Rogue 18/Ranger 2 build advice

[Thorryn]

So looking for some help on what to do next. I wanted a Drow trap based, rapier build with a splash of ranger for twf feat and wand use. I also wanted a bit of haggle.

Thinking of going way of the mechanic, traps first dps second.

I am by no means a power gamer so adding tomes and high end equipment will just be luck of the draw.

My questions are:

Is a non-pure rogue viable endgame? (trapwise) I was told that a non-pure Rogue cannot max his trap skills

What do I put my ability raises into?

Was Chaotic Good a bad choice for alignment?

Do I need UMD? Should I have raised charisma and put points into it? (last thing I wanted to do was carry umteen scrolls in my backpack)



Level 4 Chaotic Good Drow Male
(2 Rogue / 2 Ranger)
Hit Points: 72
Spell Points: 0

BAB: 3/3
Fortitude: 5
Reflex: 10
Will: -1

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Stats Modified Stats
Abilities (Level 1) (Level 4)
Strength 14 14
Dexterity 16 19
Constitution 14 14
Intelligence 16 16
Wisdom 8 8
Charisma 10 10

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 4)
Balance 7 11
Bluff 0 0
Concentration 2 2
Diplomacy 4 4
Disable Device 7 11
Haggle 4 5
Heal 1 5
Hide 7 11
Intimidate 0 0
Jump 6 8
Listen -1 1
Move Silently 7 11
Open Lock 7 11
Perform n/a n/a
Repair 3 3
Search 7 13
Spot -1 1
Swim 2 2
Tumble 7 8
Use Magic Device n/a n/a

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Rogue Disable Device I
Enhancement: Rogue Search I

Level 2 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I

Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Rogue Faster Sneaking I

Level 4 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity I

Thank you any and all for your help!

[Stanley_Nicholas]

Technically all you need is one rogue level to handle traps. You can still max out your rogue skills once you have taken a level in the class, but if those skills are not also favored by your new class then it will cost twice as many skill points to max them out. So for instance, a level 1 rogue puts 4 points into Disable Device. Then he takes a level of ranger, and wants to boost the Disable Device ranks to 5. To do so, he would have to spend 2 skill points to raise it by that one rank.

So you do have to have a high enough intel to get the skill points you will want to keep the desired skills maxed. But whoever told you that only a pure rogue can max his trap skills had no idea what he was talking about.

Your starting stats are good. Your int is a bit high for a nearly pure rogue though - you could easily get away with fewer rogue levels and more ranger, at least to pick up tempest at ranger 6.

For the choices you've made so far, you're on the right track. True Neutral or Lawful Neutral (if you think you may ever consider splashing a monk level) would have been a better choice for alignment because you have UMD available to you, but it's not going to kill the build. Put all your level up stat points into dex. And you absolutely want to max out UMD - eventually it will let you use a lot of handy scrolls, like raise dead, heal, greater heroism, fire shield, etc.

Keep Search, Disable Device, and UMD maxed at the very least. It's not necessary to max Open Lock, though keep it relatively high. Maxing out Spot would be useful if you can manage it. Other than that, put your skill points wherever you like and you will be fine.

Trap handling is an ability that doesn't need to be a rogue's primary focus for him to still be excellent at it. That's really a secondary ability in DDO. Just keep the skills up and use the best skill items and lock picks you can find, and otherwise focus on boosting your DPS, hitpoints, and utility via UMD.

I'd recommend that you look at a build along the lines of 13 rogue / 6 ranger / 1 fighter once you reach level cap.

[Dyesalot]

I might have this total wrong having played this game for less then a week but from what I have been reading you should be fine with respect to being trap orientated. What ever skill points you might be missing by the couple ranger levels should not have to much of an impact. You will be able to make up most of this with items and enhancements *skill boosts*.



There might be a couple chests/traps on a couple maps that will give you an issue but not having done them and only read about them it should not be a big deal for overall game play. In fact from what I have been reading it would be better for overall game play to concentrate on the DPS aspect rather then worrying about a couple traps in the whole game that you might miss the DC on.


UMD from other games I have played is extremely important for a Rogue or for that matter any non arcane type character. I don't think I would jam a bunch of CHA points into the build as they are better used in some other area.


I have just started a Ranger/Rogue build myself as a first character ever on this game. Having fun with it as I travel with a Paly Tank. We make a pretty good mix and even though we are total noobs to this game have managed to do most elite quests on the snowy side without to much difficulty. Still have a couple to go but have only died on 2 of them. Once by stupidity the other by yes... stupidity. We made it through the next time around by being better prepared and not underestimating how brutal elite can be.

I would pick up Ron's tool for character building if you want to plan things out so you avoid possible pitfalls with feats etc . A little planning can save alot of headache down the road when you realize you can't take that feat or do not have that attribute to get that feat at that certain level. You don't have to be a powergamer to appreciate what a little thought can do to help a build.

Nothing worse then investing a boatload of time into a character then finding out that feat you wanted to take is unavailable because you forgot to boost attribute xyz up to 12 or never took prerequisite skill or feat at lvl 5(speaking from experience on other games)

Good luck with your Rogue. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am mine!