Rogue

Description

Careful! She's got a knife!

Life is an endless adventure for those who live by their wits. Ever just one step ahead of danger, rogues bank on their cunning, skill, and charm to bend fate to their favor. Never knowing what to expect, they prepare for everything, becoming masters of a wide variety of skills, training themselves to be adept manipulators, agile acrobats, shadowy stalkers, or masters of any of dozens of other professions or talents. Thieves and gamblers, fast talkers and diplomats, bandits and bounty hunters, and explorers and investigators all might be considered rogues, as well as countless other professions that rely upon wits, prowess, or luck. Although many rogues favor cities and the innumerable opportunities of civilization, some embrace lives on the road, journeying far, meeting exotic people, and facing fantastic danger in pursuit of equally fantastic riches. In the end, any who desire to shape their fates and live life on their own terms might come to be called rogues.

Role: Rogues excel at moving about unseen and catching foes unaware, and tend to avoid head-to-head combat. Their varied skills and abilities allow them to be highly versatile, with great variations in expertise existing between different rogues. Most, however, excel in overcoming hindrances of all types, from unlocking doors and disarming traps to outwitting magical hazards and conning dull-witted opponents.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Starting Wealth: 250 gp

Bailiwick Skill: Spycraft

Skill Ranks per Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Recommended Ability Score Priority:

• Dexterity: primary; useful for many class features, to-hit and damage.
• Strength: secondary if Ruthless Rogue; drops to low priority otherwise.
• Intelligence: secondary if Clever Rogue; drops to low priority otherwise.
• Constitution: tertiary (optional); useful to bolster durability in close combat.
• Charisma: low priority; but useful for social skills.
• Wisdom: low priority.

Table: Rogue

Level	BAB	Fort	Refl	Will	Sneak Attack	Trap Sense	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	+1d6	0	Dagger Mastery, Sneak Attack, Special Critical Hits, Rogue Path, Trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	+1d6	0	Evasion, Rogue Talent
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	+2d6	+1	Trap Sense
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	+2d6	+1	Rogue Talent, Uncanny Dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	+3d6	+1	-
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	+3d6	+2	Rogue Talent
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	+4d6	+2	-
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	+4d6	+2	Improved Uncanny Dodge, Rogue Talent
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	+5d6	+3	-
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	+5d6	+3	Advanced Rogue Talent
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	+6d6	+3	-
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	+6d6	+4	Advanced Rogue Talent
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	+7d6	+4	-
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	+7d6	+4	Advanced Rogue Talent
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	+8d6	+5	-
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	+8d6	+5	Advanced Rogue Talent
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	+9d6	+5	-
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	+9d6	+6	Advanced Rogue Talent
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	+10d6	+6	-
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	+10d6	+6	Master Strike, Advanced Rogue Talent
Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Sneak Attack	Trap Sense	Special
21st	+16/+11/+6	+7	+13	+7	+11d6	+7	-
22nd	+16/+11/+6	+7	+13	+7	+11d6	+7	Epic Rogue Talent
23rd	+17/+12/+7	+8	+14	+8	+12d6	+7	Soul of an Assassin
24th	+17/+12/+7	+8	+14	+8	+12d6	+8	Epic Rogue Talent
25th	+18/+13/+8	+9	+15	+9	+13d6	+8	-
26th	+18/+13/+8	+9	+15	+9	+13d6	+8	Epic Rogue Talent, Impossible Impersonation
27th	+19/+14/+9	+10	+16	+10	+14d6	+9	-
28th	+19/+14/+9	+10	+16	+10	+14d6	+9	Epic Rogue Talent
29th	+20/+15/+10	+11	+17	+11	+15d6	+9	Retroactive Stealth
30th	+20/+15/+10	+11	+17	+11	+15d6	+10	Epic Rogue Talent
31st	+21/+16/+11	+12	+18	+12	+16d6	+10	-
32nd	+21/+16/+11	+12	+18	+12	+16d6	+10	Epic Rogue Talent, Walkin' Around Money
33rd	+22/+17/+12	+13	+19	+13	+17d6	+11	-
34th	+22/+17/+12	+13	+19	+13	+17d6	+11	Epic Rogue Talent
35th	+23/+18/+13	+14	+20	+14	+18d6	+11	-
36th	Apotheosis!

Rogue Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Natural Talent (Ex)

At 1st level, all characters receive two natural Natural Talent skills: one in their bailiwick skill, and one in any other skill of their choice. Natural talent allows you to re-map a skill to use any ability score you wish, rather than the ability score it normally uses. You may not select a skill for natural talent that you cannot put ranks into (such as a bailiwick skill not available to your class). Natural talent skills never suffer an armor check penalty, even if the chosen ability modifier is STR or DEX.

All characters receive an additional natural talent skill at character (not class) levels 11, 21, and 31. Additional natural talents may also be gained through Self-Improvement.

