Smuggler (Ranger Archetype)
Some rangers journey into the wilderness separating the civilized lands, not to revel in the grandeur of nature, but to smuggle contraband, people or information from one city or kingdom to another. Smugglers lack to average ranger's skills in tracking and hunting and his spiritual connection nature, but make up for this with increased talents at deception, larceny and with dirty tricks.
Smuggler At 1st level a smuggler adds Appraise, Bluff, Disguise, Linguistics and Sleight of Hand to his list of class skills and removes Heal, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (nature) and Spellcraft from his list of class skills.
Sneak Attack (Ex) A smuggler gains the rogue Sneak Attack ability. The smuggler’s sneak attacks deal +1d6 points of damage at 1st level. This improves to +2d6 at level 3 and by an additional dice at every two levels thereafter, to a maximum of +10d6 at level 19. This replaces the Favored Enemy, Quarry and Improved Quarry ranger abilities.
Smuggling (Ex) A smuggler adds half his level (minimum 1) to Linguistics skill checks to create forged documents and to Sleight of Hand checks to hide small objects on his body. This ability replaces Track.
Hunter’s Bond (Ex) A smuggler must select an animal companion for his Hunter’s Bond. However his effective druid level for this ability is his smuggler level -2.
Rogue Talent (Ex, Sp or Su) At 4th level and every two levels thereafter the smuggler may select one rogue talent. From 12th level onwards, the smuggler may select advanced rogue talents as well. This ability replaces spell-casting.
Pack Rat (Ex) Starting at 7th level, a smuggler’s speed is no longer modified by encumbrance or wearing medium armor and he ignores all penalties to skill checks and attack rolls imposed by medium encumbrance and light or medium armor. This ability replaces Woodland Stride and Swift Tracker.
Prince of Scoundrels (Su) A smuggler of 20th level becomes a criminal legend. He may once per turn, as a swift action grant himself a +10 bonus to Bluff, Disguise or Stealth skill checks. He also becomes all but impossible to keep tabs on through magic. Treat this effect as a permanent mind blank spell. If dispelled, he may reactivate the ability as a swift action 24 hours later.
This is a pretty cool archetype. I like it.
Good job, just some comments on balancing.
Sneak attack should be 1d6 at 1st, +1d6 every 3 levels, to +7d6 at 19th. You are replacing 5 increments of favored enemy, plus two additional class features. That's 7 levels worth of abilties. While both are situational abilities, favored enemy is very specific, while sneak attack can be used against almost any creature, and its easier to flank and get things in battle so you can sneak attack, vs. randomly running into a creature you have bonuses against with favored enemy.
Rogue talents should be at 4th and every 4 levels. I know Trapper gains traps at 5th and every 2 levels thereafter (max), but learning a new trap isn't the same as learning a new talent, all of which can be completely unrelated, unlike traps, though different, are still all traps.
Reasoning: Giving the Ranger +10d6 sneak attack and 9 rogue talents, plus all the retained ranger abilities, almost makes him better than the rogue.
Rogues have have +10d6, 10 rogue talents, Evasion, Unc Dodge, Imp Unc Dodge, and trap sense. To balance it with the rogue, +7d6 and 5 rogue talents is better.
Also, you could add to the archetype a revised version of the Assassin PrC's Hidden Weapons ability, that focuses on hiding small objects (including weapons, drugs, items, etc.). Then you could enhance that ability in the capstone.
Hidden Contraband(Ex): At 4th level, a smuggler becomes a master at hiding illegal substances and small objects on his body. He adds his ranger level to all Sleight of Hand skill checks made to prevent others from noticing them.
For the capstone, you could allow him to hide an object on his person, as a swift action.