Rogue

Portrait

The Rogue is the archetype of speed and action volume. It begins with five attacks per round—more than anyone else—and alone has a serious reserve of general actions: twelve at Level 9, enough to juggle potions, objects, locks, and ropes as quickly as others strike.

The class pays with a middling HP base and standard Will. A Rogue who gets hit dies; a Rogue who strikes first wins.

Action Reserves

Level	1	3	5	7	9
Attacks	5	8	10	12	15
Spells	2	2	2	2	2
General Actions	4	7	10	12	12
Dedicated Dodges	2	2	3	3	4

Two large reserves advance together: the Rogue drinks a potion while attacking, draws while striking, and throws an alchemical projectile in the middle of an exchange. From Level 5 onward, the board has four slots per tick and either reserve can fill any of them. No archetype composes a tick more freely.

At Level 9, fifteen attacks open five slots per tick and can fill all fifteen spaces in the round. Twelve general actions can replace almost any of those attacks, but each takes a space the Rogue could have filled with a blow. The accomplished Rogue thus joins the Barbarian in saturation, with an even wider board.

Where a novice Fighter has one slot per tick and places three blows, the Rogue has two and places five smaller blows, adding Dexterity to damage instead of Strength (see Martial Combat and Defenses).

Hit Points

Base 8 per point of Strength.

Level	1	3	5	7	9	10
HP per Strength Point	8	16	32	64	128	256

Saves

• Good Saves: Reflex and Fortitude. 1d20 + attribute + level. The Rogue lives in sewers, tastes stolen goods, and handles personal poisons; the body has learned.
• Standard Save: Will. 1d20 + WIS + ½ level. This deliberate gap reflects an opportunist, not an ascetic. Illusion, fear, and domination find their mark. Avoid them: a Rogue who fails a Will Save at the wrong moment becomes the enemy's weapon.

Speed

The Rogue carries the Swift grade, shared with the Barbarian. Only a Monk of Kaz'Nakaram moves faster, and only because a piece of Valerium is doing it for him.

Level	1	3	5	7	9	10
Speed per Tick	40 ft	50 ft	60 ft	75 ft	90 ft	180 ft
Long Jump	40 ft	50 ft	60 ft	75 ft	90 ft	180 ft
High Jump	10 ft	12 ft	15 ft	18 ft	22 ft	45 ft

That is 180 ft per round at Level 9 while attacking. Against a slower opponent, a chase is no longer a roll but subtraction the Rogue wins in advance (see Movement, Space, and Ranges).

Martial Experience

A character of this class becomes substantially more effective in martial combat through experience. They should develop a fighting style appropriate to their weapons, body, and history through organic progression. Basic Fighting Style provides a reliable benchmark when designing that style; it is not granted automatically.

Predilection Feats

Opening attacks: Assassination · Sneak Attack · Shara's Style

Attack volume: Double Arrow · Combat Tactics · Lightning Reload · Empty the Cylinder

Survival and mobility: Lightning Reflexes · Deflect Projectiles · Heroic Reflex · Chain Dodge · No Challenge · Dodge and Knives · Slip Behind · Potion Glutton

Infiltration: Quick Disguise

Poisons and combat alchemy: Quick Application · Acquired Resistance

For a drow Rogue, racial powers naturally extend the profession: Drow Darkvision · Levitate · Darkness · Telekinesis

Playing a Rogue

• Dexterity is your master attribute. It governs the Reflex duel and therefore who acts first. A sufficient lead when emerging from hiding turns your attacks into automatic criticals (see Perception and Stealth).
• Your general-action reserve is a weapon. Other classes must sacrifice a tick to drink, pick up, or trigger an item; you do not. Potions and alchemical projectiles are to you what spells are to a mage.
• Will is your Achilles' heel. Illusion, fear, and domination are how an enemy turns you against your group. An item granting Wisdom is worth more to you than a weapon one tier higher.
• Four dedicated dodges at Level 9 is the game's maximum. Against a legendary weapon no one can parry, you alone can simply cease to be there.

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