"Shang"'s page

I was sold, or perhaps my schooling was paid for, at an early age. I barely remember my parents, I just remember crying and leaving with Eldest Brother Zhao, my soon to be new Masters oldest student. Life was hard but satisfying as I trained with a dozen other children of different ages in a temple until 16 or so.

While my Master was exceptional as a swordsman, I get the feeling he wasn't so good at politics or building relationships with nobility. We were forced to hit the road when a small army burnt my school to the ground. My master and I were the only survivors.

We were constantly pursued and kept pushing west beyond Taikang for over a year. We settled in Bhangari and my Master plotted his return. Having no other students from the school I became his disciple to all his knowledge... well... all that I could absorb before he went and died on me!

I spent most of what we had on a lavish funeral for him, sending him on to his Ancestors, and did my best to try to get a position at Lord Vidya's court. Then she happened. Prisha, one of Lord Vidya's dancers, (my elder by two summers) entered my world, then turned it upside down.

It turns out she did more than dance. I was, and I guess, still am, a slave to her. It was not long before her sweet body was in my bed, and her honeyed words in my ear. We could run away together and she would be mine... we just needed the money. We were both talented acrobats, and she swore the jewellery we would take from the upper chambers would be as one hair to nine oxen in the total wealth of Lord Vidya, and would not be missed.

We barely escaped.

The next two years were a whirlwind. We fled to Susrah and moved within the world of gamblers, slavers, and criminals. She and others taught me how to live as a burglar and a thief. I take a shameful pride that my training made me very good at it. Then one day she disappeared from my bed... taking almost all of our wealth. As far as I know she loves me still - she left my me sword, armour and gear.

She also left me a crowd of cheated enemies. It turns out she swindled a lot more people than myself.

I took off for Khazistani and signed up as a common mercenary.

I am, as far as I know, the last of Master Lu' Six Forms' School of swordsmanship. I'm STILL trying to make what he taught me work... and I fear if I can ever do it? It will be imperfectly. I'm hoping that I can turn a new leaf and return to my old teachings but my lawless habits die hard, and I still thrill to a fair woman's touch.

AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex)
Masterwork Studded Leather 2DR /-2 ACP
hp 22 (2d8+6)
Fort +2 (-2 vs. poison and disease), Ref +7, Will +0
CMD 18 (20 vs. disarm, 20 vs. grapple, 20 vs. trip)
Defensive Abilities evasion
Speed 30 ft.
Init +4; Senses Perception +5 (+6 vs Traps), Sense Motive +5*
Roll twice and take the lower result on Sense Motive checks to get hunches.

Hit Points 22
Healthy 22 to 17 No penalty
Grazed 16 to 11 - 1 all Rolls
Wounded 10 to 6 - 2 all Rolls
Critical 5 to 1 - 3 all Rolls
Disabled 0 to -2
Unconscious -3 to - 14

Physical Threshold 46
Healthy 46 to 35 No penalty
Grazed 34 to 23 - 3 all Rolls
Wounded 22 to 12 - 6 all Rolls
Critical 11 to 1 - 12 all Rolls
Disabled 0
Dead Less than 0

Mental Threshold 36
Healthy 36 to 27 No penalty
Impaired 16 to 11 - 3 all Rolls
Confused 18 to 9 - 6 all Rolls
Catatonic 8 to 1 - 12 all Rolls
Disabled 0
Dead Less than 0

Base Atk +1;
CMB +5 (+7 disarm, +7 grapple, +7 trip)

-Melee-
Dagger +5 (1d4+2/19-20) or
Expert jian sword +7 (1d6+2/18-20) [Silversheen] "Tear of Cháng'é"
Unarmed strike +5 (1d6+2)
-Ranged-
Expert composite shortbow +6 (1d6+2/×3)

-Special Attacks-
Sneak attack (unchained) +1d6
Feint as Move Action
Defensive Stance: You can choose to take a -1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class. *Negate -1 penalty to hit with Threatening Defender trait
Risky Strike: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls.

