Because rogues always deserve more love.
Acrobatic Assault (Ex): Whenever you make a successful acrobatics check to move through an opponent's square, your opponent is considered flat-footed to your attacks until the beginning of your next turn.
I really like this one, it allows rogues to get in sneak attacks when fighting on their own after combat has begun, but it's risky and can fail. Also, since you need to move through the opponent's square, full-attacks are a no-go.
Fast Talk (Ex): Once per day, you may reroll a bluff, diplomacy or intimidate check. You must decide to use this ability before the results are revealed. You must take the second roll, even if it is worse.
I love this one. A rogue insulting the king but managing to turn it into flattery with some fast talk is both great aesthetically and mechanically.
One-Hand Strike (Ex): Whenever you make a sneak-attack with your off-hand empty, you deal +1 point of sneak attack damage per die rolled.
And this one is for all the rogues that don't want to fight with two weapons. Being the dirty optimizer I am, I ran a lot of numbers for this one, and it's a decent alternative to the two-weapon fighting style.
That's all I've got for now. Post criticism and rogue talents of your own!
I personally really like the Acrobatic Assault. It brings to mind the old trick of diving between the guy's legs, sliding along the floor and then bringing one's sword up to...ahem...well you get the idea.
I personally really like the Acrobatic Assault. It brings to mind the old trick of diving between the guy's legs, sliding along the floor and then bringing one's sword up to...ahem...well you get the idea.
Yech.
The Acrobatic Assault and the Fast Talk feats are great. Still on the fence with the other one. If Rogues are looking for a one-handed bonus they should consider taking levels in Duelist.
The Acrobatic Assault and the Fast Talk feats are great. Still on the fence with the other one. If Rogues are looking for a one-handed bonus they should consider taking levels in Duelist.
The duelist focuses on other stuff than the rogue does. It doesn't have any sneak attack progress, for example. The talent is meant to be a viable alternative to two-weapon-fighting, which currently overshadows every other fighting style for the rogue.
I like 'em!
I notice that the Acrobatic Assault and Fast Talk talents are almost identical to a couple Skill Tricks in the Complete Scoundrel book.
The Fast Talk one was done a bit differently: Use bluff to recover from a blown diplomacy or disguise check, basically allowing fast talking to recover from your mistake.
In that vein, some further ideas for talents could be modeled after other abilities:
Misdirection - Make a feint check to avoid an Attack of Opportunity.
Improvised Tools - Make disable device checks without the need of tools.
Escapist - Bonuses to escaping grapples or allow as a free action, and make an attack when successfully escaping (treat target as flatfooted?).
Hidden Strike - Draw a hidden weapon during an Attack of Opportunity, quickdraw hidden weapons to cause your target to be flatfooted, etc.
Group Fake-out - Feint against multiple opponents.
Disable Construct. You can make a Disable Device skill check to damage and/or impair a construct. You have to make a melee touch attack, and if successful, make a Disable Device skill check with a DC equal to the construct's CMD. If successful, the construct is slowed 1d4 rounds. In addition, you can choose to make a melee attack instead of a melee touch attack against the construct, and if the construct is flanked or flat-footed (or otherwise denied its Dexterity bonus to AC), and if the Disable Device skill check beats the construct's CMD, you add your sneak attack damage to the damage you cause. For every 5 points you beat the CMD with your Disable Device, you get an added benefit, such as staggered, dazed, stunned, paralyzed, etc.
It needs a little bit of work, but I think this could be a fun advanced talent. Maybe require some ranks in Knowledge engineering?