Rogue - Archetypes

Duncehack Edition

Part 2

Skipping the preamble because this is Part 2 of the Rogue redesign.

See Part 1 if any of the introductory stuff matters to you.

Obligatory Natural Crit Plug

http://www.naturalcrit.com/

Someone else made a thing that lets me make homebrews without having to post them on pastebin or something. They deserve a lot of credit for that.

Obligatory /tg/ Plug

The feedback I got from various Anons on this helped me build it into something that wasn't bad and stupid.

I love you all in a way only abused spouse can possibly understand.

What if I think this is too much?

Well, it's mostly quality of life stuff here, but...

• Thief gets a means of drawing two items in a turn.
• Assassin gets to use their reaction to try take a hide action if they surprise before the beginning of their first turn in combat, and still get surprise when they
• Arcane Tricksters get the ability to move their mage hand with their reaction at 13th level.

Assassin

You focus your training on the grim art of death. Those who adhere to this archetype are diverse - hired killers, spies, bounty hunters, and even specially anointed priests trained to exterminate the enemies of their deity. Stealth, poison, and disguise help you eliminate your foes with deadly efficiency.

Assassinate

Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. When you roll for initiative, you may use your reaction to immediately move half your speed and take a Hide action. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks or reveal your location.

Your first hit during combat is always a critical hit, as long as you were hidden, or if the target is surprised, when you made the attack.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner's kit.

Infiltration Expertise

Starting at 9th level, you can unfailingly create false identities for yourself. You must spend seven days and 25 gp to establish the history, profession, and affiliations for an identity. You can't establish an identity that belongs to someone else. For example, you might acquire appropriate clothing, letters of introduction, and official-looking certification to establish yourself as a member of a trading house from a remote city so you can insinuate yourself into the company of other wealthy merchants.

Thereafter, if you adopt the new identity as a disguise, other creatures believe you to be that person until given an obvious reason not to.

Impostor

At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person's speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the person's behavior, listening to speech, examining handwriting, and observing mannerism.

Your ruse is indiscernible to the casual observer. If a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.

Death Strike

Starting at 17th level, you become a master of instant death. When you use your Assassinate feature against a creature, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature.

Assassinate

Simply, if you're in a party of nothing but screaming retards, this lets you still make use of your Assassinate feature (provided you don't flub the Hide check).

Also clarified Death Strike to be usable without the surprised condition.

I get why Assassins wouldn't have gotten something like this, because their whole kit is about murdering people - i.e. combat never happens.

My thought is, a hardened murderer skilled at killing might not necessarily be great in a fight, but they're not going to be useless in one.

Arcane Trickster

Some rogues enhance their fine-honed skills of stealth and agility with magic, learning tricks of enchantment and illusion. These rogues include pickpockets and burglars, but also pranksters, mischief-makers, and a significant number of adventurers.

Mage Hand Legerdemain

Starting at 3rd level, when you cast mage hand, you can make the spectral hand invisible, and you can perform the following additional tasks with it:

• You can stow one object the hand is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature.
• You can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature.
• You can use thieves' tools to pick lock and disarm traps at range.
• You can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if you succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature's Wisdom (Perception) check.

In addition, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast spells.

Cantrips. You learn three cantrips: mage hand and two other cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn another wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Arcane Trickster Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your wizard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the enchantment and illusion spells on the wizard spell list. The Spells Known column of the Arcane Trickster Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an enchantment or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

The spells you learn at 8th, 13th, and 19th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an enchantment or illusion spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.

Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Magical Ambush

Starting at 9th level, if you are hidden from a creature when you cast a spell on it, the creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the spell this turn.

Versatile Trickster

At 13th level, you gain the ability to distract targets with your mage hand. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.

In addition, your mage hand moves as if it's a part of your body. You may spend your reaction to move your mage hand but you cannot make the hand do any other actions during this reaction.

Your mage hand now dissapears if it more than 60 ft away from you instead of 30.

You may also cast mage hand with your Cunning Action.

Spell Thief

At 17th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster.

Immediately after a creature casts a spell that targets you or includes you in its area of effect, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a saving throw with its spellcasting ability modifier. The DC equals your spell save DC. On a failed save, you negate the spell's effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the spell if it is at least 1st level and of a level you can cast (it doesn't need to be a wizard spell). For the next 8 hours, you know the spell and can cast it using your spell slots. The creature can't cast that spell until the 8 hours have passed.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Versatile Trickster

Without this change, Arcane Tricksters start a fight like this:

Turn 1: Action; Cast mage hand - Bonus; Move mage hand

Turn 2: Bonus; Distract with mage hand - Action; Attack.

It's usually just better to just fight like any other Rogue and forget about trying to make the mage hand thing work.

I kind of wanted to make the mage hand less of a chore to actually use.

mage hand this way does conflict with defensive features for the Rogue. That's intentional.

