An urban campaign

I broke up a lot of my finals studying malaise by reading RPG-related materials and thinking about how they could get turned into a fun campaign.  For awhile now, I've been toying with the idea of a Kaer Maga campaign.  I have some basic ideas, which I'll share in depth at another time.  This campaign would be a good mix of combat and social RP/problem solving.  I feel like the City of Strangers presents some good opportunities to make that happen.

But, one of the challenges with doing something like this is that you need lots and lots of NPCs.  You also need to have scalable NPCs.  This is important both to keep the PCs' challenges in line but also to ensure that you've got a plausible opponent for any time.  To that end, I've been busy creating gangs and monsters.  I'm pretty pleased with the low-CR sandstone golem I've created that monitors the streets of Bis for the Ardoc family.

But, my favorite faction in Kaer Maga is the Tallow Boys.  Gentlemen of ill repute who are devoted gatherers of information from the beds they frequent, they are fantastic possible NPCs.  I actually like the idea of just working them in here and there.  I've built them to be combination rogue (chameleon archetype) and enchanters.  If the PC has a conversation with a rando on the street or in a tavern and then finds his belt pouch missing hours later, will she even consider the possibility of who took it?  Even a sense motive check could be suspect if the Tallow Boy charmed the PC first.

PC: I pay for the [insert item here].
GM: As you reach for your money pouch, you notice that it isn't there.
PC: Damn!  It must have been that guy that accosted me in the bar.
GM: Make a sense motive check
PC: I rolled a 19.  That's a 26 with my sense motive.
GM: You don't feel like that's who took it...

So, without further ado, here are CR 1, 3, and 5 Tallow Boy stat blocks:

Tallow Boy CR 1
XP 400
CN Medium rogue (chameleon) 1/enchanter 1
Init +7; Senses Perception +6
Defense
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
hp 10 (1d8-1; 1d6-1)
Fort +0 (2/3), Ref +2 (+5/6), Will +2 (+5/6)
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee  masterwork cold iron dagger +4 (1d4)
Ranged masterwork hand crossbow +5 (1d4)
Special Attacks dazing touch (5/day), sneak attack +1d6
Spells (CL 1, Concentration +4)
               1^st Level – charm person^S, comprehend languages, expeditious retreat
               0^th Level  – ghost sound, message, prestidigitation
               ^S = Specialist school spell
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 8, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +1; CMB +1;  CMD 14
Feats Improved Initiative; Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand), Weapon Finesse
Skills Appraise +2, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +8, Disable Device +7 (+9 thieves tools), Disguise +5, Escape Artist +3, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (notoriety) +6, Perception +6, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +11, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +3
Languages Common, Elven, Osirian, Ulfen
SQ arcane bond (dagger), arcane school (enchantment), enchanting smile, finesse training misdirection (4), opposition schools (conjuration & necromancy),
Ecology
Environment Downmarket, Hospice, Oriat
Organization Single, band (1d4)
Combat Gear masterwork arcane bond dagger, masterwork hand crossbow, crossbow bolts (10), belt pouch,  spellbook, masterwork thieves tools, scroll of invisibility
Spellbook 0^th Level: arcane mark, dancing lights, flare, light, ray of frost, daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance
First Level: charm person^S, comprehend languages, disguise self, expeditious retreat, sleep^S
Special Abilities
Dazing Touch (Sp) You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your wizard level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.  Dazed: The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.
Misdirection (Ex) Every day she gains a pool of stealth points equal to her ranks in Bluff. These points refresh at the start of each day. Before making a Stealth check, she can choose to put stealth points into the roll, gaining a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the number of stealth points she puts into the roll. If she gains a bonus on Bluff checks because of a feat (such as Skill Focus [Bluff ]), she adds a number of points to her stealth pool equal to the bonus the feat grants.

