Excellent Rogue build

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As "deadliest rogue", I'd go with Rogue-19/Fighter-1.
While ranger is a popular choice, ranger will only give you ambidexterity: The dual wield ranger skill is an imitation of TWF which doesn't give you the prerequisite for Imp. TWF. You'll still have to pay for it, so you really only get one feat free that way.

If you instead take a level of Fighter, you will still get martial, and you will also get a combat feat of your choice. Furthermore, discipline will be a class skill, meaning you can buy a hefty amount of it at the cut rate of 1 rank/skillpoint. Not that it matters, but you'll also get Heavy Armor.

For not taking the last level of Rogue, you will lose out on a level of Uncanny Dodge, which provides an extra +1 to your reflex save. Since as a Rogue, you'll practically never fail a reflex save anyway, this is no great loss. You'll get a full 10d6 sneak, and all 3 of the bonus rogue feats of your choice.

Ranger will give you 1 free feat: Ambidexterity, which will lock you into the TWF style. You'll also get a favored enemy, which naturally should be humans.
Fighter will ALSO give you 1 free feat, of your choice and a bonus "heavy armor" proficiency you won't use. Same +10 HP base.

If you take Fighter late in your career, say, as your 19th level, and have saved your many Rogue skill points, you can plow them all into discipline at 1 point per rank. Then you can go back to rogue at L20, get your 10d6 sneak, final Rogue feat.

All in all, I'd say picking a level of Fighter will get you more results than a level of Ranger: Fighter, you get a free combat feat, and you pick what it is. It can be TWF-related, or you can pick up specialization, or whatever you want, and you can buy up discipline. Ranger, you get ambidexterity and a favored enemy.

For your equipment, the following items will be particularly useful:

• Helmet: Golden Circlet(imm mind attacks, +10 spell res), Thieves Hood (imm knockdown/poison, +skills)
• Ring: Ring of the Rogue (+4 dex), Ring of Protection (+5 AC), Ring of Power (+1 regen, Freedom)
• Cloak: Cloak of Movement (Freedom)
• Belt: Fire Giant Strength (+5 str), Uthgardt Ceremonial (Death Immune)
• Amulet: Natural AC +5, Greater Amulet of Health (imm poison/disease/leveldrain/+1 regen)
• Weapons: Rapier of the High Road(+1, +1d6 acid, keen), Shortsword of Quickness (+1, haste, +1d6 electrical), Rapier +3(for those special monsters which require +3)
• Boots: Boots of Speed(haste), Dragon Slippers (+2 dex, +10 spell resist, imm fear/knockdown)
• Armor: Robes of the Shining Hand (+5 AC, -1 listen, monk only), Improved Old Order (+1 soak 5, monk only), Acid Resistance(15/- acid resist), or simply go naked for bonus style points.
• Ranged Weapon: Composite Longbow +3 (+3, mighty +5)

It is important to acquire a full set of protection against cheese attacks (mind/death/paralyze). Knockdown/disarm protection can be had with the amount of discipline you can buy by taking a level of fighter, something you won't have as a ranger, but you can cover some of the gaps with Dragon Slippers or the Thieves Hood.
The acid resist robes are suggested due to the fact that fire/lightning/ice/cold/sonic attacks tend to be area-based, and rogues, with improved evasion and an insane dex, are effectively immune to all area attacks, leaving you with only the occasional danger of being killed by a hail of Melf's Acid Arrow spells.
This loadout should prepare you to face any opponent, be it monster or player, that you may encounter in your post level-20 career, without fear of being lamed by a cheese attack. Somebody can undoubtedly come up with a more destructive suit, but these items will prevent you from being cheesed, which is far more important, as it will allow you to face your enemies on your own terms. Whether or not you choose to go the rapid-shot sniper route, the dual wield route, or some variational route in weapon selection, you should have a ranged weapon anyway, simply for flexibility. Many Big Dumb Fighters don't have one, which can be a severe weakness should you encounter a situation where monsters are attacking with ranged weapons from a spot inaccessible by melee. Naturally, roguely types are smarter than Big Dumb Fighters.

I'm almost sure the credits go to Norfleet on the official bioware NWN forums for this piece!

 

wow, great overview.

I don't have insight into all the various items to try to "optimize" the most lethal paladin (my class of choice) but this has given me a few ideas ...

Might be fun to see suggestions on each of the classes.

I'll start ... most lethal female bard ... is dating the above mentioned rouge Lots of points in persuade...that's all she needs.

 

Oops, obviously weapon choice is Rapier, which was implied in the weapon choice but not stated outright, so to make things clearer:

Rapier, Weapon Finesse and very high Dexterity.

 

Hmmmm very nice. impressive too. hate to think how long it took to write that. if i ever replay a theif ill be sure to come her i promise. but till then i will stick with my 23 charisma sorc.

it obvious you like rogues . . . .

[ August 24, 2002, 08:01: Message edited by: Deepdarkness ]