Our front line Warforged Fighter/Juggernaut just left the group leaving us with a Human Wizard/Cleric, Dwarven Artificer, Dwarven Urban Ranger, Duskblade/Human Paragon, and myself, a Changeling Rogue 5/Fighter 2. We are all about 7th level. I am trying to figure out how to maximize my Rogue to best match alongside the Duskblade as a melee fighter.
Obviously the Wizard/Cleric is out. And the Artifcer seems content and best at staying at a distance and using wands and pre-encounter buffing. The Ranger has been focusing on using a gun. Don't ask me what kind and whatnot. But he had to take a feat to use it, and he just now got Rapid Shot so he can finally use it once a round. So, for the most part he is the ranged combatant in the party (I know, ranged Dwarf), but he has oodles of HP.
My Rogue/Fighter is quite useful in melee too, although as a Changeling she was primarily built as a skill based social Rogue. She is sporting two weapon fighting type of combat in efforts to use her sneak attack more often. She has high AC and decent attack bonus, but terribly low HP. Her primary method in battle was to wait for the Warforged to enter battle, then she would tumble to flanking position, then lay the smack down with TWF and SA. But now that the Warforged is gone, this has changed tactics tremendously. My Rogue really is the only character after the Duskblade that is somewhat useful in melee (primarily because the other characters are inexperienced with the rules still). But she has been getting dropped more and more as of late due to the encounters being more challenging (and low HP), and this will only increase now that the Warforged is gone. Add in to the equation the fact that we will now come up against more and more undead according to the DM, so SA will be useless (although DM said if I find it, I can buy a ring of Gravestrike for 16,000 gp).
What should the Rogue do from this point on? The DM said that trap finding will still be very important, as will social skills (Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive, etc...) so I don't want to automatically stray away from being a Rogue. Especially since her STR is 10 and her CON is 12. I was thinking that Warshaper would be good since at second level she would get +4 to STR and CON. But other than that, what other feats to pursue? Would non social skills like Tumble and UMD still be worth the effort?
Her current Feats are Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense, Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw and Weapon Focus: Short Sword.
Any thoughts would be welcomed. Thanks in advance!
