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Merk
2013-05-31, 07:38 PM
Revisions

6/1/13:

Vanish edited to be once per encounter.
Range of teleportation from quickness reduced to movement speed.
Added rules for learning and using exploits, along with a few exploit descriptions.
New feat: Acquire Exploit.

6/3/13:

Restored normal sneak attack progression and removed the improved sneak attack talent.
Edited a few rogue talents.

6/5/13:

Removed the ability to exchange exploits for skill tricks.
Added in several exploit descriptions.

6/13/13:

Added in the Identity Theft exploit.
Revised rules for Identity Theft, and added the Identity Crisis feat.

6/18/13:

Added in the Fool's Gold and Craftsman's Lament exploits.

6/27/2013

Added in the Demolition, Remote Trigger, Magic Jam, Deep Cover, Underground Network exploits
Merged the Detection Deceit and Poker Face exploits


What this revision is about:

1. To re-write the rogue to be more about skills and less about sneak attack.
2. To expand on skill tricks, giving rogues the ability to thwart previous obnoxious obstacles (Open Lock vs. arcane lock, for instance)
3. To do what the Tome of Battle did for martial characters, for skillmonkeys.
4. To give rogues reasons to invest in conventionally useless skills, such as Profession or Use Rope.


ROGUE

http://i.imgur.com/VFJ1v42.jpg?1 (http://imgur.com/VFJ1v42)
Art by MatesLaurentiu (http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Rogues-Crossing-328957394) on DeviantArt.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10 gold pieces.

Class Skills: The rogue’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Knowledge (dungeoneering) has been added to the rogue's class list.

Worried about the decrease to 6 + int skills? See the Facade class feature.


{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|
Exploits

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|
Exploits, facade, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding|
1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|
Bonus feat|
2

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|
Rogue talent, sneak attack +2d6|
2

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|
Uncanny dodge|
3

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|
Sneak attack +3d6|
4

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|
Bonus feat|
5

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+2|
Rogue talent, sneak attack +4d6|
5

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+2|
Improved uncanny dodge|
6

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+3|
Sneak attack +5d6|
7

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+3|
Bonus feat|
8

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+3|
Improved rogue talents, rogue talent, sneak attack +6d6|
8

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|
Skill mastery|
9

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|
Sneak attack +7d6|
10

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+4|
Bonus feat|
11

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+5|
Rogue talent, sneak attack +8d6|
11

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|
Improved skill mastery|
12

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|
Sneak attack +9d6|
13

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+6|
Bonus feat|
14

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+6|
Rogue talent, sneak attack +10d6|
14

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+6|
Lord of subterfuge|
15[/table]


Class Features

All of the following are class features of the rogue.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Rogues are proficient with all simple and light or one-handed martial weapons, plus one light, one-handed, double, or ranged exotic weapon. Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

A little bit of expansion in the rogue's weapon proficiency allows for more diverse rogue concepts (lasher, ninja, spy, swashbuckler) while preserving the intent of a "light melee" class.
Exploits

A rogue is first and foremost a notorious rule-breaker, a scoundrel, a laughing devil. A rogue's exploits are a measure of her wit and guile.

Activating an exploit requires the expenditure or investment of at least one point from the rogue's facade (see below). Unless noted otherwise, exploits are extraordinary in nature. If the effect of an exploit allows a saving throw, the DC is 10 + 1/2 rogue class level + the rogue's intelligence modifier.

A 1st-level rogue begins play knowing any one exploit, and gains additional exploits according to the above table. You must meet the minimum skill ranks stated in the exploit description in order to learn it. At 3rd level, 7th level, 11th level, 15th level, and 19th level, you may choose to re-train one exploit that you already know, losing access to it and gaining a new exploit that you have access to in its place.

Exploits are the bread and butter of the new rogue, and are an extension of the concept of skill tricks. Low-level exploits are similar to some of the weaker skill tricks: they offer new and fun ways to use a skill, but don't really compare to an equivalent-level maneuver or spell.

Higher-level exploits, on the other hand, give rogues some great new abilities: overcoming arcane locks, bypassing walls of force and forcecages, nonmagical glibness and mind blank, and more.
Facade (Ex)

When a rogue doesn't have the skill to succeed, she does the next best thing: she bluffs. Mixing deceit, chutzpah, and genuine resourcefulness, a rogue can succeed at impossible tasks.

A 1st-level rogue obtains a facade consisting of a maximum of 8 points. As a non-action, she may spend her facade points in the following ways, and may spend up to half her current maximum:

Obtain temporary ranks in a rogue class skill:

Temporary ranks cannot be used to meet prerequisites (for exploits, skill tricks, feats, prestige classes, etc.), but may grant benefits inherent to the skill (for example, synergy bonuses).
Temporary ranks reduce a rogue's maximum facade by the number of points invested.
Temporary ranks can be dismissed at any time as a free action, restoring the facade's maximum, but the points do not return -- they are considered spent.

Activate an exploit (see the rules for exploits, detailed in the next post).

A rogue restores her facade, gaining back a number of points equal to her current maximum, in any of the following ways:

When she rolls a natural 20 (not takes 20) on any skill check.
When she spends five minutes in deep concentration.

At each additional level, a rogue's maximum number of facade points increases by 2.

Facade effectively gives the rogue 2 floating skill points at each level, multiplied by 4 at first level. This allows the rogue to concentrate on fewer commonly-used skills, and apply luck bonuses to situational skills.

While this gives the rogue a large amount of flexibility, it is limited in two ways: first of all, obtaining temporary ranks reduces the facade's maximum until they are dismissed (and the invested points do not return immediately); second of all, facade is also used to fund a rogue's exploits.
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 any time 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 it increases by 1d6 every four rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) 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 can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak 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 or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Sneak attack hasn't been changed much, but it's been decreased to allow exploits to play a leading role.

A rogue that really wants +10d6 sneak attack can still obtain it by selecting the Improved Sneak Attack rogue talent at each opportunity. However, there are many other worthy rogue talents to select one; among them is the Penetrating Strike ability from Dungeonscape, which makes sneak attack easier to apply to otherwise immune creatures.
Trapfinding

Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd level, 6th level, 10th level, 14th level, and 18th level, a rogue gains a bonus feat from the following list: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Shot On The Run, Quick Draw, Rapid Reload, Run, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Stealthy, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, and Weapon Finesse.

She may also select Crossbow Sniper (Player's Handbook II), Darkstalker (Lords of Madness), or any Ambush feat or any Luck feat (Complete Scoundrel). She still must meet any prerequisites for any feats that she takes.

Many types of rogues are often starved for feats. Ranged rogues need the Point Blank Shot tree, while melee rogues often want the Two-Weapon Fighting tree. In addition, stealthy rogues want Darkstalker.

The bonus feats given allow the rogue to select her feats organically, allowing for the character feats obtained at 1st, 3rd, 6th level, etc. to be selected in a more free way.
Rogue Talents

At 3rd level, 7th level, 11th level, 15th level, and 19th level, a rogue gains a rogue talent from the following list. At first, she only gains the basic benefit of the talent. At 11th level, all talents that a rogue has already learned and gains from then on confer both the basic and improved benefits. Unless specified otherwise, each talent is considered an extraordinary ability and may only be selected once.

Acrobatics

Basic: A rogue who selects the acrobatics talent may use the higher of her strength or dexterity modifiers for the climb, jump, and swim skills, and receives a +2 bonus to three of the following skills: balance, climb, escape artist, jump, swim, and tumble. She ignores all armor check penalties.
Improved: When acquired, a rogue must choose to gain either a climb speed or swim speed at her base speed. The bonus to the three selected skills improves to +4 for each skill.

