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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dheran" data-source="post: 3529813" data-attributes="member: 49779">Here are things I recommend against: <ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Using daggers, except with skill tricks.  The damage is low, the threat range is mediocre, and the range increment is insufficient.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Taking Improved Critical.  Get a keen weapon, or have a spellcaster provide Keen Edge periodically.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Walking around without a ranged weapon ready to fire.  With a good Spot and high DEX the Rogue is unlikely to be surprised, so you really want to maximize your chance to hit for sneak attack damage when an opponent is flat-footed at the start of an encounter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Spending your skill points so you succeed at crucial skills on a rolled 1.  Instead you take Skill Mastery at level 10, effectively giving you 9 extra skill points for every skill you master.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Taking Combat Expertise.  This is a sucky idea for a Rogue, because your BAB isn't high enough.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Trying to improve your STR for more damage.  You've got much more potential to add damage with sneak attack, so you should optimize sneak attack and make STR your dump stat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Tripping.  This requires both STR and extra feats to pull off, things a Rogue doesn't have enough of.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Taking Dodge and/or Mobility.  The only time I'd do this is if I'm planning to take both Spring Attack and the Shadowdancer PrC -- and even then, I'll get Mobility as an armor enhancement rather than waste a feat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Buying elemental enhancements for your weapon.  This piddling extra damage is worth much less than what you'll get with sneak attack, and you don't get to roll sneak attack dice if you don't hit.  Get your primary weapon up to +5 as fast as you can afford it.</li> </ol>OK, here are things I favor.<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Get your initiative high.  Improved Initiative is a reasonable choice, but you can also investigate magical ways of getting a futher initiative boost.  Flat-footed opponents are your best chance to sneak attack.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Take Craven (in Champions of Ruin) to add 1 point per character level to your sneak attack damage.  This feat investment keeps paying dividends.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Buy the Augment Crystals that let you sneak attack constructs and undead (Magic Item Compendium pages 65-66).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Get a flanking partner.  You both get +2 to hit, and sneak attack makes a Rogue happy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Mobility -- the real stuff, not that sucky feat -- is good for you.  Get your base speed up as high as you can.  Use Magic Device can let you cast Alter Self to turn into a Varag (60' base speed and Run as a racial bonus feat), and Expeditious Retreat (giving a further 30' enhancement).  Get into flanking position, or out of harm's way, fast!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Being unseen is also good for you.  Improved Invisibility is the obvious choice, but you can also combine Darkness and Ebon Eyes to the same end, and the combo works against enemies with See Invisibility.  If they can't see but you can, you get to sneak attack.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">If you're going to multiclass, the best payoff for a Rogue is from a single level of Cloistered Cleric: 3 domains with their granted powers, only 2 fewer skill points than a Rogue gets, two good saves that exactly fill in the Rogue's weak spots, and spells!</li> </ol></blockquote>

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