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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ruleslawyer" data-source="post: 1274983" data-attributes="member: 1757">Yes. The most popular WotC Character Optimization boards 20-level rogue build comes out at Rog19/something 1 or Rog20 for a reason; rogues get goodies at every level from 1 to 20, and rogues have the following assets:1) They are the ultimate utility character. A wizard simply cannot afford to prepare enough utility spells to last an entire day, even with the aid of items, assuming the standard wealth guidelines. Rogues can keep finding and disarming traps and unlocking doors with the best of 'em.2) They are the ultimate sneaky character. Now that Hide has been decoupled from invisibility, rogue stealth is really, really useful at high levels. The high-level rogue in our party simply cannot be seen, even by creatures with see invisibility, unless they have insanely high Spot bonuses or blindsight (something that fewer creatures have in 3.5 than in 3e.)3) The rogue's core abilities scale indefinitely. Skill bonuses and sneak attack both get more powerful as the rogue rises in level; while SA is offset by the number of creatures that are immune to it, it is enhanced by the rogue's increased ability to use it more often and more effectively in high-level situations.4) The rogue is a really useful character out of combat. Investigation and social situations are the domain of the rogue more than that of any other character except the bard. 5) The rogue is customizable. Because the rogue is a skill monkey, you can make a combat-ninja rogue, a social rogue, or a thieving rogue.6) Use Magic Device. I'll say that again: Use Magic Device. While it is true that magic can do a lot of the things that the rogue can do, the reverse is also true, and more so. The rogue in the party that I DM uses found magic items more often and to better effect than any of the spellcasters do; the ability to use both arcane and divine items and to combine those items with innate stealth and combat capability is absolutely devastating.7) The hit points don't matter that much. On average, a 20th-level rogue has 40 hit points fewer than his fighter counterpart. However, the rogue can use healing wands, can simply stay out of combat, can run away under cover of stealth, or can use a Con-boosting spell or scroll to effect.</blockquote>

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