Arcane Rogue

Basic: A rogue who selects the arcane rogue talent overcomes damage reduction while sneak attacking as if her weapons were magical.
Improved: Upon gaining the improved version of this talent, the rogue chooses one energy type: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Once made, this decision may not be changed. While making a sneak attack, at her discretion, any bonus damage from sneak attack dice may be considered elemental damage of the chosen type. If she chooses sonic, the size of the damage die is reduced to d4.

Bombs!

Basic: A rogue who selects the bombs! talent may produce a small bomb as a move action once per encounter per rogue talent acquired (including this one). A bomb may be thrown as a standard action, and deals 1d6 fire damage per two rogue class levels (rounded up) in a 20 foot radius from its origin. Targets caught in the blast may attempt a reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 rogue class level + int modifier) for half damage. A bomb remains active for up to one minute, after which they immediately explode at their current location. They are of no inherent value.
Improved: A rogue may choose create bombs with different energy types; she may make a bomb that deals acid damage, cold damage, electricity damage, fire damage, or sonic damage (sonic bombs deal 1d4 sonic damage per rogue class levels).

Bonus feat

Basic: A rogue who selects the bonus feat talent gains any one feat that she qualifies for from the rogue bonus feat list detailed below.
Improved: This rogue talent does not improve.
Special: Unlike other rogue talents, this may be taken multiple times. Each time it is selected, the rogue gains a new bonus feat from the rogue bonus feat list that she qualifies for.

Defensive roll

Basic: A rogue who selects the defensive roll talent gains her intelligence modifier (limited by her rogue class level) as a bonus to armor class while wearing light or no armor and carrying up to a light load. This does not stack with other similar abilities that grant a bonus to armor class, such as the Monk's armor class bonus.
Improved: Once per encounter as an immediate action, a rogue may roll a reflex save against an attack roll directed at her. If successful, the rogue takes half damage.

Deftness

Basic: A rogue who selects the deftness talent may use the higher of her strength or dexterity modifiers for all attack and damage rolls with light or one-handed melee weapons and with all ranged weapons. This does not stack with other similar abilities or feats, such as Weapon Finesse. She also gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat.
Improved: A rogue adds her dexterity modifier (if positive) to all critical confirmation rolls.

Evasion

Basic: A rogue who selects the evasion talent can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Improved: This ability works like the basic version, except that while the rogue still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Fortune

Basic: A rogue who selects the fortune talent gains one luck re-roll per day per rogue talent acquired (including this one). She does not have any use for it without a luck feat or another ability that allows uses for luck re-rolls.
Improved: This rogue talent does not improve.

Keen Perceptions

Basic: A rogue who selects the keen perceptions talent may use the superior of her intelligence and wisdom modifiers for all listen, sense motive, and spot checks, and also receives Alertness as a bonus feat.
Improved: A rogue who gains the improved keen perceptions talent gains blindsense out to 60 feet.

Lightning fortitude

Basic: A rogue who selects the lightning fortitude talent gains Great Fortitude as a bonus feat and may substitute her reflex saving throw for her fortitude saving throw once per encounter.
Improved: This ability may be used once per two rounds.

Lightning will

Basic: A rogue who selects the lightning will talent gains Iron Will as a bonus feat and may substitute her reflex saving throw for her will saving throw once per encounter.
Improved: This ability may be used once per two rounds.

Penetrating strike

Basic: Whenever you flank a creature that is immune to extra damage from sneak attacks, you still deal extra damage equal to half your normal sneak attack dice. This benefit does not apply against creatures that cannot be flanked, nor against foes that are otherwise denied their Dexterity bonus to AC or flat-footed but not flanked.
Improved: This ability activates in any situation where you would be able to sneak attack, even if you are not flanking; for example, if you catch the enemy flat-footed or you are making a ranged sneak attack.

Poison use

Basic: A rogue who selects the poison use talent may apply poison to any held weapon as a swift action (assuming she has at least one free hand) and never risks poisoning herself in the process.
Improved: A rogue may immediately create any poison with a save DC of up to twice her rogue class level as a standard action. The poison loses all potency and value after two rounds, although a poisoned target will still suffer the effects over the usual period of time.

Quickness

Basic: A rogue who selects the quickness talent gains a +10 foot bonus to all of her movement speeds per rogue talent acquired (including this one). This ability may only be used when the rogue is wearing light or no armor and carrying up to a light load.
Improved: Once per encounter, a rogue may teleport a distance up to her full speed as a swift action.

Silver tongue

Basic: A rogue who selects the silver tongue talent may use the higher of her charisma or intelligence modifiers for the bluff, diplomacy, gather information, and intimidate skills, and receives a +2 bonus to three of the following skills: bluff, diplomacy, gather information, intimidate, and sense motive.
Improved: The bonus to the three selected skills improves to +6 for each skill.

Trap evasion

Basic: A rogue who selects the trap evasion talent gains a +2 bonus on saving throws per rogue talent acquired (including this one) against all traps.
Improved: A rogue gains immunity from all damage and effects resulting from traps.

Vanish

Basic: A rogue who selects the vanish talent gains the Hide in Plain Sight ability, but only while stationary.
Improved: A rogue may use Hide in Plain Sight at any time, even when moving.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge

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 from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Skill Mastery

At 12th level, the rogue becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions.

Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A rogue may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

Improved Skill Mastery

At 16th level, the rogue's command of his selected skills is peerless.

Upon gaining this ability, for all of the skills selected from Skill Mastery, he may use any exploits associated with those skills without expending any points from his facade.

Lord of Subterfuge

Upon attaining 20th level, a rogue's tricks are the stuff of epics. When funding an exploit, the price of facade points to activate it is discounted by one (to a minimum of zero). Once per encounter, a rogue may automatically take 20 on any skill check for any rogue class skill (receiving only the numerical result, different from rolling a "natural 20"), with no additional costs in terms of time or effort, and even under high-pressure situations.

The exploits (and other related things) are a work in progress, upcoming in posts 2 and 3.

Merk
2013-05-31, 07:40 PM
Rules for Acquiring and Activating Exploits

In order to acquire an exploit, the rogue must meet any listed minimum skill rank requirements. Temporary ranks obtained via the Facade class feature do not qualify the rogue to acquire exploits based on that skill. Once acquired, the exploit may not be changed. However, at 3rd level, 7th level, 11th level, 15th level, and 19th level, the rogue may exchange any previously-known exploit for a new exploit that she qualifies for.

An exploit is activated by expending points from the rogue's facade. Points spent from the facade to activate exploits do not reduce the rogue's current maximum facade in the same way that obtaining temporary skill ranks does. Each exploit requires a minimum expenditure of a certain number of facade points, and some of them can be pumped up if the rogue spends more points. A rogue cannot spend more than her rogue class level in points on any single exploit. So even though a 1st-level rogue has 8 points in her facade, she may spend a maximum of 4 points on any one exploit. If the rogue does not have at least the minimum number of points necessary to activate the exploit in her facade, she cannot activate it. If a rogue has 0 points in her facade, she cannot activate any exploits until she recovers her maximum.

Spending points does not require any action from the rogue, but each exploit has an activation time (such as a standard action, or one minute). More often than not, exploits are used outside of combat. Each exploit also has a stated duration.


The Rogue's Gallery: List of Exploits by Skill

{table=head]
Exploit Name|
Prerequisites|
Description

Blade Perch|Balance 6 ranks|Stand on a target's weapon.

