| Red Metal |
Ruffian Training (Ex): At 1st level, a rogue gains Power Attack as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites, and she gains proficiency in medium armor. If the rogue has the evasion class feature, it also functions while wearing medium armor. All rogue class features that use the rogue's Dexterity modifier instead use her Strength modifier. In addition, starting at 3rd level, whenever she attempts a combat maneuver against an opponent that would be subject to her sneak attack, she gains a +1 bonus on the combat maneuver check. This bonus increases to +2 at level 11, and +3 at level 19. If a rogue archetype trades away your proficiency with light armor, you also lose your proficiency with medium armor. This ability replaces finesse training.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
| Mysterious Stranger |
A rogue gaining power attack is not a good choice. They are a medium BAB class, and this effectively makes them a low BAB class. Since most rogues usually have a better DEX than STR finesse training acts a much-needed accuracy booster, this does the opposite. The other problem is that a rogue medium or heavier armor still takes the ACP and is movement penalties.
Instead of power attack, give them medium armor proficiency at 1st level and heavy armor proficiency at 7th level and the fighter’s armor training. Reducing the ACP will allow the STR based rogue to wear increasingly heavy armor while still being able to maneuver and be decent at things like acrobatics, climbing, and stealth.
Taja the Barbarian
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Gotta agree with the Mysterious Stranger on Power Attack: The '1 plus 1 per +4 BAB' penalty really hurts a 3/4 BAB class, particularly when you get iterative attacks with Sneak Attack and realize how much damage you lose by missing just one time due to the penalty.
At 9th level, Power Attack is still at -2/+4 for a rogue, which might seem okay until you realize your Sneak Attack is 5d6 at this point so converting one 'hit' into a 'miss' due to this penalty will negate several rounds of your power attack bonus.
Power attack also works best with two-handed weapons, which the rogue class isn't generally good with.
| SheepishEidolon |
Power Attack might work out during the first four levels, when medium BAB effectively only means -1 AB and the opponents' AC didn't scale that far yet. Further you usually don't go for two weapons with a Str based rogue, so you avoid the -2 AB a Dex based rogue might suffer. But afterwards it becomes increasingly situational IMO, reserved to the odd ooze, a door to smash or the outsider where you barely pass the DR otherwise. Unless you gain unusually good access to accuracy boosters (crafted equipment, bard focused on buffing etc.).
And actually it's good that different classes approach problems differently. There are enough classes which make good use of Power Attack, so rogue doesn't have to be one of them.
When it comes to combat maneuvers, rogue already has access to the Surprise Maneuver feat which turns it into a 5/4 BAB class for those. I wouldn't boost that further, especially since rogues profit a lot from dirty trick (blind).
Taja the Barbarian
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Honestly, if you are to build a Strength based rogue, the Slayer hybrid class is probably a better starting point: More HP, Better Saves, Better armor / weapon options, and Full BAB progression.
The Rogue chassis is just too Dexterity focused to really convert easily, as you have to work around their weapon / armor options, their only good save, and several of their traditional 'key' skills (disable device, stealth, acrobatics) all being 'designed' around a high dexterity score.
| exequiel759 |
In the revision I did to rogues I decided that they shouldn't be forced into Dexterity (or into a particular ability score for that matter) and to achieve that (among other things) I turned Finesse Training into a talent and made an "equivalent" talent for Strength-based rogues.
Armor Training (Ex): A rogue who selects this talent gains proficiency with medium armor. In addition, she reduces the armor check penalty for light and medium armor by an amount equal to her rogue’s edge bonus (to a minimum of 0). If this reduction in armor check penalty ever reaches 0 or lower, she can move at her normal speed with that piece of armor.
If you just want to remove Finesse Training, then I would suggest looking at the Expert Acrobat class feature that rogues with the acrobat archetype get. Something like that + bucklers and medium armor proficiency would be fitting IMO.