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This is a simple guide on how to make the most out of your own builds.
If you're a caster, take ranger.
Why should you take ranger? Ranger gives you a single free feat, which you can spend on Epic Spell Focus, Improved Combat Casting (also Epic Prowess or Epic Weapon Focus to those swingers looking for stealth). Ranger also has Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Discipline and Concentration as class skills, making this a great class for most character types just finishing off.
This class lacks Tumble, however, so it's not ideal for ac based characters that haven't already got a source of tumble... but that can be solved by throwing in a level of rogue or monk as well.
Spot is easy to get!
Stealthers are the bane of the unprepared... a single stealther can cause total frustration for any group whose only spotter consists of an irate vulpe cleric. Phoenix, my caster, has a base 8 wisdom and 115 spot. You can get this much spot by taking Blooded (+2) at level 1, Alertness (+2)(some items grant this as a free feat), Skill Focus: Spot (+3), Epic Skill Focus: Spot (+10), +12 Wisdom from items, +50 Spot from items and +43 spot from skill points.
Phoenix is a human, so this can be even higher if you're an elf base, since they get +2 AND are always in detect mode. There's also a feat in there that I don't have, and that's Artist. Artist also grants +2 spot, but you can only take it at level 1 if you have perform... so you have to start as a bard or ascend. If you ascend, you can take Artist on ascension, even if you don't have any ranks in perform. Chances are, you would have to do this anyway, even if you are a bard as both Blooded and Artist require you to be level 1.
So if Phoenix was an elf with base 10 wisdom, she could have 120 spot.
This probably makes my next point a bit odd... but
Not everyone has detection/you don't have to be a dexer to stealth.
A lot of people believe in all or nothing. Either you can detect a mouse squeaking on the other side of the moon, or you have trouble telling the difference between your face and your bum when you look in the mirror (this may not be related). As such, even if you don't go dexterity based you can still get enough stealth to get you by. With base 10 wisdom, 43 from skill points, items and no focuses, a person can get 99 spot/listen. If you have base 10 dexterity, 43 from skills, items and all the focuses, your stealth will be 114. I, personally, don't use regular skill focus in hide/ms as that's 2 feats for not much return.
As a wise stealther once told me "The cleric is gonna spot me anyway, so why waste time pushing my hide/ms from 120 to 129?"(See: asshole halflings)
On both of those above, if you're looking for epic skill focuses, the requirement is 20 points in the chosen skill. The earliest you can get this is at level 17, and the latest you can take the 3 epic feats in stealth/detection (barring bonus feats) is level 33.
Picking your race/allotting your stats
Unless you're an AA or DwD, you've some assumed freedom in your choice of class. First, you want to work out how many skillpoints you're going to want, as well as how many pre-epic feats. Generally speaking, I take human if I need 18+ intelligence just to get all my skills (I think very carefully about it if I need 16 int). Unless you're a wizard, humans effectively have a free +2 int, as well as a bonus feat... with absolutely no negatives. They also have the multi-classing bonus, which ignores your highest level class when determining multi-class penalties.
I then take Elf if I want a spotter, Halfling if I want stealth (they supposedly get bonuses beyond 127, regardless of size), Dwarf if I'm a hitter or Gnome if I'm a mage.
When considering your stats, remember that 18 dex instead of 16 means 1 more ac, ab and stealth... but could also mean 40-80 hp or a multitude of other things. Unless I'm focusing very strongly on only one or two stats, I will often choose 16 instead of 18, as that gives me 6 more points to put in other places. This is especially the case if I'm using a stealth/detector... as they require 3 skills right off the bat.
Picking your Weapon
This is written with weapon masters in mind.
There are 4 main types of weapons. 2x crit 18-20. 2x crit 19-20. 3x crit. 4x crit.
For a weapon master, these eventually become: 3x crit 10-20. 3x crit 13-20. 4x crit 16-20. 5x crit 16-20.
Simplifying this out, the weapons do their full weapon damage multiplied as follows.
Swords: 1.75
Rapiers: 2.05
Axes: 1.7
Scythes: 1.95
So basically, Rapiers and Scythes are equal. Swords and axes are equal. Why are they equal? Because when you're punching a tank in the face, your damage is always taking a hit (HAH!). Basically, crits with scythes and axes hurt more, and big numbers can catch people off guard. Rapiers and swords are more consistent... but the randomness of those scythes... ow.
That's all from me for now. I'll probably never ever update this again, but I will generally answer any questions or comments people throw out.
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My main Characters
Rico De'vega - Forsaken Scout and Loudmouth.
Phoenix - Professor of Spontaneous Thaumaturgical Combustions (and more) of the PhD.
Palm Vana - "I don't whistle when I walk!"
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