Grod_The_Giant
2011-11-28, 05:32 PM
The rogue isn't really a bad class, in a vacuum, but it has two big problems:
Its main form of offense, sneak attack, is defeated by many different kinds of foes, and several easily-obtainable items.
Its signature abilities, trapfinding, lockpicking, and sneaking, are all more effectively duplicated by second level spells.
I've attempted to rectify both problems. As a matter of necessity, there are a set of spell nerfs (Knock, Find Traps, and the Invisibility line) at the end.
A lot of this is copied directly from the SRD, but I've tried to italicize new material, to make it easier to spot. So, without further ado...
The Rogue
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Sneak Attack Damage
1st
+0
+0
+2
+0
Sneak attack, Trapfinding, Insightful Strike
+1d6
2nd
+1
+0
+3
+0
Evasion, Rogue Knack
3rd
+2
+1
+3
+1
Trap sense +2, Stealthmaster
+2d6
4th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Uncanny dodge, Improved Insightful Strike
5th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Study Foe
+3d6
6th
+4
+2
+5
+2
Trap sense +4, Hide in Plain Sight
7th
+5
+2
+5
+2
Improved Sneak Attack
+4d6
8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+2
Improved uncanny dodge, Softfoot
9th
+6/+1
+3
+6
+3
Trap sense +6, Darkstalker
+5d6
10th
+7/+2
+3
+7
+3
Special ability
11th
+8/+3
+3
+7
+3
Reliable Sneak Attack
+6d6
12th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Trap sense +8, Vanish in Plain Sight
13th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Special ability
+7d6
14th
+10/+5
+4
+9
+4
Master Sneak Attacker
15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+5
Trap sense +10
+8d6
16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Special ability
17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Hide in the Light
+9d6
18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Trap Mastery
19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Special ability
+10d6
20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Deadly Sneak Attack
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
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 (all skills, taken individually) (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: (8 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the rogue.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, light melee weapons, andthe hand crossbow, rapier, and shortbow, . Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
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. 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, she gains a bonus to attack and damage. She is treated as having a base attack bonus equal to her rogue level, and deals +1d6 damage. This damage increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Prestige classes that advance Sneak Attack count as rogue levels when determining her improved base attack bonus. 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. This ability generally comes into play against creatures who are at least two sizes larger than the rogue and tall. For example, a human rogue could sneak attack an ogre (large), or a remorhaz (huge, long), but not a titan (huge, tall). Some sneak attack variants, like hamstring, might still work (DM's digression). A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Not much change here-- the big sneak attack bits come later-- but the attack bonus helps reduce MAD and ensure that she can actually hit in battle.
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.
Insightful Strike (Ex)
When attacking a target who is denied a Dexterity bonus to AC, or when flanking, a rogue can use her Intelligence or Dexterity modifier (choose one; the choice cannot be changed once made) in the place of Strength for attack and damage rolls.
Beginning at 4th level, you may use this ability at all times.
Reducing MAD always seems like a good thing to me.
Evasion (Ex)
At 2nd level and higher, a rogue 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.
Rogue Knack (Ex)
When buying cross-class skills, a rogue only pays one skill point per level. In addition, when making any skill check, she may use ½ her rogue level in place of the number of ranks she has in the skill. She cannot use this ability on a skill which cannot be used untrained if she has no ranks in that skill, and she cannot take 10 or take 20 when using her Rogue Knack.
Shamelessly stolen from Able Learner and Bardic Knack, both seemed appropriate for a skillmonkey-- and it helps her compete with the Factotum
Trap Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +2 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +4 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +6 when she reaches 9th level, to +8 when she reaches 12th level, and to +10 at 15th. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
I've never seen this ability do much in-game, but it makes sense to have. I upped the bonus because... well... it seemed pretty low for such a situational ability.
Stealthmaster (Ex)
Beginning at 3rd level, a rogue gains a bonus to hide and move silently checks equal to one-half her rogue level.
