A Variant Rogue

[TPetruc]

Although I don’t dislike the rogue class, I thinks it’s a bit too sneak attack- and traps-based to be really useful in a slightly different campaign set in a fantasy world with less dungeons (for example, Middle Earth or the Wheel of Time). This is a variant class I made to represent a different type of rogue, one with more varied skills but less sneak attack ability (it’s made by combining the Rogue and Star Wars d20’s Scoundrel).

Everything is as per D&D’s rogue except for special abilities:

level -- special
1 -- sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2 -- lucky (1/day), evasion
3 -- uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
4 -- sneak attack +2d6
5 -- bonus feat
6
7 -- improved uncanny dodge
8 -- lucky (2/day), sneak attack +3d6
9 -- trap sense +2
10 -- special ability, bonus feat
11
12 -- sneak attack +4d6
13 -- special ability
14 -- lucky (3/day)
15 -- trap sense +3, bonus feat
16 -- sneak attack +5d6, special ability
17
18
19 -- special ability
20 -- lucky (4/day), sneak attack +6d6

All abilities work as that of a rogue.

Lucky enables the character to reroll any roll of 1d20 (up to a number of times per day depending on level, but at most once per encounter). He must accept the second result, even if worse.

Bonus feats are chosen from this list - Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lighting Reflexes, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Skill Focus, Stealthy.

What do you think of it? Comments and suggestion welcome, especially if they concern balance.

 

[drexes]

I really wanted to come up with a class that was kind of dark/luck tied, which is kind of what you did here, but I don't really get any sense of style from this, myself. The rerolls are very powerful, in that they will in all likelyhood keep the character from ever fumbling any roll (especially at higher levels). But I don't think they'll make the character fun. Half the fun is in the risk of failure. Half of being exceptional is in overcoming the odds. This character just resets them. I think more than one reroll per day would always be unbalanced (overpowered). Work on the lucky angle but maybe brainstorm some different mechanics to accomplish it.

Just my two cents though...

Drexes

 

[TPetruc]

I'm a bit worried on overpowering it too. In Star Wars d20, the scoundrel is in fact a litle bit less powerful than this (only gets lucky, bonus feats, skill emphasis and a precise attack ability, which is however powerful).
Maybe I should limit lucky very much (1/day always) and maybe it shouldn't work on natural 1s.
Anyway, there's still chance of failure: you can reroll each die only once and you must take the second result.

Can any of you tell me how is WoT's Wanderer (and possibly the Woodsman too, since I'm working on non-magical rangers too).

Replies and suggestions always welcome.

 

[Bront]

On a note, you should look at the racial substitution levels for the Changeling. You can make the rogue much more sociable and good with some knowledge skills with just a minor tweek.

Sneak attack isn't that dungeon based either, and works well as a swashbucklerly like critical strike feature (particularly with improved feign).

 

[TPetruc]

Sneak attack isn't that dungeon based either,

True, but I think it's not that useful, after all surprising the enemy is not always easy. Anyway you're right, it could be good with improved feint (but I think +6d6 is enough, +10d6 is a bit too much).
A low-level rogue deals as much Sneak Attack as my rogue, also.

What are actually racial substitution levels for the Changeling?