6.10 Rogue
| Rank (Level) | |||||
| 1 (1) | Exotic assassination tools, sneak attack |
Bardic performances |
Trick maneuvers |
Dabbler |
Confound |
| 2 (4) | Evasion | Bardic lore, musical tolerance | Augmented maneuvers | Skill exemplar | Trick magic device |
| 3 (7) | Darkstalker | Bardic training | Trick maneuvers+ | Versatile expertise | Exploit distraction |
| 4 (10) | Hide in plain sight | Virtuoso | Augmented maneuvers+ | Dabbler+ | What’s that over there |
| 5 (13) | Assassination, darkstalker+ | Bardic performances+, musical tolerance+ | Trick maneuvers+ | Skill exemplar+ | Trick magic device+ |
| 6 (16) | Evasion+ | Bardic lore+ | Augmented maneuvers+ | Versatile expertise+ | Master of deceit |
| 7 (19) | Darkstalker+ | All the world’s a stage | Trick maneuvers+ | Skill exemplar+ | Nothing is real |
Rogues are exceptionally skillful characters known for their ability to strike at their foe’s weak points in combat. It is dangerous to make any assumptions about rogues. They can be acrobatic fighters, charismatic tricksters, inspiring musicians, stealthy assassins, or all of the above. All rogues share a fundamental flexibility, preferring to use the right tools for the situation rather than solving all of their problems in the same way.
A rogue’s power fundamentally comes from experience, but it is seldom the rigorous, structured training that a fighter or monk might undertake. More often, rogues develop their talents by following their instincts and seeing what works and what doesn’t. They may have a natural gift for persuasion that they develop into a fine edge through years of charismatic conversations. The back alleys of cities are a natural training ground, where education comes in the form of evading or receiving punishments for misdeeds.
While most of a rogue’s skills are intuitively understandable and mundane, bardic music is an odd exception. There is an underlying structure to the universe that some scholars call the Universal Harmony. Exceptionally talented performances can hit tones that resonate with the Universal Harmony, which amplifies the effects of the performance beyond mundane limits. This is always a simple amplification, taking effects that would be a natural result of the music and multiplying their effects. A humorous musical piece can become outrageously funny, and an ominous piece can become utterly terrifying, but the full complexity of true spellcasting cannot be replicated in this way.
Some rogues discover the effects of the Universal Harmony for themselves. There also exist bardic colleges that are dedicated to the study and replication of effects amplified in this way, and rogues may attend these colleges to deepen their skills. Officially, bardic colleges train their attendees in musical theory and practical performance. Unofficially, many bardic colleges have recognized that many of their students have a variety of less reputable talents. These colleges may have night classes that train rogues in other skills, including effective deception and even assassination. They maintain a level of plausible deniability, but would-be rogues can often discover the truth and complete their training there.
Alignment: Any.
Archetypes: Rogues have the Assassin, Bardic Music, Combat Trickster, Jack of All Trades, and Suave Scoundrel archetypes.
6.10.1 Base Class Effects
If you choose rogue as your base class, you gain the following benefits.
Attributes
You gain a +1 bonus to your Dexterity. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to either your Intelligence or your Perception.
Hit Points
You have 8 hit points + your Constitution, plus 1 hit points per level beyond 1. This increases as your level increases, as indicated below.
- Level 7: 18 hit points + twice your Constitution, plus 2 hit points per level beyond 7.
- Level 13: 35 hit points + five times your Constitution, plus 5 hit points per level beyond 13.
- Level 19: 70 hit points + ten times your Constitution, plus 10 hit points per level beyond 19.
Resources
You learn six trained skills from among your class skills (see Skills). You also gain an additional attunement point.
Weapon Proficiencies
You are proficient with simple weapons and weapons with the Compact and Light weapon tags (see Weapon Tags).
Armor Proficiencies
You are proficient with light armor.
Class Skills
You have the following class skills:
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Strength: Climb, Jump, Swim.
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Dexterity: Balance, Flexibility, Perform, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Stealth.
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Intelligence: Craft, Deduction, Devices, Disguise, Knowledge (dungeoneering, engineering, items, local).
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Perception: Awareness, Deception, Persuasion, Social Insight.
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Other: Intimidate.
6.10.2 Assassin
This archetype improves your agility, stealth, and combat prowess against unaware targets.
Rank 1 – Exotic Assassination Tools
If you spend an insight point, you can become proficient with all Compact and Light exotic weapons (see Exotic Weapons). You must already be proficient with all Compact and Light non-exotic weapons.
