D&D 3.x Noob Help Building 3.5 Scout

[BartD]

Complete Adventurer Errata...
My players will thank you for mentioning that. And I will have to try to find a different way to make goblin worg riders a significant threat to them.

 

[nittanytbone]

Check out the Swift Hunter's Handbook.
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=854152

You're welcome.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

If making a charger, dipping Bararian 1 for pounce (Complete Champion) like someone alredy said, is great. There are lots of items in MIC to help you move 10' and full attack:
Boots of Sidestepping (3/day FREE 5 ft step + normally alotted 5 ft step; full attack)
some pair of boots actually made to help scouts with this that (IMHO) are inferior to boots of sidestepping and thus I forgot the name
Belt of Battle (can effectively be 3/day move action as a swift among other more costly action options)
Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker (swift 1/day move up to half your speed)
And I'm sure there's more, I'm just forgetting. There's foot straps from some monk-based item set that let you 5 ft step after a charge, not that it'd help a scout get skirmish, but still nifty.

From Book of Nine Swords, the level 5 White Raven Stance, "Press The Advantage," lets you take a 10 ft step instead of a 5 ft step (or a 5 ft step in difficult terrain), which lasts constantly and would single-handedly let you full bow attack every round w/ skirmish, or dance around once already in melee. Unfortunately, since it's a level 5 stance, you would not qualify for it until level 18 without Warblade or Crusader levels. Also, it requires you to know two maneuvers, so it'd end up costing 3 feats. It'd be a better option if the game weren't starting at first level.

For spells to have an ally/cohort cast, look at Spell Compendium. Ones like Slide work fine, others that require a bit more setup (but not much) include Benign Transposition (two allies switch places) and Greater Dimension Door (once/round, the caster can teleport a small amount of allies short range).

 

[javcs]

Something fun if you have psionics; the Hustle power, swift action, take an additional move action this round, skirmish +full attack, every round that you can take advantage of this.
Unfortunately, it takes 5 levels in either Psychic Warrior or Psion (Egoist).

If you can talk your DM into a wondrous item of hustle, you should be good.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I've been a bit frustrated playing a scout in Age of Worms. What i have found useful, however, is taking four levels of fighter and picking up Power Attack, Weapon Specialization, and Melee Weapon Mastery. In the many occasions where our targets are immune to skirmish damage, a high strength character with melee weapon mastery swinging a greatsword still deals worthwhile damage. Spring Attack lets me land the attack where I want and keep moving while our Knight uses his abilities to hold our foes in place. What I am looking forward to is the following:

Skirmisher's Boots (Magic Item Compendium)
Bounding Assault (PHB 2)
Rapid Blitz (PHB 2)
Cleave

The ability to move in, make multiple attacks with skirmish damage, potentially cleave and move out again isn't quite at the dervish level of sickness but I can manage it with only fighter and scout levels and thus can keep my search, disable device, etc skills maxed and serve as the party's trapsmith as well.

 

[Shape D.]

(Translation: we never thought of that when we were developing the class, and it's way overpowered.)

Crap, that would have been my next character...

Oh well.

 

[Darklone]

I've been a bit frustrated playing a scout in Age of Worms. What i have found useful, however, is taking four levels of fighter and picking up Power Attack, Weapon Specialization, and Melee Weapon Mastery. In the many occasions where our targets are immune to skirmish damage, a high strength character with melee weapon mastery swinging a greatsword still deals worthwhile damage. Spring Attack lets me land the attack where I want and keep moving while our Knight uses his abilities to hold our foes in place. What I am looking forward to is the following:

Immune to skirmish: Swift Hunter.

 

[Azaar]

Scout has been far more of an interesting class than I expected. I'm running a Scout (just got level 9 -- skill points already chosen, just need to decide on my feat -- Quick Reconnoiter or Improved Initiative being the primary choice). Yesterday, I took my Scout (who was lvl 8) with a lvl 10 Fighter, and we were surprised by a dire tiger. In the course of four rounds (due in no small part to my +2 corrosive composite (+3 Str) shortbow), I dealt something like 94 damage and did the most to take it down before it finally dropped. Never knew playing an archer could be so much fun, especially with skirmish's damage bonus and AC boosts.

For my feats thus far:

1) Weapon Focus (composite shortbow), Point Blank Shot
3) Precise Shot
4) Combat Expertise
6) Deadeye Shot
8) Deft Strike

My only problem right now is that I can't get a high enough initiative to take advantage of Deadeye Shot or Deft Strike (Deadeye Shot in particular). Hence, why I'm seriously considering Improved Initiative and Quick Reconnoiter as my 9th level feat. But still, I can't complain about how talented my Scout can be.

 

[Darklone]

Looking at your feats, you'll have a hard time to get Gr Manyshot soon enough...

And yeah, the scout archers rock the battlefield. Wait till you've seen Greater Manyshot in action.