A Variant Rogue

[airwalkrr]

Here is my attempt at recreating the rogue. I decided that some of the special abilities they gain at 10th level weren't really overpowerfed for a low-level character so I may special abilities available as early as 4th level in some cases. I also find it trite that EVERY rogue has evasion. So I made it an optional special ability. In all, rogues gain two special abilities, but they lose evasion, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge, which are all now special abilities. Some special abilities have prerequisites, meaning they are only available as early as 8th level, but that is not that much earlier than 10th.

With all the classes that can find traps now, I wanted to make the rogue a master trap-finder and disabler. So I added a few abilities that don't really make the rogue much more powerful, but do help him do what he already does well, deal with traps. Some of the abilities I borrowed directly from Kolja Liquette's article on dead levels.

What I am most proud of is that this rogue has no dead levels and the abilities are all very logical. Take a look and tell me what you think. If you have any suggestions for changes, additions, deletions, feel free to offer them up!

 

[Sound of Azure]

It looks really good. I like anything with customisability. Nice work!

I personally wouldn't mind a version that had no built-in trap capability at all (should the rogue have another focus, or something).

I'm vaguely frightened by the concept of combining this version with the "feat rogue" variant in UA, though.

 

[Li Shenron]

The only concern I have is 4 levels of delay to replicate the core Rogue set of abilities (Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge). What about granting one special ability at level 2 also? Possibly it could replace Mechanical Knowledge which could instead become a selectable special ability as well. This way any existing core Rogue will be compatible with your variant (at least until pretty high level).

Trained Eye is a great addition also!

 

[Vrecknidj]

I still don't get the necessary connection between being good at finding and handling traps, and being good at finding vital spots on enemies and delivering wicked attacks.

I think that even the Sneak Attack and Trap Sense abilities are separate enough to warrant separating. Maybe getting even closer to the Talent Tree system would be good for the Rogue.

From a certain point of view, the Trap guy is a member of the Expert class, with specific extra abilities and a different good save.

Dave

 

[theredrobedwizard]

More Talent Tree-type classes = Awesome. You hear that WotC? Talent. Trees.

Also, I like what you're trying to do with the class, but I'm not sure if it'll work as well as hoped. I'll give it a playtest soon and see how it fares.

-TRRW

 

[airwalkrr]

I still don't get the necessary connection between being good at finding and handling traps, and being good at finding vital spots on enemies and delivering wicked attacks.

The rogue is the only core class with the ability to find and disable traps. The rogue is also the only core base class that gets sneak attack. Both are iconic abilities to the rogue. They have been around since 1e, so I wanted to keep them. There is not a necessary connection per se, but if I made a class that was all about sneak attack, it wouldn't really be a rogue anymore.