THE ROGUE:
“Yeah, the dragon's dead, but that was just a side-track. Now for the important part: looting.”
Adept at stealth, scouting, and the finding and creation of traps, rogues are really good as the first adventurer into a room – and the first one out. The contents of a rogue's knapsack may seem to just be ball bearings, rags, a bottle of cider and some string, but in their hands, that is a deadly arsenal. Rogues have an array of combat techniques that they can use without limit, but that require certain battlefield conditions, causing them to dance about the battlefield to get into position.
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points Per Level: 8 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at level 1)
Class Skills: all of them (this only includes skills that are accepted as actually existing in the game, so does not include Iaijutsu Focus in games that don't actually have that, nor does it involve Knowledge: The Plot of This Game or whatever)
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbow, Rapier, Sap, Short Bow, Short Sword.
Armour Proficiencies: Light Armour and Cloth Armour (Not Armour). No Shields.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Techniques | Capacity |
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak Attack, Trapfinding | 4 | 4 |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Unhindered Stealth | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge, Evasion | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Skill Mastery | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Stylish Techniques, Fast Stealth | 9 | 6 |
| 6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Opportunist | 10 | 7 |
| 7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Improved Uncanny Dodge | 11 | 7 |
| 8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Skill Mastery | 12 | 8 |
| 9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Amazing Techniques | 14 | 8 |
| 10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Improved Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight | 15 | 9 |
| 11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Crippling Strike | 16 | 9 |
| 12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Skill Mastery | 17 | 10 |
| 13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Impossible Techniques | 19 | 10 |
| 14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | Greater Uncanny Dodge | 20 | 11 |
| 15 | +11/+6/+6 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Friend’s Evasion | 21 | 11 |
| 16 | +12/+7/+7 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Skill Mastery | 22 | 12 |
| 17 | +12/+7/+7 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Perfect Techniques | 24 | 12 |
| 18 | +13/+8/+8 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Exploit Weakness | 25 | 13 |
| 19 | +14/+9/+9 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Perfect Evasion | 26 | 13 |
| 20 | +15/+10/+10 | +6 | +12 | +6 | Skill Perfection | 27 | 14 |
Trapfinding (Ex): the Rogue is able to find traps with the Search skill, even if they are magical and have a Search DC higher than 20.
Sneak Attack (Ex): the Rogue gains the Sneak Attack ability. Whenever she flanks a foe or the opponent is denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class, her attacks deal extra damage. This starts at +1d6 and increased by another 1d6 at every odd level. This suffers the usual restrictions on Sneak Attack, such as range, and not affecting most things that are not subject to extra damage from Critical Hits. A Rogue with any ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can deal Sneak Attack damage to Undead with the [Unliving] Subtype, and if she has any ranks in Knowledge (Engineering) she may deal Sneak Attack damage to Constructs. If she has any ranks in Knowledge (The Planes) she may deal Sneak Attack damage to Elementals, and if she has any ranks in Knowledge (Nature) she may deal Sneak Attack damage to Plants.
Techniques: the Rogue gains a number of abilities over her career called Techniques. These fall under two categories: Exploits, which can be used at will, without preparation, but require certain conditions to be met, and Devices, which have to be prepared beforehand, requiring one minute of preparation per Device. The Rogue has a limit to how many Devices can be prepared at a given time, and that equals her Capacity. It is best for a Rogue to have a few of each. Each Technique lists whether it is an Extraordinary or Supernatural ability, with Exploits also listing their required conditions, and Devices listing any required ingredients - note that often it does not require the ingredients you might expect if someone were to make the item normally. If a Technique requires a Saving Throw, the Save DC is 10 + half her level + her Dexterity Bonus.
Unhindered Stealth (Ex): starting at second level, the Rogue does not need Cover or Concealment in order to hide from foes, but to begin with can’t be directly observed or in combat.
Evasion (Ex): starting at third level, whenever the Rogue succeeds at a Reflex Save for half damage, she instead takes zero damage.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): at level three, the Rogue is so alert that she is never denied her Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class, even when flat-footed. At level seven, she becomes even more alert and cannot be flanked. At level fourteen, she is always considered to be actively searching her surrounding environment, without needing to constantly stop and declare she is searching stuff.
