Kerrick
First Post
Celebrim mentioned in another thread that the rogue was "subpar", which made me look at it a little more closely. When I did Project Pheonix, I thought it was all right, so I didn't change anything, but looking at it now... yeah, it needs some oomph. For those of you unfamiliar with PP, what I did with most of the classes is create several "ability paths" with tiers, where you can choose from a pool of abilities at certain levels. I did something a little different with the rogue. There are still three paths - offensive (combat), defensive, and utility - but I just expanded their "Special Ability" tree so that they can choose one at every even level (2, 4, 6, etc.), instead of 10th, 13th, 16th, and 19th. I split the abilities up into Lesser, Moderate, and Greater to prevent someone from taking the more powerful abilities at low level, and some abilities, like improved evasion, require a lesser ability to be taken first.
What I ended up with is six abilities for each type; each tier has two of each, for a nice balance. This system can be used for a 3.5 rogue just as easily as a PP one. I whipped this together in a few hours last night and this morning, so it probably has a few balance issues. Feedback is appreciated.
Special Abilities: On attaining 2nd level, and at other levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, etc.), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options. These abilities are divided into three tiers: Lesser (1st-6th level), Moderate (7th-12th level), and Greater (13th+ level). A rogue cannot choose a Moderate ability until 7th level, or a Greater ability until 13th; there is otherwise no restriction on which ability she can choose at a given level, though some require lesser abilities (these are noted where applicable).
Lesser Abilities
Bleeding Strike (Ex): If a rogue hits her target with a sneak attack, it creates a wound that continues to bleed, inflicting 1 hit point of damage for 5 rounds or until the wound is bound or healed, whichever comes first. Wounds from successive sneak attacks stack.
Evasion (Ex): 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.
Hamstring (Ex): By sacrificing 1 or more dice of sneak attack damage, the rogue can inflict a movement penalty on her target with a successful sneak attack. Each die of damage sacrificed equals a 5-foot penalty to movement speed, which lasts for 1d4 rounds. Successive uses of this ability extend the duration.
Master Lockpicker (Ex): The rogue is especially proficient at opening locks and disarming traps. The amount of time she needs to accomplish these activities is halved.
Signature Weapon: The rogue gains proficiency in one martial weapon of her choice, and she gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with that weapon. At 7th level and above, she can choose an exotic weapon [in PP, I dropped the EWP feat, but made most exotic weapons have stat requirements to wield properly; all the others were made into martial weapons].
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): 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 (see below) instead.
Moderate Abilities:
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The rogue 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 (see above) from a second class, she 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 her.
The rogue must already have Uncanny Dodge to choose this ability.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the rogue still takes one-quarter 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.
The rogue must already have Evasion to choose this ability.
Master Prestidigitator (Ex): The rogue can make Sleight of Hand checks to hide things on her person as a free action without the normal -20 penalty, or to remove an object from someone else (pick someone's pocket) as a move action. She can attempt to pick someone's pocket as a free action with a -10 penalty.
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 can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A rogue can gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
Twist the Blade (Ex): The rogue automatically deals +1d4 points of damage when wielding a weapon with which she is proficient. This bonus applies only once per round, but if the rogue wields two weapons, it applies to each. This bonus damage stacks with sneak attacks and is added on after critical hits are calculated.
Greater Abilities:
Bonus Feat: The rogue can take a bonus feat in place of a special ability. She must still qualify for the feat normally.
Chink in the Armor (Ex): The rogue can find weaknesses in an opponent's defenses. In effect, she can bypass 5 points of DR when making a sneak attack.
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 takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.
The rogue must already have Bleeding Strike to choose this ability.
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.
Master Con Artist (Ex): The rogue is an accomplished liar. She gains a +6 competence bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks. Additionally, the rogue can attempt to foil any spell that determines truth or lies (discern lies, zone of truth, etc.). In effect, the spell must make a save (DC 10 + caster level) vs. DC 10 + 1/2 the rogue's class level + the rogue's Cha modifier. If the save fails, the spell doesn't determine the lie.
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.
What I ended up with is six abilities for each type; each tier has two of each, for a nice balance. This system can be used for a 3.5 rogue just as easily as a PP one. I whipped this together in a few hours last night and this morning, so it probably has a few balance issues. Feedback is appreciated.
Special Abilities: On attaining 2nd level, and at other levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, etc.), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options. These abilities are divided into three tiers: Lesser (1st-6th level), Moderate (7th-12th level), and Greater (13th+ level). A rogue cannot choose a Moderate ability until 7th level, or a Greater ability until 13th; there is otherwise no restriction on which ability she can choose at a given level, though some require lesser abilities (these are noted where applicable).
Lesser Abilities
Bleeding Strike (Ex): If a rogue hits her target with a sneak attack, it creates a wound that continues to bleed, inflicting 1 hit point of damage for 5 rounds or until the wound is bound or healed, whichever comes first. Wounds from successive sneak attacks stack.
Evasion (Ex): 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.
Hamstring (Ex): By sacrificing 1 or more dice of sneak attack damage, the rogue can inflict a movement penalty on her target with a successful sneak attack. Each die of damage sacrificed equals a 5-foot penalty to movement speed, which lasts for 1d4 rounds. Successive uses of this ability extend the duration.
Master Lockpicker (Ex): The rogue is especially proficient at opening locks and disarming traps. The amount of time she needs to accomplish these activities is halved.
Signature Weapon: The rogue gains proficiency in one martial weapon of her choice, and she gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with that weapon. At 7th level and above, she can choose an exotic weapon [in PP, I dropped the EWP feat, but made most exotic weapons have stat requirements to wield properly; all the others were made into martial weapons].
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): 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 (see below) instead.
Moderate Abilities:
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The rogue 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 (see above) from a second class, she 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 her.
The rogue must already have Uncanny Dodge to choose this ability.
Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the rogue still takes one-quarter 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.
The rogue must already have Evasion to choose this ability.
Master Prestidigitator (Ex): The rogue can make Sleight of Hand checks to hide things on her person as a free action without the normal -20 penalty, or to remove an object from someone else (pick someone's pocket) as a move action. She can attempt to pick someone's pocket as a free action with a -10 penalty.
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 can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A rogue can gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
Twist the Blade (Ex): The rogue automatically deals +1d4 points of damage when wielding a weapon with which she is proficient. This bonus applies only once per round, but if the rogue wields two weapons, it applies to each. This bonus damage stacks with sneak attacks and is added on after critical hits are calculated.
Greater Abilities:
Bonus Feat: The rogue can take a bonus feat in place of a special ability. She must still qualify for the feat normally.
Chink in the Armor (Ex): The rogue can find weaknesses in an opponent's defenses. In effect, she can bypass 5 points of DR when making a sneak attack.
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 takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.
The rogue must already have Bleeding Strike to choose this ability.
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.
Master Con Artist (Ex): The rogue is an accomplished liar. She gains a +6 competence bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks. Additionally, the rogue can attempt to foil any spell that determines truth or lies (discern lies, zone of truth, etc.). In effect, the spell must make a save (DC 10 + caster level) vs. DC 10 + 1/2 the rogue's class level + the rogue's Cha modifier. If the save fails, the spell doesn't determine the lie.
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.
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