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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jaws" data-source="post: 2008912" data-attributes="member: 4192">The Quintessential RogueThe is not a playtest review. I am going to rate this on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being the best I have ever seen.The Quintessential Rogue (TQR) is 128 page softcover book priced at $19.95 by Mongoose Publishing. More for your buck than the guide books by WoTC. The cover is plain and uninspiring. I rather see a nice colored art piece on the front. The interior is black and white. The art is mostly good but nothing great or anything standing out. I do not like the art by Reynaldo Bastista. His work belongs in an x-rated comic book. The editing and typeface is good. 5 out of 10.Character ConceptsThe character concepts allow you to customize your character, making changes to the basic rogue class. They are the following: Assassin, Beggar, Barbarian, Dilettante, Diplomat, Explorer, Gambler, Inspector, Outlaw, Pathfinder, Pirate, Scout, Smuggler, Spy, Thug, Treasure Hunter, Dwarf Outcast, Elf Avenger, Gnome Tinker, Half-Orc Brawler, and Halfling Businessman. I wouldn't allow these into my game unless everybody is using a character concept. Unfortunately, all that is out is for the rogue and fighter. You gain advantages for mostly losing to choose certain skills. It is in my opinion that this isn't balanced against people who don't want to use the concepts. The bonuses the  Assassin get are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, shields, and light armor. He also gains Alchemy as a class skill. And his sneak attack deals an additional 1d6 damage against humanoids. The penalties are fewer class skills than the rogue. Appraise, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Forgery, Intuit Direction, Perform, Search, Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device all become cross-class skills. And also he starts with (6 + Int modifier) x 4 skill points and gains 6 + Int modifier at later levels. You could easily not choose those skills as a straight rogue. The skills and feats are what makes 3e. Until they have a book for all the classes, you will not see the character concepts in my game.But they do give you good ideas for role-playing and how you might want to develop your character. 3 out of 10.The Prestige RogueThese prestige classes are mostly to specialize a rogue if you chose a Character Concept. They are:Agent of the Crown - Spy, Diplomat. This is a 5 level class.Commando - Sniper. 5 level class.Crusading Footpad - Paladin of rogues. 10 level class.Deep Tracker - Scout, Treasure Hunter, Pathfinder. 5 level class.Executioner - Thug, Brawler. 5 level class.Shadowy Avenger - Vigilante, Inspector. 10 level class.Tomb Raider - Explorer, Treasure Hunter. 5 level class.None of them reached out and grabbed me. I will allow these in my game if my players so choose. Just like the Character Concepts, they do give you good ideas for role-playing and how you might want to develop your character. 5 out of 10.Tricks of the TradeThe first section of this chapter is about expanded uses for rogue class skills. They include all the class skills except Innuendo, Open Lock, Read Lips, and Use Magic Device. They also include expanded uses for Alchemy, Concentration, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (Antiques, Crime Lore, Law, Streetwise, and Traps), Spellcraft, and Wilderness Lore. Most of the new uses I liked alot. We have already used the new use for the Perform skill. It is called Distract. Your eye-catching performance draws onlookers to you, leaving them susceptible to criminal activities made by those working with you. When using your Perform skill, the members of your audience must make a Sense Motive check opposed by your Perform skill. Those that fail suffer a -2 competence penalty to all Spot and Listen checks, as their attention is riveted to your display. 8 out of 10.The second section of this chapter is about new uses for weapons and other equipment. They include Acid, Masterwork Artisan's Tools, Bedroll or Blanket, Bow or Crossbow, Ink, Inkpen, Jug, Flour, Marbles, Net, Sling, and Whips. Nothing here that a creative player wouldn't do himself. 