Acrobatics +9,
Appraise +5,
Bluff +7 (+8 while wielding Jian Sword),
Climb +6,
Diplomacy +6,
Disable Device +10,
Escape Artist +8,
Handle Animal +3,
Heal +1,
Intimidate +6 (+7 while wielding Jian Sword),
Knowledge (local) +5,
Knowledge (nobility) +2,
Linguistics +5,
Lore (Styles of Swordsmanship) +5,
Perception +5,
Perform (wind instruments) +6,
Ride +5,
Sense Motive +5,
Sleight of Hand +8,
Stealth +9,
Survival +4,
Swim +6;

-Armour-
Masterwork Studded leather 2dr /-2acp,

-Weapons-
Dagger,
Expert composite shortbow (+2 Str),
Expert jian sword [Silversheen]

-Other Gear-
Bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), masterwork backpack[APG], mess kit[UE], soap, thieves' tools, torch (4), trail rations (5), waterskin

PP -
GP -
SP 8
CP 6

--------------------
Agile Maneuvers (Deft Maneuvers) Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Amateur Swashbuckler Although you are not a swashbuckler, you have and can use panache.
Combat Expertise (Defensive Stance) -0/+1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deed: Derring-Do (Ex) Spend 1 panache to add 1d6 when making Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, or Swim check.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Improved Feint You can make a Bluff check to feint in combat as a move action.
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Power Attack (Risky Strike) -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Sneak Attack (Unchained) +1d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Trapfinding +1 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
Backstreet Contacts: At 2nd level a Rogue(UC) gains a number of contacts (1+ CHA bonus) in the location he is currently in. A contact is a unique NPC with useful skills or powerful connections.You can call upon contacts for aid to accomplish specialized tasks without getting directly involved. A low-level contact can dig up a local rumor, tell you where to find a good meal, or impart basic knowledge. However, as you earn more of a contact’s trust, he might perform greater tasks with greater personal risk, such as helping you track down an adversary, bailing you out of jail, or loaning you a valuable item.

Civilised people have the following cultural traits: Ability Adjustment:+2 to one ability score: Civilized characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their versatile nature. Educated: Gain 1 extra feat and 4 extra skill points at 1st level, and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. Frail: Civilized people have a -2 penalty to saving throws against poison and disease.

Finesse Training At 1st level, a unchained rogue gains Deft Maneuvers as a bonus feat. In addition, starting at 3rd level, she can select any one weapon group listed under the fighter’s Weapon Training class feature. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed. Whenever she makes a successful melee attack with a finesse weapon or an agile weapon from this group, she adds her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent the rogue from adding her Strength modifier to the damage roll, she does not add her Dexterity modifier. The rogue can select a second weapon group at 11th level and a third at 19th level.

Weapon Finesse Gone.
The “light weapons” category has been renamed to “finesse weapons.” Characters can choose to use either their dexterity bonus or their strength bonus to hit with these weapons, no feat required. “Finesse” is also now a weapon attribute like “brace” or “trip,” allowing a weapon in another category to be finessed (like the rapier). Weapon Finesse is the ultimate feat tax. It’s begrudgingly mandatory for most rogues, specifically two-weapon fighting builds. I understand Paizo worries that dexterity might become an uber stat, but weapon finesse still doesn’t grant a damage bonus. It’s really the only thing rogue’s have to compensate for their lackluster BAB.

Agile Maneuvers Gone.
A character adds their dexterity to the CMB if they’re wielding a finesse weapon and their strength otherwise. This goes hand and hand with the previous change. Making combat maneuvers more accessible will be a recurring theme of this article.

Risky Strike Prerequisites:
Base attack bonus +1. You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls.

This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a twohanded weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an offhand weapon or secondary natural weapon.

When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use Risky Strike before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

Defensive Stance Prerequisite:
Base attack bonus +1.
You can choose to take a -1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.

When your base attack bonus reaches +4, the penalty increases by -1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You must choose to use Defensive Stance before making an attack roll and its effects last until your next turn.

Str 14 (--)
Dex 18 (75)
Con 14 (75)
Int 12 (39)
Wis 10 (41)
Cha 14 (90)

Feats: Agile Maneuvers*, Amateur Swashbuckler[ACG], Combat Expertise*, Improved Feint*, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack*, Weapon Finesse*, Weapon Focus (rapier)

* EitR adjustments/feats.

Fav Class:
1 +1 hp
2 +1 hp

Traits:
Signature moves - Masterwork weapon upto 900gp Value. +1 Intimidate/+1 Bluff When using sword. Silversheen Rapier. Famous Sword called Tear of Heng-O'
Threatening defender - Offset -1 to hit for Combat Expertise

Drawback: Trusting'
A sheltered upbringing, inability to read other cultures and my perception that everyone is innately good makes it hard to read others. Just when I think I understand a situation or people, memories of past failures leave me unsure whether or not to trust someone...

Effect(s): You can roll twice and take the lower result on Sense Motive checks to get hunches. You cannot reroll this result, even if you have another ability that would normally allow you to do so.

SQ rogue talent (weapon training - weapon focus: Rapier), trapfinding +1, Deering-Do