Friday, November 7, 2014

GM_Solspiral's PAP Rogue Guide: Talents





Rogue Talents
Acrobatic Stunt all this complicated text for a chance for a situational extra 5ft step.
Assault Leader the 1 a day mechanic makes this terrible
Befuddling Strike this is a mere -2 for 1d4 rounds but it’s not that bad
Black Market Connections if you’re DM is anti-magic item wallmart have you caster become a crafter.
Bleeding Attack bleed keeps on happening after you’ve moved on unless they heal, especially for sap masters this can get really nasty. It’s also a fun rider on a hit and run.
Camouflage one check for an all day +4 to stealth? If I didn’t have better options…
Canny Observer +4 to perception can be a lifesaver, still better options are available.
Card Sharp yay a feat, boo a crap feat.
Charmer skills are not mind control, this is a reroll but not on something useful like a save.
Climbing Stunt these suck
Coax Information trade a class feature for something you can prolly do with roleplay, no thanks.
Combat Swipe ok so it’s a highly situational ability but against an enemy caster this can be a true monkey wrench if you steal the right item or spell component. Still what a crap feat.
Combat Trick we are so feat starved and this hits the spot twice if you’re a “swashbuckler”
Convincing Lie not an example of a convincing lie, “you should really take this.”
Cunning Trigger for the improviser build this is a really nice trick.
Deft Palm situationally useful.
Demon Lantern so you have to take dancing lights to get this instead of say a useful cantrip, your reward? The fascinated condition.
Disabling Stunt constructs are rare but deadly to a rogue, this helps.
Disease Use Filth fever, that disease 1st level characters with a good fort save are likely to shake off, really?
Distracting attack ok so I give up my sneak attack to make something flat footed for one round so they can maybe hit it and deal sneak attack. Even for my master of mephits build this sucks.
Escaping Stunt another super situational stunt huzzah.
Esoteric Scholar let the bard or wizard do these checks, this is not your role.
Expert Leaper ninjas do this better
Face in the Crowd a hat of disguise is cheap
False Friend yeah I’m not investing my rogue talents into social skills
Fast Fingers I can see this being cool when paired with weapon snatcher
Fast Getaway poor man’s pounce
Fast Picks you shouldn’t be doing this in combat anyway
Fast Stealth this is awesome with a good stealth build
Finesse Rogue look it’s the 2nd level rogue talent for everyone but brutes
Firearm Training I’d rather dip gunslinger but this is ok
Flying Stunt another super situational stunt
Follow Clues don’t take if you have a ranger, if not its better than investing in survival
Get Away Artist look it’s 3 new class skills
Grig Jig yay I can make someone do nothing but dance while I… do nothing but dance.
Grit it’s a free feat and pool, if you took firearms this is next
Guileful Polyglot let the bard or wizard do these checks, this is not your role.
Hard to Fool Paladins do this better, so do clerics and bards
Hold Breath scrolls are a better choice for when you need to function in water
Honeyed Words yeah I’m not investing my rogue talents into social skills
Iron Guts a bonus to situation conditions... sigh
Ki Pool not ideal but useful for some ninja tricks
Last Ditch Effort can save your bacon but traps are not common as they used to be
Lasting Poison for the Vishkanya this is Blue
Ledge Walker situationally useful
Major Magic look I get a SLA 2/day. Use this to grab something with a touch attack or Vanish.
Minor Magic 3/day cantrip, grab a ranged touch attack.
Nimble Climber ok so this is pathetic, get something that lets you fly.
Ninja Trick so many options, more if you take the dreaded ki pool.
Obfuscate Story yeah I’m not investing my rogue talents into social skills
Offensive Defense debuff the target’s counterstroke, noice
Papercraft tools yeah I’m not doing this EVER
Peerless Manuver this can save your bacon but there are such better choices
Philologist let the bard or wizard do these checks, this is not your role.
Positioning attack ok so you can move 30 but have to still be ajacent to the target and it’s 1/day, no thanks.
Powerful Sneak You mean I can miss more?
Quick Disable look a skill made faster that I’m not doing in combat
Quick Disguise see above
Quick Scrounge see above
Quick Trapsmith ok so if you’re the rare Maurice DeMare style trapper this is amazing- google him.
Rapid Boost meh
Resiliency ok, ideally this never happens but it can make a difference and save your character.
Riding Stunt for cavalier dips this is actually quite useful
Rogue Crawl ok so can see the use for the crossbow sniper types but I also wouldn’t play them.
Rope Master I wanted this to be so much cooler than it is.
Sacred Sneak Attack overcome DR without paying for a sacred weapon
Sacrifice Self If I were the type to take rogue talents this crappy I might consider using it.
Scavenger use this to piss off the players at your table as you’re that kind of jack wagon rogue.
Sleight of Hand Stunt face palm stunt.
Slow Reactions great for helping your flanking partner get into position.
Snap Shot who likes going as though they rolled a 20 and getting basically a free shot in the surprise round? Everyone.
Sneaky Maneuver -2 sucks but not as bad as your CMB does especially if you are small. Some of these are more disabling than the sneak attack would have been so not bad at all.
Sniper’s Eye useful to the sub-optimal archery builds
Stand Up wow this is an insult
Steal the Story  yeah I’m not investing my rogue talents into social skills
Stealth Stunt stunts, why do you suck?
Stem the Flow so I can shut down a channeler instead of you know 3d6 damage
Strong Impression if you have strength and are building to intimidate this is good.
Strong Stroke scrolls are a better choice for when you need to function in water
Surprise Attack look everyone it’s snap shot’s crappy little brother
Survivalist 2 class skills you don’t need
Swift Poison for the Vishkanya this is Blue
Swimming Stunt scrolls are a better choice for when you need to function in water
Terrain Mastery good for GMs that run their entire campaign in one setting
Trap Spotter radar for traps = me trading out trapfinding for something better.
Underhanded Ok so this can be brutal with Sap master, snap shot, a sling, and a weapon charm bracelet but you’re building up to be a one trick pony
Wall Scramble seriously get something that helps you fly
Weapon Training you have a to hit problem and this helps.


