Human/STR vs Elf/DEX based rogue

For that matter, taking 2 ranger for TWF is inferior to taking 2 fighter - unless you're desperate for that extra damage to one enemy type, the fgt levels give you an extra feat you can use for something more useful. Also IIRC, TOEE doesn't recognize the "combat style" feats properly and so you'll be unable to take ITWF later - unless that's been fixed recently.

As for the skills, if you wanna min/max all characters and limit them to straightforward combat application, then all you need is Tumble, everything else is "luxury". Not everyone plays that way, however, and most skills give you advantages, be it tactical or non-combat. Spot & Listen prevent surprise rounds, hide and MS give you an extra tactical option, and some people also like to have social skills at usable levels. It's also hard to underestimate the early-game utility of the Appraise skill, especially in a vanilla/non-NC game. Is all of this expendable? Sure. But just because you don't like to use them in your playstyle, don't assume that everyone else is obligated to follow that. This isn't a MMO where the only way to "win" is to get only the best gear and the most effective damage-dealing skills.

Besides, you lose absolutely nothing by taking ranger or fighter second, but you lose a plenty of skillpoints the other way around. The extra 2-3 HP in the short period while you get that 1000 XP is almost negligible.

 

Not sure what u people are using rogues for... as far as i'm concerned my party's bard can handle all npc interactions(ain't that a shock i really was serious about having optimized party's) and its actually worth dumping char points into stats like charisma for him... but my rogue is of the thug-ish/marud-ish variety so he's only duties involve lockpicking(honestly disable trap is like worthless worst case scenario u get zapped for under 10hp(rogueish reflexezz) or get poisoned witch is neglijible as well if u have decent fortitude saves(from orther class+ the above aveg con modifier usualy encountered on front liners) plus maximum combat efficiency(that involves ambush/assasination tactics as well), and so for me 2 fig level aren't as valuable as 2 ranger ones since the ranger doesn't have listen,hide,move silently&survival as cross class skills and can thus be employed as a maxed out stealthy assassin/scout from like 3rd lvl onwards(just as well nothing much worth ambushing/locating earlier then that)
and the extra feet lost is acceptable if u consider the bonus vs a favored enemy that the rangers get(just pick smth like human/giant/goblinoid and u will have no regrets)
About the ITWF jee -5 to hit on that one soo while u will hit stuff under yr league' well enough is rather doubtfull u can hit an opponent worth a damn with it(by that i mean some one of equal/higher level&better equipped then yr rogue) so don't expect to nail the 'balor' with that strike unless u roll a 20'

 

The second attack with ITWF is exactly the same penalty as the second attack with main hand weapons for any character... if you think that penalty is too severe, why would you use two weapons at all? Or are you saying you never hit anything more than once a round with your characters?

Even if it were true that you are unlikely to hit anything at or above your level more than once per round (which I doubt to be accurate with a decent character, but whatever) the ITWF feat is still more than worthwhile for mowing down swarms of lesser opponents such as are encountered all the time in this game.

Finally, if you are concerned about using ranger levels to keep up skills such as spot, listen, move silently, etc... wouldn't all those rogue class skills be easy to jumpstart with a rogue's insane amount of skill points at 1st level?