Argh, I had a long reply written up but hit "back" on my mouse and lost most of it. Time's running out so I'll keep this brief.
1) An Uncanny Gambler is not necessarily a Dagger Master. A fighter with power attack can hit more often or do more damage with a dagger and Weapon Spec. A rogue who gets into a flanking position can do more damage via Sneak Attack. If you start mixing magic then add in Divine Favor, True Strike, etc.
The dagger is his theme, and personally I think its a good one since most prcs allow more than "just daggers" hence they are often overlooked for higher damage weapons. The one arena where the UG is supreme is distance dagger throwing, via the ability Longshot. I thought it was interesting to allow someone to throw a dagger as far as people can shoot an arrow, of course all the extra damage is lost after 30 ft so you really are better off shooting arrows (where bow and arrow bonuses stack).
2) The weapon selection is no more narrowed down than any other class based on a few weapons. They don't lose any proficiencies upon becoming an UG and it may still be prudent to use other weapons they find instead of a dagger. For instance if they find a ghost touch rapier, obviously it would be the choice weapon against certain things (which usually can't be critted anyway, meaning no Precise Strike bonus).
3) I had a rather long bit about how I didn't think the game needed anymore crit threat bumping than we already have via keen and improved critical and that a mechanic is devoid of flavor when created (usually). The flavor is given in the context of the character, for instance a high level rogue may consider his Improved Evasion an extension of his own skill, a high level monk may consider it part of the path becoming closer to true harmony, and a high level UG may consider it "luck". In all cases the mechanic is the same, but how the character perceives it differs.
In the case of Precise Strike vs More Crit Range (due to luck) we can state that the precision is due to the UG's inherent luck or we can change the name to something like "Lucky Strike" to make it more obvious. Either way, the mechanic remains the same.
The reason a UG must be limited with respect to what weapons he gets a bonus with (and to what that bonus applies against) is manyfold. If it could apply to greatswords then you would have fighter/rogues lining up for bonuses to greatswords instead of rogues built around luck. Similarly making it a whip thing encourages bards, etc etc. The class does not limit what the UG can do, it enhances what it can do against certain creatures with a particular subset of weapons, in this case tiny/small piercing weapons. See above where I show 1 good reason an UG would want to hold onto a non-dagger weapon. Other good cases are Maces of Disruption, Ooze-bane weapons they are proficient with, etc etc.
I think rolling 2 dice vs re-rolling is just another spin on the luck thing. Since officially luck is defined as re-rolling and keeping the second roll (regardless as to whether it is better or worse) I would recommend sticking to that. Its still rather handy, but it shows that sometimes even lucky people are unlucky.
The % chance of things happening is really sort-of awkward in 3e. It sounds like a 2e mechanic. If you really want something like this perhaps a luck bonus to AC, initiative, or saves might work better.
Called Shots are not officially part of the game. A critical hit is supposed to represent a called shot.
I like the +1 bonus every time you miss, but I'm unsure how to apply it. Also note that if there is not a subset of weapons this class is limited to, more than likely most UGs will use a rapier, as it is the best weapon for a rogue/finesse type character. Whoopee! Wheres the variety there? Personally Im sick of the rapier.
Cha to AC is a nice mechanic but introduces a lot of baggage. Now it will be looked at by Paladins (who really have no reason to be in this class), Sorcerors, and Bards, Oh my. Plus it ensures that any rogue in this class will put their highest score in Cha (to benefit from the class' perceived biggest benefit). Yes, even if they can no longer wear armor. Then we will have to worry about duelist/UG, monk/UG, etc etc. While I think it is a good mechanic Im not sure its necessary.
I think the "boy you are lucky" aspect is accounted for by the unusually high saves, the unusually high dagger damage ("How did you kill him with just a dagger?!"), Uncanny Dodge, and at the highest level Improved Evasion and Uncanny Foresight. Not to mention, being able to re-roll a die a few times a session.
4) The entire break-the-game via gambling is entirely dependant on the dm. Perhaps it should be taken out of the description entirely as there is a possibility for abuse, but honestly a dm with strong reigns on the game should have no problem. It would be flavorful and funny to see all the PCs walk into a gambling house and the UG walk out richer than he walked in, or for the UG to challenge the other players to a game of chance (well that would probably only be funny once, but even so). Only in the most dire of cases would a dm really let a character abuse being able to win in games of chance often, but honestly if that part of it bothers you, leave it out.
