Rogue equipment

Introduction
Rogues are primarily a skill based class. Therefore any items which Stats or Skills are useful.

Essential Items
Thieves's tools are essential for the skills Disable Device and Open Lock. These skills are only available after rogue training. The full range of normal, masterwork, +1, +2, +3, +4 and +5 tools are available from looting chests. These give a corresponding bonus to the roll of +1, +2 through to +7 respectively. This will stack with any item giving a bonus to disabling or unlocking.

In case a rogue has to resort to buying Thieves's tools The Harbor general vendor sells normal tools, The Marketplace general vendor sells normal or masterwork. Tools with bonuses are available for purchase only after gaining Free Agent favour. Their vendor in The Harbor will then sell them to you.

Armor
Rogues are trained to wear Light armor only. This gives a choice of four types or choose from. Also available are Robes and Mithril Medium Armor (which counts as light due to the metal properties). Light armour also ensures that Evasion is not hindered. Generally it is best to select an armor which does not reduce dexterity bonus.

At lower levels Adamantine armor is useful for giving some damage reduction. At higher levels the amount of damage received in attacks is much greater so DR/1 or 2 is insignificant. It is wiser to invest in magic armour with a higher bonus to increase AC as much as possible. Not getting hit is the best way to reduce damage!

Being untrained in shield use means rogues will not normally use them. In extremis, however, any character can use a shield untrained so getting a light shield gives some additional protection when necessary. Special ones to look out for are:

Darkwood shields have the advantage of zero armor check penalty.

Mithril has the advantage of increased maximum dexterity bonus.

Protection items are useful. Having light armour and no shield means that rogues tend to have a lower armour class, and some protection bonus, along with the bonus to armour class from high dexterity bonus often helps in melee combat.

Weapons
Rogues are trained to use Simple Weapons and the Martial Weapons of rapier, shortsword and shortbow only. This gives a modest selection to choose from. Due to rogues often having high dexterity the Weapon Finesse feat is a popular choice. As such light weapons which usable are Sickle (slashing), Light mace (bludgeoning), and Dagger (piercing) are hence preferable. Racial or further training can mean that other finesse weapons are available for use.

Magic melee weapons giving a bonus to backstabbing or deception are an excellent compliment to rogue skills. Otherwise a weapon with bane, elemental or special powers are a personal preference. Magic ranged weapons with special powers are handy as it is applied to all ammo, even normal bolts. Coupled with the Rogue's high dexterity this makes a good choice of weapon. Returning throwing weapons are useful to reduce costs.

Other Items
Stat boost items are excellent as they give a boost to several skills. They tend to be more rare to loot, especially those with high boosts. Skills boost items are more common and usually target a single skill. (although better ones can target several skills, or a stat and a skill - hold onto those!). The bonus is an odd number. +1 and +3 are available for use by any level, and then higher bonuses are level limited.

As Rogues also have only a good Reflex save, hence items which give Resistance or enhanced Fortitude save or Will save are good.

Items which give limited spell effects are handy to enhance skills, get buffed, or just mimic a good spell.

Unique Quest Reward
Unique Quest Rewards which have a chance of being looted of particular interest to rogues are:


 * Splinterskull: Lhor-Tragu's Shadowed Armor - +1 Leather Armor: Shadow, Silent moves - Required Level: 4


 * Delera's Tomb: Skeleton Key - Trinket: +7 Open lock


 * Cult of Six: Jeweler's Loupe - Goggles: +7 Haggle, +7 Disable Device - Required Level: 7
 * South Threnal: Accomplice - Cloak: +10 Hide, +10 Move silently, -1 Charisma - Required Level: 9


 * Vault of Night: Kundarak delving suit - +5 Chain shirt (Armor 10, Max Dex 6, ASF 30%, Light): Mithral, Silent moves, +5 Search


 * Titan Awakes: Seven Fingered Gloves - +5 UMD, -10% ASF, +11 Open Locks, +11 Disable Device


 * Zawabi's Revenge: Cloak of the Zephyr - Cloak: Blurry, Invisibility 3x/rest

Conclusion
Rogues are very versatile and depending on their leaning in terms of combat, ranged combat, using magic scrolls and wands, trap monkey, etc. weapons, armour and items are available for use. You may need to compete with other classes for them, however.

Generally after some questing you'll have a range of useful items, some which are permanently equipped, and some which you can swap out as the quest demands.

Good luck in your roguish exploits!