Rogues specialize in solving problems with cleverness and skill. Agility, ingenuity, cunning, charm, and versatility are all common rogue traits. Thieves, spies, swashbucklers, inventors, and alchemists can all be made using this class.

 

 

 

Roguish Abilities

Standard rogue characters get any four abilities from the following list.

 

Ability Summaries

Versatile Talents

• Roguish Knack: You are prepared to use skills that involving agility and cunning.
• Dexterous: You are extremely dexterous and are prepared to use any Dexterity Skill.
• Strong as an Ox: You are extremely strong and are prepared to use any Strength Skill.
• Arcane Dabbler: You have studied two branches of magic just enough to be able to cast spells, but lack control.

Stealth Talents

• Shadow: You can use your connection to shadows to magically jump to the nearest shadow.
• Dynamic Camouflage: A thread of Illusion Magic has been woven into your body, causing your surface to match your surroundings for a short period of time.
• Surprise Action: You are good at using surprise to your advantage.

Technology Talents

• Lock Expertise: You are always prepared to assess, open, and work on locks.
• Trap Expertise: You are always prepared to spot, disable, and create traps.
• Practiced Crafter: You have a lot of practice building challenging things.
• lchemy: By extracting and combining chemicals, you can create basic alchemical items that you always have on hand, as well as advanced items that are made one at a time.
• Magical Alchemy: ­­You can create alchemical items that are imbued with one type of magic.
• Magical Weapon: You have a one-of-a-kind, magical weapon that grants you two special advantages.

Daring Talents

• Derring-do: You are prepared to take risky actions.
• Swashbuckling: When you succeed at doing something risky, the results are legendary.
• Flamboyant: You do risky things with so much style that it influences others.

Martial Styles

• Improvised Weapon Training: You are trained to use everyday objects as improvised weapons and can always find something to use.
• Improvised Weapon Expertise: You are skilled at using everyday objects as improvised weapons and are prepared to create and use them.
• Dirty Fighting: You are an expert at using dishonorable fighting techniques to give yourself an advantage during combat.
• Combat Prowess: You have extensive combat training and are prepared to use any Combat Skill.
• Trick Archery: You are a skilled archer who is practiced at doing improbable things.
• Adept Thrower: You are so skilled at throwing that you are ready to do improbable things.

Mental Talents

• Alert: You are prepared to use Perception Skills to notice subtle things about the people and places around you.
• Investigator: You are a skilled investigator who always notices something useful.
• Charismatic: You have a talent for social interaction and are prepared to use any Social Skill.

Flexible Enhancements

• Specialty: You are so good at doing one specific thing that you are always prepared to do it.
• Skill Expert: You are an expert in one skill and rarely fail.
• Physical Intuition: You have an intuitive, physical understanding of a mental skill that makes it possible for you to do it as if it was a physical skill.
• Special Technique: You know a special technique that makes it easier for you to do a physical skill as if it was a mental one.
• Balanced Expertise: You are especially good at one body and one mind skill and are prepared to do either of them.
• Beginner’s Luck: You are unusually successful when you try new things.
• Skillful: You know more skills than most people.
• Extra Species Trait: You have manifested an additional species trait.

 

 

Ability Descriptions

Versatile Talents

Roguish Knack: You are prepared to use skills that involving agility and cunning. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Deception, Manual Dexterity, Mobility, Performance, or Stealth skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Dexterous: You are extremely dexterous and are prepared to use any Dexterity Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Manual Dexterity, Mobility, or Stealth skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Strong as an Ox: You are extremely strong and are prepared to use any Strength Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Riding, or Swimming skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Arcane Dabbler: You have studied two branches of magic just enough to be able to cast spells, but lack control. Choose two of the following types of magic: fire, water, earth, air, weather, animal, plant, shapeshifting, communication, illusion, force, object, and transportation. Details on what these types of magic can do are given on the mage Arcane Abilities List. You are capable of casting spells with both of these types of magic, but do not receive a die for being trained in either of them. This means that the magic is more likely to go awry.

 

 

Stealth Talents

Shadow Jump: You can use your connection to shadows to magically jump to the nearest shadow. Three times a day, you can disappear in a burst of shadows and emerge in the nearest shadow that is large enough to surround you. This ability works through non-magical barriers, like walls, and it will take you to the closest, large enough shadow that is in an unharmful location. The location you end up may be precarious, like a ledge, but it won’t directly cause harm, like dropping you off a cliff.

