D&D 5E Al-Qadim Rogue Barber

[Leatherhead]

I think they are also called straight razors.

 

[Quickleaf]

In 5^th edition, how would one build an Al-Qadim Rogue Barber?

In 2nd edition Al-Qadim, the Barber Rogue was a subclass of both the Thief and the Bard, and a very interesting character IMHO. I love that a subclass could be picked up from two separate classes, almost like a background.

Assuming Rogue or Bard, you are looking at a Lore or Valour Bard or (I presume) an Arcane Trickster.
· Good with Razor Blades (or knives)
· Backstreet surgeon and herbal healer
· Sly with persuasion and deception
· Knowledge of lore, gossip, fables and storytelling.
So are we looking at good Dex for the blades, good Cha for the storytelling, persuasion and deception and good Int for the lore/knowledge side of things?

I suppose you could dip 1 level of life/knowledge Cleric or go fast hands/healer feat human to cover all the bases but an actual subclass would help immensely.

The race screams Variant Human or Half-Elf to both cover the stats, skills and languages if you wanted to optimise

If Bard, Charm person/suggestion etc. spells might be ideal

What personality traits would you add (especially flaws)

Ps. I really hope that Al-Qadim or Dark Sun gets some support soon!

I think the Mastermind rogue in the SWORD COAST ADVENTURER'S GUIDE is a decent approximation of the Barber-Rogue concept. And here's the Barber Surgeon background from our Al-Qadim 5e conversion project...

Barber Surgeon (background)
Plying your razor and wit inconspicuously in the
bazaar and noble houses, you are a barber surgeon –
an apothecary, informant, herbalist, and master of
the arts of grooming.
Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Performance
Tool Proficiencies: Barber’s tools*, herbalism kit
Equipment: A razor, scissors, strop, shaving brush,
apron, bar of soap, common clothes, and a belt
pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Ear of the Suq
When in a settlement, you can gather accurate
rumors without any chance of others trailing the
inquiry back to you, such is your innocuous charm.
You must either spend 1 hour and 25 gp loosening
tongues, or else perform your profession as a barber
during a day of downtime. You gain information
determined by the DM related to a person, place,
object, or event of your choice that someone in the
settlement could reasonably know about.

d8 Personality Trait
1 I’ll get to the point of my stories…eventually.
2 My humor is offbeat, dark, and macabre.
3 I can’t help but cringe at poor grooming.
4 My mustache reflects my mood.
5 Too much silence makes me uncomfortable.
6 I’ll try to upstage any barbers or storytellers I meet
with extravagant tales.
7 Without having to rehearse, sometimes I speak in
rhyming verse!
8 No jewelry or silks are too ostentatious for me.

d6 Ideal
1 Imagination. Ins must imagine a better future to
give today meaning. (Any)
2 Sadism. Cruel deeds may be required now and
then, but it’s no sin to enjoy them. (Evil)
3 Mystery. Being elusive and ineffable protects me
from being taken advantage of. (Neutral)
4 Iconoclasm. March to your own tune and pay no
heed to traditionalist detractors. (Chaotic)
5 Friendliness. A ready smile and kind words can
open hearts and unlock doors. (Good)
6 Civilization. Cities are the lifeblood of culture and
commerce. (Lawful)

d6 Bond
1 My status may be diminished now, but once I
groomed the Grand Caliph himself!
2 My niece suffers from a malady I can’t treat and I
adventure to find a cure for her.
3 I whet my razor for the day I’ll have revenge on the
one who cost me everything.
4 I hold a terrible burden of knowledge no one would
believe that I must do something about.
5 A guild of barbers saved me from destitution and I
owe them everything.
6 A genie challenged me to live a life half as wondrous
as my fish tales…

d6 Flaw
1 I enjoy making the guilty and pompous squirm just
a bit too much.
2 Bold-faced lies are no sin coming from my lips; the
bigger and more outrageous the better.
3 I am indeed as mad as they say, and my hand
trembles with delight when I pick up a razor.
4 I don’t trust anything another person tells me unless
they’re in my barber chair and I have a razor to their
neck.
5 The distinction between truth and lies is blurred for
me. I’ve told more half-truths than there are drops
of water in the Great Sea.
6 I have an unfortunate knack for putting my foot in
my mouth, revealing secrets, and horribly
embarrassing others in the process.

 

[rgoodbb]

I think the Mastermind rogue in the SWORD COAST ADVENTURER'S GUIDE is a decent approximation of the Barber-Rogue concept. And here's the Barber Surgeon background from our Al-Qadim 5e conversion project....

Ahh. Didn't look. Sorry. Not trying to step on toes. Agreed the Mastermind came to my mind when looking at the barber. Glad to see some overlap here. Means I'm almost on the right track.

Not looking again, how is this conversion going Quickleaf? I so love the flavour of this campaign setting and would love to see more, including a good example of a level 1 adventure?