----------------------

Tallow Boy CR 3
XP 800
CN Medium rogue (chameleon) 2/enchanter 2
Init +9; Senses Perception +9
Defense
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
hp 20 (2d8; 2d6)
Fort +2 (2/3), Ref +3 (+2/3), Will +3 (+2/3)
Defensive Abilities evasion
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee  masterwork cold iron dagger +5 (1d4+3)
Ranged +1 hand crossbow +6 (1d4+1)
Special Attacks dazing touch (5/day), sneak attack +1d6
Spells (CL 1, Concentration +4)
               1^st Level – charm person^S (DC 14), comprehend languages, memory lapse^APG (DC 14), expeditious retreat
               0^th Level  – ghost sound (DC 12), message, prestidigitation, ray of frost
               ^S = Specialist school spell
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +2 (5/12); CMB +1;  CMD 14
Feats Improved Initiative; Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand), Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +2, Bluff +9, Climb +4, Diplomacy +8, Disable Device +7 (+9 thieves tools), Disguise +6, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (notoriety) +6, Linguistics +6, Perception +9, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +10, Survival +3, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Common, Elven, Osirian, Ulfen
SQ arcane bond (dagger), arcane school (enchantment), enchanting smile, finesse training misdirection (6), opposition schools (conjuration & necromancy), rogue talent (favored terrain: urban).
Ecology
Environment Downmarket, Hospice, Oriat
Organization Single, band (1d4)
Combat Gear masterwork arcane bond dagger, +1 hand crossbow, crossbow bolts (10), belt pouch,  spellbook, masterwork thieves tools, scroll of invisibility
Spellbook 0^th Level: arcane mark, dancing lights, flare, light, ray of frost, daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance
First Level: charm person^S, comprehend languages, disguise self, expeditious retreat, magic weapon, magic aura, sleep^S
Special Abilities
Dazing Touch (Sp) You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your wizard level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.  Dazed: The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.
Favored Terrain (Ex) The stats above reflect the Tallow Boy in his favored urban terrain.  When outside of the city, the Tallow Boy has the following stats: Init +7; Skills Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +7, Stealth +8, Survival +1.
Misdirection (Ex) Every day she gains a pool of stealth points equal to her ranks in Bluff. These points refresh at the start of each day. Before making a Stealth check, she can choose to put stealth points into the roll, gaining a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the number of stealth points she puts into the roll. If she gains a bonus on Bluff checks because of a feat (such as Skill Focus [Bluff ]), she adds a number of points to her stealth pool equal to the bonus the feat grants.

---------------------------------

Tallow Boy CR 5
XP 1,600

CN Medium rogue (chameleon) 3/enchanter 3
Init +9; Senses Perception +11

Defense
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 dex, +1 natural)
hp 28 (3d8; 3d6)
Fort +3 (1/3), Ref +7 (+1/2), Will +5 (+1/2)
Defensive Abilities evasion

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee  +1 cold iron dagger +7 (1d4)
Ranged masterwork hand crossbow +6 (1d4)
Special Attacks dazing touch (5/day), sneak attack +2d6
Spells (CL 1, Concentration +4)
               2^nd Level – detect thoughts, invisibility, touch of idiocy^S (DC 17)

               1^st Level – charm person^S (DC 16), comprehend languages, disguise self, expeditious retreat
               0^th Level  – ghost sound (DC 13), message, prestidigitation, ray of frost
               ^S = Specialist school spell

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +3 (1/2); CMB +3;  CMD 16
Feats Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Improved Initiative; Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand), Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +2, Bluff +11, Climb +4, Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +8 (+10 thieves tools), Disguise +6, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (notoriety) +7, Linguistics +6, Perception +11, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +14, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +11, Survival +3, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Common, Elven, Osirian, Ulfen
SQ arcane bond (dagger), arcane school (enchantment), effortless sneak (urban), enchanting smile, finesse training misdirection (8), opposition schools (conjuration & necromancy), rogue talent (favored terrain: urban)

Ecology
Environment Downmarket, Hospice, Oriat
Organization Single, band (1d4)
Combat Gear +1 arcane bond dagger, masterwork hand crossbow, amulet of natural armor, crossbow bolts (10), belt pouch,  spellbook, masterwork thieves tools
Spellbook 0^th Level: arcane mark, dancing lights, flare, light, ray of frost, daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance
First Level: charm person^S, comprehend languages, disguise self, expeditious retreat, magic weapon, magic aura, sleep^S
Second Level: detect thoughts, invisibility, touch of idiocy^S

Special Abilities
Dazing Touch (Sp) You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your wizard level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.  Dazed: The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.