Dagger Mastery

Rogues are experts with daggers. A rogue wielding a dagger does a d6 base damage with it, instead of normal dagger damage. This is the same for medium-sized races and small-sized races. Large rogues are just silly.

Sneak Attack

If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The rogue's attack deals extra damage (called "Precision Damage") anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter (e.g. at 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc.).

In order to make use of sneak attack, the rogue must either be wielding a light weapon, a sap, a rapier, a thrown weapon or a ranged weapon. Ranged and thrown attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.

A rogue which is wearing medium or heavy armor or wearing a shield other than a buckler or light shield cannot apply sneak attack damage to her attacks.

The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.

Some creature types are described as being immune to precision damage and/or flanks. Creatures immune to precision damage always take only half damage from precision damage. The halving of the precision attack damage is applied before any DR is applied, and can be halved again by a damage-reducing ability such as insubstantial, but only if that ability isn't the reason for the creature's immunity to precision damage in the first place.

Immunity to Precision Damage

Creatures (or subtypes) listed as immune to precision-based damage take half damage from precision damage, such as a rogue's sneak attacks.

• Elemental (subtype)
• Incorporeal (subtype)
• Ooze (Type)

Immunity to Flanking

Creatures (or subtypes) listed as immune to flanking may still be flanked by a rogue, because rogues cheat! This allows the rogue to qualify for sneak attacks against such creatures, but the rogue does not gain the +2 bonus to-hit from flanking such creatures.

• Elemental (subtype)
• Ooze (Type)
• Swarm (Type)

Special Critical Hits

Rogues calculate their critical damage completely differently from other classes, because rogues cheat. The weapon's critical multiplier has no impact on a rogue's critical damage. Rogue critical hits, instead of doing a multiple of the base weapon damage, instead do max damage on all base weapon dice rolled, including base sneak attack dice. If a level 10 rogue scores a critical hit with a dagger, the base weapon dice (2d6 in this case) and all base sneak attack dice are maximized (5d6, in this case).

In addition, Rogues add all permanent non-dice adders that would normally be added to their damage to the critical hit damage, and then add their Int mod and their Dex mod (if a Clever rogue) or their Str mod and their Dex mod (if a Ruthless rogue) to their damage a second time.

Extra sneak attack dice, such as those granted by Twist the Knife (Feat) or Killing Blow (Feat), and other dice granted by effects, such as a bard's Inspire Courage (Performance), buff spells, and magical weapon properties, are rolled normally. If these effects include specific language about critical hits, they still grant their critical hit effects.

Immunity to Critical Hits

The following creature types (or subtypes) have immunity to critical hits (that is, they do not take any additional damage from critical hits):

• Elemental (subtype)
• Incorporeal (subtype) - unless using a weapon with Ghost Touch (Magic Property).
• Ooze (Type)
• Swarm (Type)

Rogue Path

At 1st level, the Rogue chooses either the Ruthless Rogue or the Clever Rogue path for free. The rogue may only ever have one of these paths; she may not take the other path as a talent choice at higher levels.

Clever Rogue

Add the Rogue's Intelligence modifier as a bonus to weapon (melee, thrown or ranged) to-hit, and damage. This modifier replaces and is treated as though it were Str for damage purposes (e.g. main hand damage is 1x Int mod, off hand damage is 1/2 Int mod, etc.). In addition, the Clever rogue adds her Dex modifier to all to hit and damage rolls. The Clever Rogue does NOT add her Str mod to her to-hit or damage rolls, ever. The Clever rogue uses her Strength and Intelligence stats as normal for all other effects besides to-hit and damage. If the Clever Rogue takes any feats or talents which modify a character's Strength mod, or reference the character's Strength mod for purposes of to-hit or damage rolls, they may treat the feat or talent as though it referenced their Intelligence modifier instead. However, the Clever Rogue's Maneuver Defense score is still calculated using the average of her Strength and Dexterity modifiers as normal, and feats or talents which reference or adjust any aspect of Strength other than to-hit or damage rolls are not affected by the Clever Rogue talent. As a note, many of the rogue talents gain bonus benefits from being a Clever Rogue.

Ruthless Rogue

Add the rogue's Strength and Dexterity modifiers to all weapon (melee, thrown or ranged) to-hit and damage rolls, instead of just Strength (melee) or just Dexterity (ranged). Ruthless rogues can use any 1-handed weapon with sneak attack, in addition to any light weapon, thrown or ranged weapon. Any weapon the ruthless rogue wields that is capable of dealing sneak attack damage is considered to have the Brutal weapon quality. If the rogue chooses to wield a weapon which already has the Brutal quality, then the rogue instead gains the Brutality, Improved feat for free, but can only use the feat when wielding the brutal weapon in question.

Trapfinding (Ex)

A rogue adds a +1 training bonus to Perception and Spycraft skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks. This bonus increases to +2 at level 12, and +3 at level 24. This class feature also enables the rogue to use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

Evasion (Ex)

Beginning at 2 level, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. Any attack, spell, or effect that deals damage and offers a Reflex-based saving throw can be mitigated with this ability. If the rogue succeeds on their saving throw, the effect deals only one-quarter (¼) damage. Furthermore, even if the rogue fails their Reflex saving throw, they take only three-quarters (¾) damage from the effect.