Rank 1 – Sneak Attack
| Sneak Attack |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make a strike with a Light or Compact weapon against a creature within Short (30 ft.) range (see Weapon Tags).
The strike deals 1d6 extra damage against each creature that is unaware (-6 Armor and Ref) or partially unaware (50% miss chance, -2 Armor and Ref) of your attack. You do not gain this damage against creatures that you are unable to score a critical hit against.
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Rank 2: The extra damage also applies if the target is adjacent to one of your allies.
Rank 3: The extra damage increases to 1d10.
Rank 4: The extra damage increases to 2d8.
Rank 5: The extra damage increases to 4d8.
Rank 6: The extra damage increases to 6d8.
Rank 7: The extra damage increases to 8d10.
Rank 2 – Evasion
You take no damage from glancing blows or misses caused by abilities that affect an area and attack your Armor or Reflex defense. This does not protect you from any non-damaging effects of those abilities, or from abilities that affect multiple specific targets without affecting an area.
Rank 3 – Darkstalker
| Darkstalker |
Attune |
Usage time: Standard action.
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You become completely undetectable by your choice of one of the following sense groups:
- Blindsense and blindsight
- Darkvision
- Detection abilities
- Lifesense and lifesight
- Scent
- Scrying abilities
- Tremorsense and tremorsight
If you have access to any other more unusual senses, such as the blood sense ability from the Executioner feat, you may also choose one of those senses as a separate sense group.
Rank 4 – Hide in Plain Sight
You can use the hide ability without moving in a way that causes observers to lose sight of you. This does not remove the bonus that observers receive if you have no cover or concealment at all. After you hide in this way, you briefly cannot do so again.
Rank 5 – Assassination
| Assassination |
Usage time: Standard action.
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You study a creature within Medium (60 ft.) range, finding weak points you can take advantage of. As a brief effect, whenever you make a strike against the target while it is adjacent to you and unaware (-6 Armor and Ref) of the attack, the strike deals maximum damage and automatically explodes regardless of what you roll.
Rank 5 – Darkstalker+
You can attune to this ability multiple times. Each time, you can choose a different sense group.
Rank 6 – Evasion+
This ability also protects you from area attacks against your Fortitude and Mental defenses.
Rank 7 – Darkstalker+
When you use this ability, you become undetectable by any number of the possible sense groups rather than only one.
6.10.3 Bardic Music
This archetype grants you the ability to inspire your allies and impair your foes with musical performances.
Rank 1 – Bardic Performances ✨
You learn two bardic performances from the list below. You can also spend insight points to learn one additional bardic performance per insight point.
When you use a bardic performance ability, you begin a performance using one of your Perform skills. If you have a Perform trained skill that you can use to make an relevant performance, you gain a +1 bonus to accuracy with any bardic performance ability using that Perform skill. There are four types of performances: dance, instrumental, manipulation, and vocal.
- Dance: You use your body to dance or act. This limits your ability to defend yourself, giving you a -2 penalty to your Armor and Reflex defenses as a Swift effect. Dance performances have the Visual tag.
- Instrumental: You use an instrument to make music. This requires at least one free hand to use the instrument. Instrumental performances have the Auditory tag.
- Manipulation: You use objects or gestures to perform, such as juggling or puppetry. This requires at least one free hand to use the objects. Manipulation performances have the Visual tag.
- Vocal: You use your voice to orate or sing. This prevents you from talking or using other abilities with verbal components. Vocal performances have the Auditory tag.
The names of bardic performances do not have to precisely match your actual performance. For example, you can use the palliative poem ability with a gentle song using Perform (wind instruments) or a distracting joke using Perform (comedy) instead of a poem.
Many bardic performances require you to sustain the performance as a minor action. If the targets stop being able to see or hear you, depending on the nature of your performance, the effect ends for them as if you had stopped sustaining the performance. However, targets do not stop being affected by your performance simply by travelling beyond the initial range of the bardic performance ability. Using a bardic performance ability with an immediate effect does not interfere with your ability to sustain other bardic performance abilities.
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one creature within Medium (60 ft.) range.
Hit: For the duration of your performance, the target is enraged (must attack). Every round, it must spend a standard action to make an attack.
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The attack gains a +2 accuracy bonus for each rank beyond 1.
| Boastful Bravura ✨ |
Usage time: Standard action.
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This ability affects all enemies within a Large (60 ft.) radius from you. You briefly gain a +4 accuracy bonus against each target.
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Rank 3: The area increases to a Huge (90 ft.) radius.
Rank 5: The area increases to a Gargantuan (120 ft.) radius.
