Thoughts on Arcane Trickster...

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I was thinking taking two levels in rogue, few in arcane trickster, then rest in bard, any suggestions...

 

Don't you need to have access to lvl 3 spellcasting in a class before you can get access to arcane trickster ?

 

Yes, you have. So, you can access this class with three levels of rogue and seven levels in bard.

 

Bard is not ideal. Arcane trickster already carries a lot of utility, adding bard to the mix just complicates things needlessly. Note that in NWN2 you also have to factor in combat preparation and casting time, and while your character is still going through bard songs and spells, skills and items, and arcane trickster and thieving skills the battle may already be half done (I'm assuming you picked bard because for its party-wide abilities, so you have to go over those each battle).
Ideally bards are also a lot better off going pure, or at least until around level 18.

Sorcerers are rather meh as arcane tricksters unless you're going for some sort of spell gimmick like using lots of ranged touch attack spells, because raising CHA (for your spells) doesn't really do anything else for the build. Even good CHA-related feats like Divine Might and Divine Shield (with cleric levels) aren't as attractive when you already have the wizard/sorcerer spell list. And yes, access to the wizard/sorcerer spell list IS a really big thing in NWN2 especially since arcane trickster grants spell progression with levels. Anything that can potentially cast spells like Mordenkainen's Disjunction can turn battles with just that one spell.

Wizards make ideal arcane tricksters because INT gives you more skill points and tricksters have access to a lot of good skills - even Bluff can become an offense skill with the Feint feat. Wizard also gets a bonus spellcasting feat every 5 levels (bonus feats are always good) and you really don't need extra spell castings if you plan on sending your arcane trickster into melee often. Versatility when it comes to what spells you can cast is also a big plus.
Finally wizards are better at crafting magical gear. Access to good magical gear before Sand shows up (and without delaying Dinosaur companion or some similarly powerful feat on NPCs like Elanee, if you plan on giving her crafting feats) is a definite plus.

 

The main problem with Arcane Trickster is that it is low BAB and you have to hit things to deal sneak damage to them. Also if you have invested in sneak damage you need 1) epic precision if you are playing epic levels so you can damage sneak immunes and 2) you need a reliable way to deal sneaks other than flanking. For 1 epic precision is very desirable but you do still have spells and companions to fall back on to affect and kill opponents. For 2 that means you either need HiPS (Shadowdancer 1 or Assassin 8) or you need Feint. Feint could actually synergize with AT because AT will have concealment spells and mirror images so you can stand in someone's face and Feint them. Feint requires a lot of investment to get the bluff score high but not sure how much you actually need in the OC and MotB setting with counting gear. The only drawback of using Feint against hopeless enemies (i.e. you can still feint them with a bad bluff) is that if they are such hopeless enemies they probably have no dodge AC to strip anyhow (but it will at least give sneak attack damage).

 

I enjoy Arcane Tricksters, it's one of those things that totally changes the way you approach the game and I recommend all players try it at least once. No mere bashing and nuking here.

True strike, and quickened true strike, are your big friends here at early levels. Tenser's Transformation at later ones.