Short Campaign - Level 18 - Need Advice

[TheHutz]

Starting a short campaign where the starting level is 18 and you have 50k gold to buy items from this post:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?424243-Sane-Magic-Item-Prices

I’m relatively certain I want to play a Tabaxi Scout Rogue. I’m leaning towards using a longbow as I’ve heard sharpshooter/crossbow expert is not really worth it with rogues.

Rolled stats: 10 16 15 12 13 10
Party so far: war cleric, div wizard, monk of some sort

Campaign will be combat heavy and deadly. What are some necessary feats? I’ll likely be scouting and looking for traps etc. Was thinking Alert, dungeon delver, maybe lucky. I have no idea where to begin in selecting magical items besides + weapons and armor. Should I grab a level of fighter for longbow proficiency and archery fighting style? If so what class should I start as?

Thanks all for the help!

[CTurbo]

Tabaxi Gloom Stalker Ranger 5, Scout Rogue 13

Archery Style, 10 Str, 18 Dex, 15 Con, 10 Int, 13 Wis, 13 Cha, Expertise Stealth, Perception, Acrobatics, and one other

Ranger 4 +2 Dex
Rogue 4 Sharpshooter
Rogue 8 Alert
Rogue 10 +1 Con and Wis
Rogue 12 Ritual Caster, Mobile, Skulker, or Lucky




Or if you want that awesome level 17 Scout ability,

Fighter 1, Scout 17

Archery Style, 10 Str, 18 Dex, 15 Con, 10 Int, 13 Wis, 13 Cha, Expertise Stealth, Perception, Acrobatics, and one other

Rogue 4 +2 Dex
Rogue 8 Alert
Rogue 10 Mobile
Rogue 12 +1 Con and Wis
Rogue 16 Ritual Caster, Skulker, or Lucky

[bid]

Should I grab a level of fighter for longbow proficiency and archery fighting style?
If you grab archery, might as well go to level 5 to get extra attack. Missing your only SA is a pain.
Not sure if samurai or gloomranger is best for your concept, but it's the same DPR.

[iTreeby]

Robe of eyes 30000, oath bow 3500, bracers of archery 1500, goggles of night 1500. Shoot people from far away, in the dark.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

If you grab archery, might as well go to level 5 to get extra attack. Missing your only SA is a pain.
Not sure if samurai or gloomranger is best for your concept, but it's the same DPR.

Not on a high level scout, it uses their bonus action but getting two sneak attacks per turn is nice.

17/1 rogue fighter is the way to go.
4 +2 dex
8 +2 dex
10 resilient con (alternatively put the 15 in Wis and grab a periapt of health+resilient Wis)
12 sharpshooter (I don't know who was saying this isn't good, but it depends a lot on the dm. Cover happens a lot in my games.)
16 Alert

Grab bracers of archery, goggles of night, bag of holding, and either boots or a cloak of elvenkind. I haven't looked at an oathbow in a while but it may or may not be a good choice.

[iTreeby]

Not on a high level scout, it uses their bonus action but getting two sneak attacks per turn is nice.

17/1 rogue fighter is the way to go.
4 +2 dex
8 +2 dex
10 resilient con (alternatively put the 15 in Wis and grab a periapt of health+resilient Wis)
12 sharpshooter (I don't know who was saying this isn't good, but it depends a lot on the dm. Cover happens a lot in my games.)
16 Alert

Grab bracers of archery, goggles of night, bag of holding, and either boots or a cloak of elvenkind. I haven't looked at an oathbow in a while but it may or may not be a good choice.

If cover is an issue then yeah, the oathbow is good. In fact it's so good, seeing your enemy can be a problem

[TheHutz]

Thanks to everyone for the responses.

I've settled on at least getting the Oathbow. I also want at least 17 levels in scout to start with Sudden Strike, two sneak attacks on a turn is awesome.

ASI's:

4th Level: +2 Dex, gets me to 20, the scores I listed were before racials.
8th Level: Alert, +10 initiative is awesome and attacking first and giving advantage to my whole party will be handy.
12 Level: +1 Con, +1 Wis won't need resilient Wis as Rogue 13 gives proficiency in wis saves.

That leaves 2 more ASI's, is mobile really worth it? I'll have the Tabaxi ability which allows me to double my movement speed often, the scouts reaction to move, and +10 to movement already from scout mobility. I'll also have much better climbing speed than most due to Tabaxi and scout abilities.