4 out of 10.Rogue FeatsThey have listed 28 feats. Most feats have "Rogue" as the type of feat. Meaning the same as Special, like Extra Turning for Clerics and Paladins. They could of done this differently by listing certain things like sneak attack ability in the prerequisites. The feats are:Agonising Strike (Rogue) - Stun instead of sneak attack damage.Arcane Expert (General) - +2 to Knowledge (arcana) and Use Magic Device.Arcane Knowledge (General) - Identify magic items using your Use Magic Device.Arcane Sensitivity (General) - Detect magic items with Use Magic Device.Back Alley Brawler (Rogue) - Unarmed attack deals normal damage instead of subdual. Also can, as a full attack action, Bluff with your weapon and deliver a single unarmed attack dealing double normal damage. When grappling, deal double normal damage. I think this should be a General feat instead of a Special one for just Rogues.Blinding Strike (Rogue) - Full attack action to blind your foe. Also should be a General feat.Clever Designer (Rogue) - +2 to Search or Disable Device DC to a trap you make.Contacts (Rogue) - Allows you one contact that can provide benefits. This shouldn't be a feat. This is totally role-playing. Contemptible Target (General) - Enemies ignore you in combat, thinking you pose no threat.Craft Matrix (Rogue) - Use Magic Device instead of Craft Wondrous Item. More details later in review. Bards should be allowed to use this feat also.Devious Alchemy (Rogue) - When making poisons, you deduct 10% from final price. Should be a General feat.Expert Climber (General) - +2 Balance and Climb. Also +2 to Use rope if using to climb.Eye for Quality (General) - +2 Appraise and ForgeryGuildmaster (Rogue) - Gain twice the followers granted by the Leadership feat. Could be used as a General feat as DM's permission in my opinion.Fiendish Designer (Rogue) - +2 points of damage per die with a simple trap.Hair Trigger Reflexes (General) - You get the best initiative once per day.Lightning Grab (Rogue) - Pick Pocket a flat-footed opponent. This one I believe is a Special feat.Low Key (General) - +2 Disguise and HidePainful Strike (Rogue) - Foe recieves -2 circumstance penalties. Should be General feat.Poison Craftsman (General) - +4 to Craft (poisons). Also never poison yourself when working to produce a venom, no matter what the result of your skill check. I don't like the never poison yourself part. Maybe a +4 to your save would be better I think. Especially if you use the variant for handling poison from Monte Cook's website.Poison Reaper (General) - Extract one dose of poison from a dead animal, beast, or vermin that uses venom.Riposte (General) - Once per combat, single attack right after opponent made a melee attack against you. Speedy Trapper (Rogue) - One-half the time building a simple trap.Splintering Strike (Rogue) - +2d6 Sneak attack damage against Constructs. Too powerful in my opinion. I think it should just be able to only grant the abiltiy to sneak attack without the bonus damage. Or have the Sunder feat to do so.Torturer (General) - Name says it all. Use Intimidate skill against captive. I like it.Trapmaster (Rogue) - +2 Craft (trapmaking) and Disable DeviseWounding Strike (Rogue) - Also deal 1d2 Temp damage with sneak attack.Wall Fighter (Rogue) - Keep Dex for AC, attackers get no +2 to hit. Should be a General feat.Overall I like these feats. Much better than the ones in Song and Silence. 8 out of 10.Tools of the TradeNew mudane and magical items for rogues.Weapons - Padded Club, Assassin's Dagger, Hollow Pommel Dagger, Knuckleduster, Sap Pommel Dagger, Spring-Loaded Dagger, Clawed Gauntlets, Blowgun, Sniper's Crossbow, and Lariat. Mudane it is. 5 out of 10.Armor - Footpad's Vest, Leather (Displacer Beast, Digester, Gargoyle, Gorgon, Hell Hound, Rust Monster, Troglodyte), Armored Robe, Quick-Change Plate, and you can add Padding to any armor. I like the uses for the monsters hide. 6 out of 10.Mudane Equipment - Acid, Camouflage Makeup, Flash Powder, Lock Glass, Long Stemmed Lock Picks, Shock Freeze. 5 out of 10.Magical Weapon Qualities - Heartskewer, Ring Weapon, Seeker, Stealth, and Swarming. Nice. 6 out of 10.Specific Magical Weapons - Nightblade, Staff of Springing, Whisper Arrow. 6 out of 10.Potions - Ink Black, Liquid Form, Treasure Finding. 6 out of 10.Wonderous Items - Gliding Stick, Infinite Ladder, Thieves' Tools of Speed, Tools of the Master Thief.  6 out of 10.Magical Locks - Alarm, Devourer, Shifter, Silent Alarm, Snapper, Trojan Horse. Devious for the DM. 8 out of 10.Total rating for chapter: 6 out of 10.Law and OrderThis chapter serves as what you can expect from the strong hand of the town guard and their cohorts. Gives you a few charts on how the guard will react to certain actions in what part of town you are in. They give it a name called Vigilance. Also give you Example Guard Patrols with the following characteristics: Name, Area, Encounter Level, Magic Level, Vigilance, Response, and Attitude. A section on breaking the law and a chart on Punishments. 