Rogue Horizon Walker w / Eldritch Heritage(Shadow) Stealth Build

[Chooky]

How would you guys rate this character in terms of usefulness as an actual scout? The idea is to scout way ahead of the group and be able to survive/get away if detected. Mechanic-wise it's all based on the brokeness of the Rogue Talent Terrain Mastery and how it stacks to ungodly levels. Then add in getting HiPS with Improved Eldritch Heritage(Shadow) at LV11, for the perfect Stealth machine.

When it comes to combat, he's got 6 LVs of Rogue with 3/4 BAB, then Full BAB from Horizon Walker. Damage would be low, as he'll only have max 3d6 Sneak Attack (unless you go beyond LV16 for more Rogue LV) and all other feat slots are Extra Rogue Talent.

Outside of combat and scouting, you get 8 ranks per LV for Rogue and 6 ranks per LV for Horizon Walker, making this build a capable Skill-Monkey that can either go trap detection/disable device or the Face (with at least 15 CHA for Improved Eldritch Heritage). You can stack on Survival to get godlike numbers for food gathering/tracking in your favoured terrain too.

I chose Plane of Air for the ability to Fly for Terrain Dominance, but you could gain combat effectiveness by choosing something else for the Favoured Enemy bonus instead. Depending on your DM, you could argue that Humans are native to the Urban Terrain, getting a +14 hit/dmg against Humans.

Favoured Terrain Build:

Rogue for the first 6 levels, then Horizon Walker. DEX is 16 for +3 mod

LEVEL 1: Rogue 1, Stealth = 10 = 1(Rank) + 3(DEX) + 3(Class Skill) + 3(Skill Focus)
Skill Focus(Stealth)

LEVEL 2: Rogue 2
Rogue Talent(Terrain Mastery, Urban)

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Urban +2

LEVEL 3: Rogue 3
Run

LEVEL 4: Rogue 4
Rogue Talent(Terrain Mastery, Underground)

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Underground +2, Urban +4

LEVEL 5: Rogue 5
Eldritch Heritage(Shadow/Umbral): Either Cloak of Shadows or Shadowstrike

LEVEL 6: Rogue 6, Stealth = 15 = 6(Rank) + 3(DEX) + 3(Class Skill) + 3(Skill Focus)
Rogue Talent(Terrain Mastery, Forest)

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Forest +2, Underground +4, Urban +6

LEVEL 7: Horizon Walker 1
HW Favoured Terrain(Mountains)
Extra Rogue Talent(Terrain Mastery, Jungle)

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Jungle +2, Mountain +4, Forest +4, Underground +6, Urban +8

LEVEL 8: Horizon Walker 2
HW Favoured Terrain(Plane of Air, Urban)
HW Terrain Mastery(Plane of Air): +1 competence hit/dmg vs flying creatures

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Plane of Air +2, Jungle +4, Mountain +6, Underground +8, Urban +12

LEVEL 9: Horizon Walker 3
Extra Rogue Talent(Terrain Mastery): Cold?
HW Terrain Dominance(Plane of Air), Fly as (Sp) 3+WIS/day, CL = Character LV

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Cold? +2, Plane of Air +4, Jungle +6, Mountain +8, Underground +10, Urban +14

LEVEL 10: Horizon Walker 4, Stealth = +23 = 10(Ranks) + 4(DEX) + 3(Class Skill) + 6(Skill Focus)
HW Favoured Terrain(Plane of Fire?, Underground)
HW Terrain Mastery(Underground), Blind-Feat bonus feat

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Plane of Fire? +2, Cold? +2, Plane of Air +4, Jungle +6, Mountain +8, Underground +12, Urban +14

LEVEL 11: Horizon Walker 5
Improved Eldritch Heritage: Shadow Well(HiPS finally!)
HW Favoured Terrain(Desert?, Underground)

Favoured Terrain Bonus: Desert? + 2, Plane of Fire? +2, Cold? +2, Plane of Air +4, Jungle +6, Mountain +8, Underground +14, Urban +14

By LV11, you should have:
Stealth: 10(Ranks) + 4(Dex) + 3(Class Skill) + 6(Skill Focus) = +23

And this is not including equipment like Shadow Armour(+5 competence Stealth), Boots of Friendly Terrain(bonus from one specific Terrain increase by 2), and Belt of DEX. I've also not listed a Race either, so going Small gives an extra +4, and if also get Reduce Person cast gains another +4. Or go Human for extra feat and get Stealthy for extra +2/+4.

If you allow Wildblood types for Eldritch Heritage, getting Umbral gives the ability to grant a bonus to Stealth in Dim/No light = 1/2 LV for equal number of rounds. So (11-2)/2 = +4 Untyped Stealth for 4 rounds @LV11.

[avr]

No Dampen Presence feat so blindsight/sense trumps your ungodly stealthiness. For some reason you took the Run feat at level 3, I'm guessing this was supposed to be Endurance to qualify for HW?

If wands are freely available then it may be reasonably effective in combat even without terrain dominance/favored enemy bonuses.

[Under A Bleeding Sun]

I've seen the terrain concept before but never in action. Unless the gm could tell me with relatively certainty that I'd be mostly in these 5 terrains I'd be worried about trying it.

I agree with avr, dampen presence and fly are crucial for stealth characters, especially the higher you go. Unfortunately scent is a pain, though you can at least reduce its effectiveness a few ways. Personally, I'd go arcane trickster for a scout. You need those I'm put of here escape tricks for when things do go bad for you.

But the build should work alright, at least if you end up in your high terrains.

[Chooky]

Thanks to both avr and Under A Bleeding Sun for the advice for Dampen Presence vs Blindsight/Blindsense. For scent, I believe there was some low-level spell or alchemical item that masks your scent, though I can't remember what it was called.

Yes, the Run feat was supposed to be Endurance for HW prerequisite, my bad!

[foggy1]

I'm working on a Horizon Walker build and need some thread necro advice. Not much on the web to go on.

My character is supposed to be a melee monster using terrain dominance to do massive damage. I've chosen a Halfling/Ranger/Rogue/Horizon Walker3/PFS using two-weapon fighting with the legendary Kukri (small damage 1-3, crit 18-20, keen 15-20).

My thinking is in my terrain dominance I would do +Lots to-hit and damage. Let's just say with these bonuses I always hit twice, crit 25% with auto confirm. That's (1d3+Lots) * 2 = big damage or more with frequent crits (1-(.75*.75)+(.25*.25) = 50% chance of 1 or more crits. Let's just say 1-hit crit, or effectively 3-hits/turn.
Now that I've done the math that doesn't seem as big as I thought, but it is statistically likely. I am taking a dex-centric character with Piranha Strike.

Here's the problem I run into, assuming I understand the rules somewhat OK, which I question after reading this thread, my problem is Murphy's Law dictates I will never be in my dominate terrain.

I know there is the Ranger spell Terrain Bond on a scroll or wand, which is expensive, but what other ways are there to get my Dominance melee bonuses?

Is there some other way I haven't though of to maximize my melee potential? Let's assume here that I can figure out the standard buffs, unless you've got something unusual or some type of magic item worth acquiring.