During combat, a rogue's diverse skills and talents make her indispensable support to front-line fighters. While rogues lack the pure martial power of some classes, they make up for it with sly tactics, employing tricks and poisons, and of course, flanking opponents and unleashing their devastating sneak attacks whenever possible. The archetypes and new rogue talents presented here represent slightly more aggressive rogues, including many whose skill sets are geared toward combat and supporting their comrades in combat situations. Many of these new talents and archetypes rely less on subtlety and subterfuge and more on direct actions.
Rogue Talents
Any rogue who meets the prerequisites can take any of the following new rogue talents. A rogue cannot take a talent more than once, unless the talent states otherwise. Talents marked with an asterisk (*) add effects to a rogue's sneak attack. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack, and the decision must be made before the roll is made.
A rogue with this talent gains better access to magic items from black market connections. She treats every settlement as one size greater for the purpose of determining the gp limit of the base value of items for sale, as well as the number of minor, medium, and major magic items for sale in the settlement. If the settlement is already a metropolis, all minor and medium magic items are for sale, as well as 3d8 major magic items. With a successful Diplomacy check, the rogue can treat the settlement as two sizes larger. If the settlement is already a metropolis and she succeeds at the check, all magic items are for sale. If the settlement is already a large city and she succeeds at the check, all minor and medium magic items are for sale, as well as 3d8 major magic items. With a successful check, the rogue can also sell stolen items on the black market. If the check fails by 5 or more, the rogue does something to spook the market, and treats the city as normal for 1 week. Furthermore, those in control of the black market may alert the authorities to the rogue's presence in an act of reprisal for spooking the market or to divert attention away from their illicit activities. The DCs of the checks are by settlement size and are given in the table below.
Community Size
| Community Size | DC |
|---|---|
| Thorp | 10 |
| Hamlet | 12 |
| Village | 15 |
| Small town | 18 |
| Large town | 20 |
| Small city | 25 |
| Large city | 30 |
| Metropolis | 35 |
When a rogue with this talent lies, she creates fabrications so convincing that others treat them as truth. When a rogue with this talent successfully uses the Bluff skill to convince someone that what she is saying is true, if that individual is questioned later about the statement or story, that person uses the rogue's Bluff skill modifier to convince the questioner, rather than his own. If his Bluff skill modifier is better than the rogue's, the individual can use his own modifier and gain a +2 bonus on any check to convince others of the lie. This effect lasts for a number of days equal to 1/2 the rogue's level + the rogue's Charisma modifier.
Deft Palm
A rogue with this talent can make a Sleight of Hand check to conceal a weapon while holding it in plain sight, even while she is being observed.
Once a day, a rogue with this talent may attempt a Knowledge check, even when she is not trained in that Knowledge skill.
A rogue with this talent gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms).
A rogue with this talent adds Fly, Handle Animal, and Ride to her list of class skills, and gains a +2 bonus on all driving checks.
Grit
A rogue with this talent gains the Amateur Gunslinger feat and one grit feat of her choice. She must fulfill the prerequisites of the grit feat in order to choose it. A rogue must have the firearm training talent before choosing this one.
Hold Breath
A rogue with this talent increases the number of rounds she can hold her breath by 2. She can take this talent multiple times.
Iron Guts
A rogue with this talent has a cast-iron stomach or has trained herself to withstand poisons, especially ingested ones. She gains a +1 bonus on all saves against ingested poisons as well as a +4 bonus on saves against all spells and effects that cause the rogue to be nauseated or sickened.
Ki Pool
A rogue with this talent gains a small ki pool. This ki pool is similar to a ninja's ki pool, but the rogue's ki pool does not grant any extra attacks. The rogue gains a number of ki points equal to her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). These ki points replenish at the start of each day. If she already has a ki pool, or gains a ki pool later, she gains half her Wisdom bonus (minimum 1) as bonus ki points to her ki pool. She can spend a ki point to gain a +10-foot bonus to movement until the end of her turn.
A rogue with this talent can choose a trick from the ninja trick list. The rogue cannot choose a ninja trick with the same name as a rogue talent. The rogue can choose but cannot use talents that require ki points, unless she has a ki pool. A rogue can pick this talent more than once. The ninja cannot choose a ninja trick with the same name as a rogue talent.
Rope Master
A rogue with this ability can move at her normal speed when using rope on a Climb check, can take 10 when using Acrobatics to move over narrow surfaces even when in danger or distracted, and gains a +4 bonus when determining the DC to escape bonds when she ties up a creature.
