gamerprinter
Mapper/Publisher
I'm looking for ways to improve the rogue without adding new class features, rather expanding on new rogue talents or other abilities that can be chosen as rogue talents - plus a ki option for rogues and other non-Ki classes.
There is a complaint that theUltimate Combat Ninja somehow is diminishing the rogue. There's truth to that, but only where a Ninja as stealth killer/spy does that better than a rogue. While that certainly needs tweaked, another way to mitigate that problem is to expand on what rogues can do with their talents - so there's plenty of things rogues should be able to do, that ninja should not be able to do.
Note: I am specifically building a society of classes for Yakuza to be used in my Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting. These are options I intend to offer Yakuza based rogues, and as an option should be available to all rogues.
I'm looking for feedback on the talents below, and suggestions for more!
Gambler Talents:
Reading Tells - the ability to read hand, facial gestures and postures of opponents in games of chance. Using a Sense Motive check to detect if your opponent is bluffing, indicating a good or poor hand in a game of cards. Granting bonuses based on rogue level.
Reading Signs - the ability to work with an accomplice who is reading an opponents cards or hidden dice in games of chance and subtly communicating this to you without detection. Grant a penalty to all Perception checks to detect signs are being used to attempt to cheat at games of chance. The level of the rogue grants bonuses to this ability. Both you and your accomplice requires this talent to attempt to communicate this way.
Charisma Based Talents:
Misdirection - this ability is used to draw the attention of a specific target away from some covert activity being done by another party member. This could be used in combat to allow another rogue to get in position for a flanking maneuver, as well as outside of combat for sleight of hand or other unobserved activity.
Improved Lie - using the Bluff skill with this talent enables a rogue to tell more convincing lies that confer penalties to Sense Motive checks to detect the lie. Rogue level adds bonuses to this check. This ability can be used in confidence games to outwit someone of their money.
Ki Powers for Rogue:
Ki Potential Trait - any non-Ki class (monks and shinobi archetypes) may select this trait to gain access to the Activate Ki feat at 4th level.
Activate Ki Feat - anyone possessing the Ki Potential Trait may select this feat at 4th level which grants access to a ki pool of 1/2 the class level at 4th, but does not progress above this as per Monk's ki pool. Thus a maximum of 2 ki points become available. The Extra Ki feat may also be selected to increase this to 3 ki points.
General Ki Powers List - a list of avaiable new ki powers accessable by anyone with a ki pool of Activate Ki feat (this will be made available in the Shinobi book for Kaidan)
There is a complaint that theUltimate Combat Ninja somehow is diminishing the rogue. There's truth to that, but only where a Ninja as stealth killer/spy does that better than a rogue. While that certainly needs tweaked, another way to mitigate that problem is to expand on what rogues can do with their talents - so there's plenty of things rogues should be able to do, that ninja should not be able to do.
Note: I am specifically building a society of classes for Yakuza to be used in my Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting. These are options I intend to offer Yakuza based rogues, and as an option should be available to all rogues.
I'm looking for feedback on the talents below, and suggestions for more!
Gambler Talents:
Reading Tells - the ability to read hand, facial gestures and postures of opponents in games of chance. Using a Sense Motive check to detect if your opponent is bluffing, indicating a good or poor hand in a game of cards. Granting bonuses based on rogue level.
Reading Signs - the ability to work with an accomplice who is reading an opponents cards or hidden dice in games of chance and subtly communicating this to you without detection. Grant a penalty to all Perception checks to detect signs are being used to attempt to cheat at games of chance. The level of the rogue grants bonuses to this ability. Both you and your accomplice requires this talent to attempt to communicate this way.
Charisma Based Talents:
Misdirection - this ability is used to draw the attention of a specific target away from some covert activity being done by another party member. This could be used in combat to allow another rogue to get in position for a flanking maneuver, as well as outside of combat for sleight of hand or other unobserved activity.
Improved Lie - using the Bluff skill with this talent enables a rogue to tell more convincing lies that confer penalties to Sense Motive checks to detect the lie. Rogue level adds bonuses to this check. This ability can be used in confidence games to outwit someone of their money.
Ki Powers for Rogue:
Ki Potential Trait - any non-Ki class (monks and shinobi archetypes) may select this trait to gain access to the Activate Ki feat at 4th level.
Activate Ki Feat - anyone possessing the Ki Potential Trait may select this feat at 4th level which grants access to a ki pool of 1/2 the class level at 4th, but does not progress above this as per Monk's ki pool. Thus a maximum of 2 ki points become available. The Extra Ki feat may also be selected to increase this to 3 ki points.
General Ki Powers List - a list of avaiable new ki powers accessable by anyone with a ki pool of Activate Ki feat (this will be made available in the Shinobi book for Kaidan)
