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View Full Version : The Rogue - A Jack of all Bards [D&D 3.5]



Ziegander
2012-05-06, 10:55 AM
The Rogue

Designer's Notes:
Before crying, "OMG this is overpowered!" I would like you to judge this from the viewpoint of existing in a Core Only environment. Many lament the struggle of a Rogue to play the game effectively (especially if not allowed to sneak attack with acid flasks), and the Bard is very often cited as a tremendously weak class. Optimizers know that a Bard can become a powerful member of a party, but only if extensive use is made of, sometimes obscure, support from supplemental books such as the Words of Creation feat and the Sublime Chord prestige class.

I started thinking one morning about how the two classes might be combined into one, more interesting class. I thought, if the Rogue could cast spells, how much more useful would that make him when his skills and sneak attack (often) failed him? I thought, if the Bard could hit hard, how much more well-rounded might that make him in combat? This class is the result of that sort of thinking.

http://morethandice.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/rogue-20071202-031430.jpg

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8

Designer's Notes

Like Pathfinder, I think that d6 HD should be reserved for pure casters. Rogues should get d8's, Rangers should get d10's, and Fighter's should get d12's.


{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th

1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Inspire Competence, Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding, Weapon Finesse|1|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|Evasion|2|0|—|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|+2|+1|+3|+3|Sneak Attack +2d6|3|1|—|—|—|—|—|—

4th|+3|+1|+4|+4|Inspire Courage +1|4|2|0|—|—|—|—|—

5th|+3|+1|+4|+4|Sneak Attack +3d6|4|3|1|—|—|—|—|—

6th|+4|+2|+5|+5|Spellguile|4|4|2|—|—|—|—|—

7th|+5|+2|+5|+5|Sneak Attack +4d6|4|4|3|0|—|—|—|—

8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+6|Inspire Courage +2|4|4|4|1|—|—|—|—

9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+6|Sneak Attack +5d6|4|4|4|2|—|—|—|—

10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+7|Special Ability|4|4|4|3|0|—|—|—

11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+7|Sneak Attack +6d6|4|4|4|4|1|—|—|—

12th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|Inspire Courage +3|4|4|4|4|2|—|—|—

13th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|Sneak Attack +7d6|4|4|4|4|3|0|—|—

14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+9|Special Ability|4|4|4|4|4|1|—|—

15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+9|Sneak Attack +8d6|4|4|4|4|4|2|—|—

16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Inspire Courage +4|4|4|4|4|4|3|0|—

17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Sneak Attack +9d6|4|4|4|4|4|4|1|—

18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|Special Ability|4|4|4|4|4|4|2|—

19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Sneak Attack +10d6|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|0

20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Inspire Courage +5|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|1
[/table]

Class Skills (8 + Int): Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), 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), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Proficiencies: A Rogue is proficient with all simple weapons plus the Hand Crossbow, Longsword, Rapier, Sap, Short Sword, Shortbow, and Whip. A Rogue is proficient with light armor as well as shields (but not Tower Shields) and does not suffer arcane spell failure as long as he wears armor no heavier than light and holds a shield that is not a Tower Shield.

Spells
A Rogue casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the Rogue spell list (given below). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a Rogue must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Rogue’s spell is 10 + the spell's level + the bard’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a Rogue can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the bard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.

The Rogue’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Rogue begins play knowing two 0-level spells of your choice. At most new Rogue levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Spells Known table below (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a Rogue knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on the table are fixed).

Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third class level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a Rogue can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, he "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one spell level lower than the highest-level spell he can cast. A Rogue may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

As noted above, a Rogue need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Spells Known
{table]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th

1st|2|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|3|11|—|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|4|2|—|—|—|—|—|—

4th|4|2|11|—|—|—|—|—

5th|4|3|2|—|—|—|—|—

6th|4|3|2|—|—|—|—|—

7th|4|3|3|11|—|—|—|—

8th|4|3|3|2|—|—|—|—

9th|4|3|3|2|—|—|—|—

10th|4|3|3|3|11|—|—|—

11th|4|3|3|3|2|—|—|—

12th|4|3|3|3|2|—|—|—

13th|4|3|3|3|3|11|—|—

14th|4|3|3|3|3|2|—|—

15th|4|3|3|3|3|2|—|—

16th|4|4|3|3|3|3|11|—

17th|4|4|4|3|3|3|2|—

18th|4|4|4|4|3|3|2|—

19th|4|4|4|4|4|3|3|11

20th|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2[/table]

Rogue Spell List

0-LEVEL - Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Erase, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Light, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic

1ST LEVEL - Alarm, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Grease, Hypnotism, Lesser Confusion, Remove Fear, Silent Image, Undetectable Alignment

2ND LEVEL - Alter Self, Blur, Cat's Grace, Darkness, Delay Poison, Detect Thoughts, Eagle's Splendor, Enthrall, Fox's Cunning, Glitterdust, Hold Person, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Locate Object, Minor Image, Pyrotechnics, Scare, See Invisibility, Silence, Whispering Wind

3RD LEVEL - Blink, Charm Monster, Clairsentience (as Clairaudience/Clairvoyance), Dispel Magic, Displacement, Fear, Gaseous Form, Haste, Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Scorching Ray, Sculpt Sound, Slow, Suggestion

4TH LEVEL - Confusion, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door, Dominate Person, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain, Hold Monster, Legend Lore, Locate Creature, Modify Memory, Neutralize Poison, Rainbow Pattern, Scrying, Zone of Silence

5TH LEVEL - Greater Dispel Magic, Mass Suggestion, Mirage Arcana, Mislead, Persistent Image, Secret Chest, Seeming, Sending, Shadow Walk, Song of Discord, Telekinesis, Telepathic Bond, Teleport

6TH LEVEL - Analyze Dweomer, Find the Path, Guards and Wards, Mass Cat's Grace, Mass Charm Monster, Mass Eagle's Splendor, Mass Fox's Cunning, Permanent Image, Programmed Image, True Seeing, Veil

7TH LEVEL - Discern Location, Ethereal Jaunt, Greater Scrying, Greater Teleport, Mass Hold Monster, Mind Blank, Prismatic Spray, Power Word Stun, Spell Turning


Inspire Competence (Ex): As long as his allies are able to see and hear him, a Rogue grants those allies a +2 competence bonus to skill checks made with skills that the Rogue has at least 1 rank in. For this bonus to be granted, the Rogue must be able to move freely for the purposes of demonstrations and must be able to speak in order to give instructions.

Sneak Attack (Ex): If a Rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The Rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Rogue flanks his target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two 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 the first range increment of the weapon used in the attack.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a Rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage.

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. A Rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking at a creature with cover.

Trapfinding (Ex): A Rogue that passes within 5ft of a trap (magic or otherwise) is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if he were actively looking for it.

The radius of this sixth sense increases to 10ft at 4th level, and by 5ft at every four levels thereafter (to a maximum of 30ft at 20th).

Designer's Notes:

The idea here is that, no longer is finding traps exclusive to the Rogue. Anyone can use the Search skill to find well-hidden traps, and anyone can use the Disable Device skill (if they've got it) to disarm magic traps. With this ability, a Rogue is still a more qualified trapfinder than most.


Weapon Finesse: A Rogue may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on melee attack rolls with any weapon. Unlike the Weapon Finesse feat, a Rogue that carries a shield does not suffer its armor check penalty to attack rolls when using this ability.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a Rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 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.

Inspire Courage (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the confident Rogue is able to build up the courage of his allies (and himself) by putting on unconcerned airs, speaking silvered words, and adopting a devil-may-care stance.

When the going gets tough, a Rogue may spend a move action to grant himself and his allies a +1 bonus to saving throws against Fear, and a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. To be affected by this ability an ally must be able to see and hear the Rogue, and the Rogue must be able to speak and move freely. These bonuses last for 5 rounds.

At 8th level and every four levels thereafter the bonuses from this ability increase by +1.

