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FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-15, 05:06 AM
The Gutter Rat

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LXDEF9kT-X8/TfjabWvhb9I/AAAAAAAAQpg/FVmo5zNzS-E/w900-h679-no/The_Edge_of_Night_by_daarken.jpg



Many adventurers come from auspicious beginnings - wealthy noble houses, proud warrior tribes, learned colleges or other institutions of magic; not one of these places have ever produced a Gutter Rat. Gutter Rats hail from the foulest neglected slums, from the dankest slave pits of evil empires, from all of the places where the Inherent Rights and Dignity of Sentient Creatures are little more than a cruel joke.

Adventures
Discounting the psychological scars left over from their upbringing, Gutter Rats tend to be very happy as adventurers, for the simple reason that a Gutter Rat on an adventure is a Gutter Rat not stuck in whatever hell they grew up in. The trials, the dangers, and the discomforts of the adventuring life are meaningless to the average gutter rat - by their standards, the possibility that they might die is far less surprising than that they might not.

Characteristics
Gutter Rats come from some of the worst and meanest backgrounds of any adventurers, and bring that resilience, brutality and desperation to the battlefield.

In combat, Gutter Rats are known for their almost superhuman reflexes and speed; Gutter Rats will almost always be the first to act in battle, and will often interrupt enemies in the middle of their actions. Furthermore, Gutter Rats rank among the world's most dedicated survivalists, routinely continuing to fight in face of injuries that by rights should have killed them. On the offensive, Gutter Rats lack the raw power of fighters or barbarians, but instead bring a whole slough of dirty tricks to the table, often finding surprising and underhanded ways to turn the fight to their advantage.

Alignment
The overwhelming majority of Gutter Rats are chaotic neutral; they almost always grew up in situations where the law was either a force of oppression and cruelty if it was present at all, and few were ever in a situation to consider a nobler purpose than their own survival. That being said, their is nothing stopping Gutter Rats from rising above their harsh beginning, and Gutter Rats may be of any alignment.

Religion
Few gutter rats hold any religion at all, as most have spent more time cursing the gods than praising them. However, it is not that uncommon to find individuals who cling to a kernel of faith in the darkest of times, and Gutter Rats are no exception: those few that do hold Religion tend to hold is as dearly as any cleric.

Background
A small number of Gutter Rats grew up as feral children in the meanest areas of the wilds, but on the whole, it takes intelligent creatures to produce the kind of hell that spawns a Gutter Rat, and the vast majority come from urban areas. A gutter rat who can name either of her parents is considered sheltered; a gutter rat who reaches the age of ten without killing is a pacifist.

Races
Gutter Rats can come from any race, though usually they come from those at the bottom of society's ladder; depending on the specific region, this will often mean half-orcs, halflings or kobolds, but in a sufficiently atypical setting, it could just as easily be elves or dwarves.

Other Classes
Though often distrustful by nurture (if not by nature), Gutter Rats are generally happy to have allies of any kind alongside them; that being said, they're apt to have little in common with Wizards, Paladins, or any others who came from structured backgrounds. Gutter Rats on the whole have the most in common with rogues in their outlook, they they may also find empathy in the stubborn ferocity of barbarians, or in the animalsitc outlook of certain druids.

Attributes
Dexterity, Constitution and Wisdom are the three most important stats for any Gutter Rat; which comes first depends on the specific build. In addition to powering numerous abilities, these modifiers form the basis for the three point pools the Gutter Rat has access to. Cleverness points refill with a full action; Quickness points refill between encounters; Toughness points renew with a night of rest.

Gutter Rat
{table]Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Special
1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Quick, Clever and Tough, Attribute Pools
2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Quick
3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Clever
4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Tough
5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Quickstep
6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Pools + 1
7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Quick
8 | 6/1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Clever
9 | 6/1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Tough
10 | 7/2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Disruptive Strike
11 | 8/3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Pools + 2
12 | 9/4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Quick
13 | 9/4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Clever
14 | 10/5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | Tough
15 | 11/6/1 | 9 | 9 | 9 | Won't Stay Dead
16 | 12/7/2 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Pools + 3
17 | 12/7/2 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Quick
18 | 13/8/3 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Clever
19 | 14/9/4 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Tough
20 | 15/10/5 | 12 | 12 | 12 | Quick, Clever and Tough, Pools +4 [/table]
Hit Points: D8
Skills: 4 + Int, X4 at First Level
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sense Motive, Sleight Of Hand, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble and Use Rope.


Quick, Clever and Tough
At first and twentieth level, the Gutter Rat may choose one ability from each of the Quick, Clever and Tough sets, listed below. Gutter Rats may also choose to spend feats on extra abilities from these same lists.

Attribute Pools
At first level, the Gutter Rat gains access to three pools of points, one for each of their major attributes - Quickness (based of Dexterity), Cleverness (based off of Wisdom) and and Toughness (based off Constitution). By default, the maximum value of each pool is equal to their modifier in the relevant attribute - however, they can increase these through several other means. Gutter Rats recover Clever and Quickness points between encounters, but must rest to recover Toughness points.

