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Han Shot First: A Scoundrel's Guide
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<blockquote data-quote="RenZhe" data-source="post: 6717099" data-attributes="member: 6802115"><p>[h=2]Power Source and Role:[/h]<span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Your power source is Martial, and your role is Striker. The Martial power source as a whole is more aggressively oriented than other power sources, and the tendency is further expanded upon by the Striker role, which is perhaps the most aggressive by nature. To that end, the Rogue is geared toward bringing things down, by any means necessary. You'll find that you have a lethal cocktail of effects to bring about that end, as is described here:</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Burst/Nova/Spike Damage</strong></span> - You're no ranger, but you can work up a pretty respectable multi-attack sequence in a hurry. You're also in unique possession of another brand of nova combo: a Knockout + Coup De Grace sequence for a massive critical hit.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #33CCCC">Damage Per Round (DPR)</span></strong> - The key methods to building a DPR machine is to use one of several mechanics: multi-attacking, charging, or critfishing. Though it perhaps takes more effort and lateral thinking than a ranger, the rogue has means to access and build around any of these qualities.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #33CCCC"><strong>Debilitating Effects</strong></span> - And now we come to what you're really good at. You'll find that your power list endows you with the ability to use just about every status effect that carries a keyword, and then some. Among the Strikers, only the Warlock is a match for you here.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #800080">Survivability</span> </strong>- And now we come to the Rogue's Achilles' heel: your average hit points along with your weaker armor proficiencies, combined with a middling set of defensive powers and abilities means that the Rogue's ability to survive is something that you have to bear in mind as you do your things and take your risks. This is<span style="color: #0000FF"><strong> not nearly as big of a problem</strong></span> for perma-hidden builds.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Targeting Capacity</strong> - A mixed bag. You've plentiful mobility options that allow you to open on anyone you want, anytime you want, and you're not constrained to position dependent striker features like Warlock's Curse or Prime Shot, but do have a dependency on CA. Until you have a way to generate CA on demand, your targetting has a large dependency on teamwork - the guy you can flank or have CA on may not always be the guy you wanted to kill the most.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Secondary Role Effectiveness]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #0000FF">Controller</span> </strong>- Given their plethora of status effects and ways to make the opposing party's life miserable in general, it's really no surprise Rogues are a good fill-in for this role. This isn't even build-specific; just about any Rogue will be packing enough incapacitating effects to do this and do it well.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Defender</strong> - It somewhat works...you have to specifically build yourself that way, most notably using a Riposte Strike catch-22 loop. Works better if you <span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>hybrid</strong></span>.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Leader</strong> </span>- The role of the Rogue is mostly to take advantage of opportunities, though on occasion you can grab a power to help others. However, don't expect to make up for not having a full Leader or even a strong backup Leader with a Rogue: he's just not equipped for that.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p>[h=2]Baseline Mechanics:[/h]<span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Game Mechanics]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Hit Points</strong> - 12 + Con score at level 1, and 5 each level thereafter. You got the standard-issue Striker hit point total, which is all you could really expect, honestly.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Healing Surges</strong> - 6 + Con modifier. Standard issue for the role.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Defense Bonuses</strong> - +2 to Reflex means your strongest defense is very strong, but the other two were kind of left hanging. Ah, well.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Proficiencies]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #800080">Armor</span> </strong>- Only having Leather and no shields means you got almost nothing on this deal.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Weapons</strong> </span>- You're shoehorned into suboptimal weapons, the pain of which is only ameliorated nominally by class features that make this easier to swallow. Players interested in playing certain niche variants may find it advisable to grab proficiency in rapier via a background and just not deal with this crap at all.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Class Features]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>First Strike</strong> - Free means of Combat Advantage is never a bad thing, even if it does actively discourage you from taking Superior Reflexes due to the benefit overlap.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #33CCCC">Sneak Attack</span></strong> - A hell of a good Striker feature. Feat support can potentially trade a cut of the damage to instead, turn this into a hit-debuff monstrosity. The fact that it works once per turn also makes you one of the greatest possible allies to a warlord.