Rank 7: The ability affects all enemies who can see or hear you.
Usage time: Minor action.
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Choose one ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. For the duration of your performance, the target gains a +1 accuracy bonus.
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Rank 3: The target also gains a +2 bonus to its Mental defense.
Rank 5: The accuracy bonus increases to +2.
Rank 7: The bonus to Mental defense increases to +4.
Usage time: Minor action.
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Choose one ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. For the duration of your performance, the target gains a +1 bonus to its Armor and Reflex defenses.
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Rank 3: The bonus applies to all defenses.
Rank 5: The bonus to Armor and Reflex defenses increases to +2.
Rank 7: The bonus to Fortitude and Mental defenses also increases to +2.
| Cleansing Counterpoint ✨ | Sustain (minor) |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Choose one ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. The target chooses one of its conditions. For the duration of your performance, the target ignores that effect.
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Rank 3: You can target an additional ally within range.
Rank 5: If a target increases its fatigue level by one, it can remove the chosen effect permanently.
Rank 7: This ability affects two conditions instead of one. A target must increase its fatigue level by two to remove both conditions.
| Crashing Cacaphony ✨ |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Fortitude against all enemies in a Tiny (5 ft.) radius from you.
Hit: 1d10 damage.
Miss: Half damage.
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Rank 2: The damage increases to 1d8+1d6 damage.
Rank 3: The area increases to a Small (15 ft.) radius.
Rank 4: The damage increases to 2d10 damage.
Rank 5: The area increases to a Medium (30 ft.) radius.
Rank 6: The damage increases to 5d8 damage.
Rank 7: The area increases to a Large (60 ft.) radius.
| Dazzling Discordance ✨ |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against all enemies within a Small (15 ft.) radius from you.
Hit: For the duration of your performance, each target is dazzled (20% miss chance, no special vision).
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Rank 2: The area increases to a Medium (30 ft.) radius.
Rank 3: You gain a +1 accuracy bonus with the attack.
Rank 4: The area increases to a Large (60 ft.) radius.
Rank 5: The accuracy bonus increases to +2.
Rank 6: The area increases to a Huge (90 ft.) radius.
Rank 7: The accuracy bonus increases to +3.
| Dirge of Doom ✨ | Emotion |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one creature within Medium (60 ft.) range.
Hit: 1d10 damage.
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Rank 2: The damage increases to 1d8+1d6 damage.
Rank 3: The damage increases to 2d10 damage.
Rank 4: The damage increases to 3d10 damage.
Rank 5: The damage increases to 5d8 damage.
Rank 6: The damage increases to 7d8 damage.
Rank 7: The damage increases to 8d10 damage.
| Dizzying Ditty ✨ | Compulsion, Sustain (minor) |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one creature within Medium (60 ft.) range.
Hit: For the duration of your performance, the target is stunned (-2 defenses) while it has no remaining damage resistance.
Critical hit: The target is stunned even if it has damage resistance remaining.
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You gain a +2 bonus to accuracy with the attack for each rank beyond 1.
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one creature within Short (30 ft.) range.
Hit: The target is frightened (-2 Mental, -2 accuracy vs. source) by you for the duration of your performance.
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You gain a +2 accuracy bonus with the attack for each rank beyond 1.
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one creature within Medium (60 ft.) range. You take a -10 penalty to accuracy with this attack against creatures who have made an attack or been attacked since the start of the last round.
Hit: For the duration of your performance, the target is charmed (friendly with charmer) by you. This ability does not have the Subtle tag, so an observant target may notice it is being influenced.
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You gain a +2 bonus to accuracy with the attack for each rank beyond 1.
Usage time: Minor action.
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Choose one ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. For the duration of your performance, the target gains a +1 bonus to checks.
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Rank 3: The bonus increases to +2.
Rank 5: The bonus increases to +3.
Rank 7: The bonus increases to +4.
| Palliative Poem ✨ | Swift |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Choose one living ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. The target regains 2d6 damage resistance and increases its fatigue level by one. In addition, it briefly gains a +2 bonus to its Mental defense.
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Rank 2: The recovery increases to 2d10.
Rank 3: The recovery increases to 4d6.
Rank 4: The recovery increases to 6d6.
Rank 5: The recovery increases to 5d10.
Rank 6: The recovery increases to 7d10.
Rank 7: The recovery increases to 10d10.
| Partita of Provocation ✨ | Emotion |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against one enemy adjacent to you.
Hit: The target is goaded (-2 accuracy vs. non-goading creatures) by you for the duration of your performance.
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You gain a +2 bonus to accuracy with the attack for each rank beyond 1.
