Gonna play a scout. I can hear the other players whining already...

[Felon]

"It's the same thing as the rogue, but better!"

They've never seen a scout in play before, but some of them are pretty quick to let their first imressions make up their minds for them. I know what they'll notice right away. The scout does have a rogue's skill points and a better hit die. It does get the Trapfinding, Uncanny Dodge, and Evasion class abilities. It has a damage bonus on a par with a rogue; plus an AC bonus. It gets Fortitude and Initiative bonuses and fighter bonus feats, all things a rogue would be covetous of.

So what edge does the rogue have on the scout to make up for all of that?

The skirmish damage bonus seems mutually exclusive with making a full round attack (without some feats or PrC abilities anyway), but it's easier to move 10 feet than it is to count on flanking or flat-footedness. Is it a wash?

 

[Crothian]

I think flanking is much easier then getting to move 10 feet each time. Flanking you need a friend and good tumble skill. I guess if you go spring attack, it will be easier with the scout.

 

[Piratecat]

A rogue wielding two weapons can unleash a hellacious amount of sneak attack damage at higher levels, since every attack gets the damage. How does a scout compare to that?

In addition, scouts can't disable device without buying it cross-class. That's a shame for dungeon-heavy games.

 

[Alzrius]

So what edge does the rogue have on the scout to make up for all of that?

Well, for one thing, people won't make jokes based on the rogue's class name. You'll hear a lot of things like "Well gee scout, what do you think about this here dungeon complex?"

 

[BrooklynKnight]

You mean you havnt heard of the Rouge Class?

 

[Stone Angel]

So a scout can't get more than one skirmish attack? What if stacked up with lions pounce or something?


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Frostmarrow]

You mean you havnt heard of the Rouge Class?

What's a Scuot?

 

[Piratecat]

You know, I CAN ban you.

 

[Heathen72]

"It's the same thing as the rogue, but better!"

They've never seen a scout in play before, but some of them are pretty quick to let their first imressions make up their minds for them.

Of course, if they had played with a scout before, they'd be whining about something else...

GM: The party stands outside the front of the dungeon. What do you do?"
Rest of the Party: We ready our weapons and prepare to go in.
Scout: Hang on guys. Let me just pop in for a moment and make sure everything's safe.
<GM and Scout player head off into another room for a couple of hours, while the Rest-of-the-Party twiddle there thumbs. Finally they return.>
Rest of the Party: Well. What happened?
Scout: Nothing much - a couple of traps. I took care of 'em.
Rest of the party: You took two hours! Hang on! What's that you've got in your pockets? And that Gold Amulet? You didn't have that before you went in!
Scout: Yes I did! I bought it in... Tarnec!

 

[Felon]

So a scout can't get more than one skirmish attack? What if stacked up with lions pounce or something?

Yes, he can get the bonus to multiple attacks if he has a way to pull that off while moving at least 10 feet during the round. Lion's pounce would be one way. PrC's like the Dervish and Tempest are another.