Skill Mastery (Ex): every fourth level except twentieth, the Rogue may select any two skills in which she has at least one rank. For those two skills, she may take 10 on the roll even if she is distracted or under pressure.
Stylish Techniques: at level five, the Rogue gains access to Stylish Techniques.
Fast Stealth (Ex): starting at fifth level, the Rogue can move at full speed without taking a penalty to Hide and Move Silently checks, and halves the penalty for running. Attacking is still out of the question.
Opportunist (Ex): beginning at level six, the Rogue is good at putting the boot in. Once per turn, when someone else successfully hits an enemy in a square the Rogue threatens, she may make an Attack of Opportunity against that foe “just because”.
Amazing Techniques: at level nine, the Rogue gains access to Amazing Techniques.
Improved Evasion (Ex): at level ten, whenever the Rogue fails a Reflex Save for half damage, she only suffers half damage, and she takes zero damage on a successful saving throw.
Hide in Plain Sight (Su): the tenth-level Rogue can attempt to hide, with no penalty, even when directly observed, and in the middle of combat. Actions taken once hidden (such as attacking) can still end this normally, but nothing stops her from just hiding again on her next turn.
Crippling Strike (Ex): starting at level eleven, any time the Rogue successfully hits a foe who she flanks or who is denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class (even if she is not applying Sneak Attack damage to them), or lands a Critical Hit against a foe, she also deals 2 points of Strength Damage to them.
Impossible Techniques: at level thirteen, the Rogue gains access to Impossible Techniques.
Friend's Evasion (Ex): starting at level fifteen, the Rogue can help warn her friends. Any adjacent ally has Evasion.
Perfect Techniques: at level seventeen, the Rogue gains access to Perfect Techniques.
Exploit Weakness (Ex): starting at level eighteen, the Rogue may use a Full Round Action to carefully target a foe. First she makes a Spot check, with a DC equal to the Armour Class of the opponent. If that succeeds, she then makes one attack against the opponent, resolved as a Touch Attack. If the attack hits, it deals damage as normal, but for the next five rounds, everyone is able to take advantage of the weakness created and all attacks against the target are Touch Attacks. Furthermore, for the duration, the target suffers ongoing damage on each of its turns, equal to the Dexterity Bonus of the Rogue.
Perfect Evasion (Ex): the nineteenth-level Rogue is so good at avoiding danger that she automatically passes all Reflex Saves and is simply immune to effects that require or allow one.
Skill Perfection (Ex): at level twenty, the Rogue is the best at all skills with which she has Skill Mastery. Any time she makes a check with those skills, she is treated as rolling a 20 on the die.
Basic Techniques:
Blazing Impact [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: acid flask or alchemist fire (or frost flask, holy water or similar), worn armour, cloth
Hidden behind the clothing, the flask is pressed against your armour. An attacker is in for a shock.
Effect: if an enemy successfully hits you, the flask bursts open, dealing splash damage to everybody adjacent to you or in your space, other than you. If the attacking enemy is adjacent to you, they suffer the full damage of the alchemical item, with no saving throw against other effects. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add one extra die of damage.
Burning Blade [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: acid flask or alchemist fire (or frost flask, holy water or similar), melee weapon
You quickly smash the flask against your weapon, and now you have a weapon that is on fire or dripping with acid! The weapon remains unharmed.
Effect: with a Swift Action, you can apply the alchemical substance to your weapon. For a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence Bonus, your weapon now deals +1d6 damage of the same type as the substance in addition to normal damage. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add one extra die of elemental damage. You may affect multiple weapons with the same ingredients and action, but spreading it out like this means you add one fewer die of damage - or if it was already one, it becomes +1d4.
Cluster Spikes [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: bag of caltrops, thunderstone
The thunderstone goes inside the bag, and the bag goes on the ground. Woe befall he who steps on the nailbomb landmine.
