Combat feats for a rogue [non-TWF]

[zeek0]

Hello all,

I am currently building a Roguish character with a CHA focus. What are some feats that allow me to be useful in combat (damage or otherwise) that do not involve TWF?

Thanks!

[Val666]

Dip Cleric/Coistered Cleric for travel and knowledge devotions. This gives you turn undead. Grab power attack (Im asuming you are using a two handed since no twf) and then grab Divine Might. Spend a turn attemp and gain CHA to damage for 1 full round. Craven is always a good way to improve damage, you are a rogue so sneak attack is up

[OldTrees1]

Staggering Strike (http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/staggering-strike--2753/). On a Sneak Attack you inflict the Staggered condition.

Fearsome Armor[Drow of the Underdark] + Imperious Command (http://dndtools.eu/feats/drow-of-the-underdark--93/imperious-command--3193/). Demoralize someone to their knees(cowering) as a move action.

[Val666]

You should also dip 2 levels into Swordsage for an extra 2d6 sneak attack, some maneuvers and Shadow Blade.

[heavyfuel]

I'll just second Staggering Strike. It's that good...

[Yael]

I've been always a fan of Telling Blow + Craven with a Rapier... Just a thought.

[OldTrees1]

I've been always a fan of Telling Blow + Craven with a Rapier... Just a thought.

I'm confused. You can't add Sneak Attack twice, so why not just add it to every attack rather than only adding it to crits?

[Yael]

I'm confused. You can't add Sneak Attack twice, so why not just add it to every attack rather than only adding it to crits?

I know that Craven works much better with TWF, but as the OP goes into a non-TWF route, Telling Blow adds your SA into your criticals, and I like the Rapier's 18-20 crit threat, so anytime you crit (that should be enough consistent with Keen/Keen Edge/Improved Critical), you add your Critical multiplier damage plus your level times your critical multiplier (x2, usually), plus your SA.
When the conditions for a SA meet, you are just getting nothing for the feat, but for some rogues may work.

[Ernir]

You not TWF-ing doesn't mean you don't benefit immensely from extra attacks. Take a look at Person Man's guide to Extra attacks, natural attacks, AoO (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?127463-3-X-Extra-attacks-natural-attacks-AoO&p=7066595#post7066595). Lots of feat-based options.

Since you are Cha-focused, there are feats like Combat Panache (Player's Handbook 2) and Goad (Complete Adventurer), but there's often something better to be done with the precious feats...

Not a feat, but I have to mention the Stunning Surge weapon enhancement (Magic Item Compendium). Rogues like stuns, and you have the Cha for it.
There's a more borked version of the enhancement in the Dungeon Master's Guide 2, too.

[ILM]

Well, there's always the debuffing route. Sickening Strike, Terrifying Strike, Aleval School, all from DotU. No save, -6 to your choice of saving throw for one round (and -4 to the two others). Granted, it only works if the target isn't immune to the sickened and shaken conditions, which may become rare at higher levels depending on your DM and campaign. Still, if you act before your caster, he's probably going to get that save or suck to stick.

[Andezzar]

It's feat intensive, but if you can get adaptable flanker (requires vexing flanker and combat reflexes) and EWP spiked chain (or take the penalty for not being proficient) you can always flank one medium creature you are adjacent to and thus activate sneak attack. If you can increase your natural reach to 10 ft, you can do the same with large and huge creatures as well

[sideswipe]

im going to go out on a limb here and recommend a build and some feats.

human paragon 2 / rogue 7 / iaijitsu master 8 / swordsage 1 / iaijitsu master 2
or - cloistered cleric 1 / human paragon 2/ rogue 7 / iaijitsu master 10

first build (and feel free to change things up but you need Improved Initiative , Quick Draw and Weapon Focus (Katana)
need full ranks in sleight of hand for hidden blade, sudden draw and mercurial strike.
need full ranks in tumble for acrobatic backstab
need full ranks in concentration for sapphire nightmare blade

human paragon 1 - take iaijitsu focus as your adaptive learning skill. feats - improved initiative, quick draw, weapon focus katana (shakey flaw), exotic weapon proficiency katana (other flaw)
human paragon 2 - bonus feat martial study - sapphire nightmare blade
rogue 1 - feat - craven, hidden blade skill trick
rogue 2 -
rogue 3 - trade trap sense for penetrating strike, sudden draw skill trick
rogue 4 - feat - martial study - cloak of deception (if your dm is of the ruling that you are flat footed against invisible opponents)
rogue 5 -
rogue 6 -
rogue 7 - feat - mercurial strike, acrobatic backstab skill trick
iaijitsu master 1 -
iaijitsu master 2 -
iaijitsu master 3 - feat - combat expertise
iaijitsu master 4 - bonus feat - improved trip
iaijitsu master 5 -
iaijitsu master 6 - feat - knockdown
iaijitsu master 7 -
iaijitsu master 8 -
swordsage 1 - feat - adaptive style, as some of your maneuvers you take any tiger claw you want with no prerequisite, so you can take death from above as a second one. you take any of the rest you want really, its a dip for more flat footed options, you can take up to 5th level maneuvers with the 6 you gain as long as you meet prerequisites. also you can now recharge the maneuvers you gained earlier in the build so that they are no longer 1/encounter.
iaijitsu master 9 - bonus feat - skill focus iaijutsu focus.
iaijitsu master 10 -


you get (on almost every attack due to your feats and maneuvers) your normal attack and damage with an extra 4d6 sneak attack (6d6 with shadow hand stance), you also should get close to 9d6 damage from iaijitsu focus, and on top of every dice from iaijitsu you add charisma.

so you need at least
str 15 but you want this high. (say 34 as 18 +5 levels + 5 tome +6 item)
dex whatever
con decent
int 13
wisdom lol
charisma lots (say 24 by level 20 as a benchmark 14 + 6 item +4 tome)

so as damage you get 1d10 + 18 (str) + 20 (craven) +6d6 sneak attack +9d6 (iaijitsu) + 61 (chax9) = average of 157 damage per attack. this is if you use a strike maneuver, if you are using a normal attack you get two of these for a standard action without penalty meaning 314 damage from a standard action. a full round being combat is over.

edit - oh i forgot to mention, every time you hit you trip them and get another attack. so yeah.....


the other build is similar, but you get a few 1st level cleric spell, and you take knowledge devotion and travel devotion. the build remains similar.