New player with question about dragonmark...

[garamond]

Hey gang!
Just started playing a few weeks ago, and my rogue is now at level 3. I completed a quest that allows me to
trade of of my feats for a dragonmark. I have yet to trade it in because quite frankly I don't want to give up either one of my feats! I was wondering what you folks thought of this.

I currently can either trade in my dual-wield feat or my dexterity/strength feat (sorry, can't remember the names)
Both feats seem important to the build that I am trying. The dragonmark improves my sneak ability.

Is it possible to wait and trade in a feat that perhaps doesn't seem as important?

[Trillea]

I would not take the dragonmark of Shadow. None of the mobs ingame really have that high of a spot/listen skill that if you put some decent points and have a high DEX (which you seem to with your choices) that it is necessary. With a hide and move silent item you will be just fine. I hope that you are working your way toward the Assassin PrE with what little you have said so far, it seems that it might fit your playstyle well. Just remember that you don't need to be in sneak mode to get sneak attack damage, just not have aggro. Take all the subtle backstabbing enhancements you can! AND TURN THEM ON! I don't know how many people I have talked to that don't know you have to activate these.

[tihocan]

Is it possible to wait and trade in a feat that perhaps doesn't seem as important?
You don't have to take a dragonmark feat. Most of them are not worth taking, especially on a rogue who's typically short on feats.

You will be able to use your free token to respec a feat later (not necessarily for a dragonmark). Save it for a potential swap at high level (when feat respec is extremely expensive). If you need an early respec, ask around and someone should be able to help you out with a shard if you can't afford one yet.

[Bacab]

Trillea was spot on...cant really add to this...

Though I will say this; if you are Halfling...those are pretty much the only dragonmarked feats worth taking.

[Braed]

I've taken the DMs on characters in the past, but I agree with the advice you're getting. Regretfully, I've had to use the free Fred feat to get OUT of a DM I had taken.

Getting some Invisibility will be of help to you though, even as a Rogue. You can run with it at full speed instead of stealth and at a certain distance, mobs will give up and go back to their relentless pacing or standing in a corner hiding. It is very situational, which is why a DM isn't very popular.

EDIT: Since some troll will point out it isn't a sub for stealth, I didn't use it instead of stealth. But when things go wrong it can help you shed aggro, you can farm Stealthy Repossession on Elite repeatedly with it, etc. Again, it is situational, is not a substitution for stealth, but it does augment the stealthy aspect of the game.

[Malazarti]

Hey gang!
...because quite frankly I don't want to give up either one of my feats!


You pretty much hit the nail on the head right there. As you have already determined, your Feats on your rogue are very precious, so don't trade any for the Dragonmark Feats.

Some of the Dragonmark Feats can be situationally useful, the Mark of Healing is especially good (for Halflings), but you really need a character build with a surplus of Feat choices in order to work them into your build without sacrificing too much other good stuff (i.e. prime combat feats). A build with a good amount of Fighter levels can especially attain this.

It's something you'll come to understand more overtime as you play the game and build characters.