Effect: you can place this on the ground with a Standard Action. You can cover it up with a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search check of anyone who wishes to notice. If someone enters the square containing it, they must pass a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they see it at all. Failure results in the bag detonating, with them suffering 1d6 Piercing damage per level, plus an extra 1d6 (no save), and everyone adjacent also suffering the damage (Reflex Half).
Cunning Feint [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent enemy misses you with an attack
The enemy stumbles ahead, leaving its back exposed to you. That's always a bad thing.
Effect: you can activate this with an Immediate Action. You swap places with the enemy, and until his next turn, he is denied his Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against your attacks.
Disruption [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: the enemy is adjacent to at least two other creatures that it considers allies.
A simple shove, and suddenly the enemies are tripping over each other and arguing.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you make an attack against the enemy. If it hits, then it deals damage and you may make one Trip attempt – you decide whether Strength or Dexterity is used, and this attempt is made against the target and all adjacent allies of the target.
False Death [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you suffer hit point damage from an attack, or save against a [Death] effect
Foes gain a false sense of confidence when they see you drop to the ground… only for you to rise up and stab them in the back afterwards.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may drop Prone and pretend to be dead as a result of the attack. You make a Bluff check opposed by the opponent’s Spot check, and if you succeed, they think you are dead and will act accordingly. On any turn, you may rise to your feet with a Swift Action, and for the duration of your turn, the opponent is denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against you – and indeed, against the first attack you make that turn, they are considered to be unaware of your (continued) existence.
Flashbang Mine [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: luminescent fungus or bug parts, wax, thunderstone
Carefully rubbing the light source onto the stone, then covering it in wax, results in something that appears dull. If you step on it, however, there is a bright light and a loud bang.
Effect: placing the “mine” on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Failure results in it going off, and they are both Blind and Deaf for 1d4 rounds. Adjacent creatures are also affected if they fail a Fortitude Save. You may also use a Standard Action to throw this within 30', in which case it automatically goes off, affecting all creatures in a 5' radius on a failed Fortitude Save. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add another round to the duration.
Flying Trip [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe declares a Charge against you.
Sometimes, taking a run-up is a bad idea. Because when you miss, you just keep going.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you can take a 5' step. The target is unable to attack you, and must attempt a Reflex Save. If they succeed, they stop in front of where you previously were. If they fail, they instead continue their movement for 10 feet and fall Prone.
The Great Escape [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are threatened by a foe, Entangled, Lifted, Pinned or bound
It is nigh-impossible to pin a crafty rogue in place, and escape is always possible.
Effect: you may Withdraw in the normal manner with a Standard Action, moving up to your movement speed, or with a Full Round Action, moving up to double your speed in which case your movement does not provoke any Attacks of Opportunit from anyone. You may use a Full Round Action to attempt an Escape Artist check to free yourself from being Entangled, Lifted, Pinned or bound (such as by ropes or chains), even if the condition in question normally prevents such actions. If you roll any positive number, you successfully break free. If you roll 20 or more, you shorten it to a Standard Action, and a Move-Equivalent Action on a 25 or more. If you roll 30 or more, you benefit from Freedom of Movement until the end of your turn, and if you roll 40 or more, it is only a Swift Action to perform this.
Hogtie [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent foe is Entangled.
When they already have rope or vines wrapped partly around them, it just makes sense to go whole hog, if you'll pardon the pun, and tie them up completely.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you can attempt a Grapple check, using your choice of Strength or Dexterity against the target and your level in place of your Base Attack Bonus. If you succeed, the foe is bound and rendered Helpless until they manage to escape with an Escape Artist check (DC 10 + your Grapple result) or an ally cuts them free.
Like a Spider [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: gloves and gum, sap, honey or other sticky substance
Your sticky gloves are so amazing, you can stick to the walls in a truly remarkable way.
Effects: you gain a Climb speed equal to your land speed, and can even move at half speed completely upside-down on ceilings. You have all the usual benefits of a Climb Speed, such as not being flat-footed and always being able to take ten.
Makeshift Firebomb [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a bottle, a rag, and pretty much any liquid that isn’t just water
Who would have thought that the sap from that tree was so flammable in a bottle?