Effortless Sneak (Sp) While in urban terrain, a Tallow Boy can take 10 on any Stealth check he can make within that terrain.

Favored Terrain (Ex) The stats above reflect the Tallow Boy in his favored urban terrain.  When outside of the city, the Tallow Boy has the following stats: Init +7; Skills Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +7, Stealth +8, Survival +1.

Misdirection (Ex) Every day she gains a pool of stealth points equal to her ranks in Bluff. These points refresh at the start of each day. Before making a Stealth check, she can choose to put stealth points into the roll, gaining a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the number of stealth points she puts into the roll. If she gains a bonus on Bluff checks because of a feat (such as Skill Focus [Bluff ]), she adds a number of points to her stealth pool equal to the bonus the feat grants.

Skills Systems in General and in Pathfinder Unchained

In this series about Pathfinder Unchained, I’ve been considering the alternate sub-systems proposed piece by piece.  But, I’m going to pass over a lot of Chapter 2, which proposes to create new sub-systems for dealing with skills.  If you’re interested in hearing a lot about each of them, I’ll refer you to Private Sanctuary Podcast Episode 261.  They talk about this stuff in a lot of depth there.  I’m going to give each sub-system a quick once-over at the end of this post, but I’m going to spend the bulk talking about skill systems in general.

As many have noted, the Pathfinder Core Rulebook spends less time talking about skills than any other section of the game (except maybe ability scores).  The skills chapter begins on page 86 (well, the content, anyway) and ends on page 109.  That’s 24 pages.  Contrast this with the entire Combat chapter (roughly the same length) and the Magic chapter, more than half of which is devoted to casting spells in combat.  This seems odd since the bulk of the game (and, in my campaigns at least) the bulk of actual playing time is spent on dealing with role-playing and associated skill checks. 

Why is this?  Because skills are completely arbitrary.  It doesn’t matter if you use the preset Pathfinder skills or make the changes that Unchained offers.  In many ways, Pathfinder’s skill system is automatically flawed because it’s based on ranks alone.  It’s infinitely simpler than Shadowrun’s arguably better system, because that “better” system achieves greater versatility through far more complexity.  It’s more spread out that 13^th Age’s background point system (which I would argue is the best skills system out there right now) and allows for more specialization but less intuitiveness.  In Pathfinder, you place 2 ranks in skills and that’s it.  There’s no portability between Profession (butcher) when you need to use a Survival check to skin an animal (though, of course, there should be).  It’s certainly better than the Cypher System’s bare bones system that gives you almost no ability to have skills at first “level.”

That’s because (perfect simulationists look away!) interpreting and adjudicating skills checks will always be too complex and too arbitrary to be subject to anything more than GM fiat.  Can I use this skill in an unusual way to do that thing?  GM discretion.  RPGs attempt to simulate life, that’s why the definitive book about the genre’s history is called Playing at the World (emphasis mine).  And life is messy.  Life is complex.  Life is about judgment calls.  Combat is a highly mechanized system of adjudicating something that most of us never experience in our real lives.  But, many of the actions adjudicated by skills checks happen to us, the players and the GM, all the time. 

Some of this stuff makes sense in a dice-rolling world and some of it doesn’t.  Rolling sense motive against bluff to determine whether or not someone was fooled?  That might make sense when the player is the one rolling sense motive.  But, not when the player is the one rolling the bluff check.  Should the player get a bonus for good role-playing?  What if the player’s bluff role-play was fantastic but the character’s skills make such a performance unlikely?  Should there still be a bonus then?  On one hand, the dice seem to help keep that in check.  But, taking a dice-only approach to its logical conclusion and there’s no room for role-playing at all.  At best, GMs can ask players to create good backgrounds and play their characters within them.

