Rogue 2.0 (3.5e Class)


 * This article is about the Rogue 2.0. You may be looking for SRD:Rogue.

Summary::An agile thief who solves solves problems with savvy.



Rogue
"I'm not cher daddy."

In the same way that fighters spend years training their martial prowess whereas a barbarian is just someone who picks up an axe, a rogue is just someone who wants to be stealthy and doesn't feel like spending a decade studying the secret black techniques of the fluffy clan ninja style or finding enlightenment in a monastery. The archetypical rogue is expected to dodge attacks and magic, disappear into shadows, carry daggers, and totally stab people in the back. Or the face. Or whatever, really. Rogues and stabbing just go together. And that's what this class does.

Playing a Rogue
In terms of required player skill, the rogue is closer to the tome fighter than a thief acrobat. He has a bunch of floating abilities at any one time and must choose how to best allocate them over the course of a round. Players who want something simple might prefer a thief acrobat or ninja.

Versatility is the rogue's strength, and tight resources are his weakness. In a given round he can sneak attack an enemy, or deflect every enemy's attack, or reroll a skill check three times, but he probably can't do them all. In a a group, he's the one that avoids attacks and hits enemies for high damage, uses his seedy underground contacts to get a lead, or creates disguises for a secretive job.

Abilities: The most important ability for a rogue is Dexterity, as it eventually boosts his AC, attack bonus, damage, and possibly secondary saves. Constitution is as important for a rogue as for any other character. Intelligence is more important for the rogue 2.0 than the 3.5 rogue because it determines the DC of some of his abilities.

Races: Any race can, and does, have rogues. However, higher level rogues are more common with races that naturally value cunning solutions to problems, such as whisper gnomes and halflings.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: 5d4x10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: "As rogue"

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the rogue.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, all light melee weapons, all ranged martial weapons, and the rapier. Rogues are proficient with light armor and light shields.

 : A rogue gains a pool of savvy points equal to 3 + 1/2 his class level, rounded down, that represent the savviness he picks up just by staying alive. A rogue's savvy pool returns to max at the beginning of his turn.

For purposes of prerequisites, a rogue is considered to have sneak attack equal to half his total savvy pool, rounded up. A rogue who gains Sneak Attack dice from another class instead gains 1 savvy point per 1d6 of Sneak Attack.

 : Whenever an enemy makes an attack against a rogue, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool, as a nonaction, to force that enemy to reroll his attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before damage is rolled.

 : As a free action, a rogue can spend 2 points from his savvy pool to add an insight bonus of 3 * his class level to a skill until the beginning of his next turn. Savvy points spent on a skill whose action is longer than 1 round do not return until the turn after the rogue has completed the action.

This ability can be used with the following skills: Appraise, Autohypnosis, Balance (except when used with Lightning Reflexes), Bluff*, Climb, Concentration*, Control Shape, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Escape Artist*, Gather Information, Handle Animal*, Heal, Jump, Knowledge, Listen*, Open Lock, Psicraft*, Profession, Ride, Search, Sense Motive*, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft*, Spot*, Survival, Swim, Tumble*, Truespeak, Use Magic Device, Use Psionic Device, and Use Rope*.

Except on opposed checks or checks with variable DC, eg. a Concentration check vs damage. For purposes of this ability, adding situational modifiers, eg. securing a grappling hook 20 feet away with a Use Rope check, do not count as having a variable DC.

 : As a nonaction, a rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to reroll one roll he has just made. If he does, he cannot use the old result.

 : As a free action, a rogue can spend 2 points from his savvy pool to gain Sneak Attack equal to half his class level, rounded up, until the beginning of his next turn. This is Sneak Attack as per the 3.5 rogue with one exception: creatures immune to critical hits or precision damage instead take half damage from a rogue's sneak attack. A rogue attacks a construct's mechanical weak point, dismembers undead, strikes a plant's roots, lacerates bizarre anatomy, or scoops out chunks of ooze.

 : When using a light weapon, rapier, or whip made for a creature of his size category, a rogue may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on attack rolls. If he carries a shield, its armor check penalty applies to his attack rolls.

 : As the 3.5 rogue.

 : At 2nd level, a rogue can make a number of extra attacks of opportunity equal to his Dexterity bonus.

 : At 2nd level, a rogue becomes quick as a whip. He gains a +3 bonus to his Reflex saves.

At 6th level, this ability allows him to make a Balance Check in place of his Reflex save.

At 11th level, he gains a +3 bonus to his Initiative.

At 16th level, whenever he takes the Full Defense Action, he adds his level to his AC.

 : As the 3.5 rogue.