Pool Bonuses
At sixth, eleventh, sixteenth and twentieth levels, the size of each pool increases by one.

Quickstep
At Fifth Level, the Gutter Rat gains Quickstep, a powerful ability fuelled by Quick Points. A Quickstep is a five-foot move action that can be taken off-turn, as an immediate action. A Quickstep is not a 5-foot step, and does provoke attacks of opportunity; it's primary use is in avoiding ranged attacks and targeted spells. If the quickstep is used to avoid an attack, it either succeeds 50% of the time (in the case of a non-spell attack), or grants an extra reflex save to negate the effects. In the case of an AoO attack, this extra save is only granted if the Quickstep carries the gutter rat out of the targeted area; a Gutter Rat may use multiple Quicksteps to do so.

Taking a Quickstep is an immediate action that costs one Quickness Point; multiple Quicksteps may be taken in a single turn.

Disruptive Strike
A Gutter Rat has seen enough fights to learn the importance of not letting their opponents act freely. At Tenth Level, the Gutter Rat learns how to perform a Disruptive Strike: When making an attack against an enemy who is in the course of performing any action (either through an attack of opportunity, a readied action, or any immediate attack), the Gutter Rat may choose to spend a Clever Point in order to try to disrupt the enemy's action, rather than do damage. A Disruptive Attack deals no damage, but instead forces a reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 Class Level + Wisdom Modifier) or the action is lost - the attack misses, the spell fizzles, the target's movement is stopped in its tracks, etc.

Won't Stay Dead
By Fifteenth level, the Gutter Rats who were willing to die have already done so. Whenever apparently killed (so long as whatever killed them would not destroy their body in the process), the Gutter Rat instead makes a single fortitude save against a DC of 30; if the save is successful, the Gutter Rat recovers from their wounds in 1d20 hours with no level loss, although they do take 2d6 points of ability damage to each attribute - this damage cannot reduce an attribute to lower than 1.

Every time a Gutter Rat avoids death in this way, the DC of the check increases by 1; if the Gutter Rat actually dies and is raised, the DC resets to 30.

Quick
At the levels indicated on the table, the Gutter Rat may learn one ability from the following list. Gutter Rats may also choose to spend feats on these abilities.

{table] Ability | Prerequisite | Point Cost | Use
Lightning Reflexes | - | - | As Feat
Quick to Start | - | - | Gain half class level as initiative bonus.
Great Quickness | - | - | Gain 2 Quickness Points; Stacks if taken repeatedly.
Rapid Step | - | 1 | Take 5-foot step as Swift Action
Weapon Finesse | Class Level 2nd | - | As Feat
Lethal Finesse | Class Level 2nd | - | add Dex to Damage with light weapons (replaces Strength)
Combat Reflexes | Class Level 2nd | - | As Feat
Evasion | Class Level 2nd | - | As Class Feature
Perfect Reflexes | Class Level 2nd | 1 | Cease to be Flat-Footed.
Lunge Strike | - | 1 | Make single attack as if you had +5ft Reach; may make AoO
Quick Strike | Class Level 2nd | 1 | Make single attack at full BAB as Immediate Action.
Quick Act | Class Level 2nd | 1 | Take Standard Action as Immediate Action; Lost next Standard Action.
Quickness Recovery | Class Level 7th | - | Regenerate 1 Quickness per turn; Stacks if taken repeatedly.
Artful Dodger | Class Level 7th | - | Add Dex to AC twice if unarmoured.
Improved Evasion | Class Level 7th | - | As Class Feature
Improved Quick Act | Quick Act, Class Level 7th | 2 | Take free Standard Action as Immediate Action
Greater Quick Act | Improved Quick Act, Class Level 12th | 3 | Take free Full-Round Action [/table]




Quick Ability Descriptions
Quick to Start - The Gutter Rat gains a bonus on initiative checks equal to his Class Level/2, rounded up.

Great Quickness - the Gutter Rat gains an additional 2 Quickness Points, increasing the maximum size of his Quickness Pool.

Rapid Step - the Gutter Rat may, on his turn, spend a single quickness point to take a 5-foot step as a Swift action.

Lethal Finesses - The Gutter Rat may add his Dex bonus to damage instead of Strength, for all weapons that qualify for the Weapon Finesse feat. This damage is not improved by anything that allows Strength to be added multiple times. Prerequisite - Class Level 2nd.

Perfect Reflexes - The Gutter Rat may spend a single Quickness Point to cease being flat footed; this may allow him to act in a surprise round, or to use Immediate Actions on the first round of combat, before his turn has come up. Prerequisite - Class Level 2nd.

Lunge Strike - The Gutter Rat may spend a single Quickness point to make a single attack with +5 foot reach; this may be used to make an Attack of Opportunity as if using a Reach Weapon. The attack itself costs an action as it normally would (the ability does not give a free attack). Lunge Strike may be used with a full attack, in which case, it applies to all attacks used as part of that action.