 

Dynamic Camouflage: A thread of Illusion Magic has been woven into your body, causing your surface to match your surroundings for a short period of time. Three times a day, you can activate your Dynamic Camouflage to create an illusion that covers the surface of your body, clothing, and gear. When you hold still or move slowly, this illusion matches your surroundings so well that you can’t be seen from a distance, even when you are in the open. It also makes you prepared on Stealth skill rolls to not be seen when moving quickly, or by people near you. Your Dynamic Camouflage does not alter how much noise you make or make you harder to locate with non-vision-senses. Each time it is activated, your Dynamic Camouflage lasts for five minutes.

 

Surprise Action: You are good at using surprise to your advantage. Any time you get a full success (two successes) when using a physical skill or ability on an unaware person, the outcome is more favorable than it would otherwise be, granting you an additional benefit. In essence, this ability turns a full success into an outstanding success (three successes). Be sure to tell the game manager when you are using this ability.

 

 

Technology Talents

Lock Expertise: You are always prepared to assess, open, and work on locks. You are considered prepared any time you use Perception, Manual Dexterity, or Technology to assess and work on locks. For example, you can use Perception to assess how secure the locks on a building are, use Manual Dexterity to pick a lock, use Manual Dexterity to apply the impressioning technique to make a key from a lock, and use Technology to install, replace, or rekey locks.

 

Trap Expertise: You are always prepared to spot, disable, and create traps. You are always considered prepared when you use Perception to spot traps, Manual Dexterity to disable traps, and Technology to create traps.

 

Practiced Crafter: You have a lot of practice building challenging things. Three times a day, you can reroll a Technology skill roll to make something challenging. This reroll must happen before the results have been revealed and you must take the new result, even if it is lower.

 

Alchemy: By extracting and combining chemicals, you can create basic alchemical items that you always have on hand, as well as advanced items that are made one at a time. You don’t need to count or track basic alchemical items. It is assumed that you make more as needed.

Basic alchemical items are smoke bombs, stink bombs, glue bombs, grease flasks, glow bottles, moldable resin, flammable liquids, pigments, acids, bases, glue, soap, fire suppressants, glue-dissolving solvent, acid neutralizer, base neutralizer, pain relievers, calming potions, sleeping drafts, emetics (a substance that causes vomiting), laxatives, and simple antidotes.

You also have a portable alchemy kit that allows you to craft more advanced alchemical items. Advanced alchemical items take time to make and are made one at a time. When you make each one, decide what property you want it to have. The game manager will work with you to help ensure that this property makes sense for what alchemy can do. Because advanced alchemical items are individually made, you do need to keep track of them.

Modern-day chemistry and pharmaceuticals are a great source of inspiration for what alchemy can do. Examples of advanced alchemical items are explosives, fireworks, unquenchable fire, truth serum, scents that lure or repel specific animals, hallucinogens, deadly poisons, and tricky antitoxins.

Once made, anyone can use an alchemical item. Any time one of your alchemical items is used, you roll Alchemy to determine whether it has the desired effect. The outcome of this roll includes any challenges involved in throwing the item. Alchemy is used by rolling mind and you are trained in it.

 

Magical Alchemy: You can create alchemical items that are imbued with one type of magic. Choose one of the following types of magic: fire, water, air, earth, force, weather, animal, plant, shapeshifting, communication, and travel. For details on what these types of magic can do, go to the mage Arcane Abilities List.

You own a portable kit for creating alchemical items that contain this type of magic. Using your magical alchemy kit, you can craft potions and flasks that contain any magic spell or effect that can normally be cast with this type of magic. These alchemical items safely contain the magic until the potion is consumed, or the flask poured out or broken. Then it is as if the spell was just cast.

Once made, anyone can use a magical alchemical item. Any time that a magical alchemical item is used, you will need to roll Magical Alchemy to find out whether it has the desired effect. On failed rolls, the magic goes awry. Magical Alchemy is used by rolling mind and you are trained in it.

 

Magical Weapon: You have a one-of-a-kind, magical weapon that grants you two special advantages.

