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pototoes
2015-01-26, 04:51 AM
Context
This is my first post and I am unsure of the general etiquette of this forum, but I figured that this would be the best place for me to ask for help. I began playing this campaign a few years ago. I was just learning the game, and didn't know how to make my character. Another of the players tried to optimize my character by giving me a complicated class. This proved very frustrating to me since I was new to the game and wasn't very clear on the mechanics in the first place. Eventually I just made a Rogue and took whatever feats I thought would help. The problem was that I ended up rather underpowered compared to most of the rest of my party. I have come to realize that it is because of this that I ended up disliking combats. They seemed to take forever and weren't something I made much of a difference in. The game ran fairly infrequently, and we just resumed playing after almost a year's hiatus. During that time, I joined another group and played a game (albeit in a different edition that was easier for me to pick up) where I have a rather nice character that is useful in combats. I realized I don't hate combat; I hate feeling like I'm not helping anything or making a difference. So when the hiatus was over and I came back to my weak character, I felt the difference in power and decided to ask my DM if I could try and fix my character up. I'm still not 100% with this edition yet and would love some advice.

The Character Concept
Her father was something like a boxer and taught her how to fight at a young age. When the calamity that preceded the campaign orphaned her, she was moved with thousands of others as a refugee. She ended up on the street and turned to theft and other crimes. She learned to stick to the shadows and pickpocket before eventually stealing a book with some instructions on lock picking. Her father's lessons in hand-to-hand combat allowed her to get out of tough situations she couldn't avoid. Eventually her fighting evolved to incorporate dirty tricks and ruthless efficiency to end a fight as effectively as possible. She's done various 'jobs' for the local equivalent of a thieves guild. She also conceals many daggers on her person, which I have never managed to use in combat.

Basically she's a level 6 human and a punch-oriented street thug. She hits hard, and will stand her ground if pressed, but is otherwise light on her feet and hard to pin down. I would be open to incorporating a dagger or other small and easily hidden blade into her combat. I'd like to keep stealth and lock picking, if possible.

What I Have Now
Oh boy. She's kind of this Frankenstein Monster mishmash of 3.5/Pathfinder rogue with monk unarmed scaling in place of most weapon proficiencies. Its sort of a mess that was easy enough for me to understand when I was just starting to play. Never used any of my rogue talents, though.
Stats
STR-15
DEX-18
CON- 15
INT- 11
WIS- 10
CHA- 11
Feats are: Improved Unarmed Strike(merged with the monk scaling and sort of a freebie), Improved Initiative, and Combat Reflexes. I haven't added the level 6 feat yet.
Rogue Talents are: Bleeding Attack, Honeyed Words(I never use diplomacy), and Stand Up.
My skill points are mostly allocated to Bluff, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, Spot(for my wisdom is garbage), and Tumble.
She has all the rogue class skills up to level 6, though we never ever use trap sense.

Yes, I know it's a mess. :[ Any help would be greatly appreciated. Its hard to figure where to start.

KrimsonNekros
2015-01-26, 05:43 AM
I would strongly recommend the Ascetic Rogue feat from Complete Adventurer. It will keep your Sneak Attack and Unarmed Strike scaling properl6, and provide a boost to stunning attacks.

MightyPirate
2015-01-26, 06:36 AM
Don't use Trapfinding? This screams for my favorite rogue archetype: Thug (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/archetypes/paizo---rogue-archetypes/thug). Since you're already using unarmed strikes consider Enforcer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/enforcer-combat). Honeyed Words is a bit garbage because it's only 2/day at your level. I'd ask if you can swap it for combat trick, terrain mastery, or weapon training (for weapon focus: unarmed.)

Rogues can have a hard time contributing, particularly in pathfinder at higher levels. I'd just stick to stacking up sickened and shaken/frightened conditions in melee but only if you have other melee support. Paladins are great to help keep you alive and summoners of any class will be a huge asset.

Feint's End
2015-01-26, 06:43 AM
Honestly she seems like a perfect fit for brawler. You become pretty much exactly what you want.

Scaling unarmed damage and great flexibility in combat.

Sadly I'm not all to knowledgeable on the class so I hope somebody else can give you specifics.

Hiro Quester
2015-01-26, 07:12 AM
You really want Two Weapon Fghting and its feat line. Your weapons, unarmed strikes and daggers are light, so penalties are minimal. Extra attacks are gravy for a rogue. Take Combat trick as a rogue talent to get it, and ITWF.

And you probably need weapon finesse to take advantage of your high dex. I expect you have finesse rogue as a combat trick, right?

Now you are hitting hard and many times.

Weapon focus will further reduce attack penalties. If your unarmed strike scales with levels like a monk, then it's your focus.

Though I'm most familiar with 3.5. Only passingly so with pathfinder, so forgive misunderstandings, please.