Skilled Explorer - Rogue Archetype replacing Sneak Attack

[Sleet Storm]

Brains over Brawn is the Motto of Skilled Explorers who use their wits to brave the dangers of adventuring.
A Skilled Explorer gains the Following Class Features

Savy Striker(EX) At 1st level as a swift action,a Skilled Explorer can make a Knowledge check to identify a creatures weaknesses.The DC for this check is 10+ the Creatures CR If he succeds he gets a +2 bonus on all melee and ranged attack rolls against the creature and adds his Intelligence Modifier on damage rolls.The damage bonus is precision damage and the bonuses persist until the creature is dead or he uses this ability against another creature.At 7th and every 6 levels thereafter these bonuses increase by 1.

This replaces Sneak Attack

Arcane Dabbler(EX) At 4th level the Skilled Explorer adds Spellcraft and Knowledge(Arcana) to his list of Class Skills. Whenever he identifies a spell being cast with Spellcraft he adds a +2 bonus on his saves against the spell.At 8th level this Bonus increases to +4 and he can use it against Spelllike and Supernatural Abilities.If he does so the Spellcraft DC is 10+the Creatures CR

This replaces Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge

So? Waddaya think?

[MiniGM]

seems weak. Mainly because the rogue only gets dungeoneering and local, so that makes it hard to use his Savy Striker ability.

Perhaps if more knowledges were class skills and they got some kind of bardic knowledge perhaps-maybe give 1/2 rogue level bonus to any knowledge that they have ranks in. (makes it weaker than bardic knowledge), that and make all knowledges class skills

Also I would make the second replace uncanny dodge but at level 8 they get uncanny dodge instead of imporved uncanny

[Sleet Storm]

Lol, that wasn't what I expected at all.:)

It's already pretty easy for the Rogue to autosuceed on these knowledge checks,after all you're supposed to have high INT with this archetype, so tacking on extra bonuses to knowledge checks would not be a good idea I think.I think you should at least have to invest a little since the ability itself is quite strong IMO.If anything it might be to easy to activate considering what a hassle sneak attack is.

I was thinking of changing arcane dabbler around and make it stronger but uncanny dodge is lame and does not see a lot of use. I'll think on it some more I guess

[MiniGM]

I disagree that rogues are usually high int. Mine are, but I am wierd. Most people I see playing leave their INT at 10 or even dump it.

Savvy Striker is an especially CRAPPY ability if they do not have access to the other knowledges as a class skill. I mean if you are in a forest, or a crypt it is useless.

But my proposal still requires you to invest

Quote:

[b]maybe give 1/2 rogue level bonus to any knowledge that they have ranks in[/b]

Anyhoo, hope that doesnt sound snarky

[Sleet Storm]

Feedback is always good and it didn't sound snarky.

And I think I know what your problem is , you seem to missunderstand how trained skills work. You don't need to have the knowledge skills as class skills to use them and its only +3 bonus to skill checks if you do.So you could use Savy Striker always with all knowledge skills against every opponent in every environment.

Also you don't seem to have read the whole text. Not investing in intelligence would be stupid with this Archetype since it goes as a bonus straight on your damage rolls.

At level 10 you should succeed on your knowledge skills(even those that are not class skills) with ease and that would give +3 to hit and probably about +5 damage.

Hope that cleared things up a bit.

[MiniGM]

knowledge is trained only. So you can only make checks up to 10 if you have no ranks in it. Though you could put ranks in it without it being a class skill i suppose, but then it is tough to get really high bonuses. And at level 10 even fighting common enemies that are say CR 7, you are still having to make a 17 int to id them, if there are no common it becomes a 23.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/knowledge

That is my concern. Anyhow it is your archetype, but that is why I would not use it as written. That is a lot of skill points required to get up the knowledges up. Even at Int 16, high for a rogue, considering you have to have STR (Unless you are counting on the precision to make up for dumped STR,) decent and CON decent if in melee, or DEX and be spending feats for ranged attacking. You are becoming very MAD. Hard to do in my opinion.

Anyhow dont want to argue. I like the idea a lot and would lvoe to try it out, but it just does not work as written in my opinion. Those knowledges are a problem.

[TGMaxMaxer]

I like the idea. They need to have all 6 creature ID skills as class skills though, and lose a couple of the physical skills, since the whole idea is brain over brawn as you described. Pick 2 of these and remove them from the class skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Swim. (my recommendations escape artist and swim or sleight of hand, but whatever).

For the bonuses to hit identified creatures, there are several similar options (notably the Lore warden and Kirin Style Chain) and the DC should be 15+CR to be equivalent to them. It should also take at least a move/swift to use, possibly based on level. (move to start, swift as of ... 7th? level) I'd say +1hit / 4 levels is fair.

For the sneak replacement damage, make it comparable. Sneak requires some finesse to achieve consistently, but it gives ~3.5 damage/2 levels when you get it. Make it a static 2damage /2 levels,(less, but less restrictions on getting it). It also needs to specify that it only applies within 30ft on ranged attacks, is precision damage not multiplied on critical hits, but that it qualifies for the requirements of Goggles of the Sniper, (which would double it to 4/2 levels, instead of 5.5/2 levels, fair enough).

The Skilled Explorer also gains access to the following Rogue Talents:

Mind Over Matter This talent allows a rogue to add his intelligence modifier on damage rolls on any creature that he has identified using Savvy Striker, instead of his strength mod. This ability can be used 1+Int mod times/day, and ends when the Savvy Striker ability ends on the same target.(i.e, when dead or when used on a new target)

Know-it-all: This talent allows a rogue to recall various esoteric bits of information about a multitude of creatures. Pick one Knowledge skill used for creature identification, (arcana, dungeoneering, local, nature, religion, planes). You recieve a bonus of 1/2 your rogue level on knowledge checks related to creature indentification for that skill. You may choose another knowledge for every 3 levels, you receive the Know it all bonus on that skill.

Thus, by 18th level, you are getting a +9 to creature ID only for all 6 skills, chosen slowly, or you may just max ranks in a couple and skip the talent completely. Let the player choose.

For Arcane Dabbler, as class skills, give them Spellcraft and lose Disable Device, (they focused on creatures not mechanical devices), and for any creature he has successfully identified with his other ability, he gets the +2 bonus at 4th level against all spells, SLAs, and Supernatural abilities. +4 at 8th. He also receives this as a bonus to his CMD vs that creature.

Just my 2pp, in the vein of balance and cutting off munchkins who would have barb1/mindchemist1/thisx for ZOMG damage.