Rokagu (Light-fingers)

Posted by EarthDragon on 10th Janury 2017.

Rokagu share little in common with each other. Some are stealthy thieves. Others are silver-tongued tricksters. Still others are scouts, infiltrators, spies, diplomats, or thugs. What they share is versatility, adaptability, and resourcefulness. In general, rokagu are skilled at getting what others don’t want them to get: entrance into a locked treasure vault, safe passage past a deadly trap, secret battle plans, a guard’s trust, or some random person’s pocket money.

  Adventures

Rokagu adventure for the same reason they do most things: to get what they can get. Some are after loot; others want experience. Some crave fame; others seek infamy. Quite a few also enjoy a challenge. Figuring out how to thwart a trap or avoid an alarm is great fun for many rokagu.

  Alignment

Rokagu follow opportunity, not ideals. They are more likely to be chaotic than lawful, but they are a diverse bunch, so they may be of any alignment.

  Background

Some rokagu are officially inducted into an organized fellowship of rokagu or “guild of thieves.” Some are self-taught; others learned their skills from independent mentors. Often, an experienced rokagu needs an assistant for scams, second-story jobs, or just for watching their back. They recruit a likely youngster, who then learns the skills of the trade on the job. Eventually, the trainee is ready to move on, perhaps because the mentor has run afoul of the law, or perhaps because the trainee has double-crossed their mentor and needs some “space.” Rokagu do not see each other as fellows unless they happen to be members of the same guild or students of the same mentor. In fact, rokagu trust other rokagu less than they trust anyone else. They’re no fools.

  Role

The rokagu’s role in a group can vary dramatically based on her skill selection—from charismatic con artist to cunning burglar to agile combatant—but most rokagu share certain aspects. They aren’t capable of prolonged melee combat, so they focus on opportunistic sneak attacks or ranged attacks. The rokagu’s stealth and their trap-finding ability make them one of the best scouts in the game.

  Game Rule Information

  Abilities

Dexterity provides extra protection for the lightly armoured rokagu. Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom are important for many of the rokagu’s skills. A high Intelligence score also gives the rokagu extra skill points, which can be used to expand their repertoire.

  Alignment

Any.

  Vitality Points

d6.

  Class Skills

The rokagu’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

  Skill Points at 1st Level

(8 + Int modifier) x 4.

  Skill Points at Each Additional Level

8 + Int modifier.

  Class Features

All of the following are class features of the rokagu.

  Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Rokagu are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, short bow, and short sword. Rokagu are proficient with light armour, but not with shields.

  Sneak Attack

If a rokagu can catch an opponent when they are unable to defend himself effectively from their attack, they can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, the rokagu’s attack deals extra damage any time their target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rokagu flanks their target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rokagu levels thereafter. Should the rokagu score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. A rokagu can’t strike with deadly accuracy from beyond that range. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rokagu can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. The rokagu cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because they must make optimal use of their weapon in order to execute a sneak attack. A rokagu can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rokagu must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rokagu cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

  Trap-finding

Rokagu (and only rokagu) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a non-magical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Rokagu (and only rokagu) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A rokagu who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with their party) without disarming it.

  Evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level and higher, a rokagu can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), they instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the rokagu is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless rokagu (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.

  Trap Sense (Ex)

At 3rd level, a rokagu gains an intuitive sense that alerts them to danger from traps, giving them a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rokagu reaches 6th level, to +3 when they reaches 9th level, to +4 when they reach 12th level, to +5 at 15th, to +6 at 18th level, etc. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

  Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, a rokagu can react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a rokagu already has uncanny dodge from a different class (a rokagu with at least two levels of barbarian, for example), they automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

  Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

A rokagu of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked; they can react to opponents on opposite sides of them as easily as they can react to a single attacker. This defence denies another rokagu the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking them, unless the attacker has at least four more rokagu levels than the target does. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rokagu level required to flank the character.

  Special Abilities

On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, 19th, etc.), a rokagu gains a special ability of their choice from among the following options.

A rokagu with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that their blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of their sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.

The rokagu can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than they otherwise would. Once per day, when they would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rokagu can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rokagu must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, they take only half damage from the blow; if it fails, they take full damage. They must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute the defensive roll— if they are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, they can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rokagu’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.

This ability works like evasion, except that while the rokagu still takes no damage on a successful Reflex Saving throw against attacks such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fireball, henceforth they take only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rokagu (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Once per round, the rokagu can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the rokagu’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rokagu with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.

The rokagu becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that they can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, the rokagu selects a number of skills equal to 3 + their Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, they may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent them from doing so. A rokagu may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

This ability represents the rokagu’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel them. If a rokagu with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails their saving throw, they can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. They get only this one extra chance to succeed on their saving throw.

A rokagu may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.

A rokagu may select one manoeuvre from the Rokagu Shadow Hand list (below) instead of a special ability or feat. The manoeuvres available are: Cloak of Deception, Drain Vitality, Shadow Jaunt, Shadow Garrotte, Strength Draining Strike, Hand of Death.

  Ex-Members

There are no special penalties for leaving this class.

* Base attack bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

** Save bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.