A big bonus, I know, but it's necessary to keep up with spells, and it means that the rogue can be stealthy without having to blow lots of skill points on it.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
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.
Study Foe (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, a rogue who spends 3 rounds studying a type of foe normally immune to sneak attacks, such as plants or undead, gains the ability to sneak attack them for a number of minutes equal to her Intelligence modifier. She must take at least a move action during each of the three rounds to study the foe.
The first big change-- now you can sneak attack the undead! A little bit, at least. For now...
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)
At 6th level, a rogue can attempt to use the Hide skill even while being observed. To do so, she must be within her normal movement distance of a source of cover or concealment, and take a full-round action. If she succeeds, she successfully “vanishes” and moves to the hiding spot. She does move through the intervening space, even if no-one perceives her doing so, and as such must be able to physically reach her destination, and can potentially trigger traps and other hazards.
Why don't rogues get this ability by default? I stole the mechanics from Mutants and Masterminds, but it seems like a very rogue-y thing to do. The full-round use time should help cut down on abuse.
Improved Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 7th level, the rogue gains one of two abilities:
The range at which she can make sneak attacks with ranged weapons increases to 60ft.
A foe struck by a melee sneak attack remains vulnerable to sneak attacks for one additional round. This ability can only be applied once per foe.
The main goal is to make archer-rogues more viable. I had to give melee-types something to compensate, and an extra round of sneak attacking seemed OK-- most of the time, they'll be trying to flank regardless.
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 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.
Softfoot (Ex)
At 8th level, a rogue doesn’t leave tracks, and isn’t slowed or hampered by difficult terrain. In general, she doesn’t leave physical signs of her passing unless she chooses to do so. In addition, she doesn't take penalties to Move Silently checks to pass through noisy terrain.
Partially flavor, and partially useful. Sure, she should be nailing those Move Silently DCs anyway, but it never hurts to be sure.
Darkstalker(Ex)
At 9th level, a rogue gains Darkstalker (Lords of Madness) as a bonus feat, allowing her to make Hide and Move Silently checks against creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense, and to flank creatures with all-around vision. If she already has Darkstalker, she instead gains a bonus feat of her choice.
HERE we fix one of the big problems with sneaky characters-- monsters immune to sneaking.
Special Abilities
On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.
Crippling Strike (Ex)- A rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also [I]takes 1 point of Strength damage per die of sneak attack damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. The rogue may only make one Crippling Strike per turn, even if she hits with multiple attacks, each dealing sneak attack damage.
Defensive Roll (Ex)- The rogue can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rogue can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rogue’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
Improved Evasion (Ex)- This ability works like evasion, 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.
Opportunist (Ex)- Once per round, the rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the rogue’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
Skill Mastery- 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.
Slippery Mind (Ex)- This ability represents the rogue’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
Feat- A rogue may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.
No real changes here, apart from making Crippling Strike a little more useful.
Reliable Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 11th level, a rogue can sneak attack any creature, even one who would normally be immune to sneak attacks, without having to spend time studying them.
BOOM! No more sneak attack immunities! Thank you. Thank you.
Vanish in Plain Sight (Ex)
At 12th level, a rogue can use his Hide in Plain Sight ability as a move action.
Master Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 14th level, the ability that a rogue gained from Improved Sneak Attack improves again.
She can sneak attack any foe within range of her weapon.
A foe struck by a melee sneak attack remains vulnerable to sneak attacks for one additional round. This ability can be applied twice per foe— in other words, the rogue can “chain” three sneak attacks together.
Hide in the Light (Ex)
At 17th level, a rogue’s mastery of stealth is almost supernatural. He can remain hidden for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier without needing cover. After the duration expires, he becomes visible. The countdown resets if he enters cover or concealment without being noticed.
Good? Absolutely, but still weak compared to, say, Greater Invisibility. Realistic? We're near level 20 here. Realism has nothing to do with anything anymore.