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Rogue Tactics]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Artful Dodger (PHB)</strong></span> - A huge AC buff against opportunity attacks is very welcome, as it allows the Rogue to move with impunity against certain enemies.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #33CCCC"><strong>Brutal Scoundrel (PHB)</strong></span> - The straight up most damaging striker option for rogues.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Cunning Sneak (MP 2)</strong> </span>- A build highly geared towards stealth and being perma-hidden in battle, this is the most defensive of the rogue builds. Note that your secondary stat isn't Int, as this feature works completely independent of stat. In fact, more than likely, you're going to want to go Wis as your secondary for the Darkstrider PP.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #FF0000"><strong>Ruthless Ruffian (MP)</strong></span> - Literally, I will challenge anyone around to make an RR build that holds a competitive edge, because I'm still trying, and still losing sleep over it. Either way, between the bad weapon selection (note: the feature specifically only includes the club and the mace, not the weapon group itself, so you can' t even get useful weapons like a Singing Stick), the multi-stat dependency, and the ridicule from your fellow players, you should avoid this unless you absolutely know what you're getting into.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[sblock=Weapon Talent]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #33CCCC">Rogue Weapon Talent (PHB)</span></strong> - More or less the default choice. Even a rapier specialist grabs this, since, light blade support will carry over to daggers, and the dagger will invariably be at least your ranged option.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #0000FF">Sharpshooter Talent (MP 2)</span> </strong>- Take this if you're a ranged crossbow specialist, or a Ruthless Ruffian and you're sure you're never going to touch a dagger.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[/sblock]</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p>[h=2]Ability Scores:[/h]<span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Strength</strong> </span>- As a Brutal Scoundrel, you want this to be as high as you can afford it to be, and for chargers, its basically a <span style="color: #33CCCC"><strong>second primary</strong></span>. It also bears merit for an a Rogue who doesn't use Daggermaster, and thus needs Light Blade Mastery to get improved criticals. No one really wants to dump this all the way down, though: Athletics is an important skill.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 10-16, before racial adjustments.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Constitution</strong> - More HP and surges are nice for the rather squishy Rogue, and you can also use it to afford an armor upgrade, though your ability score needs likely call you elsewhere. Regardless of what you do with your Rogue, I wouldn't recommend bottoming this out: you have to stay upright somehow.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 11-14, before racial adjusmtents.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #33CCCC">Dexterity</span> </strong>- This is your main stat. A number of builds can even justify starting with a pre-racial 18. Boost it every chance you get.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 16-18, before racial adjustments.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong><span style="color: #FF0000">Intelligence</span> </strong>- Despite having a build whose powers have secondary effects keying off it (the Cunning Sneak), the fact of the matter is that Rogues have little to no use for this ability score, since the class feature itself doesn't require it. A rudimentary investment should be enough for Cunning Sneaks looking to use the secondary effects on their powers, and everyone else can just flat-out dump it.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 8-12, before racial adjustments.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>Wisdom</strong> - A major contributor to skills, and basically your secondary if you're a cunning sneak headed for Darkstrider. You also want either this or Charisma at 15+ for Superior Will in Epic.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 10-14, before racial adjustments.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><span style="color: #0000FF"><strong>Charisma</strong> </span>- Boosts quite a few social skills, and helps out Artful Dodgers' mobility to keep you safe as well while you manever about the battlefield, as well as some rider effects for their powers, so it's very necessary for them, but its not entirely critical to keep it on par with Dex. Brutal Scoundrels could also use it to round themselves out on the skill and defense fronts. Either this or Wisdom needs to be at 15+ for Superior Will in Epic.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">Recommended Starting Score: 10-16, before racial adjustments.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'">[spoiler=Recommended Arrays][/spoiler]</span>[spoiler=Recommended Arrays][/spoiler]</span>[spoiler=Recommended Arrays]</p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>16, 16, 13, 11, 10, 8:</strong> Dual-stat Brutal Scoundrels looking to charge or poach some big-gun multi-attacks (all of them are str-based) take this and never look back. The 13 goes to Wis in order to qualify for Superior Will in epic.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>18, 14, 11, 10, 10, 8:</strong> Most conventional rogue builds can safely take this. Dex-Str for a brutal scoundrel, Dex-Wis for a Cunning Sneak, Dex-Cha for Artful Dodger, the latter two of which get Superior Will in paragon.