Rogue: Artful or Dodger?

[mlangsdorf]

I've seen an Eladrin Brutal Rogue work reasonably well. The extra bonus damage makes a difference at low levels. At high levels, it's time to hand out status effects whenever possible.

I'd say it's likely a more mobile archetype than an Artful Dodger, as the Str vs Cha trade-off encourages you to take Athletics over Bluff.

Typical attack sequence is start by throwing daggers at range, then closing with the defensive line. Feystep can either be used to establish a flank or to escape a bad situation.

My experience with Artful Dodgers is that they tend to be more ranged focus characters, focusing on hiding behind stuff and popping up to attack.

 

[Kip]

From a halfling artful dodger daggermaster:

+ CHA AC vs. Oppurtunity attacks has allowed me to intentionally provoke attacks from enemies that are marked by my defenders with their Combat Challenge or Divine Challenge (sometimes both, if they are within movement), without getting hit as the attacks suffer a -2 (-4 with Distracting Shield). The damage incurred is greater than my own strength modifier so it seemed a simple choice to make, although it requires co-ordination with my defender(s).

Can a Brutal Scounrel use the same tactic? Yes. It's just safer as an artful dodger to do so. Regardless, I have to say that provoking these attacks makes me feel quite brave and raises everyones' morale; as my defenders are happily rewarded for marking our targets, my fellow strikers thoughtfully consider the extra damage added to my round, and my leaders breathe a sigh of relief as our targets attacks miss me and are punished for their impudence!

I vote Backstabber>Improved Inititive, simply because Backstabber can be used once every turn for +2-4 max damage at that level (of interest as a striker), as opposed to Improved Initiative netting you +4 on your initiative roll and perhaps combat advantage once per encounter.

 

[Nail]

Backstabber FTW.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Thread necromancy FTW!

 

[Nail]

Yowch. Tell me about it!