[3.5]Rogue/Scout Iaijutsu Focus user

[Daftendirekt]

Okay. So, here's a build I have in mind:

Whisper Gnome
Rogue 1, Scout 2, Rogue 16, ??? 1
Cleric 1, Scout 3, Rogue 16

I'm going to get max ranks in Iaijutsu Focus, but it will not be the main trick of this build, as DM believes that by the fluff of the skill it isn't something you do all the time. Thus, no cheese, just in story-appropriate scenarios.

Anyway, Swift Ambusher paired with those levels given above gives me 9d6 8d6 sneak attack and 5d6/+5 AC Skirmish.

This is what my build is going to be, so don't try to change it, although other suggestions for that level dangling there are welcome (This includes +1 LA templates). I'm just curious about suggestions for feats and gear, mainly. Don't bother listing the obvious like Weapon Finesse and TWF, I'm going for those obviously.

Considering Wand Chambers (Dungeonscape) inside my paired daggers (or other light weapon I end up choosing) which will probably be Adamantine and Deadly Precision. What spells would be well-placed there? Probably going for Nightscale Armor (Underdark) so I can pump my DEX through the roof and have it actually all count. Good enchantments on it?

[Cog]

This is what my build is going to be, so don't try to change it...
Even to point out that you don't qualify for Swift Ambusher? You need Scout 3 for that.

If you've got a level free, some version of cleric won't hurt, for both getting and powering Travel Devotion. It's as good here as it is on Swift Hunter.

[Daftendirekt]

You are right >_> I failed to notice that the first stage of Skirmish doesn't give the +1 AC. Ehhehehehe... I'm dumb.

Well then, probably Scout 3/Rogue 16 it is, and throw cleric in there somewhere. Think I should grab Knowledge Devotion too?

[Cog]

Think I should grab Knowledge Devotion too?
You don't get many Knowledge skills natively for most of your levels, so you'd need Educated as well to make much use of it. It depends on the rest of your party and your game; if recognizing monsters and their weaknesses is an issue, and the casters in your group don't have that covered for some reason, then it'd be worth it. Otherwise, it's certainly not bad, if you'd rather not go down the TWF or archery lines further instead.

[Kallisti]

For the last level, I'd go with either a Factotum level so you'll have Iajitsu Focus as a class skill without sucking, or the Dark template from Tome of Magic for hide in plain sight.

For good spells and enchantments? Perhaps Spell Storing, depending on the party's access to casting. Definitely Wraithstrike.

[Daftendirekt]

For the last level, I'd go with either a Factotum level so you'll have Iajitsu Focus as a class skill without sucking

Sorry, forgot about that. We do a homebrew skill set, a bit condensed. Search/Spot/Listen are now Awareness, Hide/Move Silently are now Stealth, Gather Information rolled into Knowledge (local), etc. Main point, however, being this: we got rid of the x4 skill points at first level, got rid of cross class skills, and now your max skill rank is simply your character level.

Otherwise, you are very right, I'd have garbage ranks in IF. Regardless, I'm taking Skill Focus in it even though it's not really the main point of this build (large amounts of skirmish and SA are. Obviously).

[Zaq]

How are you going to reliably get both SA and Skirmish? Unless you have a metric hellaton of flanking buddies or are reliably invisible (at a level when not everything can see invisible things), it's pretty hard to get both of those on the same swing.

That said, Telling Blow applies both SA and Skirmish on a crit, so it might be worth looking into a bit of critfishing.

[Curmudgeon]

Think I should grab Knowledge Devotion too?
If you're concerned with combat, then Rogue is the best class for Knowledge Devotion. You get decent skill points plus at Rogue 10 you can choose Skill Mastery so you never need worry about rolling anything in the 1-9 range for your mastered skills. Add the Savvy Rogue feat and you'll instead "take 12". If you really want to focus on skillful combat, go with 14 INT (most efficient choice with point buy) and Silvanesti Elf (Dragonlance Campaign Setting): +2 Dex +2 Int -2 Con -2 Cha. That 16 INT to start will help both with your skill points and with your Knowledge checks. Boost INT up as fast as you can pay for the Tome of Clear Thought or Miracle spells: before levels 9, 12, 14, and 15 (+2 there) should be within your allowed wealth.

The usual route is to take Education at 1st level to make all of the Knowledges class skills for all your classes. Knowledge Devotion requires you invest in the six Knowledge skills related to creatures:

Arcana (constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
Dungeoneering (aberrations, oozes)
Local (humanoids)
Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin)
Religion (undead)
The planes (outsiders, elementals)

Since you're going to dip into Cloistered Cleric (with Travel and Inquisition domains) you might be OK skipping Education if you're feat-starved. Knowledge gives you all Knowledges as class skills for Cleric levels only. Rogue gives Knowledge (local). Spread out your Scout levels and you can boost Knowledge (dungeoneering) and Knowledge (nature). The Knowledge domain makes all Knowledges class skills for your Cleric level, plus one more for all your levels, so you can dump all your skill points (12 or more for 1 level) into one other Knowledge skill at that dip if you take your Cleric level at around level 16. Get a +6 INT item and you'll get at or close to the maximum +5 benefit of Knowledge Devotion on 5 of the 6 creature skills without cross-class rates. You convert Inquisition domain to Knowledge Devotion, and Travel domain to Travel Devotion, so the Cloistered Cleric level is a pretty good investment for you.