Dervish Rogue, does it work?

[NoopRogue]

Basically, I'm trying to make a Dervish Rogue kind of class. Staring off with swashbuckler for the finesse and insightful strike, then moving into rogue for sneak attack damage and Daring Outlaw so the levels stack, then finishing it all off with Dervish. Looking at probably:

3 Swashbuckler/4 Rogue/10 Dervish/3 Assassin

Thoughts? Help?

[Boci]

What is your optimization level you are aiming for? What books do you have access to, in particular is ToB allowed? Also, what do you want? Just a mobiul melee character that is strength lite, or is SA important?

[NoopRogue]

Well we're starting at level 3. ToB isn't allowed other than feats that you can take because our GM doesn't like how 'Mary sue' it feels to him. I really just want a really mobile rogue so instead of having to move then attack once I can move and then use all of my attacks.

Also, optimization level? I'm still pretty new.

[Hiro Protagonest]

ToB isn't allowed other than feats that you can take because our GM doesn't like how 'Mary sue' it feels to him.

*snicker*

Play a diplomacy-focused druid. All animals and people are your friends.

[NoopRogue]

We all decided we would ruin his game in terms of diplomacy at least until he asked us to stop. Mainly because he made the most retarded character ever in another game.

[gorfnab]

Scout is better for Dervish than Rogue because Scout gives you the extra damage when you move more than 10ft.

Human Scout 5/ Ranger 2/ Dervish 10/ Scout 3
Feats:
1. Expeditious Dodge or regular Dodge, Mobility
3. Weapon Finesse
4. B: Combat Expertise
6. Weapon Focus Scimitar
7. B: Two Weapon Fighting
9. Improved Two Weapon Fighting
12. Swift Hunter
15. Greater Two Weapon Fighting
18. *Open Feat*
20. B: Improved Skirmish

*Improved Critical Scimitar (decent as usual), Elusive Target (negates Power Attackers), Improved Buckler Defense (nice AC boost, take a few levels earlier if necessary), Combat Reflexes (extra attacks, somewhat situational depending on the game), Deadly Defense (combos with Elaborate Parry), Flay Foe, or Nemesis (great for Arcane Hunter ACF)

[Safety Sword]

We all decided we would ruin his game in terms of diplomacy at least until he asked us to stop. Mainly because he made the most retarded character ever in another game.

Just the kind of group I'm happy to avoid playing with.

I'm glad they're putting all you people in one place now :smalltongue:

On topic: Small hit dice on a guy that hits lots of people and makes them angry can be awesome, or really frustrating if things hit hard/well enough.

[Acanous]

if you want to go Dervish Rogue, you may enjoy swapping sneak attack for bonus fighter feats, then going scout for the skirmish dice.

[NoopRogue]

Well, I'm using a tiefling class template and with what I rolled, I now have 18 on int and dex so I was planning on using swashbuckler to my advantage.

[Darrin]

3 Swashbuckler/4 Rogue/10 Dervish/3 Assassin

Thoughts? Help?

Every cool thing the Dervish can do can be done by just taking two feats instead: Oversize TWF and Travel Devotion. If you're using a light offhand weapon, you can even skip that first feat and just focus on Travel Devotion. Try this:

Rogue 4/Swashbuckler 16
1) TWF
3) Travel Devotion
6) Daring Outlaw
9) Travel Devotion
12) Travel Devotion
15) Imp TWF
18) Gr TWF

(Substitute in Craven and Staggering Strike if need be, or via flaws if available.)

[Zonasiy]

Every cool thing the Dervish can do can be done by just taking two feats instead: Oversize TWF and Travel Devotion. If you're using a light offhand weapon, you can even skip that first feat and just focus on Travel Devotion. Try this:

Rogue 4/Swashbuckler 16
1) TWF
3) Travel Devotion
6) Daring Outlaw
9) Travel Devotion
12) Travel Devotion
15) Imp TWF
18) Gr TWF

(Substitute in Craven and Staggering Strike if need be, or via flaws if available.)

Why spend 3 feats on Travel Devotion when you could dip Cleric for additional uses as well as more domains?

[Thespianus]

Why spend 3 feats on Travel Devotion when you could dip Cleric for additional uses as well as more domains?

Yeah, Knowledge devotion will fit like a glove as well. Any TWF-character needs boosts to his attack bonus, and Knowledge Devotion will offset the TWF penalties nicely.

The lost BAB (18 instead of 19 at lvl 20) won't matter.

[pilvento]

Does weapon finnese applies for a Scimitar? since scimitars are one-handed weapon, not light. I just checked the SRD and i was like O.O

[Zherog]

Dervish allows you to treat them as light weapons, and Oversized TWF covers the TWF penalties in the alternate build (but wouldn't allow Finesse to apply).

[Talya]

In no particular order:
Swashbuckler 3, Fighter 4, Champion of Corellon Larethian 2, Dervish 10, Scout 1.


You get + str, +dex, +int to damage. (Since you need to be an elf, play a gray elf for the extra dex and int.)
You get weapon specialization for your pair of scimitars.
You get +1d6 skirmish damage on top.

It's feat-intensive, better hope you are allowed flaws.
Heck, take Martial Stance (punishing stance) as well, for another d6 of bonus damage.

Before TOB came out, i always wanted to play that build...piles and piles of bonus damage and the ability to move and full attack, and pretty durable at that, being 19d10+1d8 hit dice, and +19 BAB. Unfortunately, it's rather one dimensional.