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"><strong>18, 13, 13, 10, 10, 8:</strong> Fairly specific to Artful Dodgers not going Daggermaster that would like to take the most painless route to a 17 Str in epic for Light Blade Mastery.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans'"></span></span>[/spoiler]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RenZhe, post: 6717099, member: 6802115"] [h=2]Power Source and Role:[/h][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans]Your power source is Martial, and your role is Striker. The Martial power source as a whole is more aggressively oriented than other power sources, and the tendency is further expanded upon by the Striker role, which is perhaps the most aggressive by nature. To that end, the Rogue is geared toward bringing things down, by any means necessary. You'll find that you have a lethal cocktail of effects to bring about that end, as is described here:[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#0000FF][B]Burst/Nova/Spike Damage[/B][/COLOR] - You're no ranger, but you can work up a pretty respectable multi-attack sequence in a hurry. You're also in unique possession of another brand of nova combo: a Knockout + Coup De Grace sequence for a massive critical hit.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#33CCCC]Damage Per Round (DPR)[/COLOR][/B] - The key methods to building a DPR machine is to use one of several mechanics: multi-attacking, charging, or critfishing. Though it perhaps takes more effort and lateral thinking than a ranger, the rogue has means to access and build around any of these qualities.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#33CCCC][B]Debilitating Effects[/B][/COLOR] - And now we come to what you're really good at. You'll find that your power list endows you with the ability to use just about every status effect that carries a keyword, and then some. Among the Strikers, only the Warlock is a match for you here.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#800080]Survivability[/COLOR] [/B]- And now we come to the Rogue's Achilles' heel: your average hit points along with your weaker armor proficiencies, combined with a middling set of defensive powers and abilities means that the Rogue's ability to survive is something that you have to bear in mind as you do your things and take your risks. This is[COLOR=#0000FF][B] not nearly as big of a problem[/B][/COLOR] for perma-hidden builds.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Targeting Capacity[/B] - A mixed bag. You've plentiful mobility options that allow you to open on anyone you want, anytime you want, and you're not constrained to position dependent striker features like Warlock's Curse or Prime Shot, but do have a dependency on CA. Until you have a way to generate CA on demand, your targetting has a large dependency on teamwork - the guy you can flank or have CA on may not always be the guy you wanted to kill the most.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Secondary Role Effectiveness] [B][COLOR=#0000FF]Controller[/COLOR] [/B]- Given their plethora of status effects and ways to make the opposing party's life miserable in general, it's really no surprise Rogues are a good fill-in for this role. This isn't even build-specific; just about any Rogue will be packing enough incapacitating effects to do this and do it well.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Defender[/B] - It somewhat works...you have to specifically build yourself that way, most notably using a Riposte Strike catch-22 loop. Works better if you [COLOR=#0000FF][B]hybrid[/B][/COLOR].[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#800080][B]Leader[/B] [/COLOR]- The role of the Rogue is mostly to take advantage of opportunities, though on occasion you can grab a power to help others. However, don't expect to make up for not having a full Leader or even a strong backup Leader with a Rogue: he's just not equipped for that. [/sblock][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [h=2]Baseline Mechanics:[/h][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Game Mechanics] [B]Hit Points[/B] - 12 + Con score at level 1, and 5 each level thereafter. You got the standard-issue Striker hit point total, which is all you could really expect, honestly.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Healing Surges[/B] - 6 + Con modifier. Standard issue for the role.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Defense Bonuses[/B] - +2 to Reflex means your strongest defense is very strong, but the other two were kind of left hanging. Ah, well.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Proficiencies] [B][COLOR=#800080]Armor[/COLOR] [/B]- Only having Leather and no shields means you got almost nothing on this deal.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#800080][B]Weapons[/B] [/COLOR]- You're shoehorned into suboptimal weapons, the pain of which is only ameliorated nominally by class features that make this easier to swallow. Players interested in playing certain niche variants may find it advisable to grab proficiency in rapier via a background and just not deal with this crap at all. [/sblock] [/sblock][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Class Features] [B]First Strike[/B] - Free means of Combat Advantage is never a bad thing, even if it does actively discourage you from taking Superior Reflexes due to the benefit overlap.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#33CCCC]Sneak Attack[/COLOR][/B] - A hell of a good Striker feature. Feat support can potentially trade a cut of the damage to instead, turn this into a hit-debuff monstrosity. The fact that it works once per turn also makes you one of the greatest possible allies to a warlord.