The most powerful rogue powers from Martial Power.

[Tenniel]

You just got rapier proficiency at the cost of a sneak attack die!

Well, longsword does have the versatile keyword allowing you do 1 extra point of damage if you go two handed with it. And unconditional 1 pt probably makes up for the 3.5 pts 1/rnd conditional on getting a sneak attack in.

I agree that Rogue weapon choices are pretty dull (I think even 1e thieves had more choices). Maybe some alternate Rogue Weapon Talents are in order, e.g. Rural Outlaw - can use bows for rogue powers that specify x-bow and for sneak attack. Could even pair with alternate Rouge Tactic:Woodland Sniper, You gain a bonus to Sneak Attack damage with bows equal to your Wisdom modifier.

 

[bganon]

I agree that Rogue weapon choices are pretty dull (I think even 1e thieves had more choices). Maybe some alternate Rogue Weapon Talents are in order, e.g. Rural Outlaw - can use bows for rogue powers that specify x-bow and for sneak attack. Could even pair with alternate Rouge Tactic:Woodland Sniper, You gain a bonus to Sneak Attack damage with bows equal to your Wisdom modifier.

It's not quite the same thing, but I just gave my Ranger/Rogue a Swiftshot Crossbow (AV) and changed the name to "Scoutbow", reflavoring it as a special bow. With the swiftshot's property (load free) a crossbow is pretty much functionally identical to a shortbow anyway (plus a neat power), so this isn't much of a stretch.

End result: player gets to imagine she's still using a bow, and gets to sneak attack with it. And so far, it's just RAW with some reflavor. I may have some houseruling to do if she ever goes for weapon-group-specific feats or something, but it hasn't come up yet.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Well, longsword does have the versatile keyword allowing you do 1 extra point of damage if you go two handed with it. And unconditional 1 pt probably makes up for the 3.5 pts 1/rnd conditional on getting a sneak attack in.

4.5. 90% of rogues will have backstabber. Also you lose access to nimble blade, lose the benefit of your weapon feats applying to your ranged and melee weapon at the same time etc etc.

And no - it's not worth it. If you only make 50% of your attacks sneak attacks, then you're worse than any other striker. So perhaps losing 2 points would be worthwhile, but not 4.5.

 

[peach]

maybe this should be in the rules section. the new rouge power allowing a free ranged attack on a crit - does that provoke an attack of opportunity if you're adjacent?

 

[James McMurray]

Unless it says otherwise, any ranged attack will provoke.

 

[Benly]

Other than Sneak Attack, what really strikes me about the 4E rogue is its utilities. The rogue is the only class where I wish I could trade in some of my dailies for more utilities - rogue utility powers are just fun.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Rogues dish damage, not much else really, if it's not your thing they won't be what you want to play, but they are definately the king of single target asskicking. Last night's game my level 4 rogue did 55 damage to a goblin and killed it before it got to act and warn the next room we were coming, all I used was my standard action and a free crossbow shot because I crit... (snip)

Right, but I've done that with my Wizard too. To quote my DM, "Holy s---, this guy wasn't even bloodied, and now he's dead." The Rogue does get to do that a little more often than non-Strikers, but it's not limited to them.

Other than Sneak Attack, what really strikes me about the 4E rogue is its utilities. The rogue is the only class where I wish I could trade in some of my dailies for more utilities - rogue utility powers are just fun.

The Rogue utilities are pretty awesome... but you still only get as many of them as anyone else. Just because they have cool powers doesn't mean it's their thing.

 

[Shadeus]

I can't remember the exact name of the feat, but there's one called "Slayer's Action" or something that allows you to do two sneak attacks in a round if you use an action point to make an attack. In the same spirit that you want to kill one guy before he acts, being able to get off a pair of sneak attacks in a round seems pretty huge.

The rest of it was more "meh" than anything else. I typically build my characters from levels 1 - 30 and I only had a few powers and feats that I swapped out along the way.

 

[Mengu]

I like Slaying Action, especially for a Human or Half-elf with Action Surge, or with a Tactical Warlord in the party. I also like Disheartening Strike, after seeing how useful Illusory Ambush is. When you keep attacking the Paladin's mark with Disheartening Strike or Illusory Ambush, it really puts them between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Ibixat]

I like Slaying Action, especially for a Human or Half-elf with Action Surge, or with a Tactical Warlord in the party. I also like Disheartening Strike, after seeing how useful Illusory Ambush is. When you keep attacking the Paladin's mark with Disheartening Strike or Illusory Ambush, it really puts them between a rock and a hard place.

There is some serious synergy between slaying action, martial mastery, and whirlwind sneak attack.

if you are going before a cluster of enemies you can use an aoe to sneak attack all of them, action point to regain sneak attack usage AND the encounter power, then do it again.