Advice on Rogue starting numbers

[alchilito]

Final build posted by Stanley Nicholas at the end of the thread.

Halfling assassin, GTWF, maxed out stealth and rogue skills

[Lymnus]

Since you're going Finesse, you're also probably desiring to do stat damage at end game. However, in order for your stat damage to affect a mob, you also have to bypass their DR. For that reason, I do suggest you drop your INT by at least 2, and increase your STR. I'd also suggest a 14 CON, but that's purely out of personal preference.

[Komori]

in addition to the -2 to str at creation, halflings have a penalty to their carrying capacity. you might find yourself encumbered easily. also ray of enfeeblement is common at low levels and if you are dropped to zero str you are helpless and can't even drink a potion

[kamimitsu]

in addition to the -2 to str at creation, halflings have a penalty to their carrying capacity. you might find yourself encumbered easily. also ray of enfeeblement is common at low levels and if you are dropped to zero str you are helpless and can't even drink a potion

Invest a little bit in your STR for the above reason. Rogues carry a lot of gear (especially since you are Two Weapon Fighting), and you'll need the extra STR to keep in the "light" encumbrance category.

I wouldn't spend so much in INT. Yes, skills are important, and yes, INT affects some rogue skills (and Way of Assassin II, should you go that route), but 18 is overkill, especially considering the cost of those last 2 points. Perhaps drop it down a bit and boost STR instead. As for skills, your list is fine, but if you have to short yourself on anything (which you probably will) go short on tumble, balance, and diplomacy (in that order). If you already know where most of the trap boxes are, you can get away with a low spot too, but that's up to you. I'd be sure to max Search, Open, Disable, Pick, UMD; then Hide and MS (if you are gonna go assassin route), and then everything else after that. But that's just like, my opinion, man.

Shiz

[QuantumFX]

Definately lower your starting INT down to 14. With a pure rogue you'll be able to keep your list of skills maxed out. (Though With a High DEX you might want to consider skimping on Balance/Tumble and get ranks in Haggle.) And you'll get back 10 build points that you can dump into STR/DEX/CON.

[Vagabond]

You will kill yourself (reroll) by lvl5 if you start with 6 strength. You are seriously not functional, being medium encumbered halves your dex bonus. The saving grace of my 10 starting strength build is that ram's might has me up to 16 str now and can just restore away rays. Also if you have a -2 damage penalty on a dagger or a rapier you won't be able to damage anything.

hide, move silently, balance, tumble, diplomacy, UMD, search, open lock, disable device. spot

is 10 skills, and you're getting 12 per level. Ditch it.

You could also easily drop ranks from hide/move silently/balance/tumble every few levels and sink that into haggle. Or drop to 14 int and drop one of them every level.

[Hvymetal]

Agree Neme, lower your INT a bit 14-16 should be sufficient with proper gear (which I KNOW you can get) and boost that STR

[Rameses]

Stats @ level 1 with +1 tomes
Str 14 (13 Base , +1 tome)
Dex 17 (16 Base , +1 tome)
Con 12 (11 Base , +1 tome)
Int 15 (14 Base , +1 tome)
Wis 10 (9 Base , +1 tome)
Cha 16 (15 Base , +1 tome)

Stats @ level 16 with +1 tomes, +6 items, Enhancements, Level Increases
Str 20 (13 Base , +1 tome, +6 item)
Dex 30 (16 Base , +1 tome, +6 item, +5 Enhancements, +2 Level Increases)
Con 18 (11 Base , +1 tome, +6 item)
Int 22 (14 Base , +2 tome, +6 item) *item usage: situational*
Wis 16 (9 Base , +1 tome, +6 item) *item usage: situational*
Cha 25 (15 Base , +2 tome, +6 item, +2 Level Increases) *item usage: always*

