Building a rogue with a possible splashing

[ImNotCrazy]

My goal here is to make use thieving abilities and use two weapon fighting and occasionally a ranged weapon. My idea was to start as a halfling ranger and then dual to rogue for level 2 and remain one. I figure i wouldn't lose too many skill points from not beginning a rogue at the start. Also, I heard rangers started off with the two weapon fighting feat...but that doesnt seem to be true. For stats I was planning to pick...

stats
str 6 (going to use weapon finesse)
dex 20
con 14
int 14
wis 8
cha 8

skills
hide13 ,jump4 ,move silently11 ,search6 ,spot3 ,diplomacy1 , tumble7 , use magic device1

feats
weapon finesse

favored enemy
monstrous humanoids

[tihocan]

You need 2 levels for Ranger to get TWF (and Rapid Shot).
You should start as Rogue to get more skill points. Then take your two levels of Ranger, then go on with Rogue.
Take down Dex to 18 and bump Str to 12. This will boost your damage output, and will let you take Power Attack with just a +1 Str tome, to boost your DPS later on. 6 Str is a bad idea on any character, and a very bad one on any melee.

[Rusty_Can]

str 6 (going to use weapon finesse)
dex 20

Weapon Finesse allows using your Dex modifier for attack rolls, but the STR modifier is still taken into account to determine your damage output.

Some foes are resistant or totally immune to sneak-attacks; against them, your 6 base STR rogue would have hard times.

13 STR in needed to get Power Attack feat, which any melee character should want.

Last but not least, in game there are several sources of STR damage; when any ability hits zero, characters become helpless.

[honkuimushi]

When you take cross class skills, you have to pay double. You can still do a Ranger with a Rogue splash, but you'll want to start out as a Rogue, not only because you'll get 8 more skill points, but almost all of the skills you want, including Balance, Disable Device, Open Locks, Search, Spot, Tumble and UMD are Rogue class skills. Search and Spot are Ranger skills, but the others are cross class. With a 14 Int and taking Search and Spot, you can take 3 cross class skills per Ranger level. If you start Ranger, you won't be able to take Disable Device or Open Locks at all at first level. And you probably won't be able to make up the lost skill points later. You can make a perfectly fine trapper with 1 or 2 levels of Rogue and 18 Levels of Ranger, with 1 additional level of Fighter, Barbarian or Monk. But you really have to start Rogue.

I also agree with the others with regard to Str. With a 6 Str, you'll do very little damage and end up helpless a lot of the time when you encounter Ray of Enfeeblement or poison. Also, by taking Rogue first, you won't be able to take Weapon Finesse until level 2(if you take Fighter at 2) or 3. In fact, since Rangers get the TWF feats as bonus feats regardless of Dex, you're usually better off leaving Dex at 14 and making Str your primary stat if you take at least 11 levels of Ranger.

[Farayon]

One more reason not to make a STR 6 halfling is that you'd be heavily burdened by just carrying around a stack of arrows. Halflings only get 3/4 capacity before being burdened and with only 6 strength, those short legs will quickly fall behind everyone else in your group.

[ImNotCrazy]

Thanks for all the replys. I found out a little after posting this that finesse doesnt account for damage as well but wanted more verification on it. I had no idea that you could dual and then switch back to your original class O_O which makes this build so much easier! I'm still getting used to 3rd additions D&D. I grew up with 2nd edition XD. Now that I know finesse doesnt account for str, will 12 str be high enough? I know I can raise it but it seems a tad low if its deciding my damage. I guess with backstab and twf it balances out?

[tihocan]

Thanks for all the replys. I found out a little after posting this that finesse doesnt account for damage as well but wanted more verification on it. I had no idea that you could dual and then switch back to your original class O_O which makes this build so much easier! I'm still getting used to 3rd additions D&D. I grew up with 2nd edition XD. Now that I know finesse doesnt account for str, will 12 str be high enough? I know I can raise it but it seems a tad low if its deciding my damage. I guess with backstab and twf it balances out?
12 Str still works damage-wise on a Finesse Halfling Rogue. Plan to get a +1 Str tome and pick Power Attack on your way, to help in particular when you can't sneak attack.

[Shumanfoo]

You could create a primary ranger with rogue splash. You only really need 1 rogue level in order to skill up open and disable. With a primary ranger you'll get all the TWF, ITWF, and GTWF for free. On top of that you'll get free feats for ranged combat.

You could do the ranger tempest (TWF) or arcane archer (ranged) prestige enhancements. Just make sure to look at the requirements for each to make sure you start off with the right stats and feats.

I'm in the low levels of a ranger character that can disable and open lock and is going the tempest route. I started with the following (32pt human):

Strength 16
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 12
Charisma 8

*If you didn't want as many of the skills you could pull back on the Int and place elsewhere.
** Dex is at 14 for the dodge feat.
*** This is not a finesse build, all levels into Str.