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Message: <blockquote data-quote="N'raac" data-source="post: 6178256" data-attributes="member: 6681948">I count Charm Person because it can remove an opponent from combat, so that class feature exploiting high CHA would have to have similar impact.  For a "social rogue", I could see an ability that allows him to talk an opponent out of combat and into a social skills target (similar to the manner Hide in Plain Sight allows one to use Hide under direct observation).  This would, for example, permit the Rogue to use Diplomacy, Bluff, etc. on a hostile target with the potential to end the combat (or at least that person's participation) and improve his attitude towards the Rogue.  Practically, this would have to be at least as good as a Charm Person spell in that regard, and scale in some manner with level, to equate to Sneak Attack (but there could also be a series of such abilities, with new ones gained when Sneak Attack would have gained a bonus).The replacement ability (or abilities) would have to be useful in combat to meet my "no trading combat for non-combat" requirement, and also be sufficiently valuable in combat to be a reasonable replacement for Sneak Attack.  All of your suggestions could fit the former, making them "combat abilities".  I would agree that "I'm sneaky", such as Hide in Plain Sight, would be a combat ability provided it could be used in combat.  However, I also agree with ThirdWizard that, alone, it would not be sufficient to replace Sneak Attack.In my games, Charm Person is of limited use in a social context.  If the target makes the save, they are aware a spell was cast against them (source:  <a href="http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/21310/the-effects-of-saving-throws-on-mind-reading" target="_blank">http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/21310/the-effects-of-saving-throws-on-mind-reading</a>, referencing Rules Compendium).  As well, if you make a save, you get a DC 25+Spell Level Spellcraft check to determine the spell which was cast (utility obviously dependent on the target's skills, 15+spell level allows any observer to identify the spell being cast, Detect Magic shows the target is under a spell (and Spellcraft can tell you the school), and a 20 + level check can identify a spell if you can see its effects ("my the King is suddenly very friendly to this stranger" seems like you can see its effects).  Sense Motive can also discern a target is enchanted.Most people will not be pleased to be targeted by such a spell, so Charm Person in a social setting is, at best, a serious risk.Agreed.This, to me, is not "is the replacement a combat ability" but "is the replacement a sufficiently powerful combat ability". +1 to hit and damage, or Hide in Plain Sight, would both be combat abilities.  Neither would be sufficient to be a balanced trade off for Sneak Attack.  The ability also needs to scale with level, as Sneak Attack scales with level, whether because it gets better, or because further abilities are added at higher levels.</blockquote>

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