Advanced Talents
Another Day situationally a life saver, but still leaves you staggered possibly just delaying the inevitable.
Confounding Blades this is redundant with Slow Reactions and there’s simply better choices in the Advanced Talent pool
Crippling Strike every time you hit a spell caster they approach becoming immobilized at 0, every melee monster loses a little return damage on reprisals.
Deadly Cocktail even with my Vyshkanya poisoner this is bad.
Deadly Sneak you’re still taking a -2 to hit that you cannot afford.
Defensive Roll great talent except it’s a 1/day deal
Dispelling Attack doesn’t stack with Crippling but can really wreck a buffed up baddie’s day, worth taking both.
Entanglement of Blades by now you have a flanking partner, this locks down your foe into being flanked.
Familiar if you don’t already have one this is good, if you can get a 3rd one for your carnivalist this is great. No matter what the build this is minimally a 2 feat deal with an optionally weak flanker (dodo) but more likely a +4 to initiative bonus and Alertness feat.
Fast Tumble it forges a penalty on something you are more than likely already awesome at… take skill mastery instead
Frugal Trapsmith I like trapsmith builds and this sucks.
Feat rogues can always use MOAR FEATS
Get Away Master if you’re still trying to escape enough to want this you’re doing it wrong.
Hamstring Strike doesn’t stack with crippling strike or dispelling attack both are better
Hard Minded making slippery mind irrelevant
Harrow Strike even if this didn’t suck real hard 1/day.
Hide in Plain Sight unless you’re in a 1 terrain campaign I’d rather dip shadowdancer for a level.
Hunter’s Surprise even though it’s a 1/day use it lets you SA all your attack on one target, i.e. the spellcaster or boss
Knock Out Blow ok so I lose my sneak attack damage for a savable chance to KO no thanks
Improved Evasion who fails reflex saves at this stage?
Master of Disguise more masterful? Hat of Disguise.
Opportunist since by now everyone is making sure you get your flanks this is a free attack at your highest bonus every round. Yes please.
Redirect Attack both highly situational and 1/day this belongs on the other list
Rumor Monger finally I can be Gossip Girl
Skill Mastery the 3 skills 1) Stealth 2) Acrobatics 3) Use Magic Device take 10’s and win at everything forever.
Slippery Mind maybe if it stacks with Hard Mind
Stealthy Sniper situational and you should have other better tricks.
Thoughtful Rexamining this can be awesome, but would look so much better on a bard or cleric
Unwitting Ally so the bad guys go back to back to foil you’re flanking and surprise...
Weapon Snatcher ok so this makes Improved Unarmed worth it because you can boost your Sleight of Hand into the stratosphere, very nice.



Intro
Attributes and Races
Traits, Skills and Feats
Talents
Archetypes and Multiclassing

Builds
The Brogue
Drive by Skirmisher
Poison Ivy
Precision Packmaster
Intimidating Thug
Sneaking Arcanist 

The Improvisor
The Sniping Trigger
The Veiled Blade
Mephit Man

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