Effect: by mixing the ingredients together, you have a flask of alchemist fire, except better. It deals 1d12 Fire damage, though the rest of the effects are the same. At level five, it deals 2d12 damage, with 1d6 splash damage out to 10 feet. At level nine, the splash damage is 2d6 and the burning deals 2d6 damage per round. At level thirteen, the base damage is 3d12 and whole area continues to burn for 5 rounds, dealing Fire damage to all in the area equal to 3d6 plus your Intelligence Bonus. At level nineteen, the base damage is 10d6, the splash damage is 5d6, the burning damage is 6d6 and the ongoing area damage is 3d6 plus your Intelligence Bonus.
Purgative Punch [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent target is suffering from a Poison
With a solid strike to just the right place, they'll be vomiting the toxins out for sure!
Effect: with a Standard Action, make an attack with a Bludgeoning weapon. If it hits, the target must pass a Fortitude Save, or collapse Prone and Nauseated for 1d6 rounds. At the end of this duration, they gain an extra Save against their poison, with a bonus equal to the damage you dealt. If they pass the save, they are no longer poisoned and will suffer no further effects.
Safe Falling [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you fall any distance
Somehow you create your own air resistance and slow your fall, landing like a feather.
Effect: make a Balance check as an Immediate Action. For every 5 points rolled on the check, reduce the falling damage by 1d6. If you do not suffer any damage from the fall, it also makes no noise and you do not land Prone even if you normally would. Starting at level five, you reduce the damage by a number of dice equal to the Balance check, meaning you very quickly stop having to roll at all.
Sucker Punch [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an ally provokes an Attack of Opportunity from a foe adjacent to you
They take a moment to raise their fist towards your ally... and lower their guard against you.
Effect: you may make an Attack of Opportunity against the opponent, and for this attack, they are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class.
Sudden Snare [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: string, rope or wire
Everyone thought the ground was clear. Nobody remembers you laying that trap, and yet here we are, with the opponent lying face-down in the mud.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, designate an opponent within 30 feet. They just triggered the trap that you apparently set earlier. The opponent must pass a Reflex Save or fall Prone and Entangled for one round. At levels five and thirteen, add 60 feet to the maximum range. At levels nine and seventeen, you may carry another snare per Capacity slot dedicated to this, and the Entangling duration is extended by 1 round.
Valid Passport [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: paper, wax, and something to write with
Every time somebody stops to demand to see your papers, you have precisely what they need. You even stump the guy asking for your proof of your own death.
Effect: as part of the action of retrieving these from your bag, you may make a Forgery check to create the necessary documents instantly. You may use Bluff in place of Forgery for this if it would be beneficial for you to do so, and you may use Forgery in place of Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information or Diplomacy for any follow-up checks that rely on the perceived validity of these documents.
Wall Flip [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe is adjacent to you, with a wall adjacent to you directly opposite that foe
The enemy chases you to the wall... but you kick off the wall in a great backflip, and land behind your foe, stabbing them in the back of the neck.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may make an Athletics check in an attempt to move directly through the opponent's square and behind them. The DC is 5 per square you need to move (so 10 for a Medium opponent). If you pass, you move behind them and do not provoke an Attack of Opportunity for your movement. You may then make one attack against them, against which they are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class.
A Way With Words [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you fail a Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal or Intimidate check.
Even as the wrong words leave your mouth, you can sense the problem, and change your words on the fly.
Effects: you may re-try the check using a different skill from the above list, albeit with a -4 Penalty. Furthermore, if the new result is equal to or greater than the previous result, it cannot worsen the target’s attitude towards you regardless of what the actual number is.
Your Weapon Is Mine [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you attempt to Disarm a foe
So often are your foes hoist by their own petard, as you attack them with their own weapons.
Effect: your Disarm check does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity, and you may use your level in place of your Base Attack Bonus, and the better of your Strength and Dexterity Bonus. If you successfully disarm your opponent, you may hold the weapon in a free hand and make an Attack of Opportunity against that foe at the end of the action, with that weapon. For the duration of this attack, if the weapon is magical, you are considered to be attuned to it. If you have a free slot, you may instantly attune yourself to it properly (and break any link the original wielder had).