Behind You!|Bluff 2 ranks|Feint at a target as a swift action.

Detection Deceit|Bluff 6 ranks|Foil attempts at alignment detection.

Suggestion|Bluff 10 ranks|Implant a non-magical suggestion in a target.

Poker Face|Bluff 18 ranks|Gain the effects of mind blank.

Walk the Walls|Climb 2 ranks|Briefly run up walls.

Unburdened Climb|Climb 6 ranks|Ignore all restrictions when climbing and increase your climbing speed.

Street Alchemy|Craft (alchemy) 2 ranks|Brew unstable alchemical items on the fly.

Demolition|Craft (alchemy) 8 ranks|Rig explosives to destroy a large structure.

Build a Better Mousetrap|Craft (trapmaking) 6 ranks|Lay a hidden trap during combat.

Remote Trigger|Disable Device 10 ranks|Trigger traps from a safe distance.

Magic Jamming|Disable Device 14 ranks|Render magic items temporarily unusable.

Arcane Saboteur|Disable Device 18 ranks|Sabotage ongoing magic effects as if they were traps.

Deep Cover|Disguise 14 ranks|Fully commit to a cover identity and defeat magical detection.

Flee!|Escape Artist 2 ranks|Gain increased speed to escape from combat.

Houdini's Knack|Escape Artist 10 ranks|Gain the effects of freedom of movement.

Prison Break|Escape Artist 18 ranks|Defeat all attempts at imprisonment, including forcecage and imprison.

Underground Network|Gather Information 10 ranks|Using a network of spies and infiltrators, you can gather information on a global scale.

Fade into Shadows|Hide 6 ranks|Become undetectable by sight.

Smoke Bomb|Hide 10 ranks|Disappear in smoke; enemies become sickened.

Run from Reality|Hide 20 ranks|Seek refuge on another plane for a short period of time.

Blackmail|Intimidate 10 ranks|Force an unwilling target into servitude using blackmail.

Hopscotch Dodge|Jump 2 ranks|Jump up as an immediate action to avoid a trip attempt.

Unburdened Jump|Jump 6 ranks|Ignore all restrictions when jumping and multiply your jumping distance.

Double Jump|Jump 14 ranks|Jump while already in mid-air.

Secret Exit|Knowledge (dungeoneering) 2 ranks|Sense secret doors as an elf.

Pro Spelunker|Knowledge (dungeoneering) 14 ranks|Intuit an accurate and comprehensive layout of a cave or dungeon.

Friends in Low Places|Knowledge (local) 4 ranks|Call in a favor from a 1st-level NPC with a poor reputation.

Fade into Silence|Move Silently 6 ranks|Become undetectable by sound.

Inconspicuous Movement|Move Silently 10 ranks|Creatures don't register your movement, even during the heat of battle.

Skeleton Key|Open Lock 6 ranks|Open locks without tools, bypass arcane lock.

Barrier Free|Open Lock 14 ranks|Bypass most forms of barriers, including dimensional locks and walls of force.

Leverage Fortune|Profession (gambler) 2 ranks|Convert daily luck re-rolls into luck bonuses on certain rolls; win all games of chance.

Chance!|Profession (gambler) 20 ranks|Roll the die! Who knows what will happen?!

Hot & Cold|Search 2 ranks|Sense valuable objects within 60 ft.

Detect Traps|Search 6 ranks|Sense traps within 60 ft.

Cold Reading|Sense Motive 6 ranks|Deduce surface emotions and thoughts from a target that you question.

Mug|Sleight of Hand 4 ranks|Swipe an item from an enemy during an attack.

Pick the World's Pocket|Sleight of Hand 4 ranks|Acquire a cheap mundane item on the fly.

Pocket Sand|Sleight of Hand 4 ranks|Disorient and blind one target. Sh-sh-shaa.

Retroactive Larceny|Sleight of Hand 8 ranks|Steal an item retroactively as an immediate action.

Hide The Halfling|Sleight of Hand 12 ranks|Hide a creature smaller than yourself on your person, as if concealing a weapon.

Skipping Stone|Swim 2 ranks|Tumble across a liquid's surface briefly.

Unburdened Swim|Swim 6 ranks|Ignore all restrictions when swimming and increase your swimming speed.

Catfall|Tumble 2 ranks|Ignore falling damage.

Spring Up|Tumble 6 ranks|Stand up quickly and safely from prone position.

Cartwheeling Charge|Tumble 10 ranks|Make a charge attack with a variable path and ignoring bad terrain.

Hook & Swing|Use Rope 6 ranks|Swing around with a rope, grappling hook, or whip to move large distances and over pitfalls as a move action.

Get Over Here!|Use Rope 10 ranks|Pull an enemy towards you using a rope, grappling hook, or whip.

[/table]

Exploit Descriptions

Balance

Blade Perch

That ogre will spent more time swinging you around on his club than actually attacking anyone.

Minimum Ranks: 6
Facade Cost: 2
Target: One creature wielding a manufactured weapon
Activation Time: 1 move action
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

As part of activating this exploit, make a special balance check with a +4 size bonus to the check for each margin of size difference between you and your target (so a halfling using blade perch against an ogre gets a +8 bonus to the balance check). You may not take 10 on this check. You hop onto an opponent's manufactured weapon (this exploit does not function against natural weapons), which prevents them from attacking effectively until they can remove you from the weapon. Doing so provokes an attack of opportunity, with your balance check as the AC. If the attack of opportunity is successful, this exploit fails (points from the facade are still expended).

If the attack of opportunity fails, then you stand on their weapon (in the same space as the target). While you are standing on the target's weapon, the target cannot attack you, and cannot make attacks of opportunity. On the other hand, you do not threaten any squares, you are flat-footed, you may only attack your target, and you suffer a -4 penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks while perched on the weapon.

On the target's turn, it may use any attack actions it has to attempt to throw you off of its weapon. On each attempt, you are forced to roll a new balance check (with the same special size modifier and restriction on taking 10) against its attack roll. If the target succeeds, you are violently thrown off of its weapon into an adjacent square, and you take damage as if it struck you with its weapon.

As a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity, you can remove yourself from the weapon at any time. Otherwise, this exploit lasts for as long you are not thrown off of the weapon, up to a maximum of 5 rounds (at which time you are automatically thrown off of the weapon into an adjacent square, but take no damage).
Bluff

Behind You!

Look, a supermodel! Look, a hoverboard! Look, the apocalypse! Someone got hit in the boingloings! Hit in the boingloings! Boingloings! Boingloings! Somebody got hit in them. Peace out!


http://i.imgur.com/T8QxI6hl.jpg

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: One or more sentient creatures
Activation Time: 1 swift action
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

As part of this exploit, you may make a bluff check against one target to feint against them. This works exactly like the usual use of bluff to feint against a target, but only requires a swift action, instead of a standard or move action.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points, you may make a feint attempt against any targets you designate within 30 ft.

Empty Threat

I actually have an army of eight thousand pirates at my command! You had better surrender, or else! Really! I'm not kidding!

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: None
Activation Time: Does not require action
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

This exploit may be used at any time you would roll an intimidate check. Instead of rolling an intimidate check, you instead roll a bluff check. This works with any ability that uses intimidation, including feats, skill tricks, and other exploits.

False Action

Your lies inspire people to do the wrong thing at the right time.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 3
Target: One sentient creature
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: 1 hour / rank or until completed
Saving Throw: Will negates
Effect:

As part of this exploit, you may make a bluff check against one target to convince him of a falsehood. If successful, then you may make a non-magical suggestion to the target, as the spell (except for any changes noted here). This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting effect.