Regarding spell limits

Arcane Trickter's restrictions on only having Enchantment and Illusion spells is apparently only a flavour thing.

So pick one of the optional rules if you want to give some more character creation freedom.

Arcane Initiation

When an Arcane Trickster learns their Spellcasting feature, they may choose their two spell schools that will define them over their career. You cannot change these schools once chosen. With the exceptions of the spells learnt at 8th, 13th, and 19th levels, along with one of the spells learnt at 3rd level, all your spells must be of one of these schools.

Arcane Education

Arcane Tricksters may pick from any spell school, instead of just Enchantment or Illusion.

Thief

You hone your skills in the larcenous arts. Burglars, bandits, cutpurses, and other criminals typically follow this archetype, but so do rogues who prefer to think of themselves as professional treasure seekers, explorers, delvers, and investigators. In addition to improving your agility and stealth, you learn skills useful for delving into ancient ruins, reading unfamiliar languages, and using magic items you normally couldn't employ.

Fast Hands

Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your thieves' tools to disarm a trap or open a lock, or take the Use an Object action.

You are proficient in the use of improvised weapons and may draw or stow items as part of any action you are performing with them.

Whenever you use an item or piece of adventuring gear that requires a saving throw (such as Alchemist's Fire), you may treat the DC as if it was 8 + Your Proficiency Modifier + Your Dexterity Modifier.

Second-Story Work

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra movement.

In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Supreme Sneak

Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on a Dexterity (Stealth) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.

Use Magic Device

By 13th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.

Thief's Reflexes

When you reach 17th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. You can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can't use this feature when you are surprised.

Fast Hands

Theives need something and no one looks at the adventurer's gear twice. If this makes even one person buy caltrops, I'll be happy.

Scout

You are skilled in stealth and surviving far from the streets of a city, allowing you to scout ahead of your companions during expeditions. Rogues who embrace this archetype are at home in the wilderness and among barbarians and rangers, and many Scouts serve as the eyes and ears of war bands. Ambusher, spy, bounty hunter—these are just a few of the roles that Scouts assume as they range the world.

Skirmisher

Starting at 3rd level, you are difficult to pin down during a fight. You can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.

In addition, you gain proficiency in longbow, heavy crossbow and blowgun.

Survivalist

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.

If you already have either, or both, of these skills when you gain this feature, you may pick a new skill, or new skills from the Rogue skill list.

Superior Mobility

At 9th level, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. If you have a climbing or swimming speed, this increase applies to that speed as well.

Ambush Master

Starting at 13th level, you excel at leading ambushes and acting first in a fight.

You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, the first creature you hit during the first round of a combat becomes easier for you and others to strike; attack rolls against that target have advantage until the start of your next turn.

Sudden Strike

Starting at 17th level, you can strike with deadly speed. If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. You can Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but you can't use your Sneak Attack against the same target more than once in a turn.

Survivalist

Because the original writeup comes across like you lose skill proficiencies if you didn't plan ahead.

Swashbuckler Weaponry

Medium Armour: Helps open opportunity costs for more Cha. The game treats Medium Armour as a package set with Shields for some reason. Rest is fluff really.

It just annoyed me that Swashbucklers couldn't use bucklers.

Swashbuckler

You focus your training on the art of the blade, relying on speed, elegance, and charm in equal parts. While some warriors are brutes clad in heavy armor, your method of fighting looks almost like a performance. Duelists and pirates typically belong to this archetype.

A Swashbuckler excels in single combat, and can fight with two weapons while safely darting away from an opponent.

Fancy Footwork

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to land a strike and then slip away without reprisal. During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature can't make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

Rakish Audacity

Starting at 3rd level, your confidence propels you into battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

You also gain an additional way to use your Sneak Attack; you don't need advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

Swashbuckler Weaponry

You gain proficiency in medium armour, shields as well as two weapon proficiencies of your choice.

Panache

At 9th level, your charm becomes extraordinarily beguiling. As an action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by a creature's Wisdom (Insight) check. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.

If you succeed on the check and the creature is hostile to you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can't make opportunity attacks against targets other than you. This effect lasts for 1 minute, until one of your companions attacks the target or affects it with a spell, or until you and the target are more than 60 feet apart.

If you succeed on the check and the creature isn't hostile to you, it is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, it regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect ends immediately if you or your companions do anything harmful to it.

Elegant Maneuver

Starting at 13th level, you can use a bonus action on your turn to gain advantage on the next Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check you make during the same turn.

Master Duelist

Beginning at 17th level, your mastery of the blade lets you turn failure into success in combat. If you miss with an attack roll, you can roll it again with advantage. Once you do so, you can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Inquisitive

As an archetypal Inquisitive, you excel at rooting out secrets and unraveling mysteries. You rely on your sharp eye for detail, but also on your finely honed ability to read the words and deeds of other creatures to determine their true intent. You excel at defeating creatures that hide among and prey upon ordinary folk, and your mastery of lore and your keen deductions make you well equipped to expose and end hidden evils.