There are going to be times that the skill use is just too unbelieveable.  When allowing this type of off-skill use, players should have to explain how their unconventional use of the skill would allow them to do the desired action and they should have to explain it in real terms, not game mechanics.  If that barrier can’t be crossed, no need.  But, if it can, even implausibly, let it go.

Because, here’s the other thing about skill checks, and it’s really goddamned important.  Only the GM knows what the skill check DC is.  So, when Player 1 asks if he can use a skill in an unusual way, the GM is going to be the one that determines what the chances are for success.  Does the weird use line up with the character’s background?  Does it seem right that the character’s skill set would allow something like this?  Great.  DC 10.  Hell, even DC 5 or DC 0 depending on what the player is trying to do.  Is the player’s request to use the skill in an unusual way not in line with the character’s background or the skill too different from the intended result?  Set the DC for using the different skill at +10, +20, or even +30. 

Most likely, set the DC somewhere higher, but somewhere that the player can conceivably reach.  But, rolling 20 on a skill check doesn’t guarantee success.  That means that there are some skill-related things that the character just can’t succeed at no matter how hard they try.  If that feels too harsh, set the DC at a level that could only be reached if the player rolled a 20 on her skill check and every other character in the party successfully aided. 

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And guess what, miracles do happen.  If the players clear this hurdle, be prepared to go with it.  Maybe there’s something secret about Acrobatics that helps in picking locks?  Perhaps the character learned a specific yoga technique that’s tied into undoing the mystic lock holding fast the doors to the secret temple his monk order is sworn to keep sealed.  If the character makes the check, great creativity.  If the characters start getting too wild with their skill uses.  In this case, the character was partly right: there is a yogic secret to unlocking the doors.  But, the character didn’t learn and/or execute it correctly.  The calikangs guarding the door notice that someone is impersonating a monk of the Most Sacred and Holy Order of Improvisation and attack those who would defile the temple!

At the end of the day, skill checks are the providence of the GM.  Let the GM decide what the likelihood is that a character with a similar background and experiences can succeed at the task and set the DC.  If the task is difficult for student, maybe the Knowledge check DC is 20 or 25.  But, if it’s difficult for a master librarian, the check can be 35 or 40.  And guess what?  No matter what, the check is only possible for the player that’s put time and effort into developing skills and a good background.  And this is immaterial no matter what skill check system you are using.

Ultimately, this is as it should be.  Because the game really isn’t about rolling dice.  Pathfinder, like all RPGs that have a referee, is about trust.  Players must trust that their GM is honest about setting up challenges for them.  Players need to trust that their GM has created challenges that the challenges can be overcome (or that there’s a good story-related reason that they can’t).  Players also need to feel like they can challenge their GM with creative uses of their skills and powers, and that their GM will rise to the challenge by letting the story incorporate their success and move forward.  Trust me, your game will improve for it.

Now that you’re done reading me wax poetic about skills systems.  In return for your patience, here are some brief thoughts about the sub-systems from Pathfinder Unchained:

Bankground Skills: This is to allow characters to have more of a personality outside of the game.  First, skills are divided into adventuring skills and background skills.  Characters get their normal number of skill ranks plus or minus modifiers to spend on skills.  But, they get an extra two skill ranks per level that can be placed only in background skills.  If the background skill is a class skill, the PC still gets the extra ranks, though a player cannot invest more skill ranks in a skill than she has levels.  Two extra background skills are introduced: artistry and lore.  Artistry is a class skill for any class that has Perform or Craft as class skills.  It’s to cover characters that are working on that masterpiece not covered by the traditional crafting system, like a play.  Lore is a class skill for everyone and it functions like a super-specific knowledge skill.  Think Lore (planar fire spells) or Lore ([insert name of city from your campaign here]). 

