Changeling Rogue Fighter

[mcgeedis]

I have a changeling Rogue 3/Fighter 1 playing in a campaign which I am told will be heavy undead in later levels. I choose the Changeling Rogue in the beginning becuase of two reasons. The first was we didn't have a diplomatic/charisma type player. I figured that we would eventually need this type of character for non-combat encounters. Secondly, we didn't have a Rogue for the party, so I thought I would try it out since I've never played a Rogue before.

Here are her stats:
Changeling Rogue3/Fighter1
STR 10
DEX 16
CON 12
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 14

Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Exotic Weapon: Spiked Chain.

Standard maxed out stealth, search and disarm device, but also maxed out Bluff, Diplomacy, and Disguise. The Disguise and Diplomacy thing has worked out quite nicely, I might add. This feature on a Changeling is pretty sweet.

I'm trying to think of the best progression from this point on. I'm undecided if I should go more toward fighter or not. Eventually, she'll be getting a Ring of Gravebane (allows sneak attack against undead) with DM's permission, so I don't know if I completely want to abandon Rogue, especially since we would be without one at later levels.

We use Action Points in the campaign according to the Eberron system, and our DM allows us to retrain similiar to the PHB 2. Also, we are only allowed to take one Non-core feature per level. For instance, the ring of Gravebane will be my non-core feature when it comes time.

Anyone have some insight? Any prestige classes that I might want to look at? I've been looking at several options (Occult Slayer, Skullclan Hunter, etc...) but I can't decide which way I want to go. Thanks in advance!

 

[Corsair]

WARSHAPER

Sorry. Caps is necessary. Notice you are a [Shapechanger] and that alone qualifies you for the class pretty much. You need +4 BAB, so just take another fighter level. The Warshaper abilities will be usable whenever you are not in your pale gray form (meaning pretty much always).

You probably won't need the 5th level of the class, but the first four are pretty much standard for changeling warriors.

 

[Thramzorean]

You can also head into chameleon if you don't like warshaper, you'd get some usefull clerical spells vs the undead...

 

[mcgeedis]

WARSHAPER

Sorry. Caps is necessary. Notice you are a [Shapechanger] and that alone qualifies you for the class pretty much. You need +4 BAB, so just take another fighter level. The Warshaper abilities will be usable whenever you are not in your pale gray form (meaning pretty much always).

So, does the class grant you more than one natural attack? I could have my character have a bite, a gore, and two claw attacks?

Is there a feat that allows the additional attacks to be reduced from the -5 for additional natural attacks? I know that there is the multiattack feat in the Monster Manual, but what about Shifter Multiattack? Can a Changeling take this feat? Also, which would be better: Greater Magic Fang wand (she has a decent UMD) or Greater Magic Fang cast on my character with a Permenancy?

Would Weapon finesse apply to all these natural attacks? Would these natural attacks deal lethal damage?? Would sneak attack apply to all the attacks in a full attack?

Sorry for all the questions, but this character is going in a different unforeseen path altogether. And I like it!

 

[saucercrab]

So, does the class grant you more than one natural attack? I could have my character have a bite, a gore, and two claw attacks?

That depends on the reading of the ability. Some people think you can only form & have one natural attack at a time, while others think you can form & have multiple natural attacks, but that creating each one takes a separate action (I'm in the latter camp for the most part).

Using hand-held weapon(s) will negate the use of claw attacks, but with sufficient prep time, I think you should be able to have a bite/gore as secondary attacks after the standard iterative attacks. (At higher levels, two or more iteratives would prob' be better than two claw attacks.)

Is there a feat that allows the additional attacks to be reduced from the -5 for additional natural attacks? I know that there is the multiattack feat in the Monster Manual, but what about Shifter Multiattack? Can a Changeling take this feat? Also, which would be better: Greater Magic Fang wand (she has a decent UMD) or Greater Magic Fang cast on my character with a Permenancy?

The standard Multiattack & Improved Multiattack should be fine, I think.

Would Weapon finesse apply to all these natural attacks? Would these natural attacks deal lethal damage?? Would sneak attack apply to all the attacks in a full attack?

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Sorry for all the questions, but this character is going in a different unforeseen path altogether. And I like it!

As an aside, I had a similar build, but used swashbuckler instead of fighter (for that Int to damage with light weapons).

 

[Korak]

I am firmly in the camp of the ability only allowing you to create or improve one natural weapon. However, that is the least important ability given in the class. The real juice is stackable +4str and +4con, immunity to critical hits and sneack attack, extra reach, and fast healing 2. You'll have 20' reach with your spiked chain, have a ton more survivability, and almost never need downtime healing again.

 

[dog45]

I am firmly in the camp of the ability only allowing you to create or improve one natural weapon. However, that is the least important ability given in the class. The real juice is stackable +4str and +4con, immunity to critical hits and sneack attack, extra reach, and fast healing 2. You'll have 20' reach with your spiked chain, have a ton more survivability, and almost never need downtime healing again.

Warshapers are immune to stunning and critical hits, but are still subject to sneak attacks.

 

[Corsair]

Warshapers are immune to stunning and critical hits, but are still subject to sneak attacks.

From the SRD description of sneak attack: "Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks."

Edit: I also agree with the one natural attack from that ability, otherwise it gets a bit crazy. However the class is still supery dupery if you manage to somehow end up with a character who happens to be a [Shapechanger] warrior. (I had a werebear paladin a while back who took this class)

 

[dog45]

From the SRD description of sneak attack: "Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks."

Damn. got me.

 

[mcgeedis]

Edit: I also agree with the one natural attack from that ability, otherwise it gets a bit crazy. However the class is still supery dupery if you manage to somehow end up with a character who happens to be a [Shapechanger] warrior. (I had a werebear paladin a while back who took this class)

Good point. Thanks for the input. I really like the direction this character is going.

One more question though... If I were to exchange Exotic Weapon, Spiked Chain with one other feat, which would it be? I might "retrain" out of Spiked Chain and take Fighter 2, which would effectively give me 2 feats to choose from. So, given the character build path above (taking warshaper at 6th level, which also gives yet another feat), which feat(s) sound the yummiest? Keep in mind that only one non core per level, and Warshaper would be the non core option at 6th character level.

Also, which do you think would be better? Wand of Magic Fang, Greater? Or Magic Fang, Greater with Permenancy? The with Permenancy, it can be dispelled, right?