The Sneaky Cleaver

[Vastlyapparent]

I was playing around, trying to figure out how to build my Half-Orc rogue, and came up with the following crazy idea. I figured I'd share it and see what people thought of it.

Sneaky Cleaver
Rogue (Trapsmith) 10/Pathfinder Delver 1
Half-Orc

Str 18
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 10

FEATS
1st - Power Attack
3rd - Cleave
5th - Combat Expertise
7th - Improved Feint
9th - Great Cleave
11th - Improved Surprise Follow-Through

ROGUE TALENTS
2nd - Canny Observer
4th - Combat Trick: Surprise Follow-Through
6th - Weapon Training: Weapon Focus (Falchion)
8th - Trap Spotter
10th - Crippling Strike: 2 str damage when sneak attack

Now, you might be thinking, why not a fighter, or a barbarian? Why choose rogue for this? Well 2 reasons, first off, I wanted to be able to fill the trap/skill monkey role. Secondly, Improved Surprise Follow-Through denies any follow-up targets of Cleave or Greater Cleave their dexterity bonus against you. That means, Sneak Attack damage fun times. Being enlarged or otherwise gaining greater reach is important to compensate for cleaves weaknesses. Lunge would be a decent choice to shove in there, not sure where though. I threw in Improved Feint, so that the first target could be sneak attacked too.

Assuming you're enlarged, power attacking and completely ignoring equipment (except that you're wielding a Falchion), you'll be doing a base of 2d6+16 +6d6 +2 Str damage 18-20/x2 to clusters of enemies. You're like a martial version of fireball.

As fun as this looks, I question how playable it would be due to the limitations of cleave. But it certainly looks fun on paper. I picture him/her screaming "SNEAK! CLEAVE! SNEAK! CLEAVE!" every round as enemies are mowed down.

Any thoughts?

[Conundrum]

I Like it! throw in lunge and get invisible in the midst of enemy clusters and just WABANG! Lunge + enlarge + Great cleave=AWESOME.

[cnetarian]

I'd ditch improved feint (and combat expertise) simply because the times I've been in good position to great cleave without moving are so few that I cannot recall it ever happening. That would let you take great cleave at level 7 and lunge at level 9. Also note that as a rogue you cannot take power attack at level 1 (or cleave at level 3) so they would have to be shifted to levels 3 and 5 while if you want to keep improved feint you could take combat expertise at level 1.