With the release of the Unchained Rogue and the lingering comments of it proving underwhelming, maybe the class could be buoyed by combining it with, and improving upon, what is likely the most maligned Combat Feat line in the game: Vital Strike.
Sneak Attack appears almost common these days, and Vital Strike seems closest to 2ndED and priors' flat multiplier to damage that the Rogue used to enjoy. My hope is that if sufficiently improved, Vital Strike may become a viable option, if not signature to the class, and overcome the lack of BAB, ineffective iterative attacks, and poor performance at range. The general theme is to improve Vital Strike while balancing against Finesse Training and having it only available once each round. Wording has been chosen to not exclude the use of ranged attacks.
All changes are intended to be added straight to the chassis of an Unchained Rogue.
Level 2 - Patient Precision
When a Rogue uses a Readied Action that attacks a Target during their turn, a bonus to Hit is gained equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice available to the Rogue, even if the attack does not qualify as a Sneak Attack.
[This is to address comments concerning a lack of self-buffing of the Rogue's +Hit modifier, while letting it scale without being dip-bait.]
Level 7 - Practiced Precision
Bonus Feat: Vital Strike
When making any action what includes only a single attack, such as Spring Attack or Charging, the Rogue may use Vital Strike (including Improved or Greater) with that attack. This ability only works if a single attack is made during the Action, and only with a Finesse Trained weapon or one that normally requires Dexterity to Hit.
[Let the Rogue use Vital Strike when others cannot. Yes, pretty much the Rogue gets Vital Strike anytime only one attack is made that round.]
Level 13 - Intuitive Precision
Bonus Feat: Improved Vital Strike
When the Rogue gains the benefit of both Patient and Practiced Precision, the attack ignores an amount of DR equal to the higher of the Rogue's Intelligence or Wisdom Modifier (if positive)
[This this would recoup some efficacy lost by being a more than slightly MAD class, while encouraging the use of Vital Strike. The benefit here may actually be too low. Initially I intended this to instead of a +Hit bonus, yet wasn't confident in granting two +Hit abilities]
Level 17 - Effortless Precision
Bonus Feat: Greater Vital Strike
Whenever the Rogue gains the benefit of both Patient and Practiced Precision, the Rogue may apply Sneak Attack damage even if the target is not Flat-Footed, Flanked, of Dexless.
[This is when it comes full circle. The old version of multiplying damage combines with the current mild damage spike yet doesn't rely on Sneak Attack's situational nature, to become the Voltron of hopeful Rogue relevance.]
I'm just spit-balling here and have not run numbers or modeled scenarios, although I have been playing a lot of BG2:EE of late which roused the damage multiplier nostalgia.
Thoughts or flaws anyone?
