Help Building a Skill-based Rogue

[Xen]

Hey all,

As the title suggests, I am making a skill-based PC for Curse of the Crimson Throne. Since I have read tons of these threads, here is the needed information:

Party: Human Fighter (2-handed), Human Psychic (Amnesiac), Aasimar Cleric of Sarenrae, and a Human Brawler.
Point-buy: 15
Race: I would like to stick with Human or Halfling.
Class: I was thinking the new Unchained Rogue or Archaeologist Bard.
Trait: Unhappy Childhood - Tortured
Additional Information: Wear using Background Skills and Automatic Bonus Progressions from Pathfinder Unchained.

The party has more than enough damage and combat prowess but no real skills. The Cleric has Diplomacy and Knowledge: Religion. The Psychic has multiple Knowledges and Spellcraft. Brawler and Fighter have Perception. The problem with the Bard would me the limited effectiveness in combat, but the spell buffs would be nice. The Rogue has more skills and Sneak Attack, Debilitating Injury, and Dex to damage make me more helpful in combat. With the Rogue, my DM okayed the Filcher, so I could take that but I don't know if the benefits would be worthwhile in the AP.

Thanks for any and all advice!

[KestrelZ]

Both unchained rogue and bard are good, Investigator is a great choice too.

[avr]

On a 15 point buy you're going to be quite fragile in combat as an unchained rogue. Filcher is a bad archetype, don't take it even if you do go that way.

An archaeologist bard is going to have worse buff spells than the cleric and worse mind-affecting spells than the psychic. It's self-sufficient but I'm not sure that's what you need here, you actually do have support.

I'm going to second the investigator, with the empiricist archetype to cut down the need for stats. The spell casting does shapeshifting buffs which aren't like the cleric's buffs, it's the best at skills hands down, and the extracts are silent if you need to use one when off scouting. Terrible at combat until level 4 but you said that wasn't as important.

[Xen]

Thanks guys! I love the Investigator (was actually my first go to) but it doesn't fit the character. I'm going for a very traditional thief or cat burglar. Basically, Garrett from the Thief series. Sneaky, well skilled, tries to avoid hurting innocents, steals for people, plants/forges information for people, etc. Despite getting all of those skills, the investigator focuses a lot on knowledge which I only need Knowledge: Local.

You are right about the bard, avr. And the Rogue will get Two more skill points. I would be just as squishy with the Rogue, Bard, or Investigator. Probably a 10 or 12 in Con.

What about race? The Halfling loses out on a feat and skill point, but offers +4 to +6 on stealth, and/or +2 to other skills I'll be taking. And the +1 to all saves will be great. On the doumwn side, 20 foot movement is rough.

[avr]

As a halfling you get the fleet of foot alternate race trait, sure. 10-12 con & little other defence means you just can't afford to be in range of a full attack ... are you willing to dip a level of waves oracle so you can shoot out of an obscuring mist?

[Casual Viking]

Rogue 1/wizard 3/arcane trickster X.

[Xen]

Avr: I don't really need to be present in combat at all. My -2 AC from Debilitating Injury and Slow Reactions will be more than enough, so I don't want to multiclass if it will hinder my skills.

Casual Viking: That's a good idea, I'll look into that.

[Xen]

Looked in the Arcane Trickster, and I think it gives up too many abilities to make the limited spell casting worth it. Invisibility at will is nice, but that's at 9th level which is the tail end of the campaign.