Just started really getting into the rook, who had been my least played DG.  Was curious how people were playing him.  I've been going with:

Favor: +800 HP +5hp/s

First 1k Gold: Scale Mail, 2 tele scrolls, or 1 tele + scaled helm. (map depending).

Skills through level 10:

Tower Rank 1

Archery Tower

Hammer Slam 1

Hammer Slam 2

Boulder Roll

Tower of Light

Hammer Slam 3

Tower Rank 2

Save

Slam Rank 4, Boulder rank 2

... General Towers + strength

My general idea is that the first point in Tower of Power lets you defend a lane and keep your real towers alive, just about as well as levels 2 and 3.  Hammer slam and boulder roll actually let you contribute to a combat, by doing damage, and catching runners (respectively).  Boulder roll also combo's very nicely with a team, since it is the only ranged stun in the game, and tends to let you as a group catch up or corner someone.  Hard large success with Unclean beast, doing a Roll to Spit to Grasp to Slam combo (Especially when you have 2 seconds of stun from boulder roll).

My starting gear gives me almost 3k hit points, and negates a good chunk of the damage I take.  Having played with and against rook, I know it is pretty much folly to pretend you can run away from any control oriented demigod, so putting points into skills that let you weather the storm seems a lot more reasonable.  You end up with a lot of survivability.

Items I buy always depend on the situation.  If my team has the upper hand, then mana items and damage boosters.  If things go about equal, then Heart of Life and journeyman's Treads. If losing... well I'm not sure yet .