I'm looking to play a Hobgoblin Unchained Rogue in an upcoming game, and would like advice on rogue talents and feats. I'm currently undecided as to what combat style to use, either TWF with wakizashis or TH with an elven branched spear. Any advice would be appreciated.
The game won't be particularly optimised, so that's not a huge issue.
The game is a 20 point buy.
TH requires a lot less feats, but since URogue gets dex to damage with pretty much anything it has become easier to make TWF work for them.
I would highly suggest daggers, and taking the river rat trait(?) which adds +1 to damage with your daggers. The majority of your damage comes from sneak attack, so improved crit range isn't that useful while larger damage is. Also remember that using a wakizashi will require exotic weapon proficiency (IIRC). Also, if you worship Pharasma and take believer's boon it will add +2 to hit with daggers, I believe.
Then work on getting to Improved Two Weapon Feint.
If you were going to go two-handed...I would think you would want to focus on reach and maneuvers.
EWP Elven branched spear, phalanx formation, combat expertise, gang up, combat reflexes, improved dirty trick + follow ups.
Allies provide no cover anymore and you flank from everywhere, as soon as someone else threatens.
I was planning to use the combination of the hobgoblin's alternate favoured class option for the rogue and the tiefling Arms Master trait (acquired via the Adopted trait) to snag myself proficiency with any weapon I particularly want in the first few levels.
Claxon I can't find the +2 to hit with daggers anywhere, does anyone have a source? Despite this I think daggers are actually a much better way to go, if I go for TWF
Hayato Ken that combo seems pretty damn good, would definitely go that way for TH
Also, the race isn't fixed if I don't need to get weapon proficiency for anything
I was planning to use the combination of the hobgoblin's alternate favoured class option for the rogue and the tiefling Arms Master trait (acquired via the Adopted trait) to snag myself proficiency with any weapon I particularly want in the first few levels.
Claxon I can't find the +2 to hit with daggers anywhere, does anyone have a source? Despite this I think daggers are actually a much better way to go, if I go for TWF
Hayato Ken that combo seems pretty damn good, would definitely go that way for TH
The feat for the daggers is Deific Obedience. Under Pharasma's section in Inner Sea Gods it details her specific requirements for the fear and the benefits it provides. It's a really good feat for some deities.
Sorry, I thought it was believer's boon, but I believe Faelyn is right. That it's Deific Obedience.
Using that to negate effectively negate the penalty for TWF is a pretty good boost to your ability to hit. Especially when coupled with debilitating injury to cause AC penalty. Remember at level 4 that is -4 penalty to AC against you, and a -2 for everyone else attacking the target.
Daggers are definitely better with that combination then. What should I do to try and expand my options in combat, in case a creature that's immune to sneak attack turns up?
What should I do to try and expand my options in combat, in case a creature that's immune to sneak attack turns up?
There's not that many of those. You can define a tactic vs. each.
Creatures with concealment of some form or another: get any magic gear you can which beats darkness, fog etc. and consider getting the Shadow Strike feat.
Oozes: keep your base speed at least 30' and have a missile weapon.
Incorporeal (mostly undead): get a ghost touch weapon if you can afford it or some weapon blanch (ghost salt) if you can't, or holy water if you can't afford either. If it's a shadow run or at least be very careful.
Swarms: consider getting a swarmbane clasp and/or some sort of area effect weapon, either alchemical splash weapons or magic items, likely consumable ones.
Elementals: no good general answers.
Concealment should be helped by the new SA defined in Pathfinder Unchained, as it works against foes with partial concealment by default. The rest seems fairly easy.
Now thinking of being an Azata-Blooded Aasimar, with stats alon the lines of 8,19,12,14,10,14. Also using the Knife Master archetype to increase the SA damage with daggers.
The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.
The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with total concealment.
The inclusion of the word total in the new description led me to believe that you can sneak attack creatures with only partial concealment.
I thought it was just +2 to hit?
Oh wow, Reduce Person is pretty much purely beneficial, I hadn't though of that. Possibly a candidate for Major Magic or permanency?
Depending on your DM, you may wish to go short sword over dagger as Sword of Subtlety is a short sword. RAW you can upgrade your Subtle Sword to give it more than a +1, but whether or not you can get the "Subtle" enchantment on a different kind of weapon is DM discretion. If the DM won't let you get that on a dagger then you are eventually losing out on a rather large hit and damage bonus source. That's not really an early level problem though and depending on how high you go it may never actually be a downside for you. Or you could go dagger early and retrain out of all dagger specific things later on if so desired.
Oh wow, Reduce Person is pretty much purely beneficial, I hadn't though of that. Possibly a candidate for Major Magic or permanency?
I prefer Windy Escape for Major Magic. 1/2 times per day negate a crit or sneak attack on you as an immediate action is pretty awesome.
Just as another option, would it be worth Variant Multiclassing into Magus to pick up a Faerie Dragon familiar, as well as maybe Prescient Offence for more sneak attack opportunities?