Poker Face

A veteran liar's mind is unknowable.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 3
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: 1 hour / rank
Effect:

This mimics the effect of a nondetection spell, except for where noted here. Casters attempting to divine information on you or your gear must make a caster level check with a DC of 10 + your Bluff ranks.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points from your facade, you may actively project false information instead of merely avoiding detection. You must make a Bluff check against the Sense Motive check of the observer. If you fail, then the observer gains accurate information.

By spending an additional 12 points from your facade, you gain the benefits of the spell mind blank as cast by a sorcerer of level equal to your ranks in Bluff - 3 for the duration.
Climb

Walk the Walls

Dungeon parkour.

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 swift action
Duration: 1 minute / rank
Effect:

While walk the walls is active, you can take part of one of your move actions to traverse a wall or other relatively smooth vertical surface if you begin and end your move on a horizontal surface. The height you can achieve on the wall is limited only by this movement restriction. If you do not end your move on a horizontal surface, you fall prone, taking falling damage as appropriate for your distance above the ground. Treat the wall as a normal floor for the purpose of measuring your movement. Passing from floor to wall or wall to floor costs no movement; you can change surfaces freely. Opponents on the ground can make attacks of opportunity as you move up the wall.

You can take other move actions in conjunction with moving along a wall. For instance, the Spring Attack feat allows you to make an attack from the wall against a foe standing on the ground who is within the area you threaten; however, if you are somehow prevented from completing your move, you fall. Likewise, you could tumble along the wall to avoid attacks of opportunity.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points, you imitate the effects of a spider climb spell for the duration.

Jungle Japes

You might not be a monkey, but you can swing with the best of them.

Minimum Ranks: 6
Facade Cost: 2
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 swift action
Duration: 1 minute / rank
Effect:

While jungle japes is in effect, you gain the benefits of the Brachiation (http://dndtools.eu/feats/masters-of-the-wild-a-guidebook-to-barbarians-druids-and-rangers--44/brachiation--264/) feat.
Craft (alchemy)

Street Alchemy

A little mud, some of the vagrant's moonshine, a pinch from the wizard's component pouch (he won't notice!), and... it's alchemist's fire! Well, kind of...

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: None
Activation Time: 1 full-round action
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

Using whatever tools you have at your disposal, you somehow create up to 10 gp / rank in substances from the list of Special Substances and Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#specialSubstancesAndItems). The items you create differ in three major ways:

Your substances are inferior; if they deal damage, the damage die is reduced from 1d6 to 1d4 or from 1d4 to 1d3. In addition, when throwing one of your own substances, if you roll a natural 1, the substance explodes and targets you instead.
Your substances are innately valueless - the bottles you have on hand are of poor, breakable quality and the mixtures are questionable. They may not be sold or traded for any other item of any value.
Your substances lose any potency after 1 minute / rank, after which they become useless mud and booze mixtures.

If you have an alchemist's lab nearby, this only takes 1 standard action. With your DM's permission, you may create substances from alternative sources.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points, your substances deal full damage and you do not risk harming yourself when you roll a 1.

Demolition

Remember -- cool guys don't look at explosions.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 1
Target: None
Activation Time: 10 minutes
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

You create a super bomb that takes 10 minutes to detonate and deals 10 damage per rank to everything in a 30 ft. radius. The damage from the explosion ignores all hardness from objects. If thrown, the bomb has a range increment of 10 ft.

Because creating the bomb requires specialized resources, you may only have one bomb crafted from detonation at any given time.
Disable Device

Remote Trigger

You can only dodge your way of so many pit traps before your luck fails you, after all.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 3
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft. / rank
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

As a part of activating the remote trigger exploit, make a Disable Device check, and select a trap within range. If your check meets or exceeds the difficulty class of the trap, you successfully disable the trap as if you had used the Disable Device skill normally. You gain any bonuses you might have from masterwork tools or other items to your check, as normal.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points from your facade, you disable all traps in range for which your check meets or exceeds its difficulty class.

Jamming

You can disable any sort of device, including magical or unusual devices.

Minimum Ranks: 12
Facade Ranks: 5
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Duration: See text
Effect:

As part of activating the jamming exploit, make a Disable Device check. You touch one device, and it ceases to function. If the item is unattended, it automatically ceases functions. For an attended object (or other devices at the DM's discretion), you must succeed at a disable device check, which is generally 20 + the level of the creator of the device. An attended object may substitute this difficulty class with a Will save from its carrier.

Mundane or simple devices (such as lanterns) are rendered permanently unusable, while magic or unusual devices (such as wands, firearms, or supercomputers) are rendered unusable for 1 minute per rank. Artifacts cannot be jammed.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 4 points from your facade, you may instead rig the device to perform an entirely different task. You may effectively change the device into any other device of its type with equal or less value for the duration. For example, you may change a wand of cure light wounds into a wand of magic missile, but you may not change a ring of protection +1 into a ring of three wishes.
Disguise

Identity Theft

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 3
Target: One sentient creature of the same size and type as you
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will (see text)
Effect:

You are disguised to the point that observers regard you as more similar to your target than the genuine article. As part of activating identity theft, make a special disguise check. Any creature observing your disguise other than the target opposes your check with a sense motive check, and receives a bonus to that check equal to the target's hit dice. Any observer that fails her/his check regards you as your target, and your target as you.

If you inform an observer of the act ahead of time, s/he automatically succeeds on this check.

If an observer succeeds at her/his sense motive check, s/he may attempt to convince other observers of the truth once per hour. In doing so, any previous observer may re-roll her/his sense motive check.

If an observer fails her/his sense motive check, but later witnesses you do something unusual given your identity as the target (for example, if a guard sees the "king" skulking around near a dumpster), she is entitled to re-roll her check with a +4 circumstance bonus.

While at least one observer is convinced of your legitimacy, you automatically pass any spell-like or supernatural tests based on the identity, race, or class of the target; for example, if you steal the identity of a prominent wizard, you may open her spellbook without fear of reprisal even though it is trapped to cast sepia snake sigil on any being that isn't her. In the same way, if you steal the identity of an Orc, you may use intelligent weapons loyal only to Orcs without penalty.

You may only "possess" one stolen identity at a time in this manner; upon activating identity theft, all previous observers of the last theft immediately recognize you and your target normally -- and they probably want to do Bad Things to you now.

Pump it Up:

By spending an additional 4 points from your facade, you can will this to happen retroactively. In addition to any other consequences this may have, you and your target immediately switch physical locations, as if under the effects of a benign transportation spell, as long as your target is within 1 mile per rank. The target is entitled to a Will save to avoid this effect.

By spending an additional 8 points from your facade, the target must also make a sense motive check against your initial disguise attempt. You read that right, you just convinced your target that s/he is an impostor of her/himself.

Deep Cover

You commit to a role so fully that you con even yourself.

Minimum Ranks: 14
Facade Cost: 6
Target: Self
Activation Time: 10 minutes
Duration: 1 hour / rank
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

While the deep cover exploit is active, divination spells detect only information appropriate to your cover identity; they reveal nothing relating to your true persona.
Escape Artist

Flee!

Run away, and live to fight another day.

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 swift action
Duration: 1 minute
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

While flee! is in effect, your speed while running or using the withdraw action is doubled, you don't provoke attacks of opportunity for using these actions, and you retain any dexterity bonus to AC. If you are currently frightened or panicked, your speed triples instead of doubles under the described conditions.