A rogue with this talent rolls twice when making Swim checks and takes the better result. If she already rolls twice while making a Swim check because of another ability or effect, she gains a +2 insight bonus on both of those rolls instead. If the rogue is under the effect of a spell or ability that forces her to roll two dice and take the worse result, she only needs to roll 1d20 while making Swim checks.
A rogue with this talent gains a favored terrain as the ranger ability of the same name, though the favored terrain ability does not increase with her level as the ranger's ability does. A rogue can take this ability multiple times, each time applying it to a new terrain.
* A rogue with this talent gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a weapon. Furthermore, if she makes a sneak attack during the surprise round using a concealed weapon that her opponent didn't know about, she does not have to roll sneak attack damage, and the sneak attack deals maximum damage. A rogue can only use the underhanded talent a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0).
Wall Scramble
A rogue with this talent rolls twice when making Climb checks and takes the better of the two rolls. If she already rolls twice while making a Climb check because of another ability or effect, she gains a +2 insight bonus on both of those rolls instead. If the rogue is under the effect of a spell or ability that forces her to roll two dice and take the worse result, she only needs to roll 1d20 while making Climb checks.
Advanced Rogue Talents
The following new advanced rogue talents can be selected by any rogue of 10th level or higher who meets the prerequisites.
* When a rogue with this talent hits a creature with a melee weapon that deals sneak attack damage, her target cannot make attacks of opportunity for 1d4+1 rounds. The rogue must have the slow reaction rogue talent before she can choose this talent.
A rogue with this talent gains a familiar as the familiar option of the wizard's arcane bond class feature. This ability functions exactly like that part of the class feature, but the rogue's effective wizard level is her rogue level –4. The rogue must have the minor magic and major magic talents before she can choose this trick.
A rogue with this talent gains a +10 bonus on all drive checks. The rogue must have the getaway artist rogue talent before choosing this talent.
Hard Minded
A rogue with this talent is hard to fool with illusions. She automatically receives a save to disbelieve any illusion she can see each round at the start of her turn, even if she hasn't interacted with it. If she fails a saving throw against an illusion that is not to disbelieve, she can attempt to save again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only one extra chance to succeed at her saving throw.
Hide in Plain Sight
A rogue with this talent can select a single terrain from the ranger's favored terrain list. She is a master at hiding in that terrain, and while within that terrain, she can use the Stealth skill to hide, even while being observed. A rogue may take this advanced talent more than once, each time selecting a different terrain from the favored terrain list.
Master Tricks
A rogue can select a ninja trick from the list of master tricks in place of a rogue talent. The rogue cannot select a ninja trick that has the same name as a rogue talent. The rogue can choose but cannot use tricks that require ki points, unless she has a ki pool.
A rogue with this talent can attempt to spread a rumor though a small town or larger settlement by making a Bluff check. She can do so a number of times per week equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0). The DC is based on the size of the settlement, and it takes a week for the rumor to propagate through the settlement. If the check succeeds, the rumor is practically accepted as fact within the community; succeeding by 5 or more over the DC decreases the time it takes the rumor to propagate by 1d4 days. A failed check means the rumor failed to gain traction, while failing by 5 or more causes the opposite of the rumor or some other competing theory involving the rumor's subject to take hold.
Community Size
| Community Size | DC |
|---|---|
| Small town | 18 |
| Large town | 20 |
| Small city | 25 |
| Large city | 30 |
| Metropolis | 35 |
A rogue with this talent can spend a swift action to attempt to make an opponent act like an ally for purposes of providing a flank until the beginning of the rogue's next turn. The opponent must be able to hear and see the rogue, and the rogue must succeed at a Bluff check opposed by the opponent's Sense Motive. If the check succeeds, the opponent acts as an ally for the purpose of providing a flank. Whether or not the check succeeds, the rogue cannot use this trick again on the same opponent for the next 24 hours. If the rogue fails the check by 5 or more, she cannot use the unwitting ally ability on any opponent within line of sight of the failed attempt for 24 hours.
A rogue with this talent can make a Sleight of Hand check in place of a combat maneuver check when attempting to disarm an opponent.
Rogue Archetypes
Bandits, brigands, and highwaymen hone their craft along the roadsides and byways of the world, where they leap from the shadows to plunder the spoils of passing travelers. Bandits tend to have a variety of skills; sometimes these skills are similar to a ranger's, but a bandit's tactics always deal with surprise followed by intimidation, with the clear threat of naked force if intimidation does not do the trick. But not all bandits are ruthless thugs. There are those who become outlaws in opposition to tyrants or similar oppressors. These bandits target the status quo and distribute their spoils back into the needy hands of the peasantry.