Quick Strike - The Gutter rat may make a single attack at full BAB as an immediate action, as if the target had provoked an Attack of Opprotunity. This attack may be made with a ranged or thrown weapon. This ability does *not* cost an attack of opprotunity to use, but it does cost a single Quickness Point. Prerequisite - Class Level 2nd.

Quick Act - The Gutter Rat may spend a single Quickness Point to take her next standard action at once, as an immediate action. As part of this, the Gutter Rat starts her next turn as if she had already used a single standard action. This ability may not be used if said standard action is already unavailable for any reason (including already having been used for another Quick Act.) If a Quick Act is used to move to avoid an attack, follow the same rules as for Quick Step.Prerequisite - Class Level 2nd.

Quickness Recovery - The Gutter Rat now regenerates Quickness Points in combat, at a rate of one per round. Prerequisite - Class Level 7th.

Artful Dodger - The Gutter Rat has become adept at avoiding attacks, and may treat her Dexterity bonus to AC as being twice its current value. (This increased value may be limited by the maximum Dexterity bonus of her current armour.) Prerequisite - Class Level 7th.

Improved Quick Act - as Quick Act, except it costs 2 Quickness Points and does not cost her next standard action (and as such, may be used repeatedly, or after using Quick Act.) Prerequisite - Class Level 7th, Quick Act.

Greater Quick Act - Take a full-round action as an immediate action; costs 4 Quickness Points. If you move as part of this action, follow the rules for Quickstep in terms of avoiding attacks. Prerequisite - Class Level 12th, Improved Quick Act.





Clever
At levels indicated on the chart, the Gutter Rat may choose one ability from the following list. Gutter Rats may also choose to spend feats on these abilities.

{table] Ability | Prerequisite | Point Cost | Use
Iron Will | - | - | As Feat
Great Cleverness | - | - | Gain 2 Clever Points
Paranoia | - | - | Gain bonus equal to Class Level to spot/listen checks to determine surprise round.
Feint | - | 1 | Swift action to bluff, treat target as flat-footed.
Sneak Attack | Class Level 3rd | - | Gain 2d6 Sneak Attack; Stacks
Threatening Stance | Class Level 3d | - | Threatened Enemies Cannot Cast Defensively
Improved Threatening Stance | Threatening Stance | - | 5-Foot Steps Provoke AoO
Vicious Attacker | Class Level 3rd | - | The DC of all Clever Gutter Rat abilities increases by 3 (this includes Disruptive Strike.)
Clever Recovery | Class Level 3rd | - | Regenerate Clever Points in combat with Standard Action.
Perceptive Defence | Class Level 3rd | - | Add Wis to AC when wearing Light or No Armour.
Play Dead | Class Level 3rd | 1 | Pretend to be dead, take 20 on attack against surprised enemy.
Throat Shot | Sneak Attack 3d6 | 1 | Trade Sneak Attack Dice to Disable Enemy Speech
Stunning Shot | Sneak Attack 3d6 | 1 | Trade Sneak Attack Dice for Chance to Stun
Head Shot | Sneak Attack 6d6| 1 | Trade Sneak Attack Dice to deal Mental Ability Score Damage
[/table]


Clever Ability Descriptions
Great Cleverness - the Gutter Rat gains an addition 2 Cleverness Points to her pool, increasing its maximum size.

Paranoia - the Gutter Rat is constantly on the look out and has a keen sense for danger; she may take a competence bonus equal to her class level on Spot/Listen checks to determine her participation in Surprise Rounds.

Feint - the Gutter Rat may spend a single Cleverness Point to feint as part of a swift action; resolve the feint as a bluff check vs. the enemy's sense motive. If the Gutter Rat wins the check, their opponent is treated as flat-footed against the Gutter Rat for the remainder of the round.

Threatening Stance - the Gutter Rat has learned to keep an aggressive posture in combat, that prevents their enemy from taking complex actions such as spellcasting; no mage threatened by a Gutter Rat may cast defensively, and casting while threatened always provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the Gutter Rat. Prerequisite - Class Level 3rd.

Improved Threatening Stance - the Gutter Rat is a vicious and determined fighter, and will take advantage of even the smallest opportunity. Five-foot steps now provoke Attacks of Opprotunity from the gutter rat, as if they were normal move actions. Prerequisite - Threatening Stance.

Vicious Attacker - the Gutter Rat's attacks are fueled by a vicious energy that even the most competent of enemies may be unable to resist. All Clever Abilities that have a save DC or Concentration Check have the DC increased by 2. Prerequisite - Class Level 3rd.

Perceptive Defence - the Gutter Rat has learned to gauge enemy attacks in order to best avoid them, and may add their Wisdom bonus to AC in the same manner as a monk; this ability functions in light armour (but not medium or heavy), and does not stack with the Monk or Swordsage abilities that do the same thing. Prerequisite - Class Level 3rd.