 : At 3rd level, when using a weapon that Finesse applies to, a rogue adds his dexterity modifier to damage rolls.

 : At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him an insight bonus equal to half his class level (rounded down) on saves against trap effects and to his AC against attacks made by traps.

 : At 3rd level, a rogue becomes known as a person who can find things. At the end of a Gather Information check, he can, as a standard action, mimic the effects of a single divination spell with caster level equal to his HD.

At 3rd level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Locate Object.

At 7th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Locate Creature.

At 9th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Contact Other Plane.

At 15th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Discern Location.

 : At 4th level, a rogue can use bits of fluff in the surrounding space as a platform for jumps. The rogue can make jump checks even if he is not standing on anything that could support his weight. The DC for the jump check is 30 + 1 per previous attempt this turn. Success means the rogue can jump a distance determined by the result of his check. Yes, this means he can cancel falling damage by jumping before he reaches the ground.

 : As the 3.5 rogue.

 : At 5th level, whenever someone makes an attack roll that doesn't beat a rogue's AC, they are denied their dexterity bonus to AC against the rogue until the beginning of their next turn.

 : At 5th level, the rogue can use Sleight of Hand to lift an object any number of times in a single action (with the action defined in the Sleight of Hand skill).

If you use the pickpocketing variant rule, he can instead use pickpocketing on any number of items as a standard action.

 : At 6th level, as an immediate action, a rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to make a roll as if he were making a reflex save. He may use the result as his AC for a number of rounds equal to his Base Attack Bonus. If he does, he cannot use this ability again until the duration has expired.

While under this effect, the rogue's Touch AC becomes equal to his AC.

 : At 6th level, a rogue can move with superhuman alacrity. As an immediate action, by spending a point from his savvy pool, the rogue gains an extra move action that must be used immediately.

At 17th level, the rogue gains a standard action instead of a move action.

 : At 7th level, a rogue can use allies as cover. If he succeeds a hide check while using an ally as cover, he can stay hidden as long as the ally is visible or until the end of a turn in which he declares an attack. A rogue using this ability can have cover against and hide from one enemy even if another can see him.

 : At 8th level, a rogue becomes a master of disguises. At the end of a disguise check, he can, as a standard action, mimic the effects of a single illusion spell with caster level equal to his HD. Unlike a regular spell, there is no saving throw to disbelieve this illusion. Instead, targets that interact with the illusion must succeed on a Spot check to disbelieve the illusion. The Spot check DC is equal to 10 + the rogue's Hide skill.

At 8th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of either Seeming or Mirage Arcana (chosen at the time the ability is used).

At 11th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Veil.

At 15th level, this ability allows him to mimic the effects of Screen.

Divination effects that see through illusions, like True Seeing, are ineffective against this ability. Creatures do not resume their normal appearance when slain.

 : As the 3.5 rogue.

 : At 9th level, a rogue can't be found if he doesn't want to be. He is continuously protected from all devices, powers, and spells that reveal location.

A rogue can voluntarily suppress this ability. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once a rogue suppresses the ability, it remains suppressed until the rogue's next turn. At the beginning of the rogue’s next turn, the protection automatically returns unless the rogue intentionally keeps it down (also a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity).

The protection even foils bend reality, limited wish, miracle, reality revision, and wish when they are used to gain information about the rogue’s location. In the case of remote viewing or scrying that scans an area a rogue is in, the effect works, but the rogue simply isn't detected. Remote viewing or scrying attempts that are targeted specifically at the rogue do not work.

 : At 11th level, a rogue can train his muscles to react even when his mind can't reach them. After 10 minutes of mental preparation, he can create an ingraining. He chooses a single action that he can perform at the time of preparation (eg. use a skill, make an attack, activate a magic item), and sets the conditions for the ingraining. He can use any of his rogue abilities that would normally be available as part of the chosen action (eg. hide and use Cover Me). He can draw an object and use it as part of an ingraining, but if he doesn't have the item on his person, or it takes longer than a move action to draw it, at the time the conditions are met, the chosen action is wasted. And he'll look pretty silly trying to get his dagger to cast Teleport.

The conditions needed to bring the ingraining into effect must be clear, although they can be general. In all cases, the ingraining immediately brings into effect the chosen action, the latter being done instantaneously when the prescribed circumstances occur, even if the rogue would normally be unable to accomplish the action (eg. from being stunned, cowering, or dead). If complicated or convoluted conditions are prescribed, the chosen action may fail when called on. The chosen action occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether you want it to.

An ingraining lasts for 1 day per level or until discharged. A rogue can only have one ingraining created at a time.