[CSFurious]

str: there is no sense in trying to make a strong halfling rogue because of their penalties so i would not start it higher than 12

dex: can be 18, but if you start at 17, you will have more points to play around with & your dex can be 34 with a +3 tome

con: 12 or 14 is good

int: 16 is good for an assassin, 14 will give you plenty of skill points

wis: 9 is good

cha: 12 is good because umd & diplo are important feats

anyway, my halfling rogue started at:

str 11

dex 17

con 12

int 16

wis 9

cha 12

i would also highly suggest that you take toughness as your first feat & then take a level of fighter at level 2 for weapon finesse as it will make soloing the harbor & explorer zones a piece of cake

after that 15 rogue/1 fighter is a good build for a halfling

[Stanley_Nicholas]

Here's a potential build to consider. Pretty similar to the one from CSFurious, actually. I built the enhancements towards WotA II, but naturally you could change them to whatever you like. This would have great DPS, and shouldn't have trouble with traps other than Cabal. Note, I used a large number of odd starting stats, in order to get maximum benefit from +3 tomes (and ultimately, +5's). The level 1 +2 int tome is purely optional, and only there to boost assassin DC's and let you put some points in another non-critical skill, such as bluff, haggle, or listen.

Edit: As I mentioned to you in game, if you don't mind rearranging the action points to work in Rogue's dex 3, you could drop your starting dex by one and bump up cha by 2. Just something else to consider.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 2.96
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 16 True Neutral Halfling Male
(16 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 164
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 12\12\17\22
Fortitude: 9
Reflex: 21
Will: 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 16)
Strength             11                    14
Dexterity            17                    28
Constitution         13                    16
Intelligence         16                    18
Wisdom                9                    12
Charisma             11                    14

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 1
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 1
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 1
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 1
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 1
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 1
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 16
+3 Tome of Dexterity used at level 16
+3 Tome of Constitution used at level 16
+3 Tome of Wisdom used at level 16
+3 Tome of Charisma used at level 16

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 16)          (Level 16)
Balance               8                 28                   29
Bluff                 1                 17                   24
Concentration         2                  3                    4
Diplomacy             5                 21                   22
Disable Device        8                 23                   24
Haggle                1                  2                    3
Heal                  0                  1                    2
Hide                  8                 28                   39
Intimidate            1                  2                    3
Jump                  5                 21                   24
Listen                0                  1                    4
Move Silently         8                 28                   39
Open Lock             8                 28                   29
Perform               n/a               n/a                   n/a
Repair                4                  4                    5
Search                8                 23                   24
Spot                  4                 20                   21
Swim                  1                  2                    3
Tumble                8                 28                   29
Use Magic Device      5                 21                   25

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Rogue)


Level 3 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Finesse


Level 4 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX


Level 5 (Rogue)


Level 6 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device


Level 7 (Rogue)


Level 8 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX


Level 9 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 10 (Rogue)
Feat: (Rogue Bonus) Cripling Strike


Level 11 (Rogue)


Level 12 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 13 (Rogue)
Feat: (Rogue Bonus) Improved Evasion


Level 14 (Rogue)


Level 15 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 16 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Feat: (Rogue Bonus) Skill Mastery
Enhancement: Rogue Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity I
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity II
Enhancement: Halfling Guile I
Enhancement: Halfling Guile II
Enhancement: Halfling Guile III
Enhancement: Halfling Luck I (Reflex)
Enhancement: Rogue Subtle Backstabber I
Enhancement: Rogue Subtle Backstabber II
Enhancement: Rogue Subtle Backstabber III
Enhancement: Rogue Subtle Backstabber IV
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training IV
Enhancement: Way of the Assassin I
Enhancement: Way of the Assassin II
Enhancement: Rogue Hide I
Enhancement: Rogue Hide II
Enhancement: Rogue Move Silently I
Enhancement: Rogue Move Silently II
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity I
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity II
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense I

[alchilito]

rogue is working out fine Stanley, thanks again for the help.

peace