Play Dead - the Gutter Rat has learned when to stay down, and when to get back up. The Gutter Rat , whenever taking damage, pretend to have been killed by the blow, and make a bluff check against their enemy's sense motive to maintain the ruse. Normally, the Gutter Rat takes a -4 on this check (though the DM may choose to waive the penalty, if the attack was particularly brutal.) However, if the Gutter Rat only survived due to one a Gutter Rat class ability such as Won't Die Easy, Won't Stay Down or Won't Stay Dead, the Gutter Rat instead takes a +4 on the check. So long as the Gutter Rat stayed down for at least one full turn, he make drop the ruse to attack an enemy, taking twenty on his first attack roll (potentially resulting in a critical hit); additionally, the DC of any Gutter Rat abilities the Gutter Rat takes as part of that attack are improved by 4.

Throat Shot - the Gutter Rat aims a nasty blow to their enemy's throat, dealing less damage but potentially stopping their opponent from speaking. Upon making a successful sneak attack with at least three damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some or all of them for the chance to render their enemy unable to speak. The Gutter Rat must trade at least 3 damage dice to do this, though he may spend more if he wishes; the enemy must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + Wisdom Modifier + number of dice spent) or lost the ability to speak for three rounds. Doing this costs 1 Cleverness Point. Prerequisite - Sneak Attack 3d6.

Stunning Shot - the Gutter Rat launches a furious attack, intended not to damage their opponent but to leave them stunned and unable to respond. Upon making a successful sneak attack with at least three damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some or all of them for the chance to stun their enemy. The Gutter Rat must trade at least 3 damage dice to do this, though he may spend more if he wishes; the enemy must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + Wisdom Modifier + number of dice spent) or be stunned for one round. Doing this costs 1 Cleverness Point. Prerequisite - Sneak Attack 3d6.


Head Shot - the Gutter Rat launches a brutal attack at their enemy's head, attempting to induce a concussion. Upon making a successful sneak attack with at least six damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some or all of them for the chance to inflict brain damage. The Gutter Rat must trade at least 6 damage dice to do this, though he may spend more if he wishes; the enemy must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + Wisdom Modifier + number of dice spent) or take 2d4 damage to each mental stat. Prerequisite - Sneak Attack 6d6.


Tough
At levels indicated on the chart, the Gutter Rat may choose one ability from the following list. Gutter Rats may also choose to spend feats on these abilities.

{table] Ability | Prerequisite | Point Cost | Use
Great Fortitude | - | - | As Feat
Great Toughness | - | - | Gain 2 Toughness Points
Used to Pain | - | 1 | Bonus HP from CON become renewable temporary HP.
Shrug It Off | Class Level 4th | 1 | Immediately Negate single Status Condition
Won't Stay Down | Class Level 4th | - | Stabilize, Gain Fast Healing (Con) when reduced to 0 or fewer HP.
Won't Die Easy | Class Level 4th | - | 1 | +4 on Saves vs. Death, re-roll once on failure
Mettle | Class Level 4th | - | As Feat
Stubborn | Class Level 9th | - | Make New Save Every Turn vs. On-Going Effects
Won't Die At All | Class Level 9th | 6 | Instead of dying, be reduced to 1 HP
Still Not Dead | Won't Die At All | 3 | Reduce point cost of Not Dying.
Tough Hide | Class Level 14th | - | Add Con to Natural Armour
[/table]


Tough Ability Descriptions
Great Toughness - the Gutter Rat's pool of Toughness Points increases by two.

Used to Pain - the Gutter Rat has been the target of so much brutality that shrugging off injury becomes second nature to them. Upon taking this ability, the Gutter Rat loses the bonus HP from CON for all gutter rat levels. In exchange, they gain temporary HP for the same amount, which they can renew with a standard action costing 1 toughness point. These hit points may also be healed normally through rest or spells.

Shrug it Off - the Gutter Rat may, by force of will, overcome any single status condition upon her. As a move action, the Gutter Rat may spend a single Toughness Point to negate any single status condition, or end the continued effects of any spell with a save.

Won't Stay Down - Gutter Rats who knew how to quit did so a long time ago. When reduced to 0 or fewer HP, the Gutter Rat not only automatically stabilizes, but gains fast healing equal to their CON score until back to at least 1 HP. Prerequisite - Class Level 4th.

Won't Die Easy - Gutter Rats are particularly stubborn on the subject of their own survival. Whenever facing a save against a death effect (not counting the save granted by Won't Stay Dead) the Gutter Rat may take a +4 bonus on the save, and re-roll once if they fail. B]Prerequisite - [/B]Class Level 4th.

Stubborn - Gutter Rats don't give up quickly. Whenever hit by a spell that has both a save and a duration other than instantaneous, the Gutter Rat may re-roll the save on every turn to negate the effects. B]Prerequisite - [/B] Class Level 9th.

Won't Die At All - the brutal lives of Gutter Rats often result in them shrugging off wounds that are not only grievous, but clearly and obviously mortal. When a Gutter Rat with this ability would otherwise be killed for any reason - including HP Damage, Constitution Damage or any spells - she may instead spend 6 toughness points to be reduces to a single HP (or point of CON, if the cause of death was ability drain/damage.)

