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I'm normally totally happy with whatever build I come up with for my characters, and have never really asked for advice before, but I love my Tengu rogue in PFS so much that I want him to continue to be both viable and survivable. Here is my dilemma:
I'll be jumping from level 6 to 8 due to some stored up GM credits. This gives me the option to take a feat for level 7, and a rogue talent for level 8, for which I can use to take a combat feat. He's a claw/claw/bite sort of combatant, and I originally wanted to take fun feats like Bloody Beak and Rending claws to stay with the theme, but it was suggested to me that I go one of two different routes.
1) Take Step Up for level 7, and Following Step for level 8, with the idea to take Step Up and Strike at level 9 and the Advanced Rogue Talent Opportunist at level 10. This offensive path would allow me greater opportunity to remain in a flanking position and utilize my natural attacks/sneak attacks to my fullest ability.
2) Take Dodge for level 7, and Crane Style for level 8, with the idea to take Crane Wing at level 9 and Crane Riposte at level 10 with the Advanced Rogue Talent that lets me grab any feat. This defensive path would let me better survive all those heavy swings that I'm inevitably exposed to by being a front line combatant.
Here are my feats so far:
1st - Improved Initiative
2nd - Rogue Talent – Finesse Rogue
3rd - Weapon Focus (Claw)
4th - Rogue Talent – Trap Spotter
5th - Power Attack
6th - Rogue Talent – Weapon Training (Bite)
(for those that are attentive, a Tengu with claws counts as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for purposes of qualifying for feats such as Crane Style)
Any other suggestions would be fine, too, except I'd prefer to avoid multiclassing. I'm leaning towards the offensive path, personally, but wanted to get other opinions, possibly from experience.
Thanks in advance!
I depends entirely on your AC. If you are looking at an AC value of 28+ when using crane style I say go Crane.
If not I say go offense.
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Going off of memory my AC is 24 when I'm not doing a full attack, 22 when I am (due to losing my shield bonus). I'll be upgrading my shield and armor another +1 each soon, too. I have 3 ranks in Acrobatics so fighting defensively right now I'd be another +3, plus whatever the Crane Style tree would give me. I can't get an Amulet of Natural Armor since I need my Amulet of Mighty Fists.
+5 (+1 mithril chain shirt)
+2 (from +1 buckler)
+6 (from Dexterity)
+1 (ring of protection)
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If u ask me ill always say defense over offense since im a traditional PnP player that has dealt with more than my fair share of killer DMs since AD&D. I have a few mottoes that i follow and preach but the 1 above them all is u have to survive climbing that later to reach the top. Meaning u can have a view of what u want at beginning and end game but unless u can survive until then it means nothing.
Though i do concede that most players of this generation view unless there killing the target in 2-3 rounds at the very most then they are doing some thing wrong. This might come from the fact of that it is how it should be done for APs or there all primarily console gamers that love the "i win button." Either way the character u have set up is more of an offense character so u should stick with what u have decided in ur mind what this character is and deviate from that only if u think its best for the concept and survival to later games.
I will tell u this the game changes dramatically when it comes to high end play and that is y most players on these forms that spout offense is better than defense dont get past level 12 at most. Usually they dont really get past level 6 from what ive read so far lol. So keep in mind the strategy that u have been using so far for combat may change in the mid to high levels. It might not but most likely it will and u should think about a back up plan, a contingency to say, to cope with what may happen in the future since it will most likely occur when u least expect it.
It really depends on your party.
If you're party is all defense, then you will be able to survive a number of rounds before going down, but if you can't deal enough damage to the enemy (especially ones with DR or regeneration) then you'll end up dead anyway. If you party is all damage, well you're eventually going to come across something that can out damage you. At that point, having a strong defense comes in handy to survive the round or two it is tearing your party a new one while you do the same to it.
If you have a reliable way to increase your AC by two before adding crane style then I would recommend going the crane style feat route. Keep in mind crane style cannot be used with shields unless you multiclass into alchemist because you must have a free hand.
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Going off of memory my AC is 24 when I'm not doing a full attack, 22 when I am (due to losing my shield bonus). I'll be upgrading my shield and armor another +1 each soon, too. I have 3 ranks in Acrobatics so fighting defensively right now I'd be another +3, plus whatever the Crane Style tree would give me. I can't get an Amulet of Natural Armor since I need my Amulet of Mighty Fists.
+5 (+1 mithril chain shirt)
+2 (from +1 buckler)
+6 (from Dexterity)
+1 (ring of protection)
Look into Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier and a Dusty Rose Prism.
