New Unchained Rogue Archetype - Infused Scoundrel


Homebrew and House Rules


Okay, I've been looking for a good rogue/caster, and I haven't been able to find exactly what I was looking for. The Arcane Trickster didn't fit what I had in mind, and the Eldritch Scoundrel archetype took away far too much from the rogue in my opinion, so here is what I came up with. The Infused Scoundrel - a Rogue with spontaneous casting. I know it probably needs some alteration so please critique and let me know what needs changing.

INFUSED SCOUNDREL (Unchained Rogue Archetype)
Armor Proficiency: An infused scoundrel is not proficient with any armor or shields. Armor sometimes interferes with an infused scoundrel’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail. This alters the rogue’s armor proficiencies.
Class Skills: An infused scoundrel gains 6 skill ranks (plus a number of ranks equal to her Intelligence modifier) at each level instead of a normal 8. He gains Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft as class skills. This alters the rogue’s skills.
Spellcasting: An infused scoundrel casts arcane spells drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. He learns and casts spells exactly as a sorcerer does, but uses the bard’s progression for spells known and spells per day.
The infused scoundrel receives bonus spells known from her bloodline, but does not gain them as quickly and never learns 7th-9th level spells. An infused scoundrel gains access to a bonus spell from her bloodline when she first gains spells known of that spell level.
Blood of Shadows: At 4th level, an infused scoundrel gains the shadow bloodline, as the sorcerer ability, using his infused scoundrel level -3 as his sorcerer level to determine what abilities he gains.
At 4th level, and every 6 levels thereafter, the infused scoundrel gains a bonus feat from the list for the shadow bloodline. He must meet the prerequisites for these bonus feats.
This replaces danger sense and debilitating injury.
Sneak Attack: This increases by 1d6 at 4th level, and again at every 3 rogue levels thereafter. This modifies the rogue’s normal sneak attack progression.
Rogue Talent: At 2nd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the infused scoundrel gains a rogue or ninja talent for which he meets the prerequisites (treating his rogue level as his ninja level). If a talent requires him to expend points from his ki pool, he can instead expend a spell slot with a spell level equal to the number of ki points he would normally expend. If a talent functions only if he has ki in his ki pool, it functions as long as he still has a spell of 1st level or higher prepared. At 11th level, he can select an advanced talent in place of a rogue talent. This modifies the normal rogue talent progression and advanced talent.
Uncanny Training: An eldritch scoundrel does not gain uncanny dodge or improved uncanny dodge. Beginning at 5th level, she can take uncanny dodge instead of a rogue talent. Beginning at 11th level, the eldritch scoundrel can choose to take improved uncanny dodge in place of an advanced talent. This modifies uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge.


Anybody have any constructive criticism at all?? I know it needs work, so any help would be greatly appreciated.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

It seems alright mostly. But access to the entire 1-6 level Sorcerer/Wizard spell list for spell choices is a might powerful. Perhaps limiting the schools accessible to those that fit the Shadow theme? Perhaps not allowing enchantment or evocation spells. With illusion (shadow) spells still available, the rogue could take shadow enchantment (from Occult Realms pg. 17) as a 3rd level spell and shadow evocation as a 5th when they come up, opening up the full effects of all schools while keeping the power level more balanced.

There is even a 6th level greater shadow enchantment spell, so access to 5th level enchantment spells (and powerful choices given their mutability).


Feros, thanks for the input. I was hesitant to restrict spell access like that because there are some handy evocation spells (twilight knife, blacklight, darkness immediately come to mind) that work well. I considered giving it a specific spell-list, but I'm horrible at coming up with those. I ended up just using the Eldritch Scoundrel as inspiration. Something to look at though, thanks.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

I did something quite different for a spellcasting rogue.

Instead of Sneak Attack damage, they gained an elevating Minor Magic at every level.
So, they gained spells as SLA's, instead of spellcasting, signifying just how different they are then normal casters, but had VERY restricted numbers and use of them.

So, instead of +1d6 to +10d6 SA dmg, they got 3 each of 0-9th level spells as they went up in level (instead of being restricted to 0-1 level spells).

It made them less useful in combat, unless they chose spells to be useful in combat. But they still had lots of skill points.

==Aelryinth


Aelryinth wrote:

I did something quite different for a spellcasting rogue.

Instead of Sneak Attack damage, they gained an elevating Minor Magic at every level.
So, they gained spells as SLA's, instead of spellcasting, signifying just how different they are then normal casters, but had VERY restricted numbers and use of them.

So, instead of +1d6 to +10d6 SA dmg, they got 3 each of 0-9th level spells as they went up in level (instead of being restricted to 0-1 level spells).

It made them less useful in combat, unless they chose spells to be useful in combat. But they still had lots of skill points.

==Aelryinth [/QUOTE}

That's not a bad idea. Are they able to cast each of them 3/day like the minor magic talent?

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

USes/day was the biggest part I was waffling on.

Went back and re-read it.

Ah, here we go.

At level 1, get 3 cantrips (Cantrips have unlimited use) as SLA's.
They get another SLA at every level.
At every 2nd level, the level of the SLA they can take increases by 1.
They can use these SLA's a number of times/day equal to (3/day, or SA dice - spell level, whatever is higher). So, as they level they get more uses from the low level spells.
They can take metamagicked spells as SLA's, if they desire.
They can take spells from any core 9 level list. Alignment restrictions are applicable for spells chosen. Unique/rare spells and those particular to a faith cannot be chosen.
They can't have more SLA's of a higher level then they do of any lower level.
They can't pick SLA's with expensive material components (i.e. that use more then 1 gp or so).
They can use metamagic SLA feats on these SLA's, if they take them.
Their caster level is their Ranks in UMD.
The save of any spells is 10+Spell level + 1/2 ranks in UMD (with the device being reality itself, in this case!).

So, effectively they end up with 3 Cantrips, +3/3/2/2/2/2/2/2/2, if they max the spell levels, ending up being able to use them 8/7/6/5/4/3/3/3/3 times a day each, by spell level.
Major/Minor Magic adds to these SLA's Known.
These spells are not considered to be on a spell list for purposes of the Rogue being able to use magic items.

So they end up with a lot of low level SLA"s and being able to use them a lot, but VERY little versatility in choice. Yet probably enough to really define the character.

==Aelryinth

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