Optimizing A Fighter/Rogue Build

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey everybody. I'm optimizing a Neutral Good Male Lesser Drow Fighter/Rogue. (What can I say I like Lesser Drow) This is his sheet: https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1170960 My reason for this build is to Power Attack and Sneak Attack as much damage as possible. So any advice for this build?

[Kadhel]

Hello !

About your drow fighter/rogue, you want to maximize Power Attack (so BAB) and Sneak Attack.

If this is your only concerns, and have access to many sources, you can use the dirty fighter ACF.


Dirty Fighter
Some fighters prefer stealth and cunning over martial skill. This variant can also be combined with the thug variant

This variant simply swaps one or more of a class's features for one or more class features of another class. A class feature gained works just as it did for its original class, including the level at which it is gained and any other effects, except as noted below.

Lose: Bonus feats.

Gain: Sneak attack (as rogue).

In conjonction as specified, there is the Thug ACF.


Thug
The thug is a street fighter, a survivor who learns to mix brute force with a bit of craftiness. He has most of the fighter's strengths, along with some additional skills to help keep him alive on the mean streets. Despite the name, not all thugs are mere hooligans - many are crafty veterans who use their knowledge of the streets to gain an advantage against their opponents.

Most thugs are nonlawful, though sometimes gangs of thugs with a lawful streak band together.

Class Skills
Add the following skills to the fighter's class skill list: Bluff, Gather Information, Knowledge (local), and Sleight of Hand. The thug gains skill points per level equal to 4 + Int modifier (and has this number x 4 at 1st level).

Class Features
The thug has all the standard fighter class features, except as noted below.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Thugs are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor.

Bonus Feats: A thug doesn't gain the normal fighter bonus feat at 1st level. Also, add Urban Tracking to the list of fighter bonus feats available to the thug.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hello !

About your drow fighter/rogue, you want to maximize Power Attack (so BAB) and Sneak Attack.

If this is your only concerns, and have access to many sources, you can use the dirty fighter ACF.



In conjonction as specified, there is the Thug ACF.
Nice. I like it.

[Maat Mons]

Since you're combining Power Attack and Sneak Attack, you might want to consider the Precise Strike feat (Dragon Compendium, p105).

[emulord]

Level 1 has *4 skill points, so you may want to take level 1 rogue regardless. It will help you hit the 5 skill point synergy bonuses faster.

[Bartmanhomer]

Level 1 has *4 skill points, so you may want to take level 1 rogue regardless. It will help you hit the 5 skill point synergy bonuses faster.Ok.


Since you're combining Power Attack and Sneak Attack, you might want to consider the Precise Strike feat (Dragon Compendium, p105).
Ok. I'll consider that.

[Maat Mons]

Since you're going the light-armor/high-dex route anyway, you may as well take the Drow Fighter alternative class feature. You lose proficiency with heavy armor and tower shields but... meh.


you may want to take level 1 rogue regardless.

If you take a Rogue level, I'd take 3. You don't lose any more base attack bonus, and you can pick up Penetrating Strike (Dungeonscape, p13).

Edit: Are you using multiclass xp penalties?

[Bartmanhomer]

Since you're going the light-armor/high-dex route anyway, you may as well take the Drow Fighter alternative class feature. You lose proficiency with heavy armor and tower shields but... meh.



If you take a Rogue level, I'd take 3. You don't lose any more base attack bonus, and you can pick up Penetrating Strike (Dungeonscape, p13).

Edit: Are you using multiclass xp penalties?

There's no multiclass XP penalities. Players and DM rarely use it.

[Bartmanhomer]

I could always multiclass my character to either Swashbuckler, Swordsage or Scout.

[The Insanity]

If you're going Swash/Rog, pick up Daring Outlaw from Conplete Scoundrel. It stacks Swash and Rogue levels for SA, Grace and Dodge Bonus.

[liquidformat]

You have high str, low int, and are focusing on two-handed power attacking with sneak attack as a bonus, I am not seeing what benefit swashbuckler would be giving you. Weapon finesse is a throw away feat for your build and insightful strike only triggers with finesse-able weapons. You will definitely want at least a level of swordsage, I would suggest taking it around level 9 due to access you gain there. I would actually suggest going spiked chain tripper with this build, you can power attack with the chain, it qualifies for shadow blade feat adding dex to damage (gloom razor could be interesting too), and gives you some interesting and powerful options after all prone enemies are a great target for sneak attack damage...

I would suggest against going scout, scout and rogue are divergent paths most of the time for delivering damage. While the swift hunter is a cool idea it is a real pain to pull off and would be better suited to a barbarian pouncing charger build...

[Anthrowhale]

The Craven feat (if available) significantly enhances Sneak attack damage.

It's tricky to use Power Attack without Shocktrooper, but it can be done via Deep Impact (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#deepImpact).

[liquidformat]

The Craven feat (if available) significantly enhances Sneak attack damage.

It's tricky to use Power Attack without Shocktrooper, but it can be done via Deep Impact (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#deepImpact).

What's so tricky about using power attack without shocktrooper? Sure you loose some nice functions but it is still powerful and setup correctly probably more so than twf sneak attack rogue.

on a side note, the feat from eberon that gives you all the knowledge skills + knowledge devotion can pair really nicely with your build if you have the skill points and open feats to accommodate.

[The Insanity]

What's so tricky about using power attack without shocktrooper?
Low attack bonus, I'd assume.

[liquidformat]

Low attack bonus, I'd assume.

That would be an argument to get knowledge domain working in conjunction with power attack not the function of shock trooper, it adds nothing to your attack bonus beyond the bonus given for charging...

[The Insanity]

That would be an argument to get knowledge domain working in conjunction with power attack not the function of shock trooper, it adds nothing to your attack bonus beyond the bonus given for charging...
It removes the penalty from Power Attack.

[liquidformat]

It removes the penalty from Power Attack.

was that in an errata or something? The version I have only lets you move your attack penalty into ac instead of damage, trip people by running them into each other, or move an opponent left or right as you push them back during a bull rush. I don't see anything about negating attack penalty...

[The Insanity]

was that in an errata or something? The version I have only lets you move your attack penalty into ac instead of damage, trip people by running them into each other, or move an opponent left or right as you push them back during a bull rush. I don't see anything about negating attack penalty...
Uhh...

Heedless Charge: To use this maneuver, you must charge and make the attack at the end of the charge using your Power Attack feat. The penalty you take on your attack roll must be -5 or worse. In addition to normal charge modifiers (which give you a -2 penalty to AC and a +2 bonus on the attack roll), you can assign any portion of the attack roll penalty from Power Attack to your Armor Class instead, up to a maximum equal to your base attack bonus.
It moves the penalty from attack to AC.

[liquidformat]

Wow I have been reading that wrong for years I thought it was saying I could add AC not dump ac to power my damage...