Feat builds for rogues

[MerricB]

There's a certain amount of non-psionic stuff in the XPH worth looking at.

Cheers!

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, like the feat that let's you shoot into every possible direction at the same time, doing sneak attack to all of those targets, aka Greater Manyshot.

Bye
Thanee

 

[4everdm]

would like some advice on essential feats for rogues to take at early, and later levels.

I play rogues nearly exclusively and find, as stated, Improved Initiative is THE feat for rogues, after that feats help define the rogues by what supporting roll they want to play in terms of combat - missile rogue, blade rogue, assassin type, etc. Deadly Precision & Improved Feint are also 2 very good feats for rogues. If you want to get 2 bonus feats you might want to play the PrC Shadow Thief of Amn from the PGtoF (drop the Amn depending on your game), it's only 5 levels which helps plus all abilities stack nicely.

"Feats are to Fighters as Skills are to Rogues"

 

[Darklone]

Take Manyshot. And Prone Attack (CW). Carry a bandolier of daggers and take Quickdraw. If someone closes to you and trips you: Prone Attack and tumble away. If he doesn't trip you: tumble away and Manyshot. Surprise Rounds: Manyshot. Undeads: Manyshot is better than a 5ft step back and a Rapidshot enhanced Fullattackaction.

I would go with 4 fighter levels for WS goodness against no-sneak-attack targets and that funny 4th attack at BAB 16. At real short range with Rapid Shot and the TWF feat chain and that knife bandolier, you'll have even more attacks = more sneak attacks.

 

[Axegrrl]

Wait on Combat Reflexes, *especially* if you're an archer type. At low levels, you don't have the hit points to be up-close-and-personal to too many attackers. I took the feat at first level, when we were just starting 3rd ed, and used it maybe once or twice before 6th level.

 

[Radiating Gnome]

I'd back away from the archer/rogue model, if you're really interested in getting the most out of your sneak attacks. And, given that shortbows don't do as much damage as the larger bows that you can't use, it's even less attractive.

In a short-lived game I played in I was able to make a lot of hay with a human rogue who took combat expertise/improved feint, and dumped a lot of skill points in bluff. If you are caught in a game where you expect to be on your own a lot -- or to be playing with other PCs who are not so hot at working with you to help you get your flank attacks in, you might want to think about the feint option.

-rg

 

[iwatt]

TWF ROGue: Looks pretty good until you stay in close range for that full round action and get mauled by the Monsters full attack. Rogues: lot's of offense, very low defense. So TWF implies sinking feats to get tougher or getting more hps (multiclass with barbarian )

Archer Rogue: Feat intensive. PBS, PS, RS. Also you NEED Improved Initiative to get the most bang from your buck. Also, maybe you could go the Sniper way (-20 to shoot while hiding). Remeber that combat implies distracted (enemies take -4 to the spot check). Also try to shoot from just 20-30 feet away (-2 o even -3 to spot check). Buy +10 Hide stuff. Max ranks. Take armor with no ACP (you'er out of range, take the MW studded leather instead of the MW chainmail. In this build you don't get to use RS as much, but you do get to do a lot of sneak attacks. Remeber that attacking from hiding also nets you a +2 to attack (as if you were invisible) and negates the enemies Dex modifier (unless your DM keeps throwing Uncanny doge guys at you ). So you get pretty good chances to sneak attack every round.

Flanker Rogue: Go for Spring attack. Max Tumble. Take a level of barbarian. Buys boots of S&S. Spring in, SA, spring out. This works pretty well whith a tough Tank ally that can stand and act as your flanking buddy.

Feinting Rogue: As indicated before, very effective in 1-1 combat. Basically you trade low probablity attacks for a good effective SA. Not many enemiescan afford to sink skill points into sense motive. Remeber that UD doesn't help against feinting (that's at keleast how I play it).

 

[Kemrain]

Quickdraw is a must for throwers and two weapon fighters. At the VERY least, you should take a level of Fighter. 20th level as a Rogue doesn't net you ALL that much, and that one fighter level will give you a feat, +2 Fort, good HP and keep your BAB up. Sure, you'll get 6 less Skill points for your trouble, but if you can't give up 6 skill points in 20 levels, you're too dedicated to multiclass at all.

Rog4, Ftr2, Rgr2 is a GREAT build for the low levels. (Especially in Grim and Gritty games!)

- Kemrain the Multiclassing Fiend.

 

[Kormydigar]

would like some advice on essential feats for rogues to take at early, and later levels.

Is it worth it for Rogues to burn a feat on something like weapon focus?

In particular, I'm builidnig a character who will be using his shortbow for sneak attacks, so I figure Point Blank is a no-brainer.

To build the stealth side, how useful are feats like dodge, stealthy, etc. Is it worth it to burn a feat on something like Stealthy when I"m putting make ranks in Hide and Move Silently anyway?

The missile specialist rogue is really tough to make effective. Unless you can manage to be invisible most of the time, you wont get very many chances to use your sneak attack ability. A rogue cannot sneak attack using flanking with a missile weapon (unless you have house rules which allow this) meaning that in order to get sneak damage with your bow, you will have to get off a shot if you suprise your foe (and be within 30 feet) or attack a foe who is denied a DEX bonus. Depending on your level, and the type of game being run you may or may not get to sneak attack very often. For an effective sneak attacker I like the Rngr1/ RogueX with improved initiative, quickdraw, and flick of the wrist for good old sneak attack goodness.

 

[johnsemlak]

Actually, I'm loath to multiclass. I avoid it for flavor reasons, unless there's a good reason for it. I know the game encourages it a lot (like prestige classes that virtually require multiclassing). And those bonus fighter feats look nice. Still, I'd rather keep my rogue 'rogueish' (word?), but make him as effective in combat as possible (of course, there are lots of areas for a rogue to shine besides combat).

The advice in this thread is erally helpful. I didn't think how important Improve Initiative is.