5 out of 10.ReputationAny character class can use this chapter. It is a characteristic that you can use to track a character's notoriety. It is a cute little mechanic if you don't want to role-play. It is the character level + Charisma modifier. You can use your Reputation score in place of Charisma for Charisma-based skills. 5 out of 10.Poisons and Their Manufacture.This chapter is the reason I bought TQR. It covers a variety of new poisons and rules for using the Craft (poisons) skill.Each poison has the following descriptors: Name, Type, Detect DC, Save DC, Initial Damage (Onset) / Secondary Damage (Secondary Onset), Price, and Craft (poisons) DC. I like the part that you have a chance to Spot (Detect DC). New Poisons - Allevar, Black Lung, Blackroot, Caro Venom, Deathsleep, Demonic Essence, Dolleck Eggs, Fogwit, Green Oil, Lotus Extract, Mindbreaker, Red Mist, Sombal, Spell Sapper, Tarzag's Venom, Telsath's Powder, Tremble Oil, Truth Water, Varran's Oil, Vithil Seeds, White Fire. They say right before they list these sample poisons, that they tend to be somewhat cheaper than any equivalent concocted under the Poison Creation section later in this chapter. I found this strange considering the power of some of these poisons and the DC they gave to Craft them. Demonic Essence is crafted from the flesh, blood and bodily fluids of captive demons. It is only 400 gp and Craft DC of 20. I wish they would of followed their own Creation rules for these. Cool poisons though. 7 out of 10.Creating a poison requires the following steps: Determine Poison Effects, Delivery Method, Save Type and DC, Spot DC, Add Benefits, Final Gold Piece Cost, Ingredients, and the Craft (poisons) Check. Final Gold Piece Cost: the newly invented poison is equal to its base cost determined in Step 1(Poison Effects), modified by any and all options taken throughout the following steps. This section is awesome. 9 out of 10.Traps and Their ConstructionThis chapter covers the making of simple, quick and dirty traps. The rules presented cover a limited scope of traps, those built in a few hours with scant resources. All traps consist of the following components: A Trigger, An Effect, Features, Search DC, Disable DC, Attack Roll, Reflex Save DC, Damage, Construction Time, and Number of Uses. They list 18 simple snares. Finally something for the PC instead of the DM. Also in the chapter is a section on Spell Matrices. Here is how to add magic to your traps. I don't know why they didn't have the new use for Use Magic Device also in the Tricks of the Trade chapter also. Just would of been nice. You can use either Craft Wondrous Item or Craft Matrix to create these items. Matrices are hard to handle. I like that these are dangerous since they make traps made by PCs more potent.8 out of 10.Laws of the NightThis chapter covers backgound regarding his social class: Upper, Middle, or Lower. Also has info about a rogue and the relationship with Thieves' Guilds. It has references to the next chapter. Bland. This is where TQF starts to lull. 2 out of 10.Guilds and Other OrganisationsThe following traits define them: Alignment, Type (Assassins' Guild, Explorers' Society, Spy Ring, Thieves' Guild, Trading Company), Size, Leadership, Reach, Income, Resources, Allies, Loyalty, Activity, and Visibility. I like the Tables they have for Loyalty, Activitity, and Visibility. But the checks and modifiers start to get crazy after this point. Too much math for my tastes.The creating and running an organisation section is the worst part in TQF. The effort is there but in its own words: These organisation rules require a fair amount of bookkeeping, action resolutions and other work. 2 out of 10.HideoutsGives you guidelines how to design your hideout. How Secrecy and Security can help in the design. Five steps involved: Location, Hideout's Nature, Map, Features, Determine Total Cost, Secrecy, and Security. Not bad but I wish there were some generic maps. 4 out of 10.The RestWe get the Introduction, Flavor Text (helps from being bored reading rules all the time), Designer's Notes, Rules Summary, Index (woo hoo), 4 page Character Sheet, and OGL / D20 Licences.The Good Tricks of the Trade, Feats, Poisons, and Traps.The BadCharacter Concepts and GuildsConclusionThe Quintessential Rogue is better than Song and Silence. I can't compare it to Traps and Treachery because I don't own that book. I like that TQR covers items mostly not shown in the other books. Final grade is a 5.5. Which is saying much for a D20 product which isn't a WoTC hardcover book. Buy TQR if you want more on skill use, poisons, and traps. Otherwise borrow a friends. On a 1 to 5 scale I give it a 3. If EnWorld would allow I would of put 3.5.~ Jaws</blockquote>

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