite necessity if you're ever going to fight enemies who need those stats.

Ray of Exhaustion (Core Rulebook 330) [also Bloodrager, Magus, Witch]

If you hit the target with a ranged touch attack and the target fails its save then it becomes immediately exhausted. If the target succeeds though it's still fatigued, which means that as long as you hit you still do something bad to the subject. Where this spell gets devious though is when you combine it with another effect (like frostbite) that makes the target fatigued already, because if a target is already fatigued and makes the fortitude save they still become exhausted thanks to this ray.

Enervation (Core Rulebook 277) [also Bloodrager, Witch, Loss and Undead Domain]

If you've never found a staff of necromancy in a dungeon then you don't know the sheer joy reducing your enemies by 1d4 levels can bring. There's no saving throw, which means all you have to do is penetrate spell resistance to start putting harsh negatives onto your foes.

Heatstroke (Pathfinder Player Companion: Sargava, The Lost Colony) [also Druid]

This spell operates just like ray of exhaustion, except that it does 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. A pretty snazzy addition for those who don't want to use necromancy, or who have bonuses for evocation magic that makes the save higher.

Fear (Core Rulebook 281) [also Antipaladin, Bard, Bloodrager, Inquisitor, Witch]

This cone makes creatures in it tremble in fear if they fail a will save. Even if they succeed they're still shaken for 1 round, which isn't a bad consolation prize if you're stacking negatives.

Calcific Touch (Advanced Player's Guide 208) [also Bloodrager]

Once per round (the duration is 1 round/level) you can deliver a touch attack that does 1d4 points of dexterity damage and slows the target. A fortitude save negates the slow, but if you keep slapping the target with this spell until its dexterity hits 0 it becomes permanently petrified.

Waves of Fatigue and Waves of Exhaustion (Core Rulebook 368) [also Witch and Toil Domain]

Both of these spells are cones that make targets in the area either fatigued or exhausted. What makes it particularly good is that there's no save versus these spells; just spell resistance. So if you know your enemies don't have SR and you need them debilitated quick, fast, and in a hurry these spells are ideal ways to accomplish that.

Icy Prison (Ultimate Magic 224)

You trap the target in ice that's 1 inch thick per caster level. On a successful reflex save the target is only entangled. It takes 1 point of cold damage per caster level every turn until it breaks free... so even if they make the save, they're still hobbled.

Resonating Word (Ultimate Magic 235) [also Bard]

This spell offers partial fortitude saves and SR, but it's a 3-round effect that does damage and leaves the target stunned on a failed save. Three separate saves for a single spell is pretty good, especially since you can cast this spell from over 100 feet away.

Prediction of Failure (Ultimate Magic 232) [also Witch]

If the target fails its save on this spell it is permanently shaken and sickened due to visions of every failure it will ever endure. Even if the subject succeeds it's still shaken and sickened for one round per level. Just to add insult to injury spellcasters who fail their saves gain a minor spellblight.

Irresistible Dance (Core Rulebook 303) [also Bard and Witch]

As the name implies this powerful spell makes a subject caper in place, taking a -4 to AC, taking away shield bonuses, imparting a -10 to reflex saves and provoking AOOs. It normally lasts 1d4+1 rounds, but if the target makes a will save it still has to caper for 1 round.

Polar Ray (Core Rulebook 323) [also Ice Domain]

The main reason to use polar ray is that it does a d6 of cold damage per caster level, but it also does 1d4 of dexterity drain. Yeah... the bad kind. No saving throw, but SR applies.

Cleric Spells

Sound Burst (Core Rulebook 346) [also Bard and Oracle]

Sound burst is a 10 foot radius burst that does sonic damage and might stun your opponents. It makes the list because unlike the spell shout sound burst does full damage even if your enemies save. If they don't, well, they're just standing around like gormless mooks for a round.

Prayer (Core Rulebook 325) [also Oracle, Inquisitor, Paladin]

You give all your allies a +1, and all your enemies a -1 in a 40 foot burst. There's no save, but it is affected by spell resistance. Sometimes it's the little bonuses/negatives that make the difference.

Aura of Doom (Ultimate Magic 207) [also Oracle]

This spell allows spell resistance and a will save, but as an aura effect it's worth the investment. Especially since if enemies leave the aura and come back they have to save again, and any enemies that fail the save are shaken. Shaken enemies are some of the best kinds of enemies, especially if you're going to cast more spells that have saves, because the enemies will take negatives.

Spit Venom (Ultimate Magic 240) [also Oracle, Druid, Witch]

You spit venom as a touch attack, and if you hit the target is blind for one round. That's a guaranteed condition. The target also has to save against black adder venom, or gain that poison and all of its negatives as well.

Terrible Remorse (Ultimate Magic 243) [also Bard, Oracle, Inquisitor, Sorcerer/Wizard]

You fill a creature with awful remorse for what its done. If it fails a will save then it's compelled to harm itself. Even if the creature saves it's paralyzed with sorrow, rendering it staggered and reducing its armor class by 2 for a round.

Debilitating Portent (Ultimate Combat 227) [also Witch]

The target is surrounded by a green aura, and every time it makes an attack or casts a spell it has to make a will save or deal half damage. The spell lasts for 1 round per level, and it can be dismissed as an immediate action to negate a critical hit scored by the target. The attack still happens, but it deals half damage like a regular attack.

Druid Spells

Tar Ball (Ultimate Magic 243)

Tar ball is one big glob of nastiness. You fling a burning ball of tar at an enemy (no save, no SR), and it deal 1d4 point of fire damage plus your strength modifier. It deals an additional 1d4 of fire damage for the next 1d4 rounds, and while it's in place the target has a -2 penalty to dexterity. The tar can be cooled with a DC 15 reflex save, or by pouring a gallon of a non-flammable liquid onto it. If you stop, drop, and roll you get a +2 on the reflex save.

Sirocco (Advanced Player's Guide 244) [also Magus, Sorcerer/Wizard, Storm Domain]

This spell creates a cylinder of furnace-hot wind that deals 4d6+1 point per caster level to creatures in the area. A successful save cuts the damage in half and means they aren't knocked prone, but all creatures who take damage become fatigued. It allows spell resistance, but if you want to give a whole bunch of characters a status condition, and nullify a raging horde, this is a good start.

Euphoric Tranquility (Advanced Player's Guide 219) [also Bard, Cleric, Oracle, Sorcerer/Wizard]

This spell puts a creature in a totally blissed-out state of being. It abhors violence and treats everyone as friends. If the creature is attacked it gets a save to act normally for a round, but if it fails will simply retreat. No initial save, though it does allow SR.

Bard Spells

Deafening Song Bolt (Advanced Player's Guide 214)

This evocation spell ignores spell resistance and offers no saving throw (two great things). It turns three notes into actual bolts, and when they strike a target each individual bolt does 3d10 damage. The recipient of a bolt is also deafened for 1d6 rounds, and that means penalties on initiative, 20% chance of spells with verbal components being miscast, etc., etc.

Stunning Finale (Advanced Player's Guide 247)

If you have a bardic performance in effect you can end it with a shocking flourish. This spell allows for spell resistance, but three targets who can see and hear the performance must make a fortitude save. On a failed save they're stunned for 1 round, and on a successful save they're still staggered for one round.

Inquisitor Spells

Castigate (Advanced Player's Guide 210)

This spell makes a living being cower and beg for forgiveness. It allows spell resistance, and a will save. On a failed save the creature cowers in fear. On a successful save it's shaken for a round. Every round it can try a new save, but if you're fighting something with a low will save it could be begging for quite some time.

Blistering Invective (Ultimate Combat 224) [also Alchemist and Bard]

You unleash personal vitriol so hateful that enemies who hear it actually catch fire. While being able to insult someone till they burn is useful, the spell also lets you make an intimidate check to demoralize all enemies within 30 feet of you. Being shaken is no mean thing, especially when you can do it without being within melee reach.

Paladin Spells

Fire of Entanglement (Advanced Player's Guide 221)

When you attack a foe you've used your smite evil on that creature is wreathed in flames that entangle it. If it starts its turn in a square adjacent to you it's considered stuck to you and can't move. The duration is one round per level, but if the creature makes a reflex save it's only entangled and stuck to you for one round. Still that's one round it can't fly away or leave that set of squares.

Witch Spells

Ill Omen (Ultimate Magic 229)

This spell makes your enemy roll a d20 twice and take the less favorable result. You get an addition double-die roll for every five levels. No saving throw, but if the enemy figures out what you did then he can take a move action to whisper a prayer of luck to negate a single double roll. Then again, that means no full-round actions, which is pretty good for you if you can get through the spell resistance.

Woo, That's A Lot of Magic

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A Pathfinder Build For A Dirty Trick Master

Anyone who's ever been in a fight, or even participated in sport combat knows that winning a fight is about more than who's the biggest of the strongest. It's often about technique, experience, and being able to predict your opponent and take advantage of the weaknesses you see. Some people, especially those who've come out ahead because they don't fight fair, are aware that a momentary advantage can be the difference between walking away from a brawl and leaving your blood on the pavement along with your dignity.

For those who want to duplicate this kind of experience in Pathfinder you should invest in a character skilled at using combat maneuvers against her enemies. More accurately you should invest in a character that specializes in the dirty trick maneuver.

Sign didn't say nuthin' about your eyes, though. Ain't much a fight if you can't see.

How The Dirty Trick Combat Maneuver Works

Before we get too in depth on mechanics I know that not a lot of players use combat maneuvers. Most players forget these maneuvers even exist until a monster uses one on the party, and for a brief instant in time players see how devastating a properly placed grapple, bull rush, or trip can really be. So here's a quick refresher on how dirty trick works.

Outlined in the Advanced Player's Guide a dirty trick maneuver can only be done in melee. It is a standard action where you roll a D20 and add your combat maneuver bonus to the roll. This provokes an attack of opportunity (unless you have the improved dirty trick feat), and if you are hit by the enemy then you add the damage you took as a negative to your attempt. If you beat the enemy's combat maneuver defense then you have succeeded, and may apply the blinded, dazzled, deafened, shaken, or sickened condition to the target for 1 round. For every 5 that you beat the target's CMD by the condition lasts for an additional round. The target can remove the condition as a move action, though.

So what does this look like? Well say that you wanted to blind your opponent; maybe you gouged him in the eyes with your thumb, or tossed your ale in his face. If you wanted to entangle your enemy maybe you undid his belt, or yanked on his armor lacings so they were out of true. If you wanted to deafen an opponent you might clap his ears, and if you wanted to sicken him you might kick him in the crotch.

Why Use Dirty Trick?

I'll tell you why; because there are lots of ways to win a fight. One of them is to debuff your enemy into next week.

Son, I'm afraid if you get up it's going to provoke an attack of opportunity.

If you're fighting a spellcaster and you manage to deafen her then that's a 20% miscast chance on any spells that aren't cast with the metamagic feat Silent Spell, and it's still serious negatives to notice anyone sneaking up on her. Add blinded to that and she can't target anyone specifically unless she has another means of sight. If you're fighting a swashbuckler or a rogue who depends on dexterity then leaving them entangled will reduce their dex by a -4 and any attacks by an additional -2. The list goes on and on, but if you combine the temporary status effects of dirty trick with other combat maneuvers like trip or disarm then you've got a character who doesn't need to be the best to win; he simply makes those he's fighting do so at an extreme disadvantage.

The Classes

Getting the best build for a dirty trick master isn't easy. But you're going to want to start off with at least one level of the Maneuver Master archetype (Ultimate Combat 58). This does mean you need to have a lawful character (and if you're trying to square "lawful" with "fights using dirty tricks" then you simply need to include something in the monk's credo to the effect of "there is a time for honor, and that time is not when my life and the lives of others are at stake"), and it means you won't be wearing any armor, so you're going to have to get creative. What the Maneuver Master gives you in addition to the unarmed damage, monk saves, AC bonus, and monk bonus feat (which can include any improved feat, so improved dirty trick is yours for the asking at level one) is something called flurry of maneuvers.

What makes this ability so special is that during any full-attack action a Maneuver Master may perform a bonus combat maneuver, regardless of whether or not it would replace an attack or require a standard action all its own to use. For this bonus maneuver the monk replaces his base attack bonus with his monk level for the purpose of calculating his combat maneuver bonus, but all combat maneuvers attempted in that round suffer a -2 penalty.

So say that you came out of the gate as a level 1 Maneuver Master with improved dirty trick as your bonus feat. You could also take combat expertise as your 1st level feat and improved trip if you were a human and had a bonus feat. With that build up you could take your full attack action, trip the enemy, and then kick him while he's down in order to make him sickened. You take a -2 to both combat maneuvers (which is canceled out by the +2 you get from the two improved feats), and you've got a pretty solid shot at putting at least one opponent in a pretty compromised position.

But wait, there's more!

While you can keep taking levels of Maneuver Master (because we know that monks are strongest when they're kept pure), you could also multiclass and start taking levels of the fighter archetype Cad (Ultimate Combat 45).

In addition to a full BAB and bonus feats, Cad gives your character a lot of bonuses and extra opportunities to get your dirty tricks in. While these fighters don't get access to medium armor, heavy armor, or tower shields, they do gain dirty maneuvers which provides a +1 bonus to disarm, steal, and dirty trick CMB and CMD at level 2, and every 4 levels thereafter. The cad also gets catch off-guard as a bonus feat, and gains the ability payback, which grants him an increased bonus to hit and damage any enemy that has attacked him since his last turn. There's a slew of other useful abilities, but one that's going to come in very handy is the level 7 ability deadly surprise, which allows you to attempt a dirty trick as an immediate action if you hit an opponent denied its dexterity bonus to AC with a melee weapon or unarmed strike.

The setup I would recommend is 1 level of Maneuver Master and 11 levels of Cad, though there are certainly other, legitimate ways to achieve good results.

Feats

The level recommendation isn't random, and though it might work for Pathfinder Society that isn't exactly the reason I assigned a 12-level build. The reason will be obvious when you examine the feat list below. This list works for any sort of build, and does not assume that a character is playing a human or include fighter bonus feats. Combat maneuvers other than dirty trick can be swapped out to fit your preferred play style.

- Level 1: Combat Expertise (Core Rulebook 119): Take negatives to your attack to gain bonuses to AC.

- Monk Bonus Feat: Improved Dirty Trick (Advanced Player's Guide): Gain a +2 to CMB and CMD for dirty trick maneuvers. Do not provoke AOO when performing a dirty trick.

- Level 3: Improved Trip (Core Rulebook 128): Gain +2 to CMB and CMD for trip maneuvers. Do not provoke an AOO when performing a trip.

- Level 5: Dodge (Core Rule Book 122): Gain +1 dodge bonus to AC.

- Level 7: Quick Dirty Trick (Ultimate Combat 114): May replace a melee attack with a dirty trick maneuver.

- Level 9: Greater Dirty Trick (Advanced Player's Guide): Gain an additional +2 to CMB and CMD for dirty trick maneuvers. The penalty now lasts for 1d4 rounds +1 round for every 5 by which you beat the target's CMD. Removing the penalties now requires a standard action.

- Level 11 (or whatever level you meet the prerequisites at): Dirty Trick Master (Bastards of Golarion 25): Cause the condition affected by any dirty trick maneuver to worsen. Dazzled becomes dazed, entangled becomes pinned, shaken becomes frightened, sickened becomes nauseated. This worsened condition replaces the initial one, and may be removed with a standard action.

*It's also a good idea to supplement your dirty trick with Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver (Ultimate Equipment), which provide a +2 to a single combat maneuver. The same bonus can be granted to trip or disarm attempts by simply using a weapon with one of those qualities.

The Goal

Once your character has Dirty Trick Master (a feat that I wrote for Bastards of Golarion, if I'm to toot my own horn) you are a threat to any enemy you can touch in melee. With your high BAB from Fighter and Quick Dirty Trick you can perform several dirty trick maneuvers, and to top it off you still get your bonus maneuver from Maneuver Master. You can pull a dirty trick on anyone you catch flat-footed or that you flank (or who is pinned, as per the increased condition), and even if an enemy does remove the condition you put on him it still takes a standard action; that's a round that enemy had their options significantly limited. And if you have more than one dirty trick effect that's been stacked on, it takes more than one action to remove them.

The Weaknesses

While every character build has something it's really good at, it will also have something that it's really bad at. While the dirty fighter we've outlined here is great for debuffing enemies in ways that will not give them a saving throw against the attack, the build does have some weaknesses. This character will have a very low AC (unless you toss the monk level and use bonus feats to get heavier armor or replace the monk level with another class, which is an option), and he will have issues with opponents that are very large, who remain out or melee range, or who are invisible/incorporeal. While this character will not have the biggest damage output in the party, those bonus feats can also be used to increase how hard he's going to hit once he's stacked status conditions onto the bad guy.

The key with the Dirty Trick Master (just like any other build) is to recognize what your weaknesses are and to have something else you can fall back on when your big gun doesn't work. Are you fighting enemies that are large sized and have multiple legs? Why not throw a tanglefoot bag at them to keep them tied up for a couple of rounds, and then either shoot from a distance or stick and move (assuming you invest in mobility and spring attack)? What do you do if an enemy is immune to being blinded or sickened? Well entangle and pin them instead, or ask if their enhanced senses are hearing based and deafen them. What if you want to avoid getting splattered all over the battle field? Well try using smoke sticks to give yourself concealment, or invest in a cloak of displacement.

Whatever your weakness is, you need to prepare for it so there are no fights where you're just sitting there doing nothing but pissing and moaning that your special trick won't work. Even if you're not single-handedly reducing the big bad into a buffoon who's got spit in his eye, his pants around his ankles, and a solid shot in the gut to knock the wind out of him, you can still do something to help out the rest of the party.

If you're looking for something to do with all those bonus feats then you might want to check out The Bullyboy and my Ultimate Aid Another builds. Remember that it's your character so make it into whatever you want!

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