Choose what this weapon is. Your options include ordinary weapons, like swords, unusual weapons, like tridents, and prototypes, like magic-powered firearms.

Your weapon is made of a special, magic-infused material that can’t be damaged by ordinary means (either physical or magical). It comes with any applicable ammunition, parts, or maintenance tools. You are trained in using your weapon, even if you are not trained in the Martial Skill that would normally apply to it.

Choose two advantages for your weapon off the following list.

• Less Physically Taxing: This weapon has a special design that makes it less physically taxing to use. Your character can use this weapon by rolling mind.
• Cuts/Breaks Stone: This weapon is made of a special material that is so hard and/or sharp that it can cut/break hard substances like ordinary stone and metal.
• Tool: Your weapon can be use as a tool for up to three skills. For example, a bullwhip can be used as a tool for Acrobatics, Athletics, and Climbing.
• Skill Bonus: Your weapon has been designed in a way that is helpful for a single non-combat skill. Three times a day, you may use this weapon to be prepared when using that skill. Examples include a ceremonial sword that helps with Diplomacy, a creepy weapon that assists with Intimidation, a hidden weapon that is easier to draw with Slight of Hand, and a utility knife that is useful for Survival.
• Ethereal: This weapon is infused with magic which allows it, or any projectiles that it fires, to interact with incorporeal things as if they were solid. An incorporeal thing is a being or object that lacks physical substance, but that is present in some way. For example, ghosts, shadow beings, illusions, and half-present magical landscapes are all incorporeal.
• Returning: Your weapon has been enchanted so that it always returns to you. Once drawn, the returning magic is activated and any time this weapon leaves your hand (or whatever appendage you drew the weapon with), it returns after a brief pause. Sheathing or stowing this weapon deactivates the returning magic.
• Comes When Called: Your weapon has been magically bonded to you so that it comes to your hand any time you speak or sign a magic word.
• Nonlethal: Your weapon has been enchanted for nonlethal combat. A command word or gesture is used to activate and deactivate this magic. When activated, the magic prevents this weapon from causing harm to yourself or others. This means that this weapon can only be used for nonlethal fighting (combat actions intended to gain an advantage over an opponent without physically harming them), and that it won’t cause harm even on failed actions.
• Create your own: Work with your game manager to create a unique advantage for your weapon.

 

 

Daring Talents

Derring-do: You are prepared to take risky actions. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you attempt a daring maneuver with the Acrobatics, Athletics, Climbing, Flying, Mobility, Riding, or Swimming skills. A daring maneuver is an action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring maneuver is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Swashbuckling: When you succeed at doing something risky, the results are legendary. You are an expert at using bold and daring maneuvers. Any time you get a full success (two successes) when doing a daring action, the results are larger-than-life. This means that the outcome is more dramatic than it would otherwise be, granting you an additional benefit. In essence, this ability turns a full success into an outstanding success (three successes). A daring action is any action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring action is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe.

 

Flamboyant: You do risky things with so much style that it influences others. When you successfully pull off a daring action (two or three successes), you impress onlookers. This means that you count as prepared when you use the Communicating with Animals, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance skills with someone who observed your daring maneuver. Note that this ability only applies when the social roll takes place in the same scene as the daring action. A daring action is any action that is reckless, bold, or risky. Attempting a daring action is a significant risk, and, as a result, the consequences of failure are more severe.

 

 

Martial Styles

Improvised Weapon Training: You are trained to use everyday objects as improvised weapons and can always find something to use. This means that you are considered trained when you use the Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, and Athletics skills for an improvised weapon, even if you are not trained in the skill you are using. Examples of improvised weapons include using Athletics to push a bookshelf onto an opponent, using Ranged Combat to throw plates at a foe, and using Melee Combat to wield a chair. You may use Improvised Weapon Training to cause harm to opponents, or in a nonlethal manner to control space and hinder foes.

In addition, you can find improvised weapons in any environment. In unusually barren environments, like jail cells or the open ocean, it will take some time and effort to acquire an improvised weapon. In all other environments, improvised weapons come readily to hand.

