What would make the rogue better?

[Zelkon]

Sort of branching off my barbarian thread, I was just wondering what cool abilities I could add to the rogue. I've got some invisibility-stuff and some small number boosts, but other than that, I don't have many ideas.

[xaotiq1]

Not having to waste feats and other resources to make Sneak Attack viable would be pretty all right. 

[Zelkon]

Not having to waste feats and other resources to make Sneak Attack viable would be pretty all right. 

Mind elaborating?

[xaotiq1]

Not having to spend gold  on weapon enhancements or augment crystals that make the ability viable. Not having to give up; I think it's trapfinding, to be able to use the ability on various creatures, for a greatly reduced effect. Not needing to either dip classes or spend feats to raise the number of sneak attack dice. On that particular point, I'm under the impression that a rogue should have the option to do those things; not have it be mandatory. And like all other classes that don't really cast, having their "unique" capabilities outshone by spells.

[sirpercival]

This.

(apparently i will answer all your threads in this manner.)

[Concerned Ninja Citizen]

Access to the special abilities earlier. Few, if any, of those abilities would be game breaking in the early to mid game and they'd give a level of customization the rogue currently lacks.

The "Thief Skills" of earlier editions were folded into the skill system which hurt the Rogue by giving several of its schtick abilities to anyone. 8 SP/lv did not fully offset this. To cement the Rogue as the "skilled" character, earlier and more frequent access to skill mastery as well as a floating bonus that can be allocated to different skills on a daily basis would be good (sirpercival's Sublime Rogue implements both these ideas.)

Free skill tricks might also be nice.

Not having to give up; I think it's trapfinding, to be able to use the ability on various creatures, for a greatly reduced effect.

It's Trap Sense, which is good because trap sense is a fairly crappy ability which pretty much everyone who gets it trades out. Still, the greatly reduced effect part is irritating. I might have penetrating strike scale with level. By about lv 10 you should be doing full SA to pretty much anything.

[Zelkon]

Access to the special abilities earlier. Few, if any, of those abilities would be game breaking in the early to mid game and they'd give a level of customization the rogue currently lacks.

The "Thief Skills" of earlier editions were folded into the skill system which hurt the Rogue by giving several of its schtick abilities to anyone. 8 SP/lv did not fully offset this. To cement the Rogue as the "skilled" character, earlier and more frequent access to skill mastery as well as a floating bonus that can be allocated to different skills on a daily basis would be good (sirpercival's Sublime Rogue implements both these ideas.)

Free skill tricks might also be nice.

Not having to give up; I think it's trapfinding, to be able to use the ability on various creatures, for a greatly reduced effect.

It's Trap Sense, which is good because trap sense is a fairly crappy ability which pretty much everyone who gets it trades out. Still, the greatly reduced effect part is irritating. I might have penetrating strike scale with level. By about lv 10 you should be doing full SA to pretty much anything.

Already got abilities down. 3, 6, 9 as well as all other levels. Adding skill tricks soon.

[InnaBinder]

Link their evasion (heck, any evasion abilities) with making the opponent who cast the spell flat-footed as he sits there going  at the target taking no damage.

[Amechra]

You need abilities to reflect on the general audacity of the rogue. Hell, maybe give them the ability to Charm a person (what? Rogues always make amazing flirts, so...), with some bonuses if used against a flatfooted creature (so you can pull the classic Bugs Bunny move if you really want to...)

Also, they should the get the Swashbuckler's Seduction class feature. I would play a Rogue just to get that ability. I love it that much. (Essentially, you can use Bluff to get information out of someone, taking pretty much the whole night if you roll low, but taking only a few rounds if you roll high enough. Yes, they do kiss and tell, thank you very much.)

Basically, all I'm saying is that your average Rogue should be a lady-killer (or female equivalent) on top of being a killer.

Also, some ability to nick pocket change off someone would be nice (Bards get Perform, NPCs get Profession, you get Sleight of Hand; yep, it stereotypes you a bit, but you are a sexy sexy criminal! What more could you want?)

Note: The above post may or may not be in jest.

[Solo]

A capstone ability would make the rogue better.

[Cyclone Joker]

If you spell "rogue" f-a-c-t-o-t-u-m, it is a very good class.

On a more serious note, give it actual abilities. Because, honestly, if Fighters got UMD and sufficient skill points to do anything other than dirt farming, they'd be just as good.

[RobbyPants]

Sort of branching off my barbarian thread, I was just wondering what cool abilities I could add to the rogue. I've got some invisibility-stuff and some small number boosts, but other than that, I don't have many ideas.

I primarily do two things:

I boost the class a bit, by adding "opportunity points" (similar in concept to inspiration points). These are a per-encounter resource that primarily makes it easier for you to sneak attack opponents, including ones you couldn't normally affect. Also, I boost them to d8 HD.

In addition, I modified some combat rules and a lot of feats. The primary effects for the rogue here are free Weapon Finesse (at 1st level, no less), TWF is a single feat (Improved and Greater rolled in for free) and with less penalties. Also, feinting is easier to pull off, and there are a slew of feats that let you afflict opponents with various status conditions as a standard action if they are flat footed.

Also, I supposed I should mention the skill feats I improved. "Non-casters" get bonus skill feats at 1st level and every 5 levels. Deft Hands is a nice one for a rogue to pick up.

[veekie]

Out of combat, abilities that provide improvements to skill to allow them to cover a bigger range of situations. Magical traps, smooth talking anything, extraordinary feats of acrobatics and the like, essentially as Skill Trick++.

In combat, improve their ability to make special attacks, tripping, disarming, blinding, and generally debuffing opponents through dirty fighting before finishing it with sneak attack lets them go beyond TWF flankstabmonsters(which is also rather less than their supposedly guile-based combat).

[ImperatorK]

I combined PF Rogue with Factotum. There's no need for two classes that are basicely the same but one is weaker/worse.

[Kajhera]

Their ability to loot and reuse traps, magic and otherwise easily in NWN Diamond made them pretty fun...
... though I was still relying nigh-entirely on UMD by the endgame because everything gets immune to everything. and True Sight.
Just a thought.