Trap Master(Ex)
At 18th level, a rogue's ability to avoid traps has reached legendary heights. The rogue is never treated as a valid target for attacks or spells made by traps, as if he had total cover from the trap and the trap did not have line of sight or line of effect to him.
The logical cumulation of Trap Sense.
Deadly Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 20th level, a rouge may make a special death attack. She must first make a normal sneak attack; the target takes full damage, and must then make
a Fortitude save (DC 10 + number of sneak attack die+ the rogue's Intelligence modifier) or die. A creature can only be affected by this ability once per round, no matter how many attacks the rogue makes. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier.
And a pretty little capstone to tie it all up.
Spell Nerfs
Invisibility- All spells in the Invisibility line add the following line of text:
It's difficult to coordinate when you're used to seeing yourself move. Invisible characters take a penalty to attack rolls and Move Silently checks equal to (10- the level of the invisibility spell cast on them).
Creatures with invisibility as a spell-like or supernatural ability do not suffer this drawback.
Knock
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One door, box, or chest with an area of up to 10 sq. ft./level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
SR: No
The Knock spell blows open locked doors and rips the tops off chests. The caster makes a special pseudo-strength check, rolling a d20 and adding the modifier from his primary casting ability and one-half his caster level, against the normal DC to force open a door or chest. For example, a 4th level wizard with an intelligence of 18 would add +6 to this check.
I always found it really strange that a spell CALLED Knock unlocked doors. My mental image was always a wizard just blowing the door off its hinges and now... well... it's not guaranteed to work, and there are plenty of times when it would be preferable to open the door stealthily. The range decrease eliminates another advantage the spell had over the skill.
Find Traps
Divination
Level: Clr 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level or until discharged; see below
You grant yourself a temporary insight into the working of traps. The next time you make a Search check, you may attempt to locate traps as if you had the Trapfinding ability. You may not take ten on this check. After making a single Search check, the spell is discharged.
No, clerics, you DON'T get to take the rogue's main job away that easily. Sure, you can LOOK for traps, but you're going to blow a lot of spells and skill ranks doing so.
Its main form of offense, sneak attack, is defeated by many different kinds of foes, and several easily-obtainable items.
Its signature abilities, trapfinding, lockpicking, and sneaking, are all more effectively duplicated by second level spells.
I've attempted to rectify both problems. As a matter of necessity, there are a set of spell nerfs (Knock, Find Traps, and the Invisibility line) at the end.
A lot of this is copied directly from the SRD, but I've tried to italicize new material, to make it easier to spot. So, without further ado...
The Rogue
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Sneak Attack Damage
1st
+0
+0
+2
+0
Sneak attack, Trapfinding, Insightful Strike
+1d6
2nd
+1
+0
+3
+0
Evasion, Rogue Knack
3rd
+2
+1
+3
+1
Trap sense +2, Stealthmaster
+2d6
4th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Uncanny dodge, Improved Insightful Strike
5th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Study Foe
+3d6
6th
+4
+2
+5
+2
Trap sense +4, Hide in Plain Sight
7th
+5
+2
+5
+2
Improved Sneak Attack
+4d6
8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+2
Improved uncanny dodge, Softfoot
9th
+6/+1
+3
+6
+3
Trap sense +6, Darkstalker
+5d6
10th
+7/+2
+3
+7
+3
Special ability
11th
+8/+3
+3
+7
+3
Reliable Sneak Attack
+6d6
12th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Trap sense +8, Vanish in Plain Sight
13th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Special ability
+7d6
14th
+10/+5
+4
+9
+4
Master Sneak Attacker
15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+5
Trap sense +10
+8d6
16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Special ability
17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Hide in the Light
+9d6
18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Trap Mastery
19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Special ability
+10d6
20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Deadly Sneak Attack
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
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 (all skills, taken individually) (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: (8 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the rogue.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, light melee weapons, andthe hand crossbow, rapier, and shortbow, . Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
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. 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, she gains a bonus to attack and damage. She is treated as having a base attack bonus equal to her rogue level, and deals +1d6 damage. This damage increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Prestige classes that advance Sneak Attack count as rogue levels when determining her improved base attack bonus. 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. This ability generally comes into play against creatures who are at least two sizes larger than the rogue and tall. For example, a human rogue could sneak attack an ogre (large), or a remorhaz (huge, long), but not a titan (huge, tall). Some sneak attack variants, like hamstring, might still work (DM's digression). A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Not much change here-- the big sneak attack bits come later-- but the attack bonus helps reduce MAD and ensure that she can actually hit in battle.