At 4th level, a bandit becomes fully practiced in the art of ambushing. When she acts in the surprise round, she can take a move action, standard action, and swift action during the surprise round, not just a move or standard action. This ability replaces uncanny dodge.
At 8th level, a bandit can terrify an opponent with a single hit. A number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1), when a bandit confirms a critical hit and deals sneak attack damage to an opponent, she can choose to make the opponent frightened for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). She cannot use this ability in conjunction with a critical feat. This ability replaces uncanny dodge.
Rogue Talents
The following rogue talents complement the bandit archetype: assault leader, combat trick, cunning trigger, snap shot, strong impression, surprise attack, terrain master*, underhanded*, and weapon training.
Advanced Talents
The following advanced rogue talents complement the bandit archetype: hide in plain sight*, knock-out blow, and opportunist.
An absolute master of disguise, a chameleon effortlessly blends into any environment. Whether disappearing into crowded city streets, vanishing into desert sands, or slipping into the darkness of subterranean tunnels, the chameleon relies upon her ability to become part of her surroundings.
At 1st level, a chameleon begins her career knowing that the secret to disappearing lies in deceiving the senses of her observers. Every day she gains a pool of stealth points equal to her ranks in Bluff. These points refresh at the start of each day. Before making a Stealth check, she can choose to put stealth points into the roll, gaining a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the number of stealth points she puts into the roll. If she gains a bonus on Bluff checks because of a feat (such as Skill Focus [Bluff]), she adds a number of points to her stealth pool equal to the bonus the feat grants. This ability replaces trapfinding.
At 3rd level, the chameleon chooses a single terrain from the ranger's favored terrain class feature. While she is within that terrain, she can take 10 on any Stealth check she can make within that terrain. When the chameleon reaches 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, she chooses a new type of terrain from the ranger's favored terrain list. She gains this ability with the newly picked terrain. This ability replaces trap sense.
Rogue Talents
The following rogue talents complement the chameleon archetype: camouflage, fast stealth, quick disguise, and terrain mastery*.
Advanced Talents
The following advanced rogue talents complement the chameleon archetype: hide in plain sight* and master of disguise.
A charlatan is a master of lies and deception. Whether creating simple cons or elaborately woven hoaxes capable of swaying the masses and those in positions of power, a charlatan is often a purveyor of snake-oil, forgeries, and rumormongering.
At 1st level, when a charlatan successfully deceives a creature with a Bluff, that creature takes a –2 penalty on the charlatan's Bluff checks for the next 24 hours. This ability does not stack with itself. This ability replaces trapfinding.
At 3rd level, the charlatan begins to master the art of the grand hoax and learns to create deceptions designed to bestow harm upon her foes. She gains the rumormonger advanced talent, even though she is not yet 10th level. This ability takes the place of trap sense.
Rogue Talents
The following rogue talents complement the charlatan archetype: black market connections*, coax information, cunning lie*, honeyed words, and underhanded*.
Advanced Talents
The following advanced rogue talents complement the charlatan archetype: hard to fool*, skill mastery, and unwitting ally*.
A driver makes her living driving vehicles in the service of those who can pay for her considerable talents. She may be a wagon-driver practiced at smuggling contraband, an accomplished musher blazing arctic trails, or a seemingly refined coach driver placing her roguish talents in the service of a wealthy patron. This archetype works best with the vehicle combat rules in Chapter 4.
Hard Drive
When driving a vehicle that uses a group of animals or magical beasts as muscle propulsion, the DCs of all driving checks are reduced by 2, the maximum speed of the vehicle increases by 10 feet, and the acceleration increases by 5 feet. This ability takes the place of trapfinding.
At 3rd level, the driver learns to keep driving and maintain control of her vehicle, even when mortally wounded. If the driver drops below 0 hit points but is not dead, she can attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save each round to remain conscious and in control of her vehicle, though she may take no other actions. This ability replaces trap sense.
Rogue Talents
The following rogue talents complement the driver archetype: firearm training* and getaway artist*.
Advanced Talents
The following advanced rogue talents complement the driver archetype: feat and getaway master*.
The knife master is a trained killer who specializes in close-up combat and the wave and weave of knife fighting. In her hands, daggers and other similar light blades become truly deadly instruments..