D&D 3E/3.5 Give unto me your "Power Gamer's 3.5 Guide to Rogues"

[buzz]

If it's really an inconsequential scene, I won't just hand-wave the stealth; I'll handwave the whole encounter. "There's a small encampment of orcs on that hill; you quickly roll them up, taking insignificant damage and move on." But I try to avoid having inconsequential scenes.

Now this I would agree with.... which I guess means that I wouldn't be doing the fudging that I was describing, becasue if the scene doesn't matter, why am I throwing it at the players in the first place?

 

[frankthedm]

becasue if the scene doesn't matter, why am I throwing it at the players in the first place?

So they don't think everything they fight is thier caliber? Shlubs should not disappear when players level up. When the only orcs 9th level character see have levels, it starts to become a question of "why bother to level up?"

 

[Nail]

... it starts to become a question of "why bother to level up?"

So the players can roll Hit Dice again?

 

[shilsen]

Now this I would agree with.... which I guess means that I wouldn't be doing the fudging that I was describing, becasue if the scene doesn't matter, why am I throwing it at the players in the first place?

Sometimes players like to have a chance for their PCs to lord it over enemies who are obviously out of their league. While it would be boring if that was the only kind of, or even the majority of, opponents they meet, it does give them a sense of their PCs' advancement.

 

[rowport]

Interesting

Hey, dudes. I find this discussion/debate about opposed checks and how many very interesting. I do not have much to add, but am genuinely curious: Elder-Basilisk and frankthedm, are both of your campaigns very tactical in nature, with lots of 'environmental factors' taken into account modifying checks? I think that type of game is perfectly legitimate (although not my cup of tea personally). I ask because if these detailed checks are standard for the skill-using characters (Rogues, Rangers, etc.) I would hope that similar factors affect your ranged combatants, and terrain is a major hinderance for melee types, etc. If *all* character archtypes have similar considerations, then no harm, no foul. But, if this type of stuff only affects skill-based characters, then the game would be tough for rogues!

FWIW, I am in Buzz's game, and while I agree with him that our group is not tactical to that extreme, even in our group, you are better as a combat specialist than as a social or sneaky character, because opposed checks and modifiers impact skill-usage *much* more often than terrain/weather/etc. affect combat ability. For instance, my ninja has a great Bluff check. But, his results are always modified by "believability". Now, that might be a reasonable modifier to apply (just as the noise, frequency, etc. might be valid against Hide and/or Move Silently). But, in practice it means that his very high Bluff nearly always fails, while his melee buddy continues to hit up a storm! So, the indirect lesson is: do not play a skillful character, instead just blow stuff up real good. Bummer, really.

Again, if *everybody* is affected by external factors it would all balance out. But, in my experience that is generally not the case. I suspect that might impact Buzz's perspective, where perhaps both frankthedm and E-B have more balanced game environmentals. What do y'all think?

 

[Parlan]

Sometimes players like to have a chance for their PCs to lord it over enemies who are obviously out of their league. While it would be boring if that was the only kind of, or even the majority of, opponents they meet, it does give them a sense of their PCs' advancement.

Amen. Once in a blue moon, it'd be nice as a high level pc to come across some mook sand have the DM say, "you come across a couple dozen bandits. how do you wanna wipe em out?"

 

[Cabral]

28-point buy.

Deep halfling was the best option given I'd like to play a small race* and don't want to purchase RoD for the whisper gnome. I liked the idea of a tiefling --not small, I know-- but my DM nixed that. No PrC's I"ve seen are really appealing to me, either; they all seem to sacrifice sneak attack potential.

So... any comments on my actual plan? A deep halfling Rog19/Ftr1 with a spiked chain? Ideas for feats beyond 3rd level?


*I have no problem optimizing, but I need at least some flavor in my characters. I have yet to play a small race.

You don't have to buy Races of Stone, you can just look at the exerpt on their website

As for flavor? a spiked chain wielding shadow dancer is strangely appealling, but that deviates from your class plan ... Wild Talent+Psionic weapon+deep impact for your deep halfling?

Uhm .... Feint to negate someone's dex bonus (sneakl attack!)

Combat reflexes is great with that reach ... and so is Stand Still (General feat from Expanded Psionics Handbook - gives you the potential to negate movement through your threatened spaces ...)

Edit: Sometimes I roll a 1 on my Spell check ...

 

[Parlan]

Feat suggestion -

From Lords of Madness, there is a feat called (I believe) Dark Stalker. It basically allows you to use your hide and move silently skills as normal even against opponents that have blindsense and the like.

If you plan on doing any sneaking, I highly recomend picking this one up.

What are the requirements? Can you say? My Tiefling Swash3/Rog6 wants to know.

 

[Tellerve]

there are no requirements for it.

Tellerve

 

[Parlan]

there are no requirements for it.

Tellerve

schweeeeeeeet! (i'm doing my "i can hide from creatures with blindsight" dance, but you all cant see that.... which, upon further reflection, is probably a good thing.)