In general, I already use something like this system: my PCs get an extra skill rank every level that they invest in the same skill every level and is related to their background.  For most characters, this works out as a Craft, Perform, or Profession skill.  Some creative players have gotten Knowledge (nobility) for being noble scions or Knowledge (notoriety) (a skill that exists only in my as-yet-non-existent Kaer Maga campaign) for growing up on the streets and being inducted into gangs.

Consolidated Skills: Reduces the number of skills from 35 to 12.  Doesn’t require changing much though it can really mess with feats.  Because of that, I’d lean against it, but, as I’ve noted above, skills are arbitrary anyway.

Grouped Skills: Skills are placed into six groups.  Characters get a number of skill groups that they automatically gain ½ their level ranks of (minimum one).  Along the way, classes pick up extra skill groups, to a total of five.  Additionally, players get to allocate half of their normal skill ranks in skills. 

Alternate Crafting and Profession Rules: The original game is called Dungeons & Dragons, not Actuaries and Accountants.  Enough said.

Pathfinder Unchained: Removing Alignment

While I'm not the hugest fan of alignment at the table, I try not to let it really affect gameplay.  This is one of the reasons I highly discourage (though do not ban) paladins at my table.  To me alignment is a sort of shorthand between players and GMs whereby the players are telling the GM how their characters see the world from the most general perspective.  At the same time, when the GM suggests or mandates only certain alignments for a game or a campaign, it's a suggestion that characters will want to have (or not have, in the case of bans) certain outlooks on life.  Characters that don't share that outlook won't "fit" well into the story.  Sometimes characters surprise me.  But, generally you know: the neutral evil character is not going to enjoy playing the hero in a story involving rescuing children for no reward beyond the goodwill of the poor townsfolk.  Sure, he may get free drinks in the tavern, but it's not getting him towards accumulated power and that's that.

Loyalties, or Alignment by Another Name

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So, Pathfinder Unchained's section suggesting removing alignment was pretty attractive to me.  I wasn't a big fan of replacing alignment with "loyalties" to specific concepts.  Some might like this, but to me loyalties are just a way of reimposing alignment without using the same terminology.  The same fights will happen, they'll just be about whether or not the paladin's actions are in line with his code--which, by the way, is explicitly spelled out on page 100.  Barbarians, Clerics, and monks get similar treatment.  Clerics must have alignments in line with their deity's goals.  Barbarians can't have loyalties to law-related concepts and the converse for monks.  The point of removing alignment is to free the players, not to further constrain them!

So, I am not a big fan of the loyalties system, but not everything in here is a wash.  First, though not most importantly, I am loving the picture of Seelah standing at a signpost with directions (in opposite directions, of course) to the burning orphanage and the anti-paladin's castle.  It's hilarious.  Seelah also looks pretty badass.  The Creatures, Spells, and Effects section has some great suggestions for how you could make some changes to the game.  Let's discuss:

Full Removal
This is really just mechanical advice.  If you take alignment completely out of your game, there are a few adjustments you'll need to make so that the rest of the power system functions.  For instance, monsters with alignment-related spells or spell-like abilities will need new ones of similar power.  Abilities that only target some types of alignment will need to be replaced.  This is pretty obvious, but it's good that the designers considered this.  I'd have preferred that they consider this option for removing alignment first, but this is a start.

Aligned Loyalties
Basically, you adopt the loyalties system and let spells, abilities, etc. that affect alignments affect those who have loyalties to law, chaos, good, evil, etc.  The only way that this could really be made fun would be to let those four all conflict with balance.  But, I'm betting you wouldn't see anyone with loyalties to neutrality after that...This seems meh.

Outsiders Only
Actually, I quite like this both as a player and as a GM.  Let the creatures of the outer planes continue playing a role of ultimate good or evil but recognize that humans are cut from more complex cloth.  Detect evil might or might not pick up the evil-acting warlord, but it will find the devil hiding in the tower.  The challenges here would be how to deal with clerics, paladins, and antipaladins.  Not a huge headache, but certainly not the most fun.

