In the spirit of the E6 system and full acknowledgment of the quadratic power of casters, I am rewriting all the core classes to play with classic D&D flavor up to level 6, then ramp up from there to match the power of casters.
Warning: Expect the lower levels to look amazing, but not answer any of the real problems of a class. (casters vs mundanes, etc.) 1-6 form the class chassis, while the rest of the class adds new abilities depending on the benchmarks we set.
Rogue BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding
2 +1 +0 +3 +0 Evasion
3 +2 +1 +3 +1 Sneak Attack +2d6, Trap Sense +1
4 +3 +1 +4 +1 Uncanny Dodge
5 +3 +1 +4 +1 Sneak Attack +3d6
6 +4 +2 +5 +2 Vital Strike, Trap Sense +2
7 +5 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +4d6
8 +6 +# +# +# Improved Stealth (Blindsense/Tremorsense), Improved Uncanny Dodge
9 +6 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +5d6, Trap Sense +3
10 +7 +# +# +# Improved Sneak Attack
11 +8 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +6d6
12 +9 +# +# +# Improved Stealth(Scent), Trap Sense +4
13 +9 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +7d6
14 +10 +# +# +# Improved Sneak Attack
15 +11 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +8d6, Trap Sense +5
16 +12 +# +# +# Improved Stealth (Blindsight)
17 +12 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +9d6
18 +13 +# +# +# Improved Sneak Attack, Trap Sense +6
19 +14 +# +# +# Sneak Attack +10d6
20 +15 +# +# +# Mortal Strike, Improved Stealth (Mindsight)
AlignmentAny.
Hit Died6.
Class SkillsThe rogue’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level(8 + Modifiers) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level8 + Modifiers.
Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the rogue.
Weapon and Armor ProficiencyRogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Sneak Attack:If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.
A rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.
Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.
At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion.
At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.
Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
If a rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
At 6th level, a Rogue gains the ability to make a Vital Strike. This strike follows all the same rules as a Sneak Attack, except the foe must be unaware of the Rogue's presence. A foe hit by a Vital Strike must make a fortitude save (DC=Total Attack roll of the rogue) or become Disabled. The foe continues to lose 1 hit point per round until magical healing is applied. Fast healing does not stop this effect.
A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.
This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.
If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
When you hide, creatures with special senses must make a Listen check or a Spot check (whichever DC is higher) to notice you, just as sighted creatures would make Spot checks to detect you. Check the chart for the specific sense affected.
Choose one of the following:
• You may ignore concealment when determining the validity of your sneak attack
• Choose a creature type. You may make sneak attacks against that creature type, regardless of their anatomy (or lack thereof) If the creature has multiple immune types (such as an Undead Plant), then you need to bypass all of them. This option may be chosen multiple times, applying to a different creature type each time.
• Your sneak attack dice are increased by one size. This option may be chosen multiple times.
