[PF] Rogue/Ninja as Half-Casters [PEACH]

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Cross-posted at Paizo:

Okay, so idea. Thinking about the 3.5 version of the Assassin, and the kits from the Complete Ninja's Handbook, I've been considering expanding the magical abilities available to Ninjas and Rogues to make them optionally the arcane equivalent of half-casters like Paladins and Rangers.

• Paladins and Rangers get Orisons at 2nd level, adding the 0th level spells from the Cleric and Druid spell lists, respectively, to their class spell lists. They can prepare 3 Orisons per day.
• Rogues and Ninjas with spellcasting ability have a caster level equal to their class level -3. Rogues use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability, while Ninjas use Charisma. Both classes may cast spells gained from their class in light armor without ASF.
• Rogues and Ninjas may select Rogue/Ninja Magic as a Talent/Trick, with Int/Cha 10 and 2nd level as prerequisites, granting them 3 cantrips known to be selected from any arcane caster list.
• At 4th level, Rogues and Ninjas with Rogue/Ninja Magic may select Advanced Magic as a Talent/Trick, granting them an extra cantrip known, 0 1st level spells per day, and 1 1st level spell known from any arcane base class spellcasting list or the Assassin list.
• At 8th level and every 4th level thereafter, Rogues and Ninjas may select Advanced Magic again, granting them 0 spells per day and 1 spell known for the next spell level, and 1 additional spell per day and spell known for each lower level.
• Rogues and Ninjas with Advanced Magic can gain Expanded Arcana as a bonus feat in place of a Talent.

A character who spends all of his Rogue Talents or Ninja Tricks to gain spellcasting will be a slightly less effective spellcaster than a Ranger or Paladin of equivalent level.

[legomaster00156]

Rogues use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability, while Ninjas use Charisma.

No. Make them use the same stat, preferably Charisma. As written, this makes the Rogue MAD, while the Ninja uses a stat that they'd need farly high anyway; by default, the Ninja would be better.

[Viktyr Gehrig]

No. Make them use the same stat, preferably Charisma. As written, this makes the Rogue MAD, while the Ninja uses a stat that they'd need farly high anyway; by default, the Ninja would be better.

I'm indifferent. I've been trying to link more Rogue abilities to Intelligence since I've always seen it as a prime requisite-- even though by RAW it does very little. My Factotum archetype for the Rogue is heavily Intelligence based.

But yeah, if you think it would work better with Charisma, I'm all for it. Have the Rogue's optional ki and/or grit pools be Charisma based as well. Maybe just recombine the Rogue and Ninja classes.