Still Not Dead - some Gutter Rats merely taunt death, while others seem to actively seek it out; the latter become even better at cheating it when the time comes. With this ability, Gutter Rats may avoid death in the same manner as "Won't Die At All," but at a cost of only 3 toughness points.

Tough Hide - Gutter Rat's skins rank among some of the most often abused surfaces in existence, and eventually reach the point where they can even turn aside weapons. High-level Gutter Rats may take this ability to gain a Natural Armour bonus equal to their Constitution modifier.


Old Class (No Longer Relevant)
Gutter Rat
{table]Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Quickness | Special
1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 (0) | Quickness, Quickstep
2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 (0) | Initiative Bonus
3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 (0) | Evasion, Sneak Attack +1d6, Dirty Trick
4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 (0) | Won't Stay Down
5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 (0) | Won't Die Easy
6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 (0) | Stubborn
7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 (0) | Sneak Attack +2d6, Dirty Trick
8 | 6/1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 (1) | Paranoia, Mettle
9 | 6/1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 (1) | Improved Evasion
10 | 7/2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 (1) | Won't Die at All
11 | 8/3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 (1) | Sneak Attack + 3d6, Dirty Trick
12 | 9/4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 (1) |
13 | 9/4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 (1) | Won't Stay Dead
14 | 10/5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 (1) |
15 | 11/6/1 | 9 | 9 | 9 |5 (2) | Sneak Attack + 4d6, Dirty Trick
16 | 12/7/2 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 (2)
17 | 12/7/2 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 (2) | Still Not Dead
18 | 13/8/3 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 6 (2)
19 | 14/9/4 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 (2)| Sneak Attack + 5d6, Dirty Trick
20 | 15/10/5 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 7 (3) [/table]
Hit Points: D8
Skills: 4 + Int, X4 at First Level
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sense Motive, Sleight Of Hand, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble and Use Rope.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Gutter Rats are proficient with all light weapons, shields and armours.

Quickness
The most important of a gutter rat is their overwhelming speed and reaction time, which allows them to act in spaces of time that all but beggar belief. At first level, the Gutter Rat gains access to a small pool of "Quickness Points" they can use to fuel certain actions. At first level, this includes only a single point of Quickness, which only re-generates between combat; this pool steadily grows with their class level, and eventually starts to regenerate during combat (the number in parenthesis is the number regenerated per round.)

Quickness can be used according to the following chart: abilities marked as "Normal" may only be used on the Gutter Rat's turn, abilities marked as "Off-Turn" function as immediate actions (whatever the base action type is), and abilities marked "Any Time" function as immediate actions that can be taken when surprised, etc.
{table] Quickness Cost | Type | Use
1 | Off-Turn | Take a single Swift Action
1 | Any Time | Take an Additional Attack of Opportunity (as if granted by Combat Reflexes)
1 | Any Time | Improve Initiative by +4 (stacks)
1 | Any Time | Reroll Spot or Listen to determine surprise round, add +4 bonus (Can Repeat; Stacks)
1 | Off Turn | Quickstep
2 | Off Turn | Make a single attack at full BAB
2 | Off Turn | Take a Move Action
3 | Off Turn | Take a Standard Action
3 | Off Turn | Change initiative order so you act now.
5 | Any Time | Take a Full-Round Action [/table]

Quickstep
A Quickstep is a special move available only to Gutter Rats, and is generally taken off-turn as an immediate action. A Quickstep is a five-foot move that does provoke Attacks of Opprotunity - however, it also has a chance to evade other attacks, as follows.

Quickstep never avoids Melee Attacks, though it may put the Gutter Rat out of range of subsequent attacks.
Quickstep always avoides AoE attacks, so long as it puts the Gutter Rat outside the area of effect.
Quickstep sometimes avoids ranged attacks, such as spells. If Quickstep is used to avoid a ranged attack, make a Reflex Save against the attack roll (if it is not a spell) or the DC the spell would have (if it is a spell.) If the Gutter Rat makes the save, the spell misses entirely.

A Quickstep uses one Quickness point.

Initiative Bonus
Starting at level 2, the Gutter Rat gains a bonus to her initiative equal to one-half her class level (rounded down).

Dirty Trick
Gutter Rats have not survived by fighting fair; starting at 3rd level, and every 4 levels after that, Gutter Rats may pick a Dirty Trick from the following List.

Surprising Speed - Whenever the Gutter Rat makes an attack using Quickness Points, she may treat the target as flat-footed.

Distracting Shot - Whenever the Gutter Rat attacks an opponent who is in the process of casting a spell, she may choose to forgo all damage in exchange for forcing a concentration check with a DC equal to the result of the attack roll, or else lose the spell.

Throat Shot - Whenever the Gutter Rat would do at least 2d6 Sneak Attack damage, she may forgo some damage in exchange for attempting to damage the target's vocal chords; the Gutter Rat must spend at least 2d6 damage on this attack. If the target fails a fortitude, they lose the ability to speak for three turns. The Save DC is equal to 10 + The number of damage dice sacrificed + the Gutter Rat's Dexterity modifier.

