Need a 4e 3rd level rogue, quick!

[GybeMark]

I'm in a bind. I got conned into to being a substitute DM for a session (long story).

"Oh yeah, the game's tonight, by the way"

:smallannoyed:

"Oh yeah, the adventure that's 'written' isn't actually 'done' and you need to put on some finishing touches."

:smallfurious:

Anyway...

At one point, the script calls for the PCs to fight a 3rd level rogue with a character sheet "to be determined".

I'm a relative newbie on 4th edition (I've played a few times, as fill in) but my usual game is PF and I'm definitely not one of those people who can whip out a character in 20 minutes (especially since I don't have the PH here at work).

Help a girl out -- what powers/feats/skills can/should I use to create a moderately dangerous rogue?

In a perfect world, if anyone knew of a "character sheet library" online where I could look up "4th edition", "rogue", "level 3" and *click* there are a few per-generated characters to choose from, then that would be GREAT. Alas, Google doesn't seem to help with that one...

[NecroRebel]

Help a girl out -- what powers/feats/skills can/should I use to create a moderately dangerous rogue?

Since this is for an enemy, don't do it this way. PCs are relatively vulnerable to nova damage, so an enemy modeled as a PC will get taken out in a single turn unless they're extremely lucky. Basically, they won't be a moderate threat no matter what.

Use something like these stats:

Level 3 Elite Lurker (XP 300)
AC 17
Fort 14
Ref 16
Will 15
Hit Points: 78

Melee Basic Attack: Sly Flourish (At-Will)
Melee 1
+8 vs AC
Hit: 1d4+8 damage

Ranged Basic Attack: Sly Flourish (At-Will)
Ranged 5
+8 vs AC
Hit: 1d4+8 damage

Bait and Switch (Recharge 6):
Melee 1
+8 vs Will
2d4+8 damage, switch places with target, then shift 5 squares.

Fleeting Ghost (At-Will):
Move Action.
Creature moves 6 squares and can make a Stealth check without taking the normal penalty for movement.

Sneak Attack:
When the creature has combat advantage against a target, its attacks deal +2d6 damage.



Skills: Stealth +8, Bluff +8

These stats should be reasonable, and didn't take long to make. You might want to look into the MM3 Math Business Card (http://blogofholding.com/?p=512) which tells you what math to use for NPCs your party expects to fight (though knowing what sorts of powers to give is harder).

[Yakk]

Note that the above rogue should have helpers: elite vs party no good.

Second, as an elite, not enough multi-target damage, and not enough lurk. Fleeting Ghost also requires way to much mechanics knowledge to run right for a new DM.

Steal from the essentials assassin for less mechanically quirky lurker abilities.

[NecroRebel]

Second, as an elite, not enough multi-target damage, and not enough lurk. Fleeting Ghost also requires way to much mechanics knowledge to run right for a new DM.

This is probably true. I just banged out that creature in a couple minutes by stealing some PHB1 Rogue powers from the appropriate levels. As is, the thing is quite high-damage due to its Sneak Attack, but probably not really terribly suitable. You might be better off just stealing an existing skirmisher or lurker monster from MM3 or later of level 1 to 7 or so, leveling it up or down, and refluffing it as appropriate. The point is that you shouldn't be using PC stats on an NPC, and NPC generation guidelines are extremely easy in 4e.

[GybeMark]

Thanks NecroRebel, Yakk!

This stat block (and description of abilities) is exactly the kind of thing I needed! I totally hear you on the "1 elite vs a group" thing. The adventure writer had set the scene up as a series of skill checks as the party chases a thief (a check each as he jumps from roof to roof, pushes his way through a crowd, weaves through a maze of alleyways, etc). If the party "makes" a 5 checks before failing 3, then they "catch up" with the thief and get to fight him alone. If the party "fails" then the thief makes it to his hideout before the PCs catch up, and the PCs now have to fight the thief's accomplices as well.

I'll rework the adventure to allow for thief's allies in both cases (just "fewer" partners in the "you make your checks" instance). If the original DM doesn't like my changes, he shouldn't call me in last minute. :smallsmile:

Thanks again!

[Yakk]

First rule of Rogues: don't attack their reflex.
McSneaky
Level 3 Elite Lurker (XP 300)
AC 17
Fort 14
Ref 18
Will 15
Hit Points: 78
Saves: +2
Initiative: +8

12 strength 12 con 20 dex 10 int 14 wis 16 cha
Trained Skills:
Athletics: +7
Acrobatics: +11
Stealth: +13
Thievery: +11
Bluff: +9

Free/No Action
Acrobatics: On her turn, Sneaky can stand up from prone as a free action.

Shrug it Off: At the start of her turn, Sneaky can make a save against one effect on her whose duration is (save ends), or end of a combatant's next turn, or any mark. This works even if it normally cannot be ended by a save.