 

Improvised Weapon Expertise: You are skilled at using everyday objects as improvised weapons and are prepared to create and use them. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Manual Dexterity, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Riding, and Stealth skills to create or use an improvised weapon. Examples include acrobatically dodging through tree branches that snag your foes, shoving a table into an opponent, wielding a frying pan, throwing rocks, ramming a combatant with a log your mount is dragging, pulling a large wrench out of your bag without anyone noticing, and sneaking around a corner while holding a broom at the ready. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Dirty Fighting: You are an expert at using dishonorable fighting techniques to give yourself an advantage during combat. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Acrobatics, Athletics, Manual Dexterity, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Stealth, or Unarmed Fighting skills for a sneaky, dishonorable, or unfair combat action. For example, you can attack with a hidden weapon, knee a foe in the groin, sneak up on an opponent, pull a combatant’s pants down, knock over nearby objects, and throw dust in someone’s eyes. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Combat Prowess: You have extensive combat training and are prepared to use any Combat Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, and Unarmed Fighting skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Trick Archery: You are a skilled archer who is practiced at doing improbable things. Three times a day, you may reroll a Ranged Combat roll for a challenging archery task, like splitting an arrow in two, firing accurately while doing acrobatic stunts, and shooting projectiles out of the air. This reroll must happen before the results have been revealed and you must take the new result, even if it is lower.

 

Adept Thrower: You are so skilled at throwing that you are ready to do improbable things. Three times a day, you may reroll an Athletics or Ranged Combat roll for a challenging throwing task, like flipping a switch with the hilt of a tossed knife, throwing accurately while doing acrobatic stunts, knocking projectiles out of the air, and pitching an object so that it curves around an obstacle. This reroll must happen before the results have been revealed and you must take the new result, even if it is lower.

 

 

Mental Talents

Alert: You are prepared to use Perception Skills to notice subtle things about the people and places around you. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Insight, Perception, or Survival skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

Investigator: You are a skilled investigator who always notices something useful. In any scene where you take the time to examine something closely, you will notice one useful thing about it. Basically, you are finding a clue. This ability works once per scene, when you are carefully investigating an object, a location, or a collection of evidence. No roll is required, but you do need to tell the game manager when you are using this ability. The game manager will then tell you what clue you find. How significant that clue is will vary from situation to situation, and not every clue will be immediately useful.

This ability can be applied to a broad range of situations that involve investigation. For example, it can be used to investigate something that has already happened, such as examining a crime scene or doing an archeological investigation. It can also be used to make guesses about likely outcomes, such as going over a collection of evidence to guess an opponents next move. And it can be used to figure out the best way to do something, such as scouting an area for the best way to sneak in.

 

Charismatic: You have a talent for social interaction and are prepared to use any Social Skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Communicating with Animals, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.

 

 

Flexible Enhancements

Specialty: You are so good at doing one specific thing that you are always prepared to do it. Choose an area of focus for a skill or ability that you already have. This is your specialty. You are particularly good at this specialty and are always considered prepared when using it. This specialty needs to be significantly more specific than the skill or ability it is based on. For example, a character with the Acrobatics skill could have a specialty in leaping, or a character with the Transportation Magic ability could have a specialty in casting flying spells.

 

Skill Expert: You are an expert in one skill and rarely fail. Choose a skill. Three times per day, you may turn a failed dice roll (zero successes) for this skill into a partial success (one success). This ability must be used before the consequences of failure are revealed.

 

Physical Intuition: You have an intuitive, physical understanding of a mental skill that makes it possible for you to do it as if it was a physical skill. Choose one mind based skill or ability. You can now use this skill or ability by rolling body.

 

Special Technique: You know a special technique that makes it easier for you to do a physical skill as if it was a mental one. Choose one body based skill or ability. You can now use this skill or ability by rolling mind.

 

Balanced Expertise: You are especially good at one body and one mind skill and are prepared to do either of them. Choose one mind skill and one body skill. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use either of these two skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire, choosing either the same or different skills.

 

Beginner’s Luck: You are unusually successful when you try new things. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when using a skill that you are not trained in.

 

Skillful: You know more skills than most people. Choose two additional skills off the Skills List. You are trained in these skills. There is no limit on how many times you may choose this ability.

 

Extra Species Trait: You have manifested an additional species trait. Choose an additional species trait off the Species Trait List. There is no limit on how many times you may choose this ability.