rogue cohort writeup.

[Braininthejar2]

I need to make an NPC for my campaign, and I'm curious if you have any cool tricks that could make an otherwise mundane character more effective.

Concept: a smart street urchin recruited by a wizard to be his ear in the thieves' guild, gradually levelled up to level 7.

Build frame: rogue, no magic talent of his own, elite array with dumped strength (being small and easily discounted is kind of his thing)

I'm considering craven, but beyond that?

[Lilapop]

Darkstalker, from Lords of Madness.
If melee: Penetrating Strike from Dungeonscape, and remember that Weapon Finesse requires BAB 1+, so you can only take it on your third hit die and your attack roll will be gimped until then.
If ranged: something to activate sneak attacks, such as sniping->hiding, or blink + ignoring your own miss chance, or just grease/marbles.
As an option to ignore miss chances, or just in general, the Mage Slayer line of feats from Complete Arcane.

[OrbanSirgen]

...and remember that Weapon Finesse requires BAB 1+, so you can only take it on your third hit die and your attack roll will be gimped until then.


A one level dip of Swashbuckler at level 1 gets you Weapon Finesse as well as proficiency with all martial weapons...

[Braininthejar2]

What tricks are there to get sneak attack when you can't always rely on having a flanking buddy?

[OrbanSirgen]

What tricks are there to get sneak attack when you can't always rely on having a flanking buddy?

Anytime the target would be denied Dex bonus to AC, whether the target actually has a Dex bonus or not, or if the rogue is flanking the target... Page 151 of the PHB has the following ways of removing Dex bonus to AC: if the target is blinded, cowering, flat-footed (surprised, balancing, or climbing), grappling, helpless, pinned or stunned... Also if the attacker is invisible...

[Lilapop]

A one level dip of Swashbuckler at level 1 gets you Weapon Finesse as well as proficiency with all martial weapons...
And +0.25 BAB and +2 avg HP over Rogue, as well as the good save starterbonus on fortitude. Even so, I prefer spending my one one-level-dip on Swordsage at 9 (8/2+1 = IL5 = ML3 = Assassin's Stance, plus the flanking elemental, plus the melee rapid shot thingy, plus the 50ft teleport). Would also match OP's idea of "appearing insignificant" better than a Swashbuckler's bravado. Except it might already be too much magic, considering two of the five maneuvers I listed are officially supernatural. But thats the beauty of 3.x: Options, options everywhere!

For activating sneak attacks, I just realized... Greater Invis becomes available at ECL 7. Once again though, probably too much magic for this concept. That's why I mentioned marbles.