Usage time: Minor action.
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For the duration of your performance, you and all allies within a Large (60 ft.) radius from you gain a +4 bonus to their defenses against Compulsion and Emotion attacks.
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Rank 3: At the end of each round, each target removes all conditions caused by Compulsion and Emotion effects that were not applied during that round.
Rank 5: The area increases to a Huge (90 ft.) radius.
Rank 7: Each target is immune to Compulsion and Emotion attacks.
| Stutterstep Staccato ✨ |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Fortitude against all enemies within a Small (15 ft.) radius from you.
Hit: For the duration of your performance, each target is slowed (half speed, -2 Armor and Ref) while it has no remaining damage resistance.
Critical hit: The target is slowed even if it has damage resistance remaining.
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Rank 2: The area increases to a Medium (30 ft.) radius.
Rank 3: You gain a +1 accuracy bonus with the attack.
Rank 4: The area increases to a Large (60 ft.) radius.
Rank 5: The accuracy bonus increases to +2.
Rank 6: The area increases to a Huge (90 ft.) radius.
Rank 7: The accuracy bonus increases to +3.
| Vigorous Verse ✨ |
Usage time: Minor action.
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Choose one ally within Medium (60 ft.) range. For the duration of your performance, the target gains a +4 bonus to its maximum hit points. In addition, it immediately gains that many hit points. When this effect ends, the target loses hit points equal to the hit points it gained this way.
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Rank 3: The bonus increases to +8.
Rank 5: The bonus increases to +16.
Rank 7: The bonus increases to +32.
Rank 2 – Bardic Lore
You gain a bonus equal to your rank in this archetype to Knowledge skills that you are untrained in (see Trained Skills).
Rank 2 – Musical Tolerance
You are impervious (+4 defenses) to Auditory attacks.
Rank 3 – Bardic Training
You gain an additional trained skill (see Trained Skills).
Rank 4 – Virtuoso ✨
Once per round, you can sustain one bardic performance as a free action if it would normally require a minor action. You cannot sustain multiple instances of the same performance, but you can sustain two different performances.
Rank 5 – Bardic Performances+ ✨
You learn an additional bardic performance.
Rank 5 – Musical Tolerance+
You are immune to Auditory attacks.
Rank 6 – Bardic Lore+ ✨
You gain a +2 bonus to all Knowledge skills.
Rank 7 – All the World’s a Stage ✨
Your targeted bardic performance abilities no longer have range limits. Instead, you can target any creatures who can see or hear you, even if you do not have line of sight or line of effect. You must still decide who you are intending to target, and attempting to target a nonexistent creature can cause the bardic performance to fail without effect. This does not affect area abilities, and it does not increase the number of targets you can choose.
6.10.4 Combat Trickster
This archetype grants you abilities to use in combat and improves your combat prowess.
Rank 1 – Trick Maneuvers
You can confuse and confound your foes in combat. You gain access to one of the following combat styles: dirty fighting, ebb and flow, or mobile hunter . In addition, you gain access to any combat style of your choice (see Combat Styles). You may spend insight points to gain access to one additional combat style per insight point. You can only learn trick maneuvers from trick combat styles that you have access to.
You learn two rank 1 trick maneuvers. You may spend insight points to learn one additional maneuver per insight point.
When you gain access to a new rank in this archetype, you can exchange any number of maneuvers you know for other maneuvers, including maneuvers of a higher rank.
Advancement: Some trick maneuvers also increase in power in unique ways based on your rank in this archetype, as indicated in their descriptions.
Rank 2 – Augmented Maneuvers
You gain the ability to customize your trick maneuvers. For each rank 1 trick maneuver you know, choose one augment from the list below and apply it to that maneuver. Augments scale in power with your “excess rank”. Your excess rank with a maneuver is equal to your rank in this archetype minus the rank of the maneuver.
Whenever you increase your rank in this archetype, you can change your augments. However, you must still apply them to rank 1 trick maneuvers.
Debilitating Maneuver: You gain an accuracy bonus equal to twice your excess rank. However, you cannot get a critical hit. You can only apply this augment to maneuvers which deal damage and can inflict a condition.
Finishing Maneuver: You gain an accuracy bonus equal to twice your excess rank against creatures who are at less than their maximum hit points. You can only apply this augment to maneuvers which cause you to make a melee strike.
Mighty Maneuver: You take an accuracy penalty equal to 4 - your excess rank but the strike deals double weapon damage. If your excess rank is at least 5, this becomes an accuracy bonus. You can only apply this augment to maneuvers which cause you to make a strike.