Radiant and Shadow
Rather than having the spells deal alignment-based damage, just reconfigure them as something else.  Law, chaos, good, and evil all become different types of energy.  Further, creatures with an affinity for these energies are likely immune to them.  BUT, and this is the kicker, the energies aren't tied to specific moral codes.  This could make for an interesting one-shot game, but I'm just not finding it inspiring for something long term.

Subjective Morality
I think that this is my favorite of the options--not surprisingly, it's got the longest set of text about it.  Basically, you get rid of all all alignment-based effects except good ones.  Then, those effects are actualized by working on those who are opposite of their user.  For instance, detect evil doesn't discover people who are evil.  Rather, it discovers people who hold views opposed to your own.  It's unclear if opposed to your own means opposing viewpoints or animus.  The book suggests fixing this with the loyalty system.  I think GM fiat works best.  Same goes for whether or not holy swords work on someone.  Fun thing about this concept:  it means that spells like detect evil and the extra effects of holy weapons will sometimes work on enemies and won't at other times--including for the same enemy.  That's a fun storytelling tool to hold in your pocket as a GM.

Pathfinder Unchained's New Rogue

The Unchained Rogue

To opine about what’s better (or worse) about the Unchained Rogue, you’ll need to know exactly where the changes are.  So, at the end of this review is an explanation as to how the class has been changed.  Items struck through in the Core Rogue column are abilities removed from the traditional class.  In the Unchained Rogue column, bold text indicates a new ability and italics indicate that a previous ability has been modified (usually one that’s struck through in the Core column).  Everything else is pretty self explanatory, but you can read it in depth on pp. 20-24 of the book.

What’s New

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A lot is new.  The Unchained rogue has grown quite a bit from its Core Rulebook predecessor.  That makes sense—the complaint was that the rogue was underpowered (though I think those people were just not playing in RP-heavy or skills-heavy campaigns and/or were PFS folks).  The Unchained rogue is a lot more powerful.  All rogues now get weapon finesse as a bonus feat.  Additionally, at third level, rogues can apply Dexterity to damage (cue holy grail music) using a single type of weapon.  Two more weapons get added in further down the line.

Sneak attacks have been buffed with the debilitating injury ability and with various rogue talents.  In fact, only one rogue talent (terrain mastery) gets any sort of nerf, and I think that the decision to deal with higher bonuses for terrain mastery by creating an advanced terrain mastery, greater talent makes a lot more sense and provides good balance with the ranger.  Rogue’s edge gives rogues extra versatility in using skills by opening up a whole subsystem only to them.  With edge, rogues really do become the masters of skills they are supposed to be.  Finally, changing master strike to make the DC based on the rogue’s dexterity bonus instead of her intelligence bonus doesn’t seem like a huge change, but it’s a nice nod to the fact that capstone abilities should make the player feel awesome rather than limited.

Overall, I’m very excited about these changes.  Dexterity to damage feels appropriate, but balance is maintained by requiring the rogue to get to third level to access it.  3 levels is a little much for another class to take a “dip,” (though that might make more sense now if you’re using fractional bonuses).  The rogue’s skill abilities have been beefed up and sneak attack can do a lot more than it could before with debilitating injury.  I’d be happy to convert my PFS rogue over to the Unchained version.

Updated Crunch

Level	Core Rogue	Unchained Rogue
1	Sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding	Finesse Training, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2	Evasion, rogue talent	Evasion, rogue talent
3	Sneak attack +2d6, trap sense +1	Danger sense +1, finesse training, sneak attack +2d6
4	Rogue talent, uncanny dodge	Debilitating injury, rogue talent, uncanny dodge
5	Sneak attack +3d6	Rogue’s edge, sneak attack +3d6
6	Rogue talent, trap sense +2	Danger sense +2, rogue talent
7	Sneak attack +4d6	Sneak attack +4d6
8	Improved uncanny dodge, rogue talent	Improved uncanny dodge, rogue talent
9	Sneak attack +5d6, trap sense +3	Danger sense +3, sneak attack +5d6
10	Advanced talents, rogue talent	Advanced talents, rogue talent, rogue’s edge
11	Sneak attack +6d6	Finesse training, sneak attack +6d6
12	Rogue talent, trap sense +4	Danger sense +4, rogue talent
13	Sneak attack +7d6	Sneak attack +7d6
14	Rogue talent	Rogue talent
15	Sneak attack +8d6, trap sense +5	Danger sense +5, Rogue’s edge, sneak attack +8d6
16	Rogue talent	Rogue talent
17	Sneak attack +9d6	Sneak attack +9d6
18	Rogue talent, trap sense +6	Danger sense +6, rogue talent
19	Sneak attack +10d6	Finesse Training, sneak attack +10d6
20	Master strike, rogue talent	Master strike, rogue talent, rogue’s edge

