Rogue type character build, help?

[reeniebug13]

Ok, DM is allowing all 3.5 books (excluding alternate worlds like Eberron) but including the Forgotten Realms books (that's where it's taking place). This is a high-powered starting campaign as you'll see...

Moon Elf from Silverymoon, got the ok for a pseudodragon companion :)

Starting at level 3 with 375 gold

DM ruling that we get ALL the listed regional and racial feats appropriate, not just one, and they don't count against our feat allotment. Also, we get to choose one of the starting equipment packages available (was leaning toward the rapier, high crit)

Stat points rolled: 18, 17, 16, 16, 16, 15

I want to play a CG stealthy fighter. would like to use skill points for:
diplomacy - someone needs to be able to get us out of trouble
hide - sneaky fighter
search/spot - already get bonus as an elf
disable/open locks - someone has to look for traps

I know there will be at least 2 fighters, and I know the guys and they are not ones to think ahead, more of a "I see a monster, I kill it".

Some things I was considering:
Rogue/Shadow Dancer
Rogue/Swashbuckler

I don't want a ton of different PrCs, limit to 1 or 2 base classes, and 1 PrC, maybe 2. It needs to make sense why I'm jumping from one class to another...

[Newoblivion]

I would go with the rogue --> swashbuckler (daring outlaw) --> and then if you follow a god maybe divine seeker (I really like this prc).

[Telonius]

How about Beguiler? With two fighters, you've pretty much already got your melee combat covered. Beguilers are great for sneaky and social encounters. All the skills you mentioned are on the class skill list. Lots of illusion spells and other tricks for getting out of trouble.

If you really want to mix it up in melee, you might look at Swordsage in Tome of Battle; particularly the Shadow Hand school.

[Randomguy]

How about factotum? It's from dungeonscape. You get a load of skill points, a few spells for utility purpose, some healing and turn undead at higher levels and a bunch of other stuff.

[reeniebug13]

LOVING the suggestions! Beguiler sounds pretty solid, but I usually don't fare too well with anything involving magic in any form...

I've been seeing a lot with Daring Outlaw too.

I like Rogues because I'm the type that needs to be in the battle, physically. I actually saw one I like, would love input on, the Shadow Thief of Amn. What are your thoughts on that PrC?

[Ernir]

I like Rogues because I'm the type that needs to be in the battle, physically. I actually saw one I like, would love input on, the Shadow Thief of Amn. What are your thoughts on that PrC?
Unless you want to capitalize on your Leadership score, I'd call it bad. I'd rather take straight Rogue, not suffer the cost of PrC entry that is the Persuasive feat, and enjoy some Rogue talents at the upper levels.

[Pesimismrocks]

If you have a wizard maybe a spell thief would boast some advantages.
If not pschic rogue and factotum are great. Both make fantastical skill-monkeys with factorum having all skills as class skills (autohypnosis and iajitsu focus included) and pschic rogues at higher levels can take ten in lots of skills.
Also the shadow thief doesn't seem a great investment. It seems to me you are weakening your rouge powers for +4 to diplomacy

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Beguiler, and pick a region that gives you Magical Training. Add more higher level Wizard spells to that spellbook so they count as spells known. Use the feat Versatile Spellcaster (RotD) to cast those spells using Beguiler spell slots. As long as you can use that to cast a spell one level higher than your current highest level spell slots, you'll also gain early knowledge of that level of the Beguiler spell list, and be able to cast those via Versatile Spellcaster as well.

Go Beguiler 5/ Mindbender 1/ Beguiler 14, your Advanced Learning spells should be Ray of Stupidity, Shadow Form, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Greater Shadow Evocation, and Superior Invisibility. Other feats to consider include Darkstalker (LoM), Mindsight (LoM p126), Shadow Weave Magic, (Greater) Spell Focus: Enchantment and/or Illusion, Invisible Spell (Cityscape), etc.

Alternatively, play an Illumian (RoD), Krau/anything, Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 10/ full casting 5. Use flaws to get Able Learner, Practiced Spellcaster: Beguiler, Versatile Spellcaster, and any metamagic feat by 5th level. Use Martial Wizard to get Improved Initiative instead of Scribe Scroll. Go Conjurer with Abrupt Jaunt, drop Enchantment and Evocation since Beguiler will get most of the best Enchantments anyway. At level 15 you'll cast as a Wizard 14 and as a Beguiler 8. The same Versatile Spellcaster trick applies to your Wizard spells known and Beguiler spell slots.

[RolandDeschain]

I'm partial to the ranger/scout, especially if you've got a wizard and a couple of melee fighters. You can still be a skill monkey and specialize in ranged combat.

[reeniebug13]

These are great ideas, but I just never got the hang of playing with any sort of magic. Every time I try, I die...

Question about Shadow Dancer though, one prereq is Dodge. Would the Rogue class skill count? I haven't played in so long and I'm not really finding anything that would explain it...

[Norin]

No.

Uncanny Dodge, the rogue feature, is not the same as Dodge the feat.