Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rogues 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.
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: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the
Perception skill to locate traps when the task has a
Difficulty Class higher than 20.
Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 10, 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.