Playing Dead - Whenever one of the Gutter Rat's class abilities saves it from death, they may choose to pretend to have fallen, and take a +4 on the bluff check to do so. Furthermore, if the Gutter Rat ceased to play dead by making an attack, she make act as if she had rolled a natural 20 on that attack.

Nasty Attack - the Gutter Rat gains 2d6 Sneak Attack.

Head Shot - upon making a successful sneak attack with at least 4d6 damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some of the damage for a chance to stun the enemy; unless the target makes a will save (10 + the number of dice traded + the Gutter Rat's Dexterity Modifier), the target is stunned for one turn. The Gutter Rat must trade at least 4d6 dice for this attempt.

Disarming Shot - upon making a successful sneak attack with at least two extra damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some of the bonus damage for a chance to disarm his opponent. In addition the the normal damage, the Gutter Rat makes a free disarm attempt, with a bonus equal to the number of dice sacrificed (minimum 2.)

Sneaky Trip - upon making a successful melee sneak attack with at least three extra damage dice, the Gutter Rat may choose to trade some (at least 3) of those dice to make an immediate trip attempt; resolve as a normal trip attempt, but the Gutter Rat may take a bonus on the opposed check equal to the number of dice traded.

Threatening Fighter - Enemies threatened by the gutter rat may not cast defensively.


Won't Stay Down
A Gutter Rat reduced to 0 HP or lower (but not killed) automatically stabilizes; additionally, they gain Fast Healing 1 until they're restored to 1 HP.

Won't Die Easy
Whenever targeted by a death effect, the Gutter Rat receives a +2 on the save, and may roll twice and take the higher result.

Paranoia
A Gutter Rat never truly believes himself to be safe, and is always on guard against something. Regardless of whether he made the appropriate spot or listen checks (or if such checks were even offered), a Gutter Rat has a 50% of acting normally in any surprise round.


Won't Die At All
Once per day, the Gutter Rat may cheat death. When hit by an effect that would usually kill them - including death effects and HP damage - they are instead reduced to 1 HP. If the thing that would kill them was having their Constitution reduced to 0, it is instead reduced only to 1.

Stubborn
Whenever a Gutter Rat fails a save against a spell with an ongoing effect and a duration longer than Instantaneous, the Gutter Rat may re-roll the save on every turn.

Surprising Speed
Whenever a Gutter Rat makes an attack using quickness points, she may treat her opponent as flat-footed against the attack.

Won't Stay Dead
The Gutter Rats that knew how to quit did so a long time ago. Even when apparently killed - so long as the effect did not destroy or dismember their body - Gutter Rats have a 50% of coming to 1d20 hours after their apparent death.

Still Not Dead
The Gutter Rat may now resist dying a number of times per day equal to her Constitution modifier (in the same manner as "Won't Die, At All.")

The Mentalist
2013-05-15, 06:44 AM
I don't think it's too powerful at all, I think it suffers from a form of turtle syndrome (in that he can survive most anything but can't kill anything), if you really want to make him a mage killer maybe give him something to either stop teleportation or go with it something like...

Not letting go
The Gutter Rat refuses to let go of it's target, any movement that the target makes the Gutter Rat may make as well by expending one point of Quickness.

and maybe something to dispel the inevitable wall of Buffs...

Destroying all you love
The Gutter Rat grew up in poverty and hates the easy magic driven life of his "betters", any sneak attack the Gutter Rat makes also functions as a Dispel Magic with a CL = to the Sneak Attack dice rolled

Maybe something to get through Forcecages as well, perhaps

Prisonbreaker
The Gutter Rat has escaped from every cell on the Continent, twice. As a full round action that uses one point of quickness he may make an Escape Artist check to pass through a wall the DC scales so that he must roll a 10 on this check to be successful.


In other news, the Emperor in one of my settings is going to be guarded by former Gutter Rats

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-15, 06:52 AM
I don't think it's too powerful at all, I think it suffers from a form of turtle syndrome (in that he can survive most anything but can't kill anything), if you really want to make him a mage killer maybe give him something to either stop teleportation or go with it something like...

Not letting go
The Gutter Rat refuses to let go of it's target, any movement that the target makes the Gutter Rat may make as well by expending one point of Quickness.

and maybe something to dispel the inevitable wall of Buffs...

Destroying all you love
The Gutter Rat grew up in poverty and hates the easy magic driven life of his "betters", any sneak attack the Gutter Rat makes also functions as a Dispel Magic with a CL = to the Sneak Attack dice rolled

Maybe something to get through Forcecages as well, perhaps

Prisonbreaker
The Gutter Rat has escaped from every cell on the Continent, twice. As a full round action that uses one point of quickness he may make an Escape Artist check to pass through a wall the DC scales so that he must roll a 10 on this check to be successful.


In other news, the Emperor in one of my settings is going to be guarded by former Gutter Rats

Heh. I'm actually in the process of working out a complete rewrite of the class - might have some more offensive power.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-15, 06:04 PM
Alright, the rewrite is done for now - I'm doing a lot of weird things with this, so I won't be surprised if at least some of what I have is utterly unworkable.

