Rogues have perhaps the widest array of archetypes of any single class – trickster, infiltrator, dashing rogue, swashbuckler, thug, cat burglar, pickpocket, and more. What they all share, though, is a talent for quickness, stealth, nimble fingers, and resourcefulness – be it lifting a purse from an unwary victim or finding their way through a trapped hall leading to a treasure vault, a rogue is the person to seek.

Adventures: Rogues join adventuring groups for a myriad of reasons. Many view the adventuring rogue as a more honorable person than the city-bound rogue, which is commonly known as a thief. The challenges can be far greater, as the risk, but the rewards could be legendary if the score is right. An adventuring rogue is admired by her comrades, and rarely chased by irate villagers (irate monsters are another story) for stealing.

Characteristics: Rogues play to a broad spectrum of archetypes, from the dashing blade, to the strong thug who breaks peoples' legs and steals their purses, to the black-clad second-story burglar.

Religion: Most rogues at least pay tribute to the god of thieves, though they consider the tithe little more than extortion. Rogues tend to look at churches as a very organized scam performed by powerful figures.

Background: As long as there have been items of wealth, there have been rogues. The first thieves' guild, still in existence today, predates almost every other organization and most of the churches. Some cultures find thievery to be an honorable profession, while others have a bad habit of hanging the light-fingered professional.

Races: Rogues are common among most civilized races and even humanoids like goblins and kobolds.

Role: Within the adventuring party, rogues are scouts, trap finders, and lock pickers. In society and adventuring parties, their stealth and silence, as well as their scouting abilities, make them valuable for stealthy elimination of targets and acquisition of objects.

Game Rule Information

Abilities: Dexterity is a rogue's main ability. Depending on the character's personality and focus, he could rely on Strength, Intelligence, and/or Charisma; Wisdom is useful for boosting Will saves and some class skills, and Constitution is good for more hit points.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills


Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Table 1: The Rogue
Level Base
Attack Bonus
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Special ability (lesser)
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Special ability (lesser)
5th +3 +2 +4 +2 Sneak attack +3d6
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Trap sense +2, special ability (lesser)
8th +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Special ability (moderate)
10th +7/+2 +4 +7 +4 Special ability (moderate)
11th +8/+3 +4 +7 +4 Sneak attack +6d6
12th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Trap sense +4, special ability (moderate)
13th +9/+4 +5 +8 +5 Sneak attack +7d6,
14th +10/+5 +5 +9 +5 Special ability (greater)
15th +11/+6/+1 +6 +9 +6 Sneak attack +8d6, trap sense +5
16th +12/+7/+2 +6 +10 +6 Special ability (greater)
17th +12/+7/+2 +6 +10 +6 Sneak attack +9d6
18th +13/+8/+3 +7 +11 +7 Trap sense +6, special ability (greater)
19th +14/+9/+4 +7 +11 +7 Sneak attack +10d6
20th +15/+10/+5 +8 +12 +8 Special ability (greater)

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the rogue.





A rogue can sneak attack can almost any creature, but unliving creatures, or those without a discernable anatomy - undead, constructs, oozes, and plants - are harder to hurt and take reduced damage from a sneak attack. Incorporeal creatures of any kind are completely immune 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 an invisible being or while striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach; against a creature with concealment, he suffers a 50% chance of the sneak attack failing.

If the rogue can make multiple attacks in a round, sneak attack damage is applied to the first attack only.

Trapfinding: Rogues have a bonus equal to half their class level to find traps of all kinds. 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.



Special Ability: At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, etc.), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among those listed below. These abilities are divided into three tiers: Lesser (1st-6th level), Moderate (7th-12th level), and Greater (13th+ level). A rogue cannot choose a Moderate ability until 7th level, or a Greater ability until 13th; there is otherwise no restriction on which ability she can choose at a given level, though some have prerequisites the rogue must also fulfill (these are noted where applicable).


Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Rogue Special Abilities

Lesser Abilities

Bleeding Strike (Ex): If a rogue hits her target with a sneak attack, it creates a wound that continues to bleed, inflicting 1 hit point of damage for 5 rounds or until the wound is bound or healed, whichever comes first. Wounds from successive sneak attacks stack.


Hamstring (Ex): By sacrificing 1 or more dice of sneak attack damage, the rogue can inflict a movement penalty on her target with a successful sneak attack. Each die of damage sacrificed equals a 5-foot penalty to movement speed, which lasts for 1d4 rounds. Successive uses of this stack - the target can be reduced to half its normal speed, and the duration is increased by 1 round for every successful attack.

Master Acrobat (Ex): The rogue can move along narrow surfaces (a beam, tightrope, etc.) at her normal speed without penalty, and she retains her AC bonus.

Signature Weapon: The rogue gains proficiency in one martial weapon of her choice, and she gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with that weapon. At 7th level and above, she can choose an exotic weapon provided she fulfills the prerequisites.



Moderate Abilities

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The rogue can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker's base attack bonus is four or more points than the rogue's.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the BABs from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum base attack bonus required to flank her. Prerequisite: Uncanny dodge.

Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the rogue still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. Prerequisite: Evasion.

Master Prestidigitator (Ex): The rogue can make Sleight of Hand checks to hide things on her person as a free action without the normal -20 penalty, or to remove an object from someone else (pick someone's pocket) as a move action. She can attempt to pick someone's pocket as a free action with a -10 penalty.

Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the rogue's attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reflexes feat can't use the opportunist ability more than once per round. Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes.

Skill Mastery: The rogue becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A rogue can gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

Twist the Blade (Ex): The rogue automatically deals +1d4 points of damage when wielding a weapon with which she is proficient. This bonus applies only once per round, but if the rogue wields two weapons, it applies to each. This bonus damage stacks with sneak attacks and is added on after critical hits are calculated. Prerequisite: Signature weapon.

Greater Abilities

Bonus Feat: The rogue can take a bonus feat in place of a special ability. She must still qualify for the feat normally.

Chink in the Armor (Ex): The rogue can find weaknesses in an opponent's defenses. In effect, she can bypass 5 points of DR when making a sneak attack. Prerequisites: ???.



Master Con Artist (Ex): The rogue is an accomplished liar. She gains a +6 competence bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks. Additionally, the rogue can attempt to foil any spell that determines truth or lies (discern lies, zone of truth, etc.). In effect, the spell must make a save (DC 10 + caster level) vs. DC 10 + 1/2 the rogue's class level + the rogue's Cha modifier. If the save fails, the spell doesn't determine the lie. Prerequisites: Cha 15, Bluff 10 ranks.

Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the rogue's ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw. Prerequisites: Wis 13, evasion.