Spellguile (Ex): At 6th level, any time the Rogue is not denied his Dexterity bonus to AC he gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

On the other hand, against a foe that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, the saving throw DC of the Rogue's spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities increases by 2.

Special Abilities: At 10th level and every four levels thereafter a Rogue gains any special ability of her choice from the spoiler below.


Ambush (Ex): You suffer no penalties to Hide or Move Silently when moving your normal speed and suffer only a -10 penalty when running, or a -5 penalty when quickly dashing to a hiding place (see PHB 69). Furthermore, during a surprise round you are entitled to either a full round action, or one swift, one move, and one standard action.

Bonus Feat: You may gain any feat that you meet the prerequisites of as a bonus feat.

Crippling Strike (Ex): A Rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that his blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of his sneak attacks also takes 1 point of Strength or Dexterity damage, at the Rogue's choice, and is Fatigued for 1 round. Crippling Strike cannot worsen a target's condition beyond Fatigued.

Defensive Roll (Ex): As an immediate action, when you would be targeted by an attack or included in the area of a harmful effect you may make a Tumble check with a DC equal to the attack roll or the saving throw. If you fail, you must avoid the attack with your own AC or saving throw as normal, but if you succeed you may move up to half your speed, attacks miss, and you avoid the area effect for 1 round even if you are still within the area. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

Diverse Talents: You may select any class feature from another base class that any character up to your Rogue level -2 would have and gain that class feature as a special ability. You are treated as a member of that class of a level equal to your Rogue level -2 for determining the effectiveness of the feature, but you do not gain any upgrades for the class feature if the upgrades are listed as a separate class feature (such as Greater Rage or Wild Shape (Large)). If the selected class feature has a number of uses per day you gain only 1 use per day. The selected class feature must be from the Special column of a base class table. You may choose this special ability any number of times.

Improved Evasion: 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): Whenever you hit a foe with an attack of opportunity you add your Sneak Attack damage to the attack even if the foe isn't flatfooted and you aren't flanking it (but not if the creature cannot be sneak attacked).

Skill Mastery (Ex): A Rogue with this special ability may take 10 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm#taking10) with any skill he has at least 1 rank in.

Slippery Mind (Ex): You may use your Reflex save in place of your Will save against all Mind-Afflicting effects. Furthermore, whenever you make a successful Reflex save against a Mind-Afflicting effect which offers a save of partial or half you instead suffer no ill effects.

*Steal Divinity (Su): You must possess the True Believer feat to select this special ability.

A number of times per day equal to 3+Your Intelligence modifier you may Turn or Rebuke Undead as a Cleric except that you may channel energy of any type and are not limited by your alignment. You do need to brandish a holy symbol of your chosen deity when you use this ability.

Steal Spell (Sp): You have an innate knack for knowing which of your foes are spellcasters. Whenever you would deal sneak attack damage to an enemy, if it can cast spells or use spell-like abilities you are aware of the highest level of spell or spell-like ability they possess. You may sacrifice any number of sneak attack dice in order to deprive your foe of the ability to cast spells or use spell-like abilities of a level up to the number of dice sacrificed in this way for 1d4 rounds.

You must choose to deprive your foe of either the ability to cast spells OR the ability to use spell-like abilities, but not both. Also, the struck foe is entitled to a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 Rogue level + the Rogue's Charisma modifier) to resist this effect.

If you do, you gain full knowledge of all spells or spell-like abilities your foe possesses up to that level, and during those 1d4 rounds, as a standard action you may cast or use any of those spells or spell-like abilities. You are required to provide the necessary components or spend any necessary XP, but you do not suffer any arcane spell failure from armor you wear. After the duration, your foe gains his spellcasting ability back, but loses spell slots or uses per day equivalent to the spells or spell-like abilities you used in this way.

Wandslinger (Ex): You may activate any wand you possess capable of producing a spell with a ranged touch attack as an attack action rather than a standard action, and you may apply any feats you possess that interact with weapons to the ranged touch attack spells of wands you wield. For example, at 10th level, with the Two-Weapon Fighting feat you may wield two wands and make three attacks each round with the spells at +5/+5/+0 (before modifiers). This ability requires you to expend a wand's charges with each activation as normal + 1 charge per round for every attack made with a given wand beyond the first.

