D&D 5E The Scout Rogue - how did it work out?

[Ancalagon]

I worry most about the survivalist ability:

Survivalist​

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.​

I feel like it punishes players who take Nature and Survival as skills at first level or suddenly grants them expertise at 3rd.

I know exactly what you mean. Perhaps have the player be a modified human, and take at level 1 "rangerish" magic. For example, find familar, mending and dancing light would be very fitting for a scout wanna be?

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

I know exactly what you mean. Perhaps have the player be a modified human, and take at level 1 "rangerish" magic. For example, find familar, mending and dancing light would be very fitting for a scout wanna be?

I've gone ahead and just added this to my house rule document:

Scout. The Survivalist ability now reads, “When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception, and Survival skills if you don't already have it. If you already had proficiency any of those skills, it instead gains expertise, which doubles your proficiency bonus for any check that uses that skill.”

Would you consider that a fair trade?

 

[Ancalagon]

I've gone ahead and just added this to my house rule document:

Scout. The Survivalist ability now reads, “When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception, and Survival skills if you don't already have it. If you already had proficiency any of those skills, it instead gains expertise, which doubles your proficiency bonus for any check that uses that skill.”

Would you consider that a fair trade?

It's fairer, but less good?

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

It's fairer, but less good?

Adding Perception into the mix doesn't balance it out?

 

[Ancalagon]

Adding Perception into the mix doesn't balance it out?

oh! I missed that, so sorry. That's pretty decent IMO.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

oh! I missed that, so sorry. That's pretty decent IMO.

Thanks a lot for the help.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

On another note, how smooth is the transition between rogue and scout at level three? I've always banned the scout sub-class because I worry the transformation is too jarring. On the other hand, I'd really like to be able to offer it to my players in the new world I'm creating.

That really depends on the players. It maybe that they already some outdoor experience because of their backstory. In our game the player who choose scout was a goliath, so it was part of their upbringing.

Or maybe their experiences at level 1 and 2 lead to them developing those skills.

But it's no different to something like paladin oaths. It's up to the player to sell their subclass choice and make it a believable part of that character's story.

I feel like it punishes players who take Nature and Survival as skills at first level or suddenly grants them expertise at 3rd.

There is already a rule in the PHB that lets you select proficiency in a different skill if you are granted one you already have. It's designed for backgrounds, but it's perfectly reasonable to extend it to skills granted by classes.

 

[Ancalagon]

There is already a rule in the PHB that lets you select proficiency in a different skill if you are granted one you already have. It's designed for backgrounds, but it's perfectly reasonable to extend it to skills granted by classes.

Well that's a pretty good fix. They gain expertise in nature and or survival, and gain 1 or 2 other skill. They could be somewhat related, like water vehicle (for canoes) for example.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I worry most about the survivalist ability:

Survivalist​

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.​

I feel like it punishes players who take Nature and Survival as skills at first level or suddenly grants them expertise at 3rd.

I would ignore every instance of "if you don't already have it", which the character generator in dndbeyond actually does (did the last time I checked) too.
The general rule is that you get a different skill if you already have it.
Some subclasses seem to forget that general rule.

 

[DND_Reborn]

One of my current PCs is a Rogue (Scout) and I think it works very well. It is actually my favorite rogue subclass.