Technik
1) An Uncanny Gambler is not necessarily a Dagger Master. A fighter with power attack can hit more often or do more damage with a dagger and Weapon Spec. A rogue who gets into a flanking position can do more damage via Sneak Attack. If you start mixing magic then add in Divine Favor, True Strike, etc.
The dagger is his theme, and personally I think its a good one since most prcs allow more than "just daggers" hence they are often overlooked for higher damage weapons. The one arena where the UG is supreme is distance dagger throwing, via the ability Longshot. I thought it was interesting to allow someone to throw a dagger as far as people can shoot an arrow, of course all the extra damage is lost after 30 ft so you really are better off shooting arrows (where bow and arrow bonuses stack).
2) The weapon selection is no more narrowed down than any other class based on a few weapons. They don't lose any proficiencies upon becoming an UG and it may still be prudent to use other weapons they find instead of a dagger. For instance if they find a ghost touch rapier, obviously it would be the choice weapon against certain things (which usually can't be critted anyway, meaning no Precise Strike bonus).
3) I had a rather long bit about how I didn't think the game needed anymore crit threat bumping than we already have via keen and improved critical and that a mechanic is devoid of flavor when created (usually). The flavor is given in the context of the character, for instance a high level rogue may consider his Improved Evasion an extension of his own skill, a high level monk may consider it part of the path becoming closer to true harmony, and a high level UG may consider it "luck". In all cases the mechanic is the same, but how the character perceives it differs.
In the case of Precise Strike vs More Crit Range (due to luck) we can state that the precision is due to the UG's inherent luck or we can change the name to something like "Lucky Strike" to make it more obvious. Either way, the mechanic remains the same.
The reason a UG must be limited with respect to what weapons he gets a bonus with (and to what that bonus applies against) is manyfold. If it could apply to greatswords then you would have fighter/rogues lining up for bonuses to greatswords instead of rogues built around luck. Similarly making it a whip thing encourages bards, etc etc. The class does not limit what the UG can do, it enhances what it can do against certain creatures with a particular subset of weapons, in this case tiny/small piercing weapons. See above where I show 1 good reason an UG would want to hold onto a non-dagger weapon. Other good cases are Maces of Disruption, Ooze-bane weapons they are proficient with, etc etc.
I think rolling 2 dice vs re-rolling is just another spin on the luck thing. Since officially luck is defined as re-rolling and keeping the second roll (regardless as to whether it is better or worse) I would recommend sticking to that. Its still rather handy, but it shows that sometimes even lucky people are unlucky.
The % chance of things happening is really sort-of awkward in 3e. It sounds like a 2e mechanic. If you really want something like this perhaps a luck bonus to AC, initiative, or saves might work better.
Called Shots are not officially part of the game. A critical hit is supposed to represent a called shot.
I like the +1 bonus every time you miss, but I'm unsure how to apply it. Also note that if there is not a subset of weapons this class is limited to, more than likely most UGs will use a rapier, as it is the best weapon for a rogue/finesse type character. Whoopee! Wheres the variety there? Personally Im sick of the rapier.
Cha to AC is a nice mechanic but introduces a lot of baggage. Now it will be looked at by Paladins (who really have no reason to be in this class), Sorcerors, and Bards, Oh my. Plus it ensures that any rogue in this class will put their highest score in Cha (to benefit from the class' perceived biggest benefit). Yes, even if they can no longer wear armor. Then we will have to worry about duelist/UG, monk/UG, etc etc. While I think it is a good mechanic Im not sure its necessary.
I think the "boy you are lucky" aspect is accounted for by the unusually high saves, the unusually high dagger damage ("How did you kill him with just a dagger?!"), Uncanny Dodge, and at the highest level Improved Evasion and Uncanny Foresight. Not to mention, being able to re-roll a die a few times a session.
4) The entire break-the-game via gambling is entirely dependant on the dm. Perhaps it should be taken out of the description entirely as there is a possibility for abuse, but honestly a dm with strong reigns on the game should have no problem. It would be flavorful and funny to see all the PCs walk into a gambling house and the UG walk out richer than he walked in, or for the UG to challenge the other players to a game of chance (well that would probably only be funny once, but even so). Only in the most dire of cases would a dm really let a character abuse being able to win in games of chance often, but honestly if that part of it bothers you, leave it out.
Technik