Houdini's Knack

Manacles? Ropes? No thanks.

Minimum Ranks: 10
Facade Cost: 7
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: 5 minutes per rank
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

While houdini's knack is in effect, you are able to move without restriction, as if you were under the effects of freedom of movement.

Prison Break

There aren't bars solid enough to keep you caged.

Minimum Ranks: 20
Facade Cost: 9
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: 1 hour / rank
Effect:

While prison break is in effect, you cannot be held in any sort of confinement. You gain immunity to any spells that aim to restrict or bind your location, including dimensional lock, hold person, and imprison. You can move through any barriers, as if you were under a passwall effect. You may also move through magical barriers such as walls of force and walls of ice, including physical barriers formed by spells such as stone shape.

When passing through a barrier that may harm you, such as a wall of fire or a prismatic sphere, you may roll an Escape Artist check versus the caster's Spellcraft check. If you tie or win the opposed check, you may pass through that barrier without suffering any ill effects.
Forgery

Fool's Gold

You have the ability to produce counterfeit currency.

Minimum Ranks: 6
Facade Cost: 2
Activation Time: 10 minutes
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

You produce an amount of fake gold pieces equal to 1d10 x your Forgery ranks. As part of activation fool's gold, make a Forgery check. Any time you attempt to make a transaction with any amount of the counterfeit currency, the merchant must make an opposed Appraise check. If the merchant succeeds, s/he recognizes your money as fake and her/his attitude towards you immediately becomes Hostile. Otherwise, the merchant proceeds normally with the transaction.

Counterfeit currency produced by fool's gold is not real money, does not count as money for any other purpose. For example, the hot & cold exploit does not register any currency produced by fool's gold.

Craftsman's Lament

Anything you can do, I can fake better.

Minimum Ranks: 10
Facade Cost: 4
Activation Time: 24 hours (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

You produce a replica of another item. As part of activating craftsman's lament, make a Forgery check. Any observer witnessing your item must make an opposed Appraise (or Spellcraft, if replica is duplicating a magic item) check; they receive a bonus to this check per 1,000 gp cost of the original item. If the succeed at the check, they recognize your item as a fake; if you are involved in a transaction using the item, their attitude immediately becomes Hostile. Otherwise, they assume your item is the genuine article. If they are later exposed to the original item, they are entitled to re-roll their Appraise (or Spellcraft) check.

Producing a replica takes 24 hours, but the hours need not be consecutive.

If the replica is a duplicate of a magic item, it fools any and all attempts at magic aura detection, divination, and other magical or supernatural means of identifying it.

Any replica produced by craftsman's lament is not actually the item it is supposed to imitate, and has no intrinsic value or use. You cannot make a replica of any item with a cost of more than 500 gp x your forgery ranks. You cannot make a replica of any artifact or intelligent item.

Pump it Up: By spending an additional 14 points from your facade, you may even make replicas of artifacts and intelligent items, and the cost limit on replicas vanishes.
Gather Information

Underground Network

You have eyes and ears everywhere.

Minimum Ranks: 10
Facade Cost: 4
Range: See text
Activation Time: 12 hours
Effect:

As part of activating underground network, make a Gather Information check. This exploit functions as a normal use of the skill, with the following changes:

If you have at least 10 ranks in Gather Information, you are able to gather information from everywhere in the country that you're in.
If you have at least 14 ranks in Gather Information, you are able to gather information from everywhere in the plane that you're in.
If you have at least 18 ranks in Gather Information, you are able to gather information from everywhere and anywhere.

Hide

Fade Into Shadows

You disappear from sight.

Minimum Ranks: 6
Facade Cost: 2
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: 1 minute / rank
Effect:

While fade into shadows is active, you gain invisibility, as the spell, except for any changes noted here.
Intimidate

Jump

Knowledge (dungeoneering)

Secret Exit

Getting into places you're not supposed to be is great, but leaving them alive is better.

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Duration: 5 minutes per rank
Effect:

While secret exit is in effect, you are entitled to Search checks to find secret or concealed doors as if you were actively searching for them whenever you pass within 5 feet of one, as if you were an elf.
Knowledge (local)

Friends in Low Places

By frequenting cheap pubs, gambling houses, and other such places, you've made shadowy contacts. You can call in a favor when needed.

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: None
Activation Time: 5 minutes
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

You obtain a contact (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/contacts.htm). If you are in a reasonably large community, you may find and communicate with your contact within 5 minutes. Your contact initially has a friendly attitude towards you and owes you 1d10 silver points / rank in services (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spellcastingAndServices), but once any favors are called in, your contacts attitude towards you immediately becomes unfriendly.
Move Silently


Open Lock

Skeleton Key

Locks are a thing of the past.

Minimum Ranks: 6
Facade Cost: 2
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

This duplicates the effect of a knock spell, but you must be able to physically operate on the locked item.
Profession (gambler)

Search

Hot & Cold

You were born with dollar signs in your eyes instead of pupils.


http://i.imgur.com/WAx9SEt.jpg

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped emanation
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute / rank
Effect:

This works like detect magic, except for changes noted here and that instead of detecting magical auras, you detect items of monetary value. Higher-valued items register as a higher priority.

Trap Paranoia

You seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to traps.

Minimum Ranks: 8
Facade Cost: 3
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped emanation
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes / rank
Effect:

This duplicates the effect of the detect traps spell, except for where noted here.

Sense Motive

Sleight of Hand

Mug

So sorry, your purse seems to have been caught on the edge of my blade. My mistake...

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: One creature
Activation Time: 1 free action
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

As part of an attack action that hits successfully, you may make a Sleight of Hand check to take an object from your target. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to this check.
Swim

Tumble

Catfall

Freefall in extreme style.

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Target: Self
Activation Time: 1 immediate action
Duration: Until landing, or 1 round per rank
Saving Throw: None
Effect:

This is identical to feather fall, except that you can only use it on yourself, and the duration is limited by ranks rather than caster level.
Use Rope

Hook & Swing

Who do you think you are, Indiana Jones?!

Minimum Ranks: 4
Facade Cost: 1
Activation Time: 1 move action
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect:

Using a grappling hook, whip, or a length of rope, you can latch onto distant objects and move yourself towards them. The object must be within 100 ft., and be able to support your weight, and you must have line of effect to it. In addition, you must have an appropriate length of rope available. If you attempt to latch onto a creature, you must hit the target's AC with a Use Rope check.

Once you latch onto the object, you may immediately move to its position as a free action. You must have a hand free with which to hold the rope. In doing so, you break the latching effect. This can be used to cross chasms, swing from ceilings, or just generally move in a more effective way.

Hostage Taker

If you were any more conniving, you would put the tied-up girl on the train tracks.

Minimum Ranks: 10
Facade Cost: 4
Target: One creature of at least small size and at most large size
Activation Time: 1 standard action
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Effect:

Using this exploit provokes an attack of opportunity. The target must make a reflex save against your Use Rope check. If the target fails, you successfully bind the target in ropes. For one hour afterwards, may not benefit from freedom of movement or any similar abilities that would allow them to automatically escape from the binding, although they may still attempt Escape Artist checks as usual.

Prison break allows the target to escape the binding without any problems.

Merk
2013-05-31, 07:42 PM
New Feats

Acquire Exploit

Benefit

You may acquire an exploit from the Rogue's Gallery. Once selected, this exploit does not change.