Ear for Deceit

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you develop a talent for picking out lies. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine whether a creature is lying, treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8.

Eye for Detail

Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to make a Wisdom (Perception) check to spot a hidden creature or object or to make an Intelligence (Investigation) check to uncover or decipher clues.

You may use Wisdom instead of Intelligence for Investigation checks.

Insightful Fighting

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to decipher an opponent's tactics and develop a counter to them. As a bonus action, you can make a Wisdom (Insight) check against a creature you can see that isn't incapacitated, contested by the target's Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you can use your Sneak Attack against that target even if you don't have advantage on the attack roll, but not if you have disadvantage on it.

This benefit lasts for 1 minute or until you successfully use this feature against a different target.

In addition, Sneak Attacking a creature with your Insightful Fighting feature active add 1d6 damage. This damage increases by 1d6 at 9th, 13th and 17th levels.

Unerring Eye

Beginning at 9th level, your senses are almost impossible to foil. As an action you sense the presence of illusions, shapechangers not in their original form, and other magic designed to deceive the senses within 30 feet of you, provided you aren't blinded or deafened. You sense that an effect is attempting to trick you, but you gain no insight into what is hidden or into its true nature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

If you successfully determine any creatures in this area are attempting to decieve you, you may select one of them and gain your Insightful Fighting feature against them.

Steady Eye

Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.'

Situational Awareness

At 13th level, your Steady Eye feature is now active regardless of how fast you move.

In addition, you cannot be surprised.

Exploit Weakness

At 17th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to attack and damage rolls against creatures you have Insightful Fighting against.

Eye For Detail

Added the line about Wisdom for Investigation to reduce MAD.

Insightful Fighting

Rolled original Eye for Weakness into it to make it more generally useful - Inquisitives don't get any means of extra survivability, so to not die they still play like a rogue (and thus, will gain advantage anyway from hide action abuse). Also gave it an extra 1d6 damage by 17th.

Unerring Eye

Moved to 9th level because... frontload agency here. Also gave it the option to impart Insightful Fighting - it already costs an action and chances are, the moment you find something with it, that will trigger the initiative roll.

Situational Awareness

I mean... they should have had surprise immunity in the kit anyway.

Exploit Weakness

Some extra power to make 17th worthwhile.

Mastermind

Your focus is on people and on the influence and secrets they have. Many spies, courtiers, and schemers follow this archetype, leading lives of intrigue. Words are your weapons as often as knives or poison, and secrets and favors are some of your favorite treasures.

Master of Intrigue

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise Kit, the forgery kit, and one gaming set of your choice. You also learn two languages of your choice.

Additionally, you can unerringly mimic the speech patterns and accent of a creature that you hear speak for at least 1 minute, enabling you to pass yourself off as a native speaker of a particular land, provided that you know the language.

Master of Tactics

Starting at 3rd level, you can use the Help action as a bonus action. Additionally, when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be within 30 feet of you, rather than within 5 feet of you, if the target can see or hear you.

Insightful Manipulator

Starting at 9th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:

• Intelligence score
• Wisdom score
• Charisma score
• Class levels (if any)
• At the DM's option, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature's history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.

Tells

When you use your Insightful Manipulator feature against a creature, you may also take notes of its various tells.

Until your next long rest, if you engage in combat with a creature you've noted the tells of, any creature who benefits from your help action adds your Charisma Modifier their damage rolls made against them.

When you attack, you instead may reroll up to your Charisma modifier in sneak attack damage dice. You must keep the second result.

Misdirection

Starting at 13th level, you can sometimes cause another creature to suffer an attack meant for you. When you are targeted by an attack while a creature within 5 feet of you is granting you cover against that attack, you can use your reaction to have the attack target that creature instead of you.

Soul of Deceit

Starting at 13th level, your thoughts can't be read by telepathy or other means, unless you allow it. You can present false thoughts by succeeding on a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the mind reader's Wisdom (Insight) check.

Additionally, no matter what you say, magic that would determine if you are telling the truth indicates you are being truthful if you so choose, and you can't be compelled to tell the truth by magic.

Uncanny Intuition

At 17th level, when you roll initiative, you may spend your reaction to gain the benefit of your Tells feature against a creature you can see.

You regain the use of this feature after a short or a long rest.

Sources of Bonus Action Help

I give a couple races the ability to do help in bonus action in my race writeups, so this line can be appended to not make Master of Tactics seem wasted.

"If source gives you the ability to Help in your bonus action, you instead extend the range of Master of Tactics by 30 ft."

Tells

Wanted to incentivise actually being that Mastermind who's studied your every move and now uses it against you.

Soul of Deceit

Its a powerful ability in the right game, barely a ribbon in the wrong game. As a capstone... it just feels wrong.

Uncanny Intuition

Unlocking the feature from 1 minute's worth of preparation feels kind of powerful.