NeoSeraphi
2012-05-06, 11:17 AM
The rogue does not have the ability to cast glibness. This is an outrage to all magical rogues!

Also, Steal Spell should not require the Mage Slayer feat, as taking the Mage Slayer feat would ruin the rogue, since it imposes a -4 CL, and the rogue actually casts spells.

The rogue has MAD casting, which is good, as a rogue should be both smart and charming. You are encouraging that with class features rather than just fluff, and also rewarding a player who doesn't dump Cha when he builds a rogue. So good all-around.

Still, the rogue does end up being pretty MAD with this change. If you're trying to make the rogue more playable, perhaps giving him Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat wouldn't be too harsh? It really should be a class feature for rogues anyway.

Ziegander
2012-05-06, 11:40 AM
The rogue does not have the ability to cast glibness. This is an outrage to all magical rogues!

Just an attempt to phase out spells that make skill ranks pointless.


Also, Steal Spell should not require the Mage Slayer feat, as taking the Mage Slayer feat would ruin the rogue, since it imposes a -4 CL, and the rogue actually casts spells.

Good point.


Still, the rogue does end up being pretty MAD with this change. If you're trying to make the rogue more playable, perhaps giving him Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat wouldn't be too harsh? It really should be a class feature for rogues anyway.

Good point. Normally, I would say that I don't believe in the Weapon Finesse feat tax, but since I can't be shoving too many houserules down people's throats, I suppose I will give it to him for free.

NeoSeraphi
2012-05-06, 11:55 AM
Just an attempt to phase out spells that make skill ranks pointless.


...He says as he puts invisibility, invisibility sphere, and greater invisibility on the spell list. :smallamused: (Argue that invisibility and greater invisibility are necessary for Sneak Attack all you like, invisibility sphere exists solely to remove the party's lack of ranks in Hide).




Good point. Normally, I would say that I don't believe in the Weapon Finesse feat tax, but since I can't be shoving too many houserules down people's throats, I suppose I will give it to him for free.

I approve of it to an extent, but only because the Strength score is pretty rarely used outside of melee attacks. If the Strength score was made more relevant to all characters, then I would say you should be able to choose between Dex and Str for light weapons and finessables only (no matter how nimble you are, you need some muscle to aim correctly with a greataxe or a bastard sword).

Ziegander
2012-05-06, 12:15 PM
I approve of it to an extent, but only because the Strength score is pretty rarely used outside of melee attacks. If the Strength score was made more relevant to all characters, then I would say you should be able to choose between Dex and Str for light weapons and finessables only (no matter how nimble you are, you need some muscle to aim correctly with a greataxe or a bastard sword).

Yeah, that's pretty much how I look at it.

JKTrickster
2012-05-07, 03:36 PM
This looks great, but before I say anything -

*ahem*

No capstone? Aww :smallsigh:

Anyway I love this class. It certainly makes for an interesting skill monkey and versatile class.

Quellian-dyrae
2012-05-07, 04:09 PM
I like this, although I'll second the point about Glibness and also call out Knock. I understand the point of not adding the spells that make the skills irrelevant, but the thing is, the spells are already overshadowing the skills by virtue of their existence...so I'd figure that if anyone can use them, it should be the caster rogue.

I love the Trapfinding change.

Steal Divinity seems...a bit weird. As I understand it, you could qualify for it with Diverse Talents easily enough, but getting that ability lets you use your full level and choose from any form. However, it then requires the True Believer feat, which seems to suggest some measure of sincere faith in a certain deity on the rogue's part. I dunno, just seems off to me.

Diverse Training, Steal Spell, and Wandslinger are the only real potential balance issues I see. Diverse Training is probably okay, it's just broad enough that I'm not sure the wording might have unforeseen implications. Steal Spell you might want to force the rogue to use its spell slots to cast the stolen spells, just to be safe. Wandslinger, though, I think may be too much, even considering the cost involved to stay stocked on wands.