My balance point for this class is... kinda ill defined. I imagine it as a strong tier 3,preferably particularly adept against mages.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-16, 11:33 AM
Alright; cleaned some stuff up, wrote out actual descriptions for all the abilities, and added a snazzy new picture.

What do people think?

eftexar
2013-05-16, 02:43 PM
I don't see how many quick points the class has. Unless I missed it, it is only mentioned under quickstep and some of the spoilers (where you call them quickness points instead).

Also, why are all of the saves high saves? One needs to be dropped so the Gutter Rat has a weak point.

And Quickstep is really verbose and the situationals might slow down combat. Here's what I usually write up for attack avoidance for my classes (with a new use of your quick points added):

Sidestep
As an immediate action you can move up to 5ft without provoking attacks of opportunity. If this is used to avoid an attack it still has a 50% of hitting. You must leave the area, of an effect that fills an area, to gains this miss chance.
You may spend 1 quick point to cause it to automatically miss, instead of only having a 50% chance to do so.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-16, 02:59 PM
I don't see how many quick points the class has. Unless I missed it, it is only mentioned under quickstep and some of the spoilers (where you call them quickness points instead).

Quickness points are one of the attribute pools - somehow, in some revision or other, I'd failed to actually mention that (D'oh.). But, by default your number of Quickness points is equal to your Dexterity modifier - it goes up with class levels and a few optional abilities.


Also, why are all of the saves high saves? One needs to be dropped so the Gutter Rat has a weak point.

Partially because it makes sense to me that they would in terms of flavour, partially to keep with the theme of "This is the class that can take anything", and partially to make them more effective against mages. I was a little uncertain about giving them all good saves, but... well, it wasn't enough to make monks overpowered.


And Quickstep is really verbose and the situationals might slow down combat. Here's what I usually write up for attack avoidance for my classes (with a new use of your quick points added):

Sidestep
As an immediate action you can move up to 5ft without provoking attacks of opportunity. If this is used to avoid an attack it still has a 50% of hitting. You must leave the area, of an effect that fills an area, to gains this miss chance.
You may spend 1 quick point to cause it to automatically miss, instead of only having a 50% chance to do so.

Hmm. I agree that as written it's verbose - that's partially because I wanted it to be good against spells, but no so good against melee classes (cause they have enough problems already.) I might condense it to a straight "Doesn't work against ranged or melee attacks, gives bonus reflex save against spells."

eftexar
2013-05-16, 03:06 PM
First, the class is lacking a skill list.

Also, I think you are focusing too much on magic with quickstep. I don't see why it wouldn't be fine to allow him to dodge melee and ranged too. Shadowcasters already have flicker at this point and Wizards are only a level or two away from dimension door. There's also the sidestep feat, see ToB, which is already better than this.

[edit]: And how does the Gutter Rat recover their points? You also list it as 'maximum value' which could be misconstrued as you having to earn the points somehow (especially considering there seemingly isn't a way to recover them).

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-16, 04:05 PM
First, the class is lacking a skill list.

Gah, another thing I'd lost with some revision or another. Back in now.


Also, I think you are focusing too much on magic with quickstep. I don't see why it wouldn't be fine to allow him to dodge melee and ranged too. Shadowcasters already have flicker at this point and Wizards are only a level or two away from dimension door. There's also the sidestep feat, see ToB, which is already better than this.

*Nods* Flicker is comparable, but Dimension Door costs a standard action. Also... there is no Sidestep feat or manoeuvre in Tome of Battle. Did you mean Evasive Reflexes? Cause if so, that's not really better - it has to be done instead of an attack of opportunity, so a lot of the things you'd use it for (dodging attacks, spells, etc,) it wouldn't work for.

EDIT: You may be right about me focusing too much on spells, though... I still want to keep it somehow related to class features (rather than as a straight-up miss chance), but I may go back on that, or just make it an automatic dodge. It's sort of meant to be a Mundane version of Abrupt Jaunt anyway.


[edit]: And how does the Gutter Rat recover their points? You also list it as 'maximum value' which could be misconstrued as you having to earn the points somehow (especially considering there seemingly isn't a way to recover them).

Double Gah! I could have sworn I edited that in last time, fixed now. Quick and Clever pools regenerate out of combat, but Toughness requires rest. (I swear this isn't *all* incompetence on my part - for some reason, my browser takes a really long time to submit posts or edits, and tends to time out when I'm not looking.)

eftexar
2013-05-16, 04:15 PM
Yeah I meant Evasive Reflexes. But I guess it is debatable whether or not it is better. Combined with the right class features it can be more effective though. Where is Abrupt Jaunt? I'm not familiar with it.

But yeah, I think giantitp is just going slow today. I have the feeling they are recoding some stuff because I had trouble logging in a little while ago, but haven't had a problem since I sent in a report. Then the last couple of days the posting system has been a little wonky.

