I was given the opportunity to roll stats. The stat array I rolled was 15, 12, 17, 17, 12, 11. I have been jonesing to play a halfling rogue (flat-out rogue; I've already done a ranger-rogue build) for a bit. Here's what I am thinking at least for the first 4 levels
NG female halfling rogue (swashbuckler, scout)4
2 traits: Reactionary, Rice Runner
Str 16 (17 -2 racial; +1 level 4 bonus)
Dex 19 (17 +2 racial)
Con 15
Int 12
Wis 12
Cha 13 (11 +2 racial)
Feats/Rogue Talents:
1st Point Blank Shot
2nd Rogue Talent: Weapon Training granting Weapon Focus: sling-staff as bonus feat
3rd Opening Volley
4th Rogue Talent: Befuddling Strike
The idea would be to make my first attack a ranged sneak attack or a ranged attack whenever possible. Follow this with a Charge and then on further rounds get sneak attacks from 1. moving to setup new Charge attacks, 2. eligible flankers from the rest of the party, 3. situational modifiers. My defense against AoO's would be managed by high Acrobatics skill.
I'm terrible at builds. If anyone has any critiques for me using the stat array above and the strictures that I remain rogue and halfling, please let me know. Thanks in advance!
Your main problem is going to be getting sneak attacks after you've entered combat, so I would recommend getting something to help you with that. Flanking is obviously an excellent option if you can, but things like Improved Feint can also be good tools to land that damage. Aside from that, your build looks pretty good.
Well, for one thing, you can take the alternate racial trait Craven, that's intended for Rogues, especially if you have a regular flanking partner. Given your campaign (if you're playing RotRL, for example) this may be a bad idea, but extra to-hit and initiative on a 3/4 BAB class are always welcome, in my book.
Next, why the Swashbuckler archetype, is there anything you're particularly attached to? Your acrobatics is already gonna be off the wall given your race (the Sure-footed racial trait gives you a +2, remember), the extra few % I think are pretty trivial.
Perhaps take Scout and Knife Master, and the River Rat trait? River Rat grants a +1 to all dagger damage, and Knife Master makes your sneak damage from daggers and such do d8s instead of d6s. This makes your sling-staff sneak damage d4s, which may not be an issue if you're only doing it in the first round, as you mentioned. Instead of using the sling-staff, perhaps throw daggers (and later perhaps getting a returning one). If you're throwing daggers, you'll probably want Quickdraw. You could also do Weapon Finesse instead of the slingstaff focus, and take advantage of your high DEX to hit. I'd pop your level 4 attribute point to DEX, in that case.
El Freako: I like the sling-staff, but am not particularly attached. I'll crunch the numbers on Stabby McStabberson and think about it. I originally went Swashbuckler though because the archetype gives you one martial weapon as a proficiency and two chances to take the Rogue Talent Combat Trick instead of the standard 1. Being halfling then I could use the martial proficiency on sling-staff (which is considered martial instead of exotic for halflings) and the 2 combat tricks could help my build down the road.
DMdubs: I hadn't considered Slayer. I'll have to find it out there in the world somewhere and give it a look.
Mark Hoover I sorta get what you are trying to do, with the above build.
I would suggest though that you check out possibly trying to do something similar with the Swashbuckler class (ACG), and taking a look at the feats for Dodge, Mobility, Canny Tumble (ACG) and the Confounding Tumble Deed (ACG).
If I had the ACG I would TOTALLY do that right now. Alas, not yet...
I have a way to almost always get sneak attack in melee. It's risky as heck since, y'know, you're in melee, but:
When you make a ranged attack while threatened, you can fool your opponent into thinking he has an opening.
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Dodge, Close Quarters Thrower or Point-Blank Master, Weapon Focus with selected ranged weapon.
Benefit: Choose a ranged weapon or a thrown weapon. When you make a ranged attack using that weapon, you can choose to provoke an attack of opportunity from one or more opponents who threaten you. You gain a +4 dodge bonus against such attacks. An opponent that makes such an attack and misses you loses his Dexterity bonus to AC against you until the end of your turn.
So you're in melee, use this feat and if they take the bait you've got at least a +6 (False Focus +13 Dex + Dodge) AC against their attack after which you make your ranged attack in melee to get a sneak attack. Now if only there was some way to guarantee they'd make that attack...