Ideas for Rogue in Heavy Armor

[IcyCool]

Then again, if your DM never throws Hold Person at you, that can help, and the dwarf bonus vs spells also helps.

If he goes with the Warforged idea, he doesn't have to worry about Hold Person.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Some random thoughts for consideration...

How about some psionics to flesh him out? They aren't affected by armor, so a few levels in a Psi class could prove to be a nice advantage.

You go with things like Soulknife or Pyro, you've got a PC who is next to impossible to disarm...and the powers available to those classes would be nice with sneak attacks. PsyWars have access to powers that also make them difficult to deal with in combat. Psions get almost mage/sorcerer type abilities that function while armored.

Feats from the Psionic Weapon feat tree could make those sneak attacks especially nasty.

You take feats like Speed of Thought and Up the Walls and you'll be able to flank in most unusual manners.

When is a Rogue not a Rogue? When he's a Ranger or Scout. Both of those classes have some overlap with the Rogue skill set, and have respectable amounts of skill points. With a high Int (and assuming you're only focusing on a couple of key skills), you can almost keep up with the Rogue in the areas where it matters to you. My Int 19 Ftr/Rgr/Diviner/Spellsword is focused on just a couple of skills, and has been able to perform admirably as the party's second sneaky door opener.

 

[IcyCool]

How about some psionics to flesh him out? They aren't affected by armor, so a few levels in a Psi class could prove to be a nice advantage.

Hmm.. in Races of Stone there is a feat that, as long as you are psionically focused, lets you add your armor's AC to your touch AC.

 

[fuindordm]

I am wondering why you feel your going to get lower armour than a fighter, the way the armour levles and max dex have been worked out, without magical aid on the armour, the maximum starting armour class wiht just armour and dex is 19

Leather is +1 AC max dex bonus +8
Full Plates is +8 AC max dex bonus +1

Almost all armour comes somewhere between those 2 (I think only 2 armour have a maximum of 18, +4/+4 respectively)

Yes, but heavy armor comes with other advantages:
damage reduction (when you can afford adamantine)
'always on': you have a high AC even when flanked yourself or flat-footed (although uncanny dodge makes this less of an issue for the rogue)
spikes (for when you're grappled or swallowed whole!)

And with heavy + dex you will eventually get to higher ACs than light armor + dex.

Ben

 

[Tellerve]

But no more evasion with heavy armor. A big plus as was previously mentioned. Is there any Wotc source that has a magical enchantment that brings the armor up a category? Heavy to medium? I was thinking if so then you could get a Mithril heavy armor then enchant it to light.

Tellerve

 

[ARandomGod]

A level of cleric could work really well also. Travel and Luck domains (Farlangen (sp) from forgotten realms) would give you 1 round of freedom of movement (ignore armor), Longstrider: 10ft, and a luck reroll. A bless and use of wand of cure light wounds (warforged healing would either make this more important or not important at all).

A level of cleric also nets you the ability to cast the spell "gravestrike", which will allow you to sneak attack undead. Very useful to a rogue!

 

[likuidice]

nightsong enforcer from complete adventurer lets you improved evasion in heavy armour, unless theres errata somewhere, or a specific clause that prevents it. the ability doesnt actually list any restrictions.