Finesse Training: There’s some awesome stuff going on here.  At first level, the Unchained Rogue gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.  Additionally, at third level, the rogue picks one light weapon and gains to dex to damage with that type of weapon.  The rogue adds another at 11^th and 19^th levels.

Rogue Talents:

·      Bleeding Attack: No change

·      Camouflage^APG: No longer limited to one use/day.

·      Certainty^NEW: The rogue can make one reroll/day on a skill check using the skill she selected rogue’s edge in.  She gains an extra reroll at 10^th, 15^th, and 20^th levels.  Talent can be selected multiple times, but for different skills each time.  Must be 5^th level.

·      Coax Information^APG: When using bluff or diplomacy in place of intimidate to make another act friendly, the target’s attitude returns to its original state instead of dropping one level.

·      Combat Swipe^APG: No change

·      Combat Trick: No change

·      Esoteric Scholar^UC: No change

·      Expert Leaper^APG: In addition to all initial benefits, a rogue with this skill adds her rogue level to Acrobatics skills checks to jump.  When deliberately falling, in addition to ignoring first 20 feet fallen, she ignores another 10 feet for every 5 by which she exceeds the DC 15 check.

·      Fast Stealth: No change

·      Follow clues^APG: No change

·      Hold Breath^UC: Rogue doubles the amount of time she can hold her breath but this talent can now be taken only once.

·      Lasting Poison^APG: When a rogue applies poison to a weapon, it lasts as many rounds as her Dexterity modifier (min. 2) instead of only 2.  Still need swift poison to apply poison as a standard action instead of a full-round one.

·      Ledge Walker: In addition to the previous bonuses, a rogue can also move along uneven or slippery surfaces full speed using the Acrobatics skill.  In addition to not being flat-footed, Pathfinder Unchained makes it clear that she retains her dexterity bonus to AC.

·      Major Magic: Increases number of uses of first-level spell as a spell-like ability from 2 to equal to the rogue’s level.

·      Minor Magic: Increases number of uses of 0^th-level spell as a spell-like ability from 3/day to unlimited castings.

·      Multitalented^NEW: Rogue can use a rogue talent normally usable only once per day another time.  Gains another extra use at 10^th and 18^th levels and extra uses can be on different once per day talents.  Does not work with advanced rogue talents.

·      Nimble Climber: Instead of making a climb check with a DC of surface base DC + 10, the rogue makes a Reflex save at the same DC as the original Climb check to avoid falling.

·      Powerful Sneak: Still take the -2 to attack rolls, but reroll 1s on sneak attack damage rather than just treating them as 2s.  Can reroll all sneak attack dice that come up as 1, but get only one reroll.

·      Quick Disable: In addition to complex locks taking only half the time, disable device checks that normally require a full-round action can be performed with a standard action.

·      Resiliency: Doubles temporary hit points gained to twice the rogue’s level.

·      Rogue Crawl: In addition to all previous benefits, the rogue also reduces attack rolls and AC penalties for being prone by 2 (normally to -2).

·      Slow Reactions: No change

·      Stand Up: Rogue can still stand up as a free action that provokes attacks of opportunity, but can also choose to stand up as a swift action that does not provoke.

·      Surprise Attack: In addition to treating all opponents as flat-footed during the surprise round, the rogue adds ½ her rogue level to sneak attack damage during the surprise round.