Ingredients: acid flask or alchemist fire (or frost flask, holy water or similar), worn armour, cloth
Hidden behind the clothing, the flask is pressed against your armour. An attacker is in for a shock.
Effect: if an enemy successfully hits you, the flask bursts open, dealing splash damage to everybody adjacent to you or in your space, other than you. If the attacking enemy is adjacent to you, they suffer the full damage of the alchemical item, with no saving throw against other effects. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add one extra die of damage.
Burning Blade [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: acid flask or alchemist fire (or frost flask, holy water or similar), melee weapon
You quickly smash the flask against your weapon, and now you have a weapon that is on fire or dripping with acid! The weapon remains unharmed.
Effect: with a Swift Action, you can apply the alchemical substance to your weapon. For a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence Bonus, your weapon now deals +1d6 damage of the same type as the substance in addition to normal damage. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add one extra die of elemental damage. You may affect multiple weapons with the same ingredients and action, but spreading it out like this means you add one fewer die of damage - or if it was already one, it becomes +1d4.
Cluster Spikes [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: bag of caltrops, thunderstone
The thunderstone goes inside the bag, and the bag goes on the ground. Woe befall he who steps on the nailbomb landmine.
Effect: you can place this on the ground with a Standard Action. You can cover it up with a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search check of anyone who wishes to notice. If someone enters the square containing it, they must pass a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they see it at all. Failure results in the bag detonating, with them suffering 1d6 Piercing damage per level, plus an extra 1d6 (no save), and everyone adjacent also suffering the damage (Reflex Half).
Cunning Feint [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent enemy misses you with an attack
The enemy stumbles ahead, leaving its back exposed to you. That's always a bad thing.
Effect: you can activate this with an Immediate Action. You swap places with the enemy, and until his next turn, he is denied his Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against your attacks.
Disruption [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: the enemy is adjacent to at least two other creatures that it considers allies.
A simple shove, and suddenly the enemies are tripping over each other and arguing.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you make an attack against the enemy. If it hits, then it deals damage and you may make one Trip attempt – you decide whether Strength or Dexterity is used, and this attempt is made against the target and all adjacent allies of the target.
False Death [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you suffer hit point damage from an attack, or save against a [Death] effect
Foes gain a false sense of confidence when they see you drop to the ground… only for you to rise up and stab them in the back afterwards.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may drop Prone and pretend to be dead as a result of the attack. You make a Bluff check opposed by the opponent’s Spot check, and if you succeed, they think you are dead and will act accordingly. On any turn, you may rise to your feet with a Swift Action, and for the duration of your turn, the opponent is denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against you – and indeed, against the first attack you make that turn, they are considered to be unaware of your (continued) existence.
Flashbang Mine [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: luminescent fungus or bug parts, wax, thunderstone
Carefully rubbing the light source onto the stone, then covering it in wax, results in something that appears dull. If you step on it, however, there is a bright light and a loud bang.
Effect: placing the “mine” on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Failure results in it going off, and they are both Blind and Deaf for 1d4 rounds. Adjacent creatures are also affected if they fail a Fortitude Save. You may also use a Standard Action to throw this within 30', in which case it automatically goes off, affecting all creatures in a 5' radius on a failed Fortitude Save. At levels 5, 9, 13 and 17, add another round to the duration.
Flying Trip [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe declares a Charge against you.
Sometimes, taking a run-up is a bad idea. Because when you miss, you just keep going.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you can take a 5' step. The target is unable to attack you, and must attempt a Reflex Save. If they succeed, they stop in front of where you previously were. If they fail, they instead continue their movement for 10 feet and fall Prone.
The Great Escape [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are threatened by a foe, Entangled, Lifted, Pinned or bound
It is nigh-impossible to pin a crafty rogue in place, and escape is always possible.
Effect: you may Withdraw in the normal manner with a Standard Action, moving up to your movement speed, or with a Full Round Action, moving up to double your speed in which case your movement does not provoke any Attacks of Opportunit from anyone. You may use a Full Round Action to attempt an Escape Artist check to free yourself from being Entangled, Lifted, Pinned or bound (such as by ropes or chains), even if the condition in question normally prevents such actions. If you roll any positive number, you successfully break free. If you roll 20 or more, you shorten it to a Standard Action, and a Move-Equivalent Action on a 25 or more. If you roll 30 or more, you benefit from Freedom of Movement until the end of your turn, and if you roll 40 or more, it is only a Swift Action to perform this.