Mobile Maneuver: You can walk up to 5 feet per excess rank before or after using your chosen maneuver, up to a maximum distance equal to your land speed. You cannot apply this augment to maneuvers that already allow you to move using one of your movement modes. This movement is never Swift. If your chosen maneuver is Swift, you can only walk after using the maneuver, not before.
Precise Maneuver: You gain an accuracy bonus equal to your excess rank.
Rank 3 – Trick Maneuvers+
You learn an additional trick maneuver. In addition, you gain access to rank 3 trick maneuvers.
Rank 4 – Augmented Maneuvers+
You can also choose an augment for each of your rank 3 trick maneuvers.
Rank 5 – Trick Maneuvers+
You gain access to rank 5 trick maneuvers.
Rank 6 – Augmented Maneuvers+
You can also choose an augment for each of your rank 5 trick maneuvers.
Rank 7 – Trick Maneuvers+
You learn an additional trick maneuver. In addition, you gain access to rank 7 trick maneuvers.
6.10.5 Jack of All Trades
This archetype improves your skills and versatility.
Rank 1 – Dabbler
You gain two additional insight points. In addition, you can spend insight points to gain one additional trained skill per insight point.
Rank 2 – Skill Exemplar
You gain a +1 bonus to all skills. In addition, using the desperate exertion ability to affect a skill check only increases your fatigue level by one.
Rank 3 – Versatile Expertise
You gain a +1 bonus to an attribute of your choice.
Rank 4 – Dabbler+
You gain an additional insight point.
Rank 5 – Skill Exemplar+
The skill bonus increases to +3.
Rank 6 – Versatile Expertise+
You gain a +1 bonus to a different attribute of your choice.
Rank 7 – Skill Exemplar+
The skill bonus increases to +5. In addition, once per short rest you can use the desperate exertion ability to affect a skill check without increasing your fatigue level.
6.10.6 Suave Scoundrel
This archetype improves your deceptiveness and helps you make use of that talent in combat.
Rank 1 – Confound
| Confound | Compulsion |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against a creature within Short (30 ft.) range. Your accuracy is equal to your Deception skill.
Hit: The target it is compelled to spend its next standard action doing nothing at all. After it takes this standard action, it becomes immune to this effect until it finishes a short rest.
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Rank 3: You can target an additional creature within range.
Rank 5: The range increases to Long (90 ft.) range.
Rank 7: The maximum number of targets increases to 3.
Rank 2 – Trick Magic Device ✨
You can use wands as if you were able to cast arcane spells. Your maximum spell rank is equal to your rank in this archetype. In addition, you gain an additional attunement point. You can only use this attunement point to attune to magic wands or apparel items.
Rank 3 – Exploit Distraction
| Exploit Distraction |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make a strike. If the target gained a new condition this round, the strike deals double weapon damage. This does not apply if the creature was already suffering an identical condition when it gained the new condition.
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Rank 4: The increased damage also applies if the target gained a new condition during the previous round, as long as it is still affected by that condition.
Rank 5: You gain a +1 accuracy bonus with the strike.
Rank 6: The strike deals triple weapon damage instead of double weapon damage.
Rank 7: The accuracy bonus increases to +3.
Rank 4 – What’s That Over There
| What’s That Over There | Compulsion |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make a attack vs. Mental against a creature within Medium (60 ft.) range. Your accuracy is equal to your Deception skill. In addition, choose a location on stable ground within range.
Hit: As a brief effect, the target is compelled to move to the location you chose if it can do so safely, and it cannot take any actions except to move to the location and look around at it. After this effect ends, the target becomes immune to it until it finishes a short rest.
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Rank 6: You can target an additional creature within range.
Rank 5 – Trick Magic Device+ ✨
You can use wands as if you were able to cast spells from all magic sources, not just arcane spells. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to accuracy with abilities granted to you by magic items. This includes spells cast from wands, the special strike you can make with a surestrike weapon, and other similar abilities. However, it does not include ordinary strikes or maneuvers that simply use a magic weapon.
Rank 6 – Master of Deceit
Whenever you make a Deception attack or check, you can roll twice and keep the higher result.
Rank 7 – Nothing Is Real
| Nothing Is Real | Compulsion |
Usage time: Standard action.
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Make an attack vs. Mental against a creature within Short (30 ft.) range. Your accuracy is equal to your Deception skill.
Hit: The target is briefly convinced that nothing is real. It is unable to take any actions and is unaware (-6 Armor and Ref) of all attacks against it. After this effect ends, the target becomes immune to it until it finishes a short rest.