·      Terrain Mastery^UC: When the rogue takes second, third, etc. favored terrains, she no longer gains a +2 bonus for her previously selected favored terrains.  (Only nerf I’ve found yet!)

·      Trap Spotter: No changes.

·      Weapon Training^UC: No changes.

Danger Sense (replacing Trap Sense)

In addition to +1 on Reflex saves to avoid traps and +1 dodge bonus to AC, the rogue also gains +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised.  Rises by another +1 every 3 levels.  Counts as trap sense for qualifying for archetypes.  If another class grants trap sense bonuses, these stack with those.

Debilitating Injury: In addition to a penalty attached to a rogue talent, the rogue can cause negative conditions to affect targets of her successful sneak attacks for 1 round.  Three possible conditions including -2 to AC (bewildered), -2 to attack rolls against the rogue only, reduces target’s movement by half and target cannot take a 5 ft. step.  Penalties don’t stack, but can be extended with more successful sneak attacks.  Creature cannot suffer from more than one penalty form this attack at a time.  FAQ Note: Unclear if this means the creature cannot suffer from more than one of these effects at a time or if the creature cannot suffer from more than one of these effects from each rogue dealing them at a time.  I’d rule the latter.  Healing the creature also ends the effect.

Rogue’s Edge: This new ability is very cool.  It basically incorporates another sub-system allowing PCs to specialize in skills as a rogue class ability.  Each skill gets special uses unlocked at 5, 10, 15, and 20 skill ranks.  Rogue gets this ability at 5^th, 10^th, 15^th, and 20^th levels.  Other characters have to use a feat to get skill unlocks.  I’ll cover those in more depth in a later post, but this a great ability!

Advanced Rogue Talents

·      Crippling Strike: No changes

·      Cutting Edge^NEW: Immediately select two more skills for her rogue’s edge ability.  Option to select this multiple times.

·      Deadly Sneak: Instead of traditional ability counting all 1s and 2s on sneak attacks as 3s, rogue now rerolls 1s and 2s.  But, gets only one reroll.  Editorial: I’m 50/50 as to whether this is better than the traditional ability.  The Unchained powerful sneak attack is clearly better, but this one is less clear cut.

·      Defensive Roll: No changes

·      Dispelling Attack: No chanages

·      Double Debilitation^NEW: When inflicting penalties using her debilitating injury effect, the rogue can impose two types of penalties instead of just one.

·      Feat: No changes

·      Improved Evasion: No changes

·      Light Walker^NEW: Rogue can move at full speed through difficult terrain and take 5 ft. steps into difficult terrain.  Ledge walker is a prerequisite talent.

·      Master of Disguise^APG: Use still limited to once per day, but it’s now just a standard action to make the disguise and retain the +10 bonus to the disguise check.

·      Multitalented, Greater^NEW: Allows selecting the multitalented rogue talent again to gain even more uses of once per day talents.  FAQ Note: The text on this ability is really vague.  I think that’s what they mean here, but would to hear other thoughts!

·      Opportunist: Removes the restriction on using Combat Reflexes feat to use this rogue talent to gain more than one attack of opportunity against a struck opponent per round.

·      Quick Shot^NEW: Whenever a rogue is holding a readied range weapon and makes an initiative check, she gets a bonus attack as part of the initiative rolling process.  Note: This talent is out of order in the book, appearing between Slippery Mind and Terrain Mastery, Greater.

·      Skill Mastery: Limits skills selected for mastery to only three, but adds all skills for which the rogue has taken rogue’s edge to be counted as well. (i.e., since this talent isn’t usable until 10^th level, selecting it at 10^th level means a minimum of 4 skills: two from rogue’s edge and two chosen by the PC).

·      Slippery Mind: No changes

·      Terrain Mastery, Greater^NEW: Bonuses in a favored terrain selected through normal rogue talent increases to +4, and then to +6 at 13^th level and +8 at 18^th level.

Master Strike: Save DC against a master strike is now 10 + ½ rogue’s level + Dexterity modifier instead of Intelligence modifier.