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Rogue Tactics] [COLOR=#0000FF][B]Artful Dodger (PHB)[/B][/COLOR] - A huge AC buff against opportunity attacks is very welcome, as it allows the Rogue to move with impunity against certain enemies.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#33CCCC][B]Brutal Scoundrel (PHB)[/B][/COLOR] - The straight up most damaging striker option for rogues.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#0000FF][B]Cunning Sneak (MP 2)[/B] [/COLOR]- A build highly geared towards stealth and being perma-hidden in battle, this is the most defensive of the rogue builds. Note that your secondary stat isn't Int, as this feature works completely independent of stat. In fact, more than likely, you're going to want to go Wis as your secondary for the Darkstrider PP.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#FF0000][B]Ruthless Ruffian (MP)[/B][/COLOR] - Literally, I will challenge anyone around to make an RR build that holds a competitive edge, because I'm still trying, and still losing sleep over it. Either way, between the bad weapon selection (note: the feature specifically only includes the club and the mace, not the weapon group itself, so you can' t even get useful weapons like a Singing Stick), the multi-stat dependency, and the ridicule from your fellow players, you should avoid this unless you absolutely know what you're getting into. [/sblock][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][sblock=Weapon Talent] [B][COLOR=#33CCCC]Rogue Weapon Talent (PHB)[/COLOR][/B] - More or less the default choice. Even a rapier specialist grabs this, since, light blade support will carry over to daggers, and the dagger will invariably be at least your ranged option.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#0000FF]Sharpshooter Talent (MP 2)[/COLOR] [/B]- Take this if you're a ranged crossbow specialist, or a Ruthless Ruffian and you're sure you're never going to touch a dagger. [/sblock] [/sblock][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [h=2]Ability Scores:[/h][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#0000FF][B]Strength[/B] [/COLOR]- As a Brutal Scoundrel, you want this to be as high as you can afford it to be, and for chargers, its basically a [COLOR=#33CCCC][B]second primary[/B][/COLOR]. It also bears merit for an a Rogue who doesn't use Daggermaster, and thus needs Light Blade Mastery to get improved criticals. No one really wants to dump this all the way down, though: Athletics is an important skill. Recommended Starting Score: 10-16, before racial adjustments.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Constitution[/B] - More HP and surges are nice for the rather squishy Rogue, and you can also use it to afford an armor upgrade, though your ability score needs likely call you elsewhere. Regardless of what you do with your Rogue, I wouldn't recommend bottoming this out: you have to stay upright somehow. Recommended Starting Score: 11-14, before racial adjusmtents.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#33CCCC]Dexterity[/COLOR] [/B]- This is your main stat. A number of builds can even justify starting with a pre-racial 18. Boost it every chance you get. Recommended Starting Score: 16-18, before racial adjustments.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B][COLOR=#FF0000]Intelligence[/COLOR] [/B]- Despite having a build whose powers have secondary effects keying off it (the Cunning Sneak), the fact of the matter is that Rogues have little to no use for this ability score, since the class feature itself doesn't require it. A rudimentary investment should be enough for Cunning Sneaks looking to use the secondary effects on their powers, and everyone else can just flat-out dump it. Recommended Starting Score: 8-12, before racial adjustments.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]Wisdom[/B] - A major contributor to skills, and basically your secondary if you're a cunning sneak headed for Darkstrider. You also want either this or Charisma at 15+ for Superior Will in Epic. Recommended Starting Score: 10-14, before racial adjustments.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][COLOR=#0000FF][B]Charisma[/B] [/COLOR]- Boosts quite a few social skills, and helps out Artful Dodgers' mobility to keep you safe as well while you manever about the battlefield, as well as some rider effects for their powers, so it's very necessary for them, but its not entirely critical to keep it on par with Dex. Brutal Scoundrels could also use it to round themselves out on the skill and defense fronts. Either this or Wisdom needs to be at 15+ for Superior Will in Epic. Recommended Starting Score: 10-16, before racial adjustments.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [spoiler=Recommended Arrays][/spoiler][/FONT][spoiler=Recommended Arrays][/spoiler][/COLOR][spoiler=Recommended Arrays] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]16, 16, 13, 11, 10, 8:[/B] Dual-stat Brutal Scoundrels looking to charge or poach some big-gun multi-attacks (all of them are str-based) take this and never look back. The 13 goes to Wis in order to qualify for Superior Will in epic.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]18, 14, 11, 10, 10, 8:[/B] Most conventional rogue builds can safely take this. Dex-Str for a brutal scoundrel, Dex-Wis for a Cunning Sneak, Dex-Cha for Artful Dodger, the latter two of which get Superior Will in paragon.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans][B]18, 13, 13, 10, 10, 8:[/B] Fairly specific to Artful Dodgers not going Daggermaster that would like to take the most painless route to a 17 Str in epic for Light Blade Mastery. [/FONT][/COLOR][/spoiler][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Open Sans] [/FONT][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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