Warforged Scout

[torrasque666]

I'm contemplating a Warforged (Scout) taking levels in either Scout or Rogue. Something to be a bit of a skill monkey, utilizing the Armbow component for attacks, and possibly stealthy. As always with my stuff, No Faerun, no DL, no OA, no DragMag. Non-Setting and Eberron books only.


Advice?

[Petrocorus]

Do you want only to be the sneak or you want other area of expertise?

Do you want to optimise SA or Skirmish?

[torrasque666]

Other than being the party sneak, probably being able to hold my own in ranged combat. As for which to optimize, either really works. I'm willing to look at it both ways, both as the sniper who pegs the enemy with bolts from afar, and the guy who is running on walls, ceiling, etc in circles around the enemy.

[Fax Celestis]

Warforged scout is pretty terrible, especially in comparison to regular warforged.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?367221-Warforged-Scout-Xeph-Still-LA-0 Related

[torrasque666]

I'm aware of that school of thought, and while I do not agree with it that is not the discussion of this thread.

I respectfully ask that if you are only going to be critical to refrain from responding. It does no one any good.

[Fax Celestis]

I...what? Everything warforged scout does, regular warforged also does, and also has other things it also does. It's not "a line of reasoning". Regular warforged are objectively better.

[torrasque666]

Warforged gets an inherent size bonus to attacks and AC? Warforged gets a bonus to Dexterity(which, for the purposes of this build, I'm considering more important than Con or Strength)? I was not aware of that.

And what, pray tell, does a regular warforged do that a scout cant?

[Val666]

Have you thought about Factotum instead? they are...the monkeys Dx

[torrasque666]

Was hoping for more of a ranged damage dealer primary, skill monkey second.

[Val666]

What about a factotum iaijutsu sand thrower Dx? it is ranged (not like a bow but "it's something") and can deal tons and tons of damage. Grab Knowledge Devotion a dip into Master Thrower, maybe a couple of Fighter levels because extra feats.

Mmhmmm

Factotum 1/ Fighter 1/ Factotum +1/ Feat Rogue 2/ Factotum +2/ Master Thrower 2/ Pious Templar 1/ Factotum +10

Feats (Asuming Flaws)
1) Weapon Focus: Daggers, Point Blank Shot, Font of Inspiration
2) Rapid Shot
3) Font of Inspiration
4) Precise Shot
6) Font of Inspiration
9) Font of Inspiration
12) Font of Inspiration
15) Font of Inspiration
18) Font of Inspiration

You would max int because skills and Factotum. If Drow of the Underdark is open, Hit & Run Fighter would add
dex to damage against flat footed targets. So it would be Dex and Int to damage + Knowledge Devotion + daggers + Iaijutsu Focus. Master Thrower gives Quickdraw as a bonus feat. Double your attacks with Master Thrower palm throw (which doesn't adds str but you're not using it anyways). You'll have Improved Evasion and Mettle to secure saves and will nearly succed on every skill check. Grab Shapesand from Sandstorm and store it inside you e.e infinite daggers at your disposal.

[Jeff the Green]

What about a factotum iaijutsu sand thrower Dx? it is ranged (not like a bow but "it's something") and can deal tons and tons of damage. Grab Knowledge Devotion a dip into Master Thrower, maybe a couple of Fighter levels because extra feats.

Mmhmmm

Factotum 1/ Fighter 1/ Factotum +1/ Feat Rogue 2/ Factotum +2/ Master Thrower 2/ Pious Templar 1/ Factotum +10

Feats (Asuming Flaws)
1) Weapon Focus: Daggers, Point Blank Shot, Font of Inspiration
2) Rapid Shot
3) Font of Inspiration
4) Precise Shot
6) Font of Inspiration
9) Font of Inspiration
12) Font of Inspiration
15) Font of Inspiration
18) Font of Inspiration

You would max int because skills and Factotum. If Drow of the Underdark is open, Hit & Run Fighter would add
dex to damage against flat footed targets. So it would be Dex and Int to damage + Knowledge Devotion + daggers + Iaijutsu Focus. Master Thrower gives Quickdraw as a bonus feat. Double your attacks with Master Thrower palm throw (which doesn't adds str but you're not using it anyways). You'll have Improved Evasion and Mettle to secure saves and will nearly succed on every skill check. Grab Shapesand from Sandstorm and store it inside you e.e infinite daggers at your disposal.

Iaijutsu Focus is OA, so not available. However, Factotums are quite able to deal damage without it. See if Cunning Strike qualifies you for Craven. If not, dip Swordsage 2 for Assassin's Stance or just Rogue 1. It'd also qualify you for Shadow Blade.

Actually, something like Factotum 5/Sneak Attack Hit-and-Run Fighter 1/Swordsage 1 or 2/Factotum +x (not in that order) would work fairly well. Get that Fighter level in there at or before 3rd so you can get Craven there. Dip Swordsage at 5th (and maybe 8th, to get Assassin's Stance) to get a Shadow Hand stance and qualify for Shadow Blade. And Knowledge Devotion.

[torrasque666]

I know factotum is good and all, but I'm not a fan of it. I prefer static abilities to ones I have to declare, especially when working with a limited resource. That, and the more I think about it the only skills I need with this DM are Spot, Search, Listen, UMD.... Knowledge Arcana and maybe Appraise. He doesn't really know how to make good skill challenges.

[Petrocorus]

A good damage dealer with a minor in skill monkey is the Swift Hunter (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/09/swift-hunters-handbook.html) build.
Normally, should be perfectly buildable within your books limitation.

Another one is the classic archer-Rogue, just like our lovely Haley Starshine. Others will explain it better but i know it is feat heavy and needs some dip into Ranger and/or Fighter. Look for the Rogue's handbooks. You can check the Handbook Index (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=399.0) for several handbook about Rogue, Ranger and Scout.

A third possible build is the roguish Warlock. Sneak 1 / Warlock 12 / PrCs 7
The sneak part can be a Scout, a Rogue, a Factotum, or a (Trapfinding) (Arcane Hunter) Ranger.
The Warlock gives you damages that do not depend on flat-footing your opponent and staying inside 30 ft. They are less good than those of a pure archer build, generally, but can be improved with Hellfire Warlock PrC or a Glaivelock (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1110396) build. At level 6 a Warlock can Fly and get Invisible at will. Good for stealth.

As for any stealth character, i would advice the Dark template from ToM. Gives HiPS and cool bonus on Hide and Move Silently.

[Urpriest]

Is your DM allowing you to full attack with your Armbow? The description makes it sound like you can only make Standard Action attacks, if your DM enforces that it won't be viable past the first few levels.

If your DM does allow it, I'd advise either a Swift Hunter (mentioned above) or Swift Ambusher (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?273733-3-5-Swift-Ambusher-s-Handbook-WIP) build. No need to do anything especially fancy when the solid options are available.

[Taveena]

If you took the Swift Ambusher feat, you could be a Rogue and a Scout at the same time! Take Improved Skirmish, Acrobatic Skirmish, and Improved Acrobatic skirmish. Maybe also Martial Study/Martial Stance into Assassin's Stance. And ask if you can put Splitting on the armbow. Of which you have two. And try to get Crossbow Sniper to work. And take Dead Eye.

1d8+21d6+1.5 dex damage with twelve attacks per round WHEEEE.