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.
Insightful Strike (Ex)
When attacking a target who is denied a Dexterity bonus to AC, or when flanking, a rogue can use her Intelligence or Dexterity modifier (choose one; the choice cannot be changed once made) in the place of Strength for attack and damage rolls.
Beginning at 4th level, you may use this ability at all times.
Reducing MAD always seems like a good thing to me.
Evasion (Ex)
At 2nd level and higher, a rogue 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.
Rogue Knack (Ex)
When buying cross-class skills, a rogue only pays one skill point per level. In addition, when making any skill check, she may use ½ her rogue level in place of the number of ranks she has in the skill. She cannot use this ability on a skill which cannot be used untrained if she has no ranks in that skill, and she cannot take 10 or take 20 when using her Rogue Knack.
Shamelessly stolen from Able Learner and Bardic Knack, both seemed appropriate for a skillmonkey-- and it helps her compete with the Factotum
Trap Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +2 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +4 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +6 when she reaches 9th level, to +8 when she reaches 12th level, and to +10 at 15th. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
I've never seen this ability do much in-game, but it makes sense to have. I upped the bonus because... well... it seemed pretty low for such a situational ability.
Stealthmaster (Ex)
Beginning at 3rd level, a rogue gains a bonus to hide and move silently checks equal to one-half her rogue level.
A big bonus, I know, but it's necessary to keep up with spells, and it means that the rogue can be stealthy without having to blow lots of skill points on it.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
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.
Study Foe (Ex)
Starting at 5th level, a rogue who spends 3 rounds studying a type of foe normally immune to sneak attacks, such as plants or undead, gains the ability to sneak attack them for a number of minutes equal to her Intelligence modifier. She must take at least a move action during each of the three rounds to study the foe.
The first big change-- now you can sneak attack the undead! A little bit, at least. For now...
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)
At 6th level, a rogue can attempt to use the Hide skill even while being observed. To do so, she must be within her normal movement distance of a source of cover or concealment, and take a full-round action. If she succeeds, she successfully “vanishes” and moves to the hiding spot. She does move through the intervening space, even if no-one perceives her doing so, and as such must be able to physically reach her destination, and can potentially trigger traps and other hazards.
Why don't rogues get this ability by default? I stole the mechanics from Mutants and Masterminds, but it seems like a very rogue-y thing to do. The full-round use time should help cut down on abuse.
Improved Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 7th level, the rogue gains one of two abilities:
The range at which she can make sneak attacks with ranged weapons increases to 60ft.
A foe struck by a melee sneak attack remains vulnerable to sneak attacks for one additional round. This ability can only be applied once per foe.
The main goal is to make archer-rogues more viable. I had to give melee-types something to compensate, and an extra round of sneak attacking seemed OK-- most of the time, they'll be trying to flank regardless.
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 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.
Softfoot (Ex)
At 8th level, a rogue doesn’t leave tracks, and isn’t slowed or hampered by difficult terrain. In general, she doesn’t leave physical signs of her passing unless she chooses to do so. In addition, she doesn't take penalties to Move Silently checks to pass through noisy terrain.
Partially flavor, and partially useful. Sure, she should be nailing those Move Silently DCs anyway, but it never hurts to be sure.
Darkstalker(Ex)
At 9th level, a rogue gains Darkstalker (Lords of Madness) as a bonus feat, allowing her to make Hide and Move Silently checks against creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense, and to flank creatures with all-around vision. If she already has Darkstalker, she instead gains a bonus feat of her choice.