You may only qualify for exploits as if all of your skill ranks were halved. So a 6th level Sorcerer with 9 ranks in Bluff only qualifies for acquiring exploits that require 4 ranks in Bluff. You may activate your exploit even though you do not have a facade, but each exploit is only usable once per encounter.

If you possess a facade, the rules are different. You may access exploits as if you had all of your skill ranks. So an 11th level rogue with 14 ranks in Escape Artist may qualify for acquiring exploits that require 14 ranks in Escape Artist. The once per encounter restriction on activating the exploit is lifted, but you must fund the exploit with points from your facade, as usual.

Special

You can gain this feat multiple times. Each you take the feat, you may select a new exploit that you have access to. If you do not possess a facade, you may only select this feat up to 3 times.

Special

A rogue may select Acquire Exploit as one of her bonus feats.
Identity Crisis
No, see, I don't have an identity crisis. You do.

Prerequisites

Must know the exploit identity theft.

Benefit

This feat augments the use of the exploit identity theft. Instead of only maintaining one stolen identity at a time, you may maintain up to 3 + your intelligence modifier in stolen identities.

For example, Lidda the Rogue has an intelligence score of 15 (for a +2 modifier) and has already used identity theft successfully (that is, there are still observers who believe the original ruse). She may use the exploit again an additional four times, selecting a different target each time she activates it, and all of her previous observers still believe each original ruse. If she attempts to use the exploit a sixth time, she must choose one identity to "give up"; the stolen identity ends and all observers recognize you and your target normally. All other stolen identities remain intact.

As a side benefit of this feat, you gain a +3 bonus to all Disguise checks.

Kyuu Himura
2013-06-01, 12:00 AM
Well, this looks real good, I always thought the rogue could use a sub-system of abilities the same way warriors have maneuvers, but could never come up with anything that had enough guile to it, I'll keep an eye on this one.

Pramxnim
2013-06-01, 03:39 AM
I think that limiting the Rogue's Sneak Attack to promote her skill talents is the right approach, but you seem to have overdone it. Having only half the Sneak Attack damage spread across the same 20 levels make the Rogue seem extremely weak in combat (much weaker than it was before). Combat isn't the be all end all of D&D, but being able to do meaningful damage in addition to all the cool tricky stuff is important too. After all, what is the fun of dancing circles around your enemy and pulling off tricky moves when the end result is you tickling them with your puny dagger?

I'd let the Rogue keep its SA damage, or at least if you want to reduce the dice number, consider condensing the spread of this ability. In other words, I would give them all their SA dice by the 11th level so they can feel awesome earlier.

The Rogue Talents are cool and interesting, though some are obviously more powerful than others. Vanish and Quickness are leagues above the other talents simply due to the amazing mobility and economy of action they give (not to mention Quickness allows to you Teleport 120ft as a swift action once per combat at level 11 assuming a character with base 30ft movespeed), while Penetrating Strike is all but useless, since right now it gives you +2d6 damage at level 13+ for a Talent.

On the subject of useless Talents, Improved Sneak Attack is the worse of the bunch. I understand that you want the Rogue to sacrifice other abilities to achieve the old 10d6 SA dice and want to discourage people from doing that to promote the other awesome Talents, but the ability is now so bad that absolutely no one would pick it. If you do increase their normal SA damage and/or condense the ability, consider making this Talent give +2d6 SA damage and the Improved version increase the dice size to d8s, but you can only take it once.

To give an example, you could make the SA dice damage increase at levels 1, 4, 7, 10 and 13. Thus, a Rogue that takes the Improved Sneak Attack Talent at his earliest convenience (level 3) would get +3d6 SA at level 3, and eventually +6d8 SA by level 11. This is a bit faster than the normal Rogue at early levels, but he evens out by level 11 and doesn't progress past level 13. 7d8 is less than 10d6, and there's no way to increase that with this version of the Rogue, so I think that's fairly reasonable.

Back to Penetrating Strike, by the same vein, this ability could be improved by simply having it reduce the number of SA dice by a flat number, say, two, instead of cutting it in half. Not only does this make it easier to keep track of (doesn't raise the argument of
"Do we round down?"
"We always round down unless it's specified"
"Nuh-uh. Show me the ruling"
and saves us time), it's also not crippling the ability. You'd do +5d8 SA against enemies immune to SA if you take this and Improved Sneak Attack, which is still similar to ye olde Rogue with the same feat, except you have to invest 2 Talents into it.

In the end, you still have the opportunity cost required to do more damage, but the end result is more rewarding, and you can get the damage stuff out of the way earlier so the later levels are all about cool things like teleporting and bypassing magic barriers. That's my 2c on the matter, hope it helps :smallsmile:

Merk
2013-06-01, 08:48 AM
Thanks for the feedback!

Vanish has been changed to once per encounter, and the improved version (while still granting greater invis and hide in plain sight) still costs a standard action.

Quickness has been changed to reduce the teleportation distance from 2x speed to 1x speed. It is still among the most powerful talents, but it doesn't become great until 11th level.

You make a good point regarding sneak attack. Here are the options I'm considering:

Give the rogue normal sneak attack progression, but reduce the size of the die to d4. So a 7th level rogue has +4d4 sneak attack organically. Penetrating strike is either unchanged or subtracts 2 dice, and Improved sneak attack (only selected once) raises the size of the die to d6. This rogue ends up with +10d4 (avg. 25) sneak attack naturally, and +10d6 (avg. 35) with Improved sneak attack.
Keep the existing sneak attack progression, but from 9th level on, the die increases to d8. Penetrating strike reduces the number of dice by 2, and Improved sneak attack (only selected once) increases the number of dice by 1 (at basic) and then by 2 (at improved). So the rogue gains +5d8 (avg. ~22.5) sneak attack naturally, and +7d8 (avg. ~31.5) with Improved sneak attack.
I'm leaning towards the simpler first option, but I'm curious if this is giving the rogue too much.

Svata
2013-06-01, 11:30 PM
I say go with the 7d8 option, but possibly add an extra d4 or d6 at 20th level, just to bring it a LITTLE closer to the original damage. Kudos on making the rogue better though.

Shades of Gray
2013-06-02, 12:02 AM
I think switching sneak attack to d8s or d4s isn't a great idea, because many if not most playgroups will only have one or two of those dice, whereas most people have tons of d6s.

tarkisflux
2013-06-02, 12:33 PM
Some thoughts and questions about your starting points


1. To re-write the rogue to be more about skills and less about sneak attack.
2. To expand on skill tricks, giving rogues the ability to thwart previous obnoxious obstacles (Open Lock vs. arcane lock, for instance)
3. To do what the Tome of Battle did for martial characters, for skillmonkeys.
4. To give rogues reasons to invest in conventionally useless skills, such as Profession or Use Rope.

1. In my experience, rogues were about SA (and UMD with the right setups) because they didn't have any other options. I think you could make them more about skills and less about SA without cutting the SA progression at all actually, just by giving them cool class based things like the exploits and the talents. Though without intended class power guidelines I have no idea if you should in this case.
2. Sold!
3. Not sure where you're going with this one. Is this just a reference to the exploits? If so, don't they need a couple more at the start for flexibility?
4. So... you want to turn them into skill taxes? Instead of investing in something with useful skill bits and useful exploits, they just get useful exploits? It sort of works with Bards and Perform, but they don't have other skill options to invest in with a better cost/benefit ratio. For this to work well, you might want give the skills you feel underutilized a few new basic uses available to any Rogue with ranks in them, if only to even out the value proposition.