Evasion does not provide any protection against non-damaging effects or status conditions caused by the attack, it only reduces the damage portion of the attack. Evasion can only be used in circumstances where the rogue is aware of the attack, is not using a shield or wearing heavy armor, and is not carrying a medium or heavier load.

Rogue Talents

As a rogue gains experience, she learns a number of talents that aid her and confound her foes. Starting at 2nd level, a rogue gains one rogue talent. She gains an additional rogue talent for every 2 levels of rogue attained after 2nd level. Unless the talent specifies otherwise, a rogue cannot select an individual talent more than once.

Talents marked with an asterisk add effects to a rogue's sneak attack. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack and the decision must be made before the attack roll is made.

• Rogue Talents

Advanced Talents

At 10th level, and every two levels thereafter, a rogue can choose one talent from any listed in the basic rogue talents list or the advanced rogue talents list. Unless the talent specifies otherwise, a rogue cannot select an individual talent more than once.

Talents marked with an asterisk add effects to a rogue's sneak attack. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack and the decision must be made before the attack roll is made.

• Advanced Rogue Talents

Trap Sense (Ex)

At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A rogue with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.

If a rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Master Strike (Ex)

Upon reaching 20th level, a rogue becomes incredibly skilled when dealing sneak attack damage. The rogue may choose to use this skill in merciful or ruthless ways. Once per encounter, when the rogue would qualify to deal sneak attack damage, she can choose one of the following three effects instead:

• Sleep: put the target to sleep for 1d4 hours (FORT negates, DC: 5 + rogue level + DEX).
• Paralysis: Paralyze the target for 2d6 rounds (FORT negates, DC: 10 + 1/2 rogue level + INT).
• Injury: Deal 10 points of precision damage per rogue level instead of sneak attack damage (FORT save for half, DC: 10 + 1/2 rogue level + STR).

If this ability is used outside of combat, it may be used up to once per minute. Once a creature has been the target of a rogue's master strike, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune to that rogue's master strike for 24 hours. Creatures that are hardened or immune to precision damage add +5 to their FORT save result, but still suffer the result of the master strike if they fail the save.

Epic Rogue Talents

As the epic rogue gains more experience, she learns a number of Epic Rogue Talents that aid her and confound her foes. Starting at 22nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the rogue may select one talent from either the Epic Rogue Talents, Advanced Rogue Talents or Basic Rogue Talents lists. Unless the talent description specifically states otherwise, the rogue cannot select any individual talent more than once.

Talents marked with an asterisk add effects to a rogue's sneak attack. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack and the decision must be made before the attack roll is made.

• Epic Rogue Talents

Soul of an Assassin (Ex)

Upon reaching 23rd level, the Rogue has become a connoisseur of cheating. She is an expert at the art and craft of harm, so much so that even a poorly-made strike is still lethal by any lesser killer's standards. In any situation where the Rogue is entitled to administer their Sneak Attack dice, the Rogue still deals damage even on a missed attack. When the Rogue misses an attack roll that is eligible for sneak attack dice, she may still roll her weapon dice and apply that damage to her target.

Impossible Impersonation (Ex)

At 26th level, the rogue's ability to disguise herself as other creatures has gone beyond being merely uncanny. When she disguises herself as a creature, reality itself seems to be fooled. As often as she likes, as a swift action, the rogue may gain the benefit of an Least Polymorph spell, though this is a non-magical ability. The benefit lasts until the rogue dismisses it.

Retroactive Stealth (Ex)

At 29th level, the rogue becomes so skilled at sneaking, even she sometimes isn't certain where she is! Once per encounter, at the start of her turn, the rogue may relocate to any location within 30 feet of her current position as a swift action. This is not movement: The rogue was always in this location. Everybody, including the rogue, simply thought she was where she seemed to be. Obviously, this revelation does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The new location may not be occupied by another creature or by objects larger than tiny. Additionally, any enemies adjacent to the rogue after this deception is revealed are considered to be flat-footed against the rogue. Surprise!

Walkin' Around Money (Ex)

Generally speaking, Epic rogues tend to accumulate money and toys at an astonishing rate. At 32nd level and above, each week the rogue will earn 10,000 to 40,000 gold simply by living in any medium-sized city or larger urban area. On an adventure, this ability manifests itself in the uncanny ability for the Rogue to have useful stuff in her pockets at all times. If there is a need for any item which costs less than five thousand gold, the Rogue may simply subtract that much money from their on-hand cash and discover that they 'bought' the item a while ago and have been lugging it around 'just in case.' Even though this is a high Epic power, it cannot be used to acquire specific objects, such as the key for a given door. Generic items only. Sorry Rogues, you get to cheat but there's limits.