HERE we fix one of the big problems with sneaky characters-- monsters immune to sneaking.
Special Abilities
On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.
Crippling Strike (Ex)- A rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also [I]takes 1 point of Strength damage per die of sneak attack damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. The rogue may only make one Crippling Strike per turn, even if she hits with multiple attacks, each dealing sneak attack damage.
Defensive Roll (Ex)- The rogue can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rogue can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rogue’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
Improved Evasion (Ex)- This ability works like evasion, 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.
Opportunist (Ex)- Once per round, the rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the rogue’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
Skill Mastery- 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.
Slippery Mind (Ex)- This ability represents the rogue’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
Feat- A rogue may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.
No real changes here, apart from making Crippling Strike a little more useful.
Reliable Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 11th level, a rogue can sneak attack any creature, even one who would normally be immune to sneak attacks, without having to spend time studying them.
BOOM! No more sneak attack immunities! Thank you. Thank you.
Vanish in Plain Sight (Ex)
At 12th level, a rogue can use his Hide in Plain Sight ability as a move action.
Master Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 14th level, the ability that a rogue gained from Improved Sneak Attack improves again.
She can sneak attack any foe within range of her weapon.
A foe struck by a melee sneak attack remains vulnerable to sneak attacks for one additional round. This ability can be applied twice per foe— in other words, the rogue can “chain” three sneak attacks together.
Hide in the Light (Ex)
At 17th level, a rogue’s mastery of stealth is almost supernatural. He can remain hidden for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier without needing cover. After the duration expires, he becomes visible. The countdown resets if he enters cover or concealment without being noticed.
Good? Absolutely, but still weak compared to, say, Greater Invisibility. Realistic? We're near level 20 here. Realism has nothing to do with anything anymore.
Trap Master(Ex)
At 18th level, a rogue's ability to avoid traps has reached legendary heights. The rogue is never treated as a valid target for attacks or spells made by traps, as if he had total cover from the trap and the trap did not have line of sight or line of effect to him.
The logical cumulation of Trap Sense.
Deadly Sneak Attack (Ex)
At 20th level, a rouge may make a special death attack. She must first make a normal sneak attack; the target takes full damage, and must then make
a Fortitude save (DC 10 + number of sneak attack die+ the rogue's Intelligence modifier) or die. A creature can only be affected by this ability once per round, no matter how many attacks the rogue makes. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier.
And a pretty little capstone to tie it all up.
Spell Nerfs
Invisibility- All spells in the Invisibility line add the following line of text:
It's difficult to coordinate when you're used to seeing yourself move. Invisible characters take a penalty to attack rolls and Move Silently checks equal to (10- the level of the invisibility spell cast on them).
Creatures with invisibility as a spell-like or supernatural ability do not suffer this drawback.
Knock
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One door, box, or chest with an area of up to 10 sq. ft./level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
SR: No
The Knock spell blows open locked doors and rips the tops off chests. The caster makes a special pseudo-strength check, rolling a d20 and adding the modifier from his primary casting ability and one-half his caster level, against the normal DC to force open a door or chest. For example, a 4th level wizard with an intelligence of 18 would add +6 to this check.
I always found it really strange that a spell CALLED Knock unlocked doors. My mental image was always a wizard just blowing the door off its hinges and now... well... it's not guaranteed to work, and there are plenty of times when it would be preferable to open the door stealthily. The range decrease eliminates another advantage the spell had over the skill.
Find Traps
Divination
Level: Clr 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level or until discharged; see below
You grant yourself a temporary insight into the working of traps. The next time you make a Search check, you may attempt to locate traps as if you had the Trapfinding ability. You may not take ten on this check. After making a single Search check, the spell is discharged.
No, clerics, you DON'T get to take the rogue's main job away that easily. Sure, you can LOOK for traps, but you're going to blow a lot of spells and skill ranks doing so.