Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
UA Soulknife Rogue character
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="RogueJK" data-source="post: 7889160" data-attributes="member: 170"><p>50/50 won't work all that well. You'll need to focus more on one or the other.</p><p></p><p></p><p>If you're wanting to be a Soulknife with a few Bard levels to add to your skills and character flavor, I'd do no more than 3 level of Lore Bard. That gets you extra Expertise and skill proficiencies, Jack of All Trades, plus a few Cutting Words/Inspiration dice per day, and a smattering of spells. In that case, I'd leave Charisma at something like 12+2 racial, and just stick to utility spells (Invisibility, Detect Magic, Feather Fall, etc.), since utility spells won't rely on attack rolls or save DCs. You'll still have Proficiency/Expertise in the Face skills to make up for your middling CHA modifier. Take all the rest of your levels in Rogue, focusing on DEX and then INT. This will allow you to be the most effective Soul Knife possible, while still dipping Bard for a few more skills and a few spells.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Otherwise, if you're wanting to be a Bard with a little Soulknife flavor, dip 4 levels of Rogue with the rest Bard. Focus on CHA as primary (starting 15+2) and DEX secondary. INT can stay at 12 or 14. You're more like a standard Bard, although you'll be a solid 2 spell levels behind a single class Bard. But you'll have a few nifty psionic tricks like mind swords and either a bit of extra speed or telepathy (since a +5ish HP boost won't make much difference), plus a little Sneak Attack and Cunning Action, as well as an extra skill proficiency and two extra Expertise.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Neither one will be super optimal, since both Bards and Rogues benefit greatly from staying single-classed. But I understand the flavor you're going for. Of the two, the former (Rogue dipping Bard) is the better choice, and also gets you the most Soulknife-ness.</p><p></p><p></p><p>However, understand that you can achieve 99% of the same character by simply making a single-class Soulknife Rogue with a moderate CHA, and taking some specific skill proficiencies (Deception, Performance, etc.) and a background like Entertainer or Charlatan, plus maybe a feat like Skilled or Actor along the way. That would be the most optimal way to do it, and you can still be the bard-like psychic spy/assassin without cramping your Soulknife progression.</p><p></p><p>That would look something like:</p><p></p><p>Changeling Soulknife Rogue</p><p>STR 8</p><p>DEX 15+1</p><p>CON 10</p><p>INT 14</p><p>WIS 12 or 13</p><p>CHA 13+2 or 12+2</p><p></p><p>Racial proficiencies: Deception, Persuasion</p><p>Class proficiencies: Stealth, Insight, Perception, Investigation, Thieves Tools</p><p>Background: Entertainer - Acrobatics, Performance, 1x musical instrument</p><p></p><p>Level 1: Expertise - Deception, Persuasion</p><p>Level 4: ASI - DEX +2</p><p>Level 6: Expertise - Perception, Stealth</p><p>Level 8: ASI - DEX +2</p><p>Level 10: Feat - Actor +1 CHA (if started with 13 CHA) or Observant +1 WIS (if started with 13 WIS)</p><p>Level 12: ASI - INT +2</p><p>Level 16: ASI - INT +2</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RogueJK, post: 7889160, member: 170"] 50/50 won't work all that well. You'll need to focus more on one or the other. If you're wanting to be a Soulknife with a few Bard levels to add to your skills and character flavor, I'd do no more than 3 level of Lore Bard. That gets you extra Expertise and skill proficiencies, Jack of All Trades, plus a few Cutting Words/Inspiration dice per day, and a smattering of spells. In that case, I'd leave Charisma at something like 12+2 racial, and just stick to utility spells (Invisibility, Detect Magic, Feather Fall, etc.), since utility spells won't rely on attack rolls or save DCs. You'll still have Proficiency/Expertise in the Face skills to make up for your middling CHA modifier. Take all the rest of your levels in Rogue, focusing on DEX and then INT. This will allow you to be the most effective Soul Knife possible, while still dipping Bard for a few more skills and a few spells. Otherwise, if you're wanting to be a Bard with a little Soulknife flavor, dip 4 levels of Rogue with the rest Bard. Focus on CHA as primary (starting 15+2) and DEX secondary. INT can stay at 12 or 14. You're more like a standard Bard, although you'll be a solid 2 spell levels behind a single class Bard. But you'll have a few nifty psionic tricks like mind swords and either a bit of extra speed or telepathy (since a +5ish HP boost won't make much difference), plus a little Sneak Attack and Cunning Action, as well as an extra skill proficiency and two extra Expertise. Neither one will be super optimal, since both Bards and Rogues benefit greatly from staying single-classed. But I understand the flavor you're going for. Of the two, the former (Rogue dipping Bard) is the better choice, and also gets you the most Soulknife-ness. However, understand that you can achieve 99% of the same character by simply making a single-class Soulknife Rogue with a moderate CHA, and taking some specific skill proficiencies (Deception, Performance, etc.) and a background like Entertainer or Charlatan, plus maybe a feat like Skilled or Actor along the way. That would be the most optimal way to do it, and you can still be the bard-like psychic spy/assassin without cramping your Soulknife progression. That would look something like: Changeling Soulknife Rogue STR 8 DEX 15+1 CON 10 INT 14 WIS 12 or 13 CHA 13+2 or 12+2 Racial proficiencies: Deception, Persuasion Class proficiencies: Stealth, Insight, Perception, Investigation, Thieves Tools Background: Entertainer - Acrobatics, Performance, 1x musical instrument Level 1: Expertise - Deception, Persuasion Level 4: ASI - DEX +2 Level 6: Expertise - Perception, Stealth Level 8: ASI - DEX +2 Level 10: Feat - Actor +1 CHA (if started with 13 CHA) or Observant +1 WIS (if started with 13 WIS) Level 12: ASI - INT +2 Level 16: ASI - INT +2 [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
UA Soulknife Rogue character
Top