 : At 13th level, a rogue learns how to walk the paths of darkness. As a standard action, he can spend a point from his savvy pool to mimic the effects of Shadow Walk with caster level equal to his HD. The rogue and all other willing participants must be hidden or otherwise unobserved to begin the Shadow Walk. Unwilling or unaware targets receive a Will saving throw, DC 10 + 1/2 the rogue's HD + his Int modifier, to negate this effect.

 : At 17th level, a rogue can steal souls for use as currency. As a standard action, a rogue can spend a savvy point to mimic the effects of Soul Bind with caster level equal to his HD. The saving throw DC for this abilities is 10 + 1/2 the rogue's HD + his Int modifier.

 : At 19th level, a rogue always comes back. If he is ever slain, his body dissolves within one round and begins reforming on the Plane of Shadow. The reforming takes 1d4 days to complete. In the meantime, the rogue's senses travel with an illusory double that appears at the start of his next turn after his death in the place he died. He can continue using the duplicate until he dismisses it or it is destroyed. In either case, his senses return to his body after the duplicate is gone.

The duplicate is an image that looks like the rogue would at full health. The rogue can control this duplicate's movements as a free action. Its hit points are equal to 6 + the rogue's character level. It ignores terrain effects and moves like an unseen servant, making no noise in the process, though it makes normal motions while traveling. If the rogue has a fly speed, the image appears to fly when not in contact with the ground; otherwise, it walks on open air. The rogue can move the image as if it were his own body, using the duplicate's movement characteristics (ignoring terrain, "flying," and the like). It has a Strength score equal to one-half the rogue's own and he can perform any skill and ability checks using the simulacrum that do not require a Strength score higher than one-half the rogue's own. The image has phantom versions of all the rogue's equipment (such as lockpicks), but any such items that lose direct contact with it immediately dissipate. It can perform combat actions using phantom versions of the rogue's gear. Any of these items that lose contact with the image dissipate immediately. Thus, the image can wield a sword, but if it shoots a bow, the arrow disappears as soon as it is fired. Equipment that extends more than 5 feet from the image (such as a length of rope) also disappears beyond that distance. In addition, if the rogue has any spellcasting ability, he can cast spells originating from the image as if with a project image spell, with one exception: when he does not have line of effect to the image, the effect does not end; he just can't cast spells originating from the image until he gains line of effect again.

 : At 20th level, a rogue can always have the perfect alibi. As a standard action, he can spend a point from his savvy pool to mimic the effects of Body Outside Body with caster level equal to his character level. He can dismiss the duplicates as a nonaction.

(Note: This ability is intended as a joke. If your campaign runs past level 20, your DM should probably replace this with something more reasonable, like Epic Spellcasting).

 Add the following to the list of special abilities the rogue can pick from:

Counterattack (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to gain the ability to make counterattacks. If he does, until the beginning of his next turn, whenever someone makes an attack roll that doesn't beat the rogue's AC, they provoke an attack of opportunity from the rogue.

Dexterous Fortitude (Ex)  When targeted by an effect that requires a Fortitude saving throw, the rogue may spend a point from his savvy pool to make a Reflex save instead to avoid the effect (evasion is not applicable). He may not use a Balance check for this save. This does not require an action.

Dexterous Will (Ex)  When targeted by an effect that requires a Will saving throw, the rogue may spend a point from his savvy pool to make a Reflex save instead to avoid the effect (evasion is not applicable). He may not use a Balance check for this save. This does not require an action.

Dissever (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to deal full sneak attack damage against enemies of any type until the beginning of his next turn.

Don't Look For Me (Ex)  Whenever the rogue is targeted by a device, power, spell or other effect that reveals location, he immediately becomes aware of the attempt, and may spend a point from his savvy pool to send the creature who originated the effect a nightmarish vision. They must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the rogue's HD + his Int modifier) to disbelieve the nightmare or die from fear. This does not require an action.

Formlessness (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend 2 points from his savvy pool to gain the benefits of the Darkstalker feat until the beginning of his next turn.

Mind Blank (Sp)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to gain the benefits of the Mind Blank spell until the beginning of his next turn.

Stab Essence (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to attack the very essence of a person, resulting in wounds that cannot be healed normally. If he does, until the beginning of his next turn, all damage dealt by the rogue is treated as though it were Vile damage for purposes of healing effects, and his attacks ignore damage reduction.

Thief's Eye (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to get an immediate Spot check or Will save, whichever is appropriate, against each and every concealment (eg. disguise, hidden weapon, magical illusion, hidden creature or object) within 60'. Success means the rogue sees through those concealments.

Worm In (Ex)  As a free action, the rogue can spend a point from his savvy pool to ignore either Armor or Natural Armor bonuses to his targets' AC until the beginning of his next turn.