And on to talents:
Acrobatics: Pretty sure they don't get both a swim and a climb speed, but something to the effect of "when acquired, must select one of" might be helpful for clarity. Though you really could just give both (at half base speed if you're worried about Quickness interaction).
Arcane Rogue: While improved is cool, regular seems a bit underwhelming. The two don't really seem to flow into one another either. Maybe magic strikes as the basic and elemental damage as the improved? Or a set of spells for both the basic and the improved versions?
Fortune: You could make the regular version grant 1 luck reroll and 1 luck feat (like the Deftness ability sort of does), and have the advanced one add an additional luck reroll per 4 levels (equivalent to the 1/talent line) if you wanted to spread this one out a bit.
Improved SA: Per my point 1, I don't think this one is necessary depending on what balance you're aiming for. Penetrating strike already does the improved SA thing pretty well.
Lightning (save): The one / encounter ability is a lot like getting Dex instead of normal attribute to the save on top of the +2 from the feat bonus, and that seems pretty underwhelming compared to some of the other talents. Why not something more like slippery mind (with the improved version offering some weak form of spell reflection) for will and... I have no idea for fort :-(.
Quickness: +10' per talent? That's a fast rogue you got there. I'm not sure it's a problem per se, but it looks out of line with some of the other talents here. Or maybe it just seems that way coming off of the passive save talents. +10' flat and some AoO avoidance might be a good alternative. And if you wanted to avoid per encounter limits in the improved version, you could just give them a move action teleport with a 1/4 base speed distance. At the level you get it, it's around 15' after the base speed boosts (so maybe only 1/2 base speed distance if you cut down the quickness boost).
Vanish: I'm not sure what Vanish used to look like, but 1 round of Invis or Greater Invis in exchange for a standard action seems a bit steep and the Invis call seems a bit off IMO. Why not have the standard version just grant Hide in Plain Sight if you're stationary and the improved version grants it entirely?

AttilaTheGeek
2013-06-02, 01:17 PM
Yeah, I just don't see why sneak attack needed a nerf. It's not like sneak attack damage was excessive at high levels.

Kane0
2013-06-02, 07:01 PM
Looks pretty good, I can't find anything that really stands out as a bad move.

Oh, though I do recommend you change the Come Over Here exploit to Get Over Here, if only for the Scorpion references.

Kristofthegreat
2013-06-02, 08:46 PM
Looks pretty good, I can't find anything that really stands out as a bad move.

Oh, though I do recommend you change the Come Over Here exploit to Get Over Here, if only for the Scorpion references.

I agree with this; D&D is full of references to other pop culture (and Gary Gygax's characters)...I did always want to make a "Shelindria's wand" with my artificer...

Anyway: as someone who loves to play rogues, I love seeing the expansion and attempt to make them more like warblades from the tome of battle. I think, though, to keep them more flexible use the warblade model of stances and maneuvers. FYI - War Blades were made because the fighter class really starts to suck when you get into higher levels, and that was a way to keep up with the spell caster's ability to essentially manipulate the world to ending (eg maxed out fireball, lightning bolt, crushing fist of death, etc). My thoughts were always this: spell casters deal massive damage through magic and cause problems - fighters / tanks are tanks (no need to say more) - rogues can cause just as many problems between sneak attacking and breaking things either pre-battle or in the battle field (similar to the assassin's creed esque art you used). Causing pre-battle havok amongst the troops can lead to no end of fun for you gaming group. I've done it.

I'm going to keep track of this one to try and see if I can incorporate it to my next rogue.

wayfare
2013-06-02, 10:40 PM
This is great! I'm actually working on a fighter that mechanically somewhat similar! Great effort on a fun and innovative sub-system!

Merk
2013-06-03, 08:46 AM
Thanks for the feedback!

It seems like the prevailing opinion is just to have the rogue's usual sneak attack progression, so I'll do just that. The rogue now has its usual +10d6 sneak attack, and Improved Sneak Attack has been removed as a talent.


3. Not sure where you're going with this one. Is this just a reference to the exploits? If so, don't they need a couple more at the start for flexibility?
4. So... you want to turn them into skill taxes? Instead of investing in something with useful skill bits and useful exploits, they just get useful exploits? It sort of works with Bards and Perform, but they don't have other skill options to invest in with a better cost/benefit ratio. For this to work well, you might want give the skills you feel underutilized a few new basic uses available to any Rogue with ranks in them, if only to even out the value proposition.

3. I'll consider that. The main reason I was hesitant to give out 2 or 3 exploits at first level was just to reduce the likelihood of dipping Rogue 1.
4. Great suggestion in giving old skills new non-exploit uses. I will definitely work on that!


Acrobatics: Pretty sure they don't get both a swim and a climb speed, but something to the effect of "when acquired, must select one of" might be helpful for clarity. Though you really could just give both (at half base speed if you're worried about Quickness interaction).
Arcane Rogue: While improved is cool, regular seems a bit underwhelming. The two don't really seem to flow into one another either. Maybe magic strikes as the basic and elemental damage as the improved? Or a set of spells for both the basic and the improved versions?
Fortune: You could make the regular version grant 1 luck reroll and 1 luck feat (like the Deftness ability sort of does), and have the advanced one add an additional luck reroll per 4 levels (equivalent to the 1/talent line) if you wanted to spread this one out a bit.
Improved SA: Per my point 1, I don't think this one is necessary depending on what balance you're aiming for. Penetrating strike already does the improved SA thing pretty well.
Lightning (save): The one / encounter ability is a lot like getting Dex instead of normal attribute to the save on top of the +2 from the feat bonus, and that seems pretty underwhelming compared to some of the other talents. Why not something more like slippery mind (with the improved version offering some weak form of spell reflection) for will and... I have no idea for fort :-(.
Quickness: +10' per talent? That's a fast rogue you got there. I'm not sure it's a problem per se, but it looks out of line with some of the other talents here. Or maybe it just seems that way coming off of the passive save talents. +10' flat and some AoO avoidance might be a good alternative. And if you wanted to avoid per encounter limits in the improved version, you could just give them a move action teleport with a 1/4 base speed distance. At the level you get it, it's around 15' after the base speed boosts (so maybe only 1/2 base speed distance if you cut down the quickness boost).
Vanish: I'm not sure what Vanish used to look like, but 1 round of Invis or Greater Invis in exchange for a standard action seems a bit steep and the Invis call seems a bit off IMO. Why not have the standard version just grant Hide in Plain Sight if you're stationary and the improved version grants it entirely?

Acrobatics: Edited to clarify.
Arcane Rogue: I like the idea of basic = magic, improved = elemental. Changed.
Lightning X: Removed the "no evasion" clause, and the improved version of each grants the ability once per two rounds.
Quickness: The speed bonus is on par with the monk's and as far as I know, nobody considers that a really outstanding ability. I could be convinced to lower it to 5 ft. / talent. In any case, I did change it to specify to work under light/no armor and light/no load only.
Vanish: That's much cleaner than what I was trying to do. Changed!

tarkisflux
2013-06-03, 11:39 AM
3. I'll consider that. The main reason I was hesitant to give out 2 or 3 exploits at first level was just to reduce the likelihood of dipping Rogue 1.

But one of the points of ToB was to make dips more palatable ;-)

Well, I guess that's half serious actually. Since the exploits work off of skill ranks, dipping rogue 1 at CR 10 or whatever is a pretty good deal if you can get more than 1 exploit, and it sounds totally fine to me (though you probably want a second opinion on that). If you liked the idea but were worried about the class being too frontloaded, you could probably push SA back to even levels (which you might look at anyway to spread some of the ability acquisition around, some of those levels look stuffed).




