Just worked out an amazing combat build that I wanted to share with all of you.
Kujo the Butcher (9th-level seascarred unchained rogue)
There are few pirates more feared throughout the Inner Sea than the one known as Kujo the Butcher. Infamous for his vicious and bloody fighting style as well as his excessive cruelty, Kujo revels in the violent dismemberment of his foes, never missing a chance to put on an especially gruesome display for enemies and allies alike. Many are the stories in which he slowly carved into his prisoners with his many knives or consumed their flesh in an orgy of blood.
Though many a jest and rumor claim that Kujo has shark blood in his veins, few outside of his immediate crew are actually aware of Kujo’s heritage as one of the abominable seascarred—distant cousins to true weresharks. He is loath to reveal this secret to outsiders and is quick to devour anyone who might question him on the matter. Kujo has always felt an almost spiritual connection with the ocean and, like most seascarred, makes his living on or near the open sea (as a pirate in his case, or as a butcher when the need to lay low arises). The sea is his god and it constantly demands sacrifice and blood-stained waters, and Kujo is all too happy to oblige.
Nearly as famous as Kujo himself, is the giant hooked axe he carries with him at all times. Called “Wavesplitter,” the axe is said to have been a war trophy taken from a river giant lord with which Kujo once had a dispute. After butchering its former owner, Kujo had the axe head modified to look especially menacing, to better fit his frightening personality. He even went so far as to hang a stylized ribbon made of its former owner’s hair from its haft—a constant reminder to all that none are too big to be cut down to size.
As a strength-based rogue, if his enemies don't get to him first, Kujo favors charging ahead, axe leading; very much like a shark darting after a fish. After landing his first blow his foe must suddenly contend with a host of horrible side-effects including bleed damage, debilitating injury penalties, demoralization, penalties to natural armor, the and the sickened condition. He is, in effect, the ultimate rogue debuffer.
What's more, as Kujo flenses his enemy, the horrific display not only terrifies surrounding foes as well, but also emboldens his allies to serve him better. With a single charge attack and a half way decent intimidate roll, it is quite possible for Kujo to send an entire deck full of enemies diving overboard in blind fear.
Should his enemies not flee in terror or die too quickly, Kujo bides his time, circling like a shark with his allies and hacking chunks off of his foe with his menacing axe (which boosts everyone's ability to flank).
Meant for an aquatic campaign, Kujo's ability to breathe underwater or swim like a fish is sure to serve him well. Even in a land-bound adventure, his ferocity and bite attack are sure to make him a fearsome foe.
Though some of his archetype abilities (brutal beating) are somewhat redundant with his flensing strike feat, the latter only works on living creatures susceptible to bleed. Thus, when fighting a creature immune to bleed damage, brutal beating still proves quite useful to have on hand.
Note that this isn't even 100% optimized. You could do much better with a different weapon that can be finessed and uses less feats, or choose a race that has a Charisma bonus and doesn't actively penalize a key skill. I made certain decisions for fun and flavor, but I think the heart of the build is still represented quite well here.
At higher levels, you could also take the Power Attack and Hurtful feats, or perhaps Disheartening Display, Gory Display or Shatter Defenses.
In any case, I call it the Rogueking ball. (Because he's king of the rogues and something of a wrecking ball.) I hope you will help spread it around. Perhaps it will help to restore some faith in rogues.
EDIT: I recognize that the title is something of a misnomer, as you may still think you want a trap finder or a poisoner or some other meaningless niche rogue. :P
Alternatively, for a more magical, dextrous Rogue
Level 9 Tiefling Knife Master Rogue, VMC'ed with Magus
1- TWF, River Rat trait
2- Minor Majic(Detect Magic)
3- Arcane Pool, Finess Training (Daggers)
4- Major Magic(Chill Touch)
5- Deific Obedience (Pharasma)
6- Bleeding Attack
7- Magus Arcana(Prescient Offense)
8- Combat Trick (ITWF)
9- Flensing Strike
No need for strength, just dex and int. Can take Flamboyant Arcana and Arcane Deed for access to Swashbuckler deeds. Alternatively take the Familiar arcana and Improved Familiar to get a Faerie Dragon, and therefore easy wand use for buffs, like Reduce Person.Focus on using Debilitating Injury (Bewildered) to make sure your subsequent Sneak Attacks hit. Chill Touch is useful later on when you gain Spellstrike from the Magus VMC due to your many attacks and it's multiple touches per use. First Advanced Talent would be Double Debilitation to decrease your enemy's chance to hit at the same time as AC, to give yourself some more survivability.
I don't think I would count a character whose defences are quite that weak as being an amazing combat built. Especially with an initiative modifier of +2, you need to be able to survive to actually act.
Easily solved by not making it a strength rogue. I believe I made that point in the OP.
How is that going to improve your terrible will save? Doing so also drops your Intimidate by quite a lot. You also don't have much of a plan for things that cannot be intimidated or sneak attacked. You are going to suffer horribly against constructs, plants, undead, oozes, elementals, incorporeal creatures and vermin and will struggle to intimidate level appropriate creatures larger than you.I don't think I would count a character whose defences are quite that weak as being an amazing combat built. Especially with an initiative modifier of +2, you need to be able to survive to actually act.Easily solved by not making it a strength rogue. I believe I made that point in the OP.
The Will save is going to be an issue on ANY rogue. It's a fault of the class, not my build.
Intimidate doesn't really drop too much when you prioritize Dexterity, since you could always take Skill Focus instead of Intimidating Prowess. (And yes, I know you could conceivably take both, but you only have so many feats to go around, and it isn't really even necessary seeing as the DCs to demoralize opponents are ridiculously low).
You don't need to demoralize most of the creatures you mentioned. You can still sneak attack most of them and apply other penalties.
Except for creatures that are vastly more powerful than you, I fail to see how intimidating them is going to be a problem. The DCs are low and getting a high modifier is damned easy.
I just linked to this from another thread and the one drive file appears to be missing.
Sorry, sometimes if I update a character the wrong way, it breaks the link. Try this instead. I've also updated the link in the other thread--thanks for bringing it to my attention.