Combat Rogue... ideas

[mmu1]

Here's my suggestion:

Dwarven Rogue 4 / Barbarian 3

STR 16 (8, boosted from 15 at 4th level)
DEX 16 (10)
CON 16 (6)
INT 12 (4)
WIS 14 (6)
CHA 10(4)

Feats: Improved Initative, Iron Will, two more according to personal preferences

He definitely looses out in damage to Mr. Dumpstat (unless he Rages...) but he's actually competent at using his skills, he can sneak up on people because he doesn't need a light source (how do you carry one and a greatsword, by the way?), and has a Will save of +8 against spells (+10 against mind-influencing effects when Raging) which means he's not going cry like a baby the first time something has a fear aura, or be at the mercy of anyone with Hold Person.

Depending on your preferences, you can also take a couple of points out of CHA and either get an INT of 14, or put them into CON and bring it up to 18 at 8th level.

 

[diaglo]

monte cook ranger/ rogue

take the 3.11 version of twf
and weapon finese

also take improved init. catching someone flat footed at the start of combat is key to sneak attack.

 

[boxstop7]

I know you didn't want to focus on sneak attacks, but sink a ton of skill points into Bluff and feint, feint, FEINT!

Fight defensively while you feint. You roll your Bluff, opponent rolls an opposed Sense Motive. If you win, opponent is denied his Dex bonus to AC next round when you attack him. (to my knowledge, you could in theory use this tactic all day long. feint one round, sneack attack the next, lather, rinse, repeat...) This is an INVALUABLE tool I've been using with my rogue fencer.

I'd also take a weapon not usually attributed to a rogue, such as the greatsword as someone else has suggested. I prefer the finesse angle, so I like my +1 keen rapier of wounding. Coupled with Weapon Finesse (rapier) and Improved Critical (rapier), it's just entirely too much fun. Also, if you have access to the FRCS, you might want to look into the Ambidexterity/TWF/Twin Sword Style of combatant. Pretty cool stuff there...

~Box

 

[mmu1]

Fight defensively while you feint. You roll your Bluff, opponent rolls an opposed Sense Motive. If you win, opponent is denied his Dex bonus to AC next round when you attack him.

He's actually only denied his Dex on your next attack (one attack), not during your next round.

 

[diaglo]

tumble baby 5 ranks and then fight defensively, use the synergy bonuses. saves having to take the expertise feat.

 

[takyris]

I've tried the Finesse route. Personally, I find that Finesse is great for defensive fighters, but if you actually want to hurt people, you're gonna have to have a high enough strength to do some bonus damage. In my opinion, then, Weapon Finesse (even the 3.5 version that covers everything with one feat) isn't worth it for a rogue who plans to be a melee combatant.

A dwarf with a level or two in Barbarian is a great rogue -- fast as a human, rage ability, and you don't have to burn feats to get a greatsword or greataxe. If you want to go with Fighter to stay out of XP-penalty-land, then you're a bit slow for spring attacking. Consider a reach weapon to give yourself more options, like fighting from behind the tank and threatening more of the battlefield.

For feats, I'd go with expertise, unless you plan to use a shield, and then I'd get into the Spring Attack chain. A rogue doesn't have the hit points to go toe-to-toe with his opponents, but if you can get someone flanking for you, you can run in, whack once, and run out quite nicely.

Frankly, good feats for the rogue are feats that get you into combat faster. Quick Draw and Improved Initiative are both excellent choices.

My favorite rogue character had Quick Draw and Improved Init, and his most powerful weapon was a Sap +3. Man, that rocked. "You want to what? You want to see my identification? Hold on, let me QUICKDRAWWHAPPAWHAPPAWHAPPA! Eat subdual damage, foolish guard!!!"

-Tacky

 

[Pielorinho]

I've only played one rogue under 3E, a halfling swashbuckling ex-pirate roaming through the RttToEE adventure.

I took the Parry feat from the Swashbuckling issue of Dragon, weapon finesse, and blah blah blah. Although I wasn't an amazing force in combat, I was pretty good -- I had a to-hit bonus of +12 or +13, and I could easily pop out 18 points of damage in a hit. Add to that my AC of 22 before buffs, my ability to raise the AC to 28 or higher when necessary, and my ability to parry the first blow struck against me each round, and I stayed alive for a very long time in that meatgrinder of an adventure.

That said, for pure minmax fun I think the fighter4/rog3 combination is best: it gets you the +2 damage from weapon specialization, the +2d6 from sneak attack, and (most importantly) the extra iterative attack from having a +6 BAB.

If you don't do that, consider a brb1/ranger1/fighter2/rog3: absurd multiclassing lets you rage once/day, attack productively with two weapons (the sneak-attack damage will outweigh the normal suckiness of this tactic), and garner you an extra two feats. You could go, featwise, with something like:
Improved Initiative
Weapon Focus (whatever your normal weapon is -- short swords might be nice)
Power Attack
Cleave
Expertise
Improved Trip

Fun stuff!
Daniel

 

[handforged]

Human Brb2/Ftr2/Rog3

1st level in Barbarian for HP or in Rogue for skills.

Benefits:
Fast Movement
Rage
Sneak attack 2d6
Evasion
Uncanny Dodge II(can't be flanked)
Two fighter feats (Six total)
+6/+2 BAB
+7 Fort/+3 Ref/+1 Will

Quickdraw
Weapon Focus(greatsword)
Improved Initiative
Iron Will
etc.

A dwarf would lose a feat, 10ft of movement, and some skill points, but gains darkvision as pointed out earlier. He could be his clan's underdark scout or tunnel cleaner.

~hf

 

[neg]

Same boat?!

I am in the same boat as you. I needed to make a 7th level Rogue for a campaign I am entering.

I took a halfing rogue and did what boxstop 7 suggested and sunk skill points into Bluff.

For Feats, I took Expertise (Dagger) so I can boost my AC if I am confronted with a fighter. Weapon Finesse as my Dex far outstrips my Strength, and finally Quicker than the Eye from Song and Silence. Need a 19 Dex, and it allows you to make a Bluff roll as a move equilvalent action against the opponents Spot check. If they fail they lose their Dex bonus and can be sneak attacked. The good thing about this feat is that as one of your partial actions, you can attack someone that failed their check. So you can bluff and stab for extra damage all in the same round! Round after round if you Bluff is high and their spot is low.

So whoa to the one on one encounter that underestimates my dagger wielding halfling.

-neg

 

[dreaded_beast]

Spring Attack

you probably won't have as much hp as the warrior classes and probably a lower AC. you wanna get in their do your damage and then get out of there.

when the meleers are in combat doing their thing, then is your chance to shine by getting into flanking position and getting your sneak attacks. submit to the sneak attack, it's one of your best abilities.

for a PrC, take a look at the BladeDancer from OA. 1st level you get to move twice your speed, no limit on high or far you can jump, +10 competence bonus on jump, balance, and tumble checks, plus you are ALWAYS considered to be taking a 10 on those skills regardless of the situation.