Super Tumbler

[Sjlver]

So I am playing a sort of sneaky character who has alot of the feats that rely on high skills like tumble and balance. I wanted to optimized these skills but I only know of the +2 skill feats and item familiar. Any suggestions? (I looked at the 'basket weaving handbook' but it was very unhelpful.)

[Greenish]

Ninja Spy from OA gets +20 or so to Tumble (and a few other skills) over 10 levels. Also some other nifty stuff.

[nedz]

I'll just leave this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732) here.

[MidgetMarine]

A single level dip in Blade Dancer (OA) nets you a really sexy fast movement boost and a constant +10 to tumble, jump and balance.

[MidgetMarine]

(also) The movement speed bonus increases pretty heavily through 10 levels, while the bonus to tumble, balance and jump increases all the way to a whopping +30 by level 10.

[Curmudgeon]

Items giving you a skill competence bonus follow a standard formula, so getting such an item made should be straightforward in a world with magical crafters.

Taking the dice variance out of the skill formula should make a big improvement. Skill Mastery lets "take 10" all the time and that's a big improvement over needing a sufficiently large skill modifier to let you succeed on a rolled 1; essentially, that's worth 9 effective ranks. The Rogue gets it as a special ability available at level 10. The Exemplar PrC gets a similar ability right away, but is expensive in terms of prerequisites. Your best bet may be a single level of Dervish; you get a limited list of mastered skills, including Tumble, at level 1.

[MidgetMarine]

Yeah. If you can afford to grab a level in Dervish and a level in Blade Dancer, even if you haven't taken ANY ranks in tumble and have NO dex modifier, you can reliably hit a DC 20.

I'm actually currently running a character with that setup (1 level in Blade Dancer and 2 in Devish) currently at level 10 with a +28 on tumble, and being able to take ten allows me to hit a 38. And let me tell you, being able to tumble THROUGH 6 people without rolling a dice...it's kind of awesome.

[Daftendirekt]

the +2 skill feats

Never. Ever. In any situation. Even if its a PrC prereq. Unless the PrC is very, very good.

[Slipperychicken]

Never. Ever. In any situation. Even if its a PrC prereq. Unless the PrC is very, very good.

Quoted for emphasis. Do not take those feats -you might as well set your feats on fire and throw them out the window.

I suggest Factotum. Adds your Int modifier to dex-based skills like Tumble, in addition to Dex. Also has excellent skills in general, and some spells to back it up. Sink as many feats as possible into Font of Inspiration, you'll thank me later.

[HalfQuart]

Not sure how it would work with your character concept, but there's also the Warlock that has the Least invocation Leaps and Bounds that gives a continuous untyped +6 bonus to Balance, Jump, and Tumble. You could get that with a 1 level dip.

[Mcdt2]

A 1 level dip in Thief-Acrobat (Complete Adventurer) will let you make a tumble check to move your full speed without taking the usual -10 penalty associated with that. If you pursue it further, it gives Skill mastery with Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble, but you have to wait for level 4 to get it.

Pros: Doesn't have any feat taxes (prereq of 8 ranks in Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble, evasion as class feature), the Fast Acrobatics,
Cons: SKill mastery comes late, smaller HD/BAB than dervish, less combat benefits than dervish.

[Curmudgeon]

Never. Ever. In any situation. Even if its a PrC prereq. Unless the PrC is very, very good.
I think you're going too far. If you're really adamant about being able to do something well at the lowest possible level, those weak feats may be your only viable option. You would retrain those feats (rules in Player's Handbook II on page 193) for better choices as soon as you can, of course.