Minor Actions
Smoke Bomb: Recharge 456, once/turn. Close Burst 1, squares are totally obscured until the end of her next turn.

Feint: at-will, once/turn. Melee 1, +6 vs Will. Slide target 1 square and gain combat advantage against target until the end of Sneaky's turn.

Drop Caltrops: Encounter. Close Blast 5 Zone. The squares become difficult terrain to everyone except Sneaky until the end of the encounter, and the first time in a turn a creature enters a given square without expending an additional movement point to avoid the caltrops they take 5 damage.

Move Actions:
Defensive Cut: At-Will, once/turn, Melee 1, +6 vs Reflex attack for 1d4+6 damage and remove any marks on Sneaky from the target. Effect (hit or miss): Sneaky does not provoke opportunity attacks from the target until the end of her turn, and she can then move her speed.

Ghostwalk: At-Will. Requires concealment against at least one foe. Make a stealth check: Sneaky keeps concealment against any foe whose passive perception is less than the check until the end of her turn or until she makes an attack. Then, move your speed.

Meditation on the Blade: Encounter. Shift 1 square and sit down (aka become prone). Until the end of Sneaky's next turn or until Sneaky is no longer prone as an Opportunity Action Sneaky can make a basic attack against any creature that attacks her with a +2 bonus (cancelling out the penalty for being prone). These attacks do not trigger opportunity or immediate actions. If the basic attack hits, Sneaky does not grant combat advantage to the target, and the attack suffers a -2 penalty to hit.

Standard Actions:
Cut: Basic melee. +8 vs AC, 1d4+6 damage. If Sneaky has combat advantage, change damage to 2d6+6 instead.

Throw: Basic ranged 5/10. +8 vs AC, 1d4+6 damage. If Sneaky has combat advantage, change damage to 2d6+6 instead.

Slice and Dice: Make basic attacks on two different targets.

Poison Powder: Encounter. Close blast 3. +6 vs Fortitude, target takes 5 ongoing poison damage and is stunned (save ends both), aftereffect target is dazed (save ends).

Maybe a bit much, but could be fun.

[GybeMark]

Based on name alone, I'm envisioning a "McSneaky" as recurring villian, with his recurring minions "von Pointy" and "Fitzstabby" :smalltongue:

[Yakk]

McSneaky succeeded on her disguise check I suppose?

[GybeMark]

She did indeed.

All the players are playing guys, and the adventure was written with all guy NPCs. I'm going to take a heavier editing pen than the person who wrote the adventure (guy) probably wanted, and put some girls in play!

:smallbiggrin:

Instead of stressing about it, I'm actually looking forward to tonight's game more and more!

[Tegu8788]

I combo the business card with this (http://slyflourish.com/master_dm_sheet.pdf) spreadsheet, and it takes care of all of my instant calculations. Add this (http://newbiedm.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/xp-budget-chart.jpg) to balance, and you can build whatever you want mechanically in a few minutes. Since it's personal homebrew, you don't have to get fancy. What should the character do? Be sneaky and deal high spike damage, done. 4e is great with scalability, and not using PC classes for NPCs.

[georgie_leech]

"If successful, you keep concealment until the end of your turn or until you make an attack."

My understanding was that a Stealth Check is compared against the passive perception of observers; what does a Successful Stealth Check imply in this circumstance? What happens if someone that she doesn't know about beats her stealth check? Does it deny her concealment against everyone else?

[Tegu8788]

Just because I can see Sneaky doesn't mean you can see Sneaky. It just means that I can see her.

Now, I could tell you that Sneaky is around, or is right over there, which gives you a good idea of where to look, but until your Perception or attack hits her, she's still hidden from you.

[GybeMark]

I just thought I'd drop a message to people know how the game went last night. McSneaky and her two accomplices did end up being caught by the PCs before they got to their hideout, and a battle ensued in an alleyway. The "feint", and "bait and switch" abilities suggested especially made for a dangerous encounters with the PCs, as McSneaky moved targets into attack range of her minions. As the end of the day, the PCs *just* prevailed, (there *may* have been some damage inflation done to McSneaky after the 1st PC party member was rendered unconscious :smallwink:) and it was a good climax to the evening.

McSneaky did however survive the encounter (she promised to tell the PCs who hired her if they let her go) and now I get to inform the regular DM about the now canon recurring girl-villain :smallbiggrin:

Thanks so much for the input, you saved my bacon!

[Tegu8788]

Glad to help. We all had our learning curve, and glad to make it quicker for those after us.

[Yakk]

My understanding was that a Stealth Check is compared against the passive perception of observers; what does a Successful Stealth Check imply in this circumstance? What happens if someone that she doesn't know about beats her stealth check? Does it deny her concealment against everyone else?
I meant "against each foe whose passive perception she beats".

[georgie_leech]

I meant "against each foe whose passive perception she beats".

Much obliged. I might just "borrow" that; I'm not that good at homebrew 4E Monsters just yet.