[edit]: A cool little trick I just thought of. Evasive Reflexes, Robilar's Gambit, and Karmic Strike.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-16, 04:19 PM
Yeah I meant Evasive Reflexes. But I guess it is debatable whether or not it is better. Combined with the right class features it can be more effective though. Where is Abrupt Jaunt? I'm not familiar with it.

Abrupt Jaunt is a specialist wizard ACF from PHB 2 - it allows 10 foot teleportation as an immediate action, a few times per day.


But yeah, I think giantitp is just going slow today. I have the feeling they are recoding some stuff because I had trouble logging in a little while ago, but haven't had a problem since I sent in a report. Then the last couple of days the posting system has been a little wonky.

Eh, whatever problem I'm having has been going on for a long time - I think it's something to do with my router, but I'm not sure what. Resetting my connection is the only thing that helps.

eftexar
2013-05-16, 05:10 PM
I might be able to help. Forgive me if you already know all this stuff (but this is stuff most tech people will tell you). So I'll throw out a few things you could try in a spoiler.
Sometimes the order you do things is just as important as what you are doing.

Solution 1

Make sure all computers connected to the network are disconnected
If you have a wireless router turn it off, then turn off the bridge (the main router).
Wait 15 seconds and turn on the bridge; then, once the lights stop flashing, turn on the wireless router.
Finally, once the wireless is set, restart your computer and then reconnect.


Solution 2

Check for conflicting add-ons by starting in safe mode (if available)
then try in private mode (if available)
Reinstall Flash
Restart your computer


Solution 3

Uninstall your browser (making sure you have a second browser handy)
Download and reinstall it again
If you still have problems install an earlier version (this has security risks)


Those should work with any system or browser. If not I need to know what browser you use. Some other problems I've seen:
Sometimes a conflicting ip addresses can cause a problem with browsing. If you could check to see if your ip is dynamic (it changes) or static (it doesn't) that might be it.

Clearing the DNS cache might also help, but I would need to know the OS to figure out how to do it. On Windows it is through DOS I believe, so this is a last resort. One space wrong and you could delete your whole computer and brick your OS.

Internet Explorer is known for security loop holes and has the habit of incorrectly reading code, especially css. If you are using that browser, get Firefox or Chrome. I assume this isn't an issue since you know what a browser is.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-16, 05:28 PM
I might be able to help. Forgive me if you already know all this stuff (but this is stuff most tech people will tell you). So I'll throw out a few things you could try in a spoiler.
Sometimes the order you do things is just as important as what you are doing.

Solution 1

Make sure all computers connected to the network are disconnected
If you have a wireless router turn it off, then turn off the bridge (the main router).
Wait 15 seconds and turn on the bridge; then, once the lights stop flashing, turn on the wireless router.
Finally, once the wireless is set, restart your computer and then reconnect.


Solution 2

Check for conflicting add-ons by starting in safe mode (if available)
then try in private mode (if available)
Reinstall Flash
Restart your computer


Solution 3

Uninstall your browser (making sure you have a second browser handy)
Download and reinstall it again
If you still have problems install an earlier version (this has security risks)


What browser do you use?

Right now I'm using the Ubuntu distro of Firefox, but I was using the Ubuntu distro of Chrome when it first started; restarted computer countless times, reset the router as well, tried disabling assorted security and firewall options within the router, re-installing Flash, using different Flash players, etc.

Problem isn't unique to this site, but it does seem to be something about submitting forms online - the same thing sometimes happen when I try to save a character sheet on Mythweavers, as well. It seems to happen more often if the comment I've tried to post is longer, and it (oddly) seems to care about what thread the comment is posted to, as well. Right now I've got a little script that kills my computer's wifi and turns it back on - ~30 second downtime to let me submit something it's hung up about, so long as I notice.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-18, 01:43 AM
EDIT: Made some minor but needed modifications - reduced the number of Sneak Attack die from 3 to 2, increased the bonus to save DCs from 2 to 3, added a regeneration mechanism for Clever points, and increased the cost of "Won't Die At All"/"Still not Dead."

Oh, simplified the Quick Step rules - it's now a 50% against non-spell attacks, and an extra reflex save against spells (AoE or otherwise.)

Still very much hoping for reviews of this - I know this class has a long ways to go, but I'd like to get it there.

eftexar
2013-05-18, 02:49 PM
It has plenty of versatility so all it probably needs is a couple of defenses, including spell resistance, and some out of combat abilities, such as a way to counter out of combat usable spells (such as charm and illusions).

Anyway, sorry I wasn't more help with the computer stuff. Last idea; would it be possible to rewrite that code you were talking about to run whenever a timeout occurs?

[edit]: Actually it could probably do with a damage bonus of some kind. I'm thinking either a smite, that targets spellcasters, or sneak attack.

FreakyCheeseMan
2013-05-18, 05:49 PM
Well, it can get sneak attack through the Clever line.

Eh... in theory, you could write it so that code would run automatically, but it'd be several orders of magnitude more difficult, and wouldn't really help unless I also got it to auto-submit the form. Plus, it'd randomly kill my connection while I was doing other stuff, which would be more annoying than it is now.