Rogue Skills

Sneak Attack (Ex)
If a rogue can catch an opponent when they are unable to defend themselves effectively from their attack, they can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, the rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time their 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. (See Table 8–5: Attack Roll Modifiers and Table 8–6: Armor Class Modifiers, for combat situations in which the rogue flanks an opponent or the opponent loses their Dexterity bonus to AC.)

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. A rogue can’t strike with deadly accuracy from beyond that range.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. They cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because they must make optimal use of their weapon in order to execute a sneak attack. (See Nonlethal Damage.)

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.

Trapfinding (Ex)
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 their party) without disarming it.

Evasion (Ex)
At 2nd level and higher, a rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), they instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless rogue (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Trap Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, a rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts them to danger from traps, giving their 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 they reaches 9th level, to +4 when they reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before their senses would normally allow their to do so. they retains their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class (a rogue with at least two levels of barbarian, for example), they automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
A rogue of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked; they can react to opponents on opposite sides of them as easily as they can react to a single attacker. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking them, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) 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.

Special Abilities
On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th), a rogue gains a special ability of their choice from among the following options.

Crippling Strike (Ex)
A rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that their blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of their sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. Defensive

Roll (Ex)
The rogue can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than they otherwise would. Once per day, when they would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rogue can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, they takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, they takes full damage. they must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute their defensive roll— if they is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, they can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rogue’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.

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 such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fireball, henceforth they henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rogue (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

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.

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

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

Feat
A rogue may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability