So I've never Power gamed before.

[Ranger19k]

Seeing how the team already has melee combat handled, I was wanting to make a ranged character. I would pick Ranger, but think that our party could benefit more from a rouge, who has plenty of skills to back up the non-brute force methods of dealing with things.

I already have a background, and personality for the guy. I just need some help building him up so that he doesn't squashed, and is actually good at picking enemies off from a distance. Suggestions?

Have you considered a Swift Hunter? Pretty good skills and a cool mobility/archer build.

If not, here's some more good Archer and Ranger Archer advice.

 

[Shadus]

What books can you use? What starting level and gold? And judging by your party make-up, I'm having trouble believing much power gaming is going on at all.

Well I'm not entirely sure. I believe we're starting at level 1 with PH starting gold. To quote my DM "...It's going to kinda be a power game." Which, knowing him could mean a few levels above our heads to fight things with Vorpal Swords. And yes I mean Vorpal Swords at level 1... But he may relax a little seeing how only a few players in our group power game 3.5.

Hound Archon (ie, lots of lost caster levels and LA) Bard. But I'll grant you the sorcerer.

I think that what she said... I know said it was a doggie from the MM, and that's the only canine humanoid I remember from the MM. And she wants to play a bard. Which magic is supposedly forbidden and can get you killed in this game. Not sure how She convinced the DM, but whatever.

Have you considered a Swift Hunter? Pretty good skills and a cool mobility/archer build.

If not, here's some more good Archer and Ranger Archer advice.

Again, this is a low-magic game. If the commoners are going to kill me for anything it's going to be for steal'n their wares and impregnat'n their women.

Honestly, I'm wanting to play a Crossbow slinging Human Rouge, more than a Ranger. Fits me better.

 

[Dandu]

Archery rogues use ranged weapons at melee distances. See if you can spot the problem here.

 

[Shadus]

Archery rogues use ranged weapons at melee distances. See if you can spot the problem here.

You made that too easy. Also,

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

If core is all that's allowed, don't be an archer rogue. I'd say being an archer in general is a bad plan, but archer rogue is like a double serving of weaksauce. The only possible way to make it work is Arcane Trickster, and that doesn't really come online for many levels. Namely, not until you've entered the prestige class and have lots of 4th level spells to drop on Greater Invisibility. If you really want to be a rogue, take advantage of 3E's rich multiclassing system. Drop some levels in it here and there to keep key skills maxed out till you can make the check DCs reliably, and mix with Ranger and other classes that can fight worth a damn.

Crossbow can work, but it requires an extra feat (Rapid Reload) to be viable compared to a bow.

The best core races for a rogue are Deep Halfling (in the Monster Manual), Forest Gnome (in the Monster Manual), Dwarf, and Human. Never ever play a Half-Orc or Half-Elf, and avoid Elf 99% of the time. If the Monster Manual races aren't allowed, Gnome is a decent if incredibly dissapointing replacement for its forest kin, just by virtue of being a small race with darkvision. Core Halfling is NOT acceptable, NEVER EVER take it for a rogue. A Rogue with base speed 20 ft and no darkvision is utterly worthless. Can't exactly sneak around at night with a lantern, and being in any illumination shadowy enough to grant concealment means you can't sneak attack.

 

[Dandu]

Psychic Warriors actually can make decent archers.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Psychic Warriors are no more core than flaws from UA. Just because they're on the online SRD doesn't make them core.

 

[Dandu]

Did he say it was core only? My mistake.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I don't know for sure. In response to my "what books?" question, the OP said,
"Well I'm not entirely sure. I believe we're starting at level 1 with PH starting gold."

So I'm assuming core only till he clarifies one way or the other.

 

[Shadus]

So I checked with my DM, he says I can use any book.

One of my friends convinced me to play a Ranged Fighter, when the DM practically begged me to play a rouge. Or at least that's what I assume he was doing when he ended every sentence with "We could use a rouge."