Hogtie [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent foe is Entangled.
When they already have rope or vines wrapped partly around them, it just makes sense to go whole hog, if you'll pardon the pun, and tie them up completely.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you can attempt a Grapple check, using your choice of Strength or Dexterity against the target and your level in place of your Base Attack Bonus. If you succeed, the foe is bound and rendered Helpless until they manage to escape with an Escape Artist check (DC 10 + your Grapple result) or an ally cuts them free.
Like a Spider [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: gloves and gum, sap, honey or other sticky substance
Your sticky gloves are so amazing, you can stick to the walls in a truly remarkable way.
Effects: you gain a Climb speed equal to your land speed, and can even move at half speed completely upside-down on ceilings. You have all the usual benefits of a Climb Speed, such as not being flat-footed and always being able to take ten.
Makeshift Firebomb [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a bottle, a rag, and pretty much any liquid that isn’t just water
Who would have thought that the sap from that tree was so flammable in a bottle?
Effect: by mixing the ingredients together, you have a flask of alchemist fire, except better. It deals 1d12 Fire damage, though the rest of the effects are the same. At level five, it deals 2d12 damage, with 1d6 splash damage out to 10 feet. At level nine, the splash damage is 2d6 and the burning deals 2d6 damage per round. At level thirteen, the base damage is 3d12 and whole area continues to burn for 5 rounds, dealing Fire damage to all in the area equal to 3d6 plus your Intelligence Bonus. At level nineteen, the base damage is 10d6, the splash damage is 5d6, the burning damage is 6d6 and the ongoing area damage is 3d6 plus your Intelligence Bonus.
Purgative Punch [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent target is suffering from a Poison
With a solid strike to just the right place, they'll be vomiting the toxins out for sure!
Effect: with a Standard Action, make an attack with a Bludgeoning weapon. If it hits, the target must pass a Fortitude Save, or collapse Prone and Nauseated for 1d6 rounds. At the end of this duration, they gain an extra Save against their poison, with a bonus equal to the damage you dealt. If they pass the save, they are no longer poisoned and will suffer no further effects.
Safe Falling [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you fall any distance
Somehow you create your own air resistance and slow your fall, landing like a feather.
Effect: make a Balance check as an Immediate Action. For every 5 points rolled on the check, reduce the falling damage by 1d6. If you do not suffer any damage from the fall, it also makes no noise and you do not land Prone even if you normally would. Starting at level five, you reduce the damage by a number of dice equal to the Balance check, meaning you very quickly stop having to roll at all.
Sucker Punch [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an ally provokes an Attack of Opportunity from a foe adjacent to you
They take a moment to raise their fist towards your ally... and lower their guard against you.
Effect: you may make an Attack of Opportunity against the opponent, and for this attack, they are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class.
Sudden Snare [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: string, rope or wire
Everyone thought the ground was clear. Nobody remembers you laying that trap, and yet here we are, with the opponent lying face-down in the mud.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, designate an opponent within 30 feet. They just triggered the trap that you apparently set earlier. The opponent must pass a Reflex Save or fall Prone and Entangled for one round. At levels five and thirteen, add 60 feet to the maximum range. At levels nine and seventeen, you may carry another snare per Capacity slot dedicated to this, and the Entangling duration is extended by 1 round.
Valid Passport [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: paper, wax, and something to write with
Every time somebody stops to demand to see your papers, you have precisely what they need. You even stump the guy asking for your proof of your own death.
Effect: as part of the action of retrieving these from your bag, you may make a Forgery check to create the necessary documents instantly. You may use Bluff in place of Forgery for this if it would be beneficial for you to do so, and you may use Forgery in place of Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information or Diplomacy for any follow-up checks that rely on the perceived validity of these documents.