Quickness: The speed bonus is on par with the monk's and as far as I know, nobody considers that a really outstanding ability. I could be convinced to lower it to 5 ft. / talent. In any case, I did change it to specify to work under light/no armor and light/no load only.


No one complains about the Monk ability because the monk can't really do anything to take advantage of their speed. But that speed could be pretty awesome on a barbarian pounce build. Or (more relevantly) grab Vanish and Quickness with your rogue and take a pounce dip so you can ambush targets from the middle of the field (HiPS) and then TWF them to death before running off the field to Vanish and doing it again.

I don't know if it really fits as well thematically as more general avoidance and maneuverability tricks, but like I said it's probably fine. I don't mind HiPS Pounce TWF ambushers at all :-D

ShriekingDrake
2013-06-04, 02:03 PM
This is fantastic. Bravo! It's a great start on making rogues what they can and ought to be.

With respect to skill tricks, I think you should consider letting the rogue take them for just 1 skill point and forget about having them replace an exploit.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this project continue to grow and adjust. I can also envision adding some skill tricks and feats.

For instance, 2 skill tricks I had developed previously that might be useful for consideration here as skill tricks or exploits are as follows:

Hogtier [Manipulation]
You can bind a creature quickly.
Prerequisites: Use Rope 5 ranks
Benefits: You can effectively bind a prone, pinned, grappled, unconscious, or otherwise immobile creature in 1 round with an appropriate length of rope, sash, vine, cord, or similar material.

Hostage Taker [Manipulation]
Your facility with ropes makes it more difficult for bound creatures to use magic to escape.
Prerequisites: Use Rope 10 ranks
Benefits: For an hour after you have bound a creature with a rope, sash, vine, cord, or similar material, Freedom of Movement will not enable that creature to automatically succeed on an escape artist check.



Great start on a great project.

Merk
2013-06-05, 10:24 PM
Thanks for the feedback!


No one complains about the Monk ability because the monk can't really do anything to take advantage of their speed. But that speed could be pretty awesome on a barbarian pounce build. Or (more relevantly) grab Vanish and Quickness with your rogue and take a pounce dip so you can ambush targets from the middle of the field (HiPS) and then TWF them to death before running off the field to Vanish and doing it again.

I don't know if it really fits as well thematically as more general avoidance and maneuverability tricks, but like I said it's probably fine. I don't mind HiPS Pounce TWF ambushers at all :-D

That's a good point. I think I'm okay with the abilities as they stand. There are certainly worse things than HiPS Pounce TWF ambushers.


This is fantastic. Bravo! It's a great start on making rogues what they can and ought to be.

With respect to skill tricks, I think you should consider letting the rogue take them for just 1 skill point and forget about having them replace an exploit.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this project continue to grow and adjust. I can also envision adding some skill tricks and feats.

For instance, 2 skill tricks I had developed previously that might be useful for consideration here as skill tricks or exploits are as follows:

Thanks! Now that I think about it, the whole skill trick to exploit exchange is messy -- I'll just take out that clause altogether.

I used both ideas and made a single exploit, Hostage Taker, out of them!

Anyway, I added several new exploits: Empty Threat (Bluff), False Action (Bluff), Walk the Walls (Climb), Jungle Japes (Climb), Street Alchemy (Craft alchemy), Prison Break (Escape Artist), Fade Into Shadows (Hide), Skeleton Key (Open Lock), Mug (Sleight of Hand), Hook & Swing (Use Rope), and Hostage Taker (Use Rope). I also made a small revision to Friends in Low Places (Knowledge local) to use the existing rules for contacts in Unearthed Arcana.

ShriekingDrake
2013-06-12, 09:14 PM
I like what you did with the hostage taker exploit and continue to think this is a fantastic effort. I hope you will continue to nurture it.

Merk
2013-06-12, 09:47 PM
Thank you very much! I hope to have most of the exploits drafted for PEACHing (and the exploit table fixed) by the end of the month.

Heian
2013-06-13, 07:36 AM
That looks pretty good!

Razanir
2013-06-13, 08:46 AM
This seems good. And better than ToB. Admittedly I don't own the book and only know how it functions from the free preview on the wizards website, but I never understood how maneuvers work.

I also come with an idea for an exploit. If you're impersonating someone, use Bluff to convince people he's the impostor. So you can disguise yourself as the king then convince the guards that you're the real king and the real king is the rogue disguised as him

Merk
2013-06-13, 07:21 PM
That's brilliant. :D

Added the exploit Identity Theft (Disguise). Thanks for the idea!

Razanir
2013-06-13, 07:30 PM
That's brilliant. :D

Added the exploit Identity Theft (Disguise). Thanks for the idea!

So a level 7 rogue could convince the king he's an impostor... That's just hilarious and awesome.

Merk
2013-06-13, 07:49 PM
Added in some revisions to Identity Theft to limit it a bit, and also added the Identity Crisis feat for rogues who want to be able to maintain multiple stolen identities.

ShriekingDrake
2013-06-17, 10:43 PM
Although I'm not filled with ideas, it strikes me that it might be fun to think about ways to make forgery more useful. Forging money, forging first level scrolls, forging art, etc

Merk
2013-06-18, 09:28 AM
Although I'm not filled with ideas, it strikes me that it might be fun to think about ways to make forgery more useful. Forging money, forging first level scrolls, forging art, etc

Excellent. Added the Fool's Gold and Craftsman's Lament forgery exploits, thanks for the idea!

ShriekingDrake
2013-06-26, 02:29 PM
What criteria did you use to select the set of bonus feats?

Merk
2013-06-27, 02:23 PM
Each bonus feat on the list meets at least one of the following criteria:

The feat is required for certain types of common rogues to work (Darkstalker, Crossbow Sniper, TWF)
The feat relates to skills or dexterity (any +2/+2 skill feat, Combat Reflexes)
The feat is relevant to "scoundrels" or rogues in particular (Ambush feats, luck feats)


If there are any feats you think should or shouldn't be on the list, let me know!

Edit: Added in the Demolition, Remote Trigger, Magic Jam, Deep Cover, Underground Network exploits, and merged some other exploits.

DeusMortuusEst
2013-06-27, 03:27 PM
This looks excellent! I haven't read all the exploits, but I like the idea.

I also noticed that you only have one exploit for the balance skill. Poor balance. Here's an idea for another one:

Piggyback
It works similar to Blade Perch but instead of balancing on the opponent's weapon you climb/jump onto their back, and either by pulling down their hood/helmet/hair in front of their eyes or by using your cloak or something to the same effect blinds them for a couple of rounds.

Doesn't work on creatures without eyes.

Thoughts?

ShriekingDrake
2013-06-27, 07:29 PM
Each bonus feat on the list meets at least one of the following criteria:

The feat is required for certain types of common rogues to work (Darkstalker, Crossbow Sniper, TWF)
The feat relates to skills or dexterity (any +2/+2 skill feat, Combat Reflexes)
The feat is relevant to "scoundrels" or rogues in particular (Ambush feats, luck feats)


If there are any feats you think should or shouldn't be on the list, let me know!

Edit: Added in the Demolition, Remote Trigger, Magic Jam, Deep Cover, Underground Network exploits, and merged some other exploits.

Thanks. This is helpful. I'll see if I can think of others. I just think this is a superior homebrew. I hope you keep working at it.

ShriekingDrake
2013-07-18, 04:31 PM
Are you still working on this or do you feel like it's done? I still think it looks great.