Rogues with daggers

[Umbran]

As for damage, no damage in D&D is realistic. I mean according to the D&D rules I could walk up to a 10th level fighter with a greatsword and smack him between the eyes with it and still not kill him. How you interpret hitpoints is up to you.

Well, part of the point is that you can't walk up to a 10th level fighter with a greatsword and smack him between the eyes. You don't get to choose where you smack him. Being such a competent warrior, his head simply will not be there to be smacked.

 

[Barak]

One of the big advantages of specializing in daggers is that they are also a thrown weapon. Therefore, most of your feats will work as well for your ranged attacks as for melee (weapon focus/specialization, etc.) as will many enhancements that you put on them (although then I'd highly recommend Returning). Obviously, to take best advantage of that fact, going half-rogue/half-fighter would be best.

 

[Belen]

Take 3 levels of swashbuckler and get int to damage.

 

[hong]

As a result, I usually deal pitiful damage in a straight-up fight, on the order of 1d6+1. However, sometimes I get to sneak attack. And I have +4d6 sneak attack, and four attacks.

Even with Tumble, it is very difficult to be able to get a full sneak attack.

That's where a friendly wiz with dim door comes in handy....

 

[Vaxalon]

If you want to maximize the damage you do in melee, your big mistake was taking the rogue class in the first place.

You should really be seeing melee as your secondary role, here. Any sneak-attacking you do is gravy. Your primary thing is skills; be sure to take skills that fit the style of the campaign.

 

[Sir ThornCrest]

ways of increasing damage...

A rogue with duelweild, ok have you thought of dirty fighting? It would add 1d4 damage to one attack and would certainly reflect a rogues combat style....fast strike: this feat gives you 1 bonus attack in the first round of any combat. We play every time initiative is rolled, and if your a rogue it allows another attack the same round you back stab on....just a couple of ideas

Sir ThornCrest

 

[Cyberhawk]

I played a Rogue-based dagger fighter in a 3.0 game. They can be a lot of fun but you're right, you won't do a lot of damage with them without the sneak attack.

There are a few advantages tho: The daggers can be thrown so you have both your base and ranged weapons ready all the time in combat. Also they are easily concealed, combine that with Quick Draw and you have one of the fastest reactions in the party.

I double-classed with Ranger to get the dual-weapon skill, tracking and Favored Enemy: Human. All valuable things since I wanted the Assassin Prc. Once you get Poison Use and Death Strike you'll be a fearsome opponent.

For feats I suggest Improved Feint and Improved Critical. Both are nasty with a rogue and the Improved Critical will get you some decent damage amounts with the daggers.

Have fun!

 

[MerricB]

A rogue with duelweild, ok have you thought of dirty fighting? It would add 1d4 damage to one attack and would certainly reflect a rogues combat style....fast strike: this feat gives you 1 bonus attack in the first round of any combat. We play every time initiative is rolled, and if your a rogue it allows another attack the same round you back stab on....just a couple of ideas

Sir ThornCrest

A note: if you give feats from supplements, please give the source!

Dirty Fighting is perhaps one of the worst feats you could suggest. It is in the obsolete book of "Sword and Fist", requires you to take the full attack action but only make ONE attack, when the dual-wielding rogue would be far better off by making TWO or more attacks with his daggers.

Fast Strike is not a Wizards feat. I've found a copy of it online, but I'd be surprised if Demoquin's DM would allow it.

Cheesr!

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

If you don't mind slappin' down the cash, Complete Warrior really does have a lot of tasty rogue stuff. As mentioned, the Invisible Blade PrC is great for fight-y rogues, especially if you use the sort-of-errata'd prereqs (Weapon Focus and Weapon Finesse, instead of WF, Point-Blank Shot, and Far Shot). A rogue/fighter/invisible blade/master thrower would be cool.

 

[Impeesa]

If your Int is decent, Swashbuckler 3 (CW) gives Int bonus to damage. A dip into Fighter 2 for the requisite feats would be good - TWF is a costly path to tread. Invisible Blade (CW) and Tempest (CAdv) are both worthy PRCs to look at, and since both of them are 5 levels, you could cram both in the same build. Just some things to think about there.

The general idea with TWF, though, is bonus dice to damage. Your base damage is small, and boosting Str won't help much, so sneak attack, elemental/holy properties, and so on will get you a much better return. Invisible Blade eventually allows you to feint as a free action, for example - a full TWF attack routine with sneak attack damage, without relying on flankers, is nothing if not impressive.

--Impeesa--