Oathbow will provide constant advantage on one creature, one would hope for the second sneak attack I could attack an enemy engaged with an ally but that likely won't be possible at the start of fights. Would Skulker be a good way to guarantee advantage on most other creatures with the fact that your attacks won't reveal your position and hiding should be super easy (edit: just realized skulker only keeps you hidden if you miss, not as good)? If I were to select ritual caster, what would be some good options(one more edit: owl familiar cheese would be a good source of advantage, but I've played enough characters with owl familiars lately)?

Lastly for items, I was looking at ring of spell turning. Having advantage on all saves for spells directed at me, with evasion covering the area of effects, I think I'm ruling out most ways for the enemy to take me out of the fight. At 30k it's a steep price but it seems to be for great reward. Bracers of Archery look good, but would it be better to forgo the level of fighter and just use these bracer's to obtain Longbow proficiency? Level 20 rogue capstone is meh, but I'd really only be getting +2 to hit and con saves from a fighter start if I opt for the bracers.

Again appreciate all of the input.

[iTreeby]

That is why I suggest the Robe of eyes and goggles of night, combined they give you dark vision out to 180 feet, well outside the perceptual range of most enemies, if you attack something that can't see you, you have advantage, you don't even need to hide. The DM's counter to this is to make everything well lit (the same counter to skulker) which is probably good for the rest of your party. The only thing better would be being able to see in magical darkness but who has room for two levels of warlock? If magical darkness becomes a problem, have an ally cast continual flame (out of a third level slot) on a few of your arrow heads, giving you the ability to counter darkness (by illuminating it but not actually dispelling it). So far, none of the demons or dragons I've looked at have had any perceptive ability over 120 ft so you should be good. Granted if they actual blind you, it is Kindof dangerous but that should rarely happen. Because it will take an action, give a save and so on. Plus you can still attack without disadvantage by using the oath bow. Be sure to remind the DM that you can see invisible and etherial objects in 120 ft.

[TheHutz]

That is why I suggest the Robe of eyes and goggles of night, combined they give you dark vision out to 180 feet, well outside the perceptual range of most enemies, if you attack something that can't see you, you have advantage, you don't even need to hide. The DM's counter to this is to make everything well lit (the same counter to skulker) which is probably good for the rest of your party. The only thing better would be being able to see in magical darkness but who has room for two levels of warlock? If magical darkness becomes a problem, have an ally cast continual flame (out of a third level slot) on a few of your arrow heads, giving you the ability to counter darkness (by illuminating it but not actually dispelling it). So far, none of the demons or dragons I've looked at have had any perceptive ability over 120 ft so you should be good. Granted if they actual blind you, it is Kindof dangerous but that should rarely happen. Because it will take an action, give a save and so on. Plus you can still attack without disadvantage by using the oath bow. Be sure to remind the DM that you can see invisible and etherial objects in 120 ft.

Really appreciate the suggestion! It just seems like A LOT of gold for advantage on Perception Checks, the ability to see invisible/ethereal, and 120 foot dark vision. Realistically, how often will you be able to get 180 feet away from an opponent? Likely not anytime indoors and if outdoors, it's only relevant if I'd be fighting at night, which I think parties tend to try to avoid if at all possible. This paired with the fact that the 30k item actually comes with some downsides turns me off of the idea. I can spend 30k to get advantage on saves for all spells cast only on me, and turn them back on the caster 10% of the time. I do think I'll go with the goggles of night suggestion as it's only 1.5k and doesn't require attunement, giving me a base of 120 feet darkvision.

I'm leaning towards this setup:

Ring of Spell Turning 30000 attunement
Oathbow 4500 attunement
Bracers of Archery 1500 attunement
Studded Leather Armor +2 6000
Goggles of Night 1500
+2 Arrow x 45 4500
Oil of Slipperiness x 2 960
Potion of Sup Healing x2 900
49860

[CTurbo]

Yes Mobile is worth it for a Scout.

Magic Initiate may be better than Ritual Caster for a Rogue. Yes Find Familiar either way to help your scoutiness. Alarm or Detect Magic are good picks for RC while Booming Blade and one of the fire cantrips would be my picks for MI. Being able to snuff out a flame is great for stealthy operations.

Skulker is great for Rogues with just one attack because you can just stay still if you miss. Without the feat if you miss you pretty much have to move and re-hide again. It's only potential knock is it can be DM dependent.

[iTreeby]

Pick up a quiver of Ehlonna 1000
And maybe some arrows of slaying 600 if you can guess some enemies like humanoid or dragon or maybe evil slaying (it says type race or group)
Broom of flying 8000 for attunement free flight.