Wall Flip [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe is adjacent to you, with a wall adjacent to you directly opposite that foe
The enemy chases you to the wall... but you kick off the wall in a great backflip, and land behind your foe, stabbing them in the back of the neck.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may make an Athletics check in an attempt to move directly through the opponent's square and behind them. The DC is 5 per square you need to move (so 10 for a Medium opponent). If you pass, you move behind them and do not provoke an Attack of Opportunity for your movement. You may then make one attack against them, against which they are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class.
A Way With Words [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you fail a Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal or Intimidate check.
Even as the wrong words leave your mouth, you can sense the problem, and change your words on the fly.
Effects: you may re-try the check using a different skill from the above list, albeit with a -4 Penalty. Furthermore, if the new result is equal to or greater than the previous result, it cannot worsen the target’s attitude towards you regardless of what the actual number is.
Your Weapon Is Mine [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you attempt to Disarm a foe
So often are your foes hoist by their own petard, as you attack them with their own weapons.
Effect: your Disarm check does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity, and you may use your level in place of your Base Attack Bonus, and the better of your Strength and Dexterity Bonus. If you successfully disarm your opponent, you may hold the weapon in a free hand and make an Attack of Opportunity against that foe at the end of the action, with that weapon. For the duration of this attack, if the weapon is magical, you are considered to be attuned to it. If you have a free slot, you may instantly attune yourself to it properly (and break any link the original wielder had).
Acid Gas Bomb [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: acid flask, chalk, wax
A bit of a shake, and then it's ready to explode in a fine, choking mist, likely killing all who take a breath.
Effect: this can be unleashed as a Splash Weapon which can be thrown out to thirty feet. This bursts into a 10’ radius cloud that lasts 1d4 rounds, plus another 1d4 rounds at levels 10, 15 and 20, however it can also be dispersed like an Obscuring Mist. The cloud of acid causes Concealment just like Obscuring Mist, except any creature that is inside it suffers 1d6 Acid damage per 3 levels every round, and if any damage gets past any Immunity or Resistance to Acid they have, they must attempt a Fortitude Save. If they fail, they are also rendered Blind and Sickened for as long as they are in the area and until the start of their turn afterwards.
Cloak of Shadows [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an Illusion or [Darkness] spell is cast with an area of effect that includes you, or you enter the area of effect of an Illusion or [Darkness] spell
Grasping the intangible, you pull it to you, hiding you from sight.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may become Invisible. This either lasts until you break the invisibility (by attacking) or until the end of the Illusion’s normal duration, whichever happens first. While you benefit like this, you ignore the regular effects of the Illusion, seeing through it and being unaffected. If you break the invisibility, the spell goes back into effect, but its remaining duration is halved (unless Permanent).
Curb Stomp [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy you threaten falls Prone
Even as the enemy falls, you are ready to take advantage of the situation with a boot to the back of their skull.
Effect: you may make a melee attack against the foe as an Immediate Action. If it hits the foe, they must attempt a Fortitude Save or be Stunned for 1 round, plus 1 round for every 5 full Rogue levels you have.
Displacing Dive [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you use Tumble to avoid an Attack of Opportunity, or Evasion to avoid damage
Hurling yourself out of the way, you move to a better position even as foes remain trained on where you used to be.
Effect: as part of the action or non-action, you may move to another location via Teleportation, moving a maximum distance equal to the Tumble check or Reflex Save result in feet, rounded down to a 5’ increment. You may then make a Hide check as a Free Action, even if it is not your turn, to be hidden and leave foes unaware that you have moved.
Diverting Defence [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are Flanked by two opponents, one of whom attacks you
You duck at just the right moment, causing a mis-communication, and the enemies are soon striking one another.
Effect: you may attempt a Bluff or Tumble check, your choice, with a DC equal to the attack roll. If you equal or beat their roll, the attack is instead directed at the other foe, applied against their Armour Class normally. If this hits, it provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the other foe against the attacker, which must be taken.
Earthquake Bomb [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: blast globe or black powder and thunder stone
The foe takes one step... and then the ground erupts beneath them.
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. If they step on it, it explodes, and all ground in a 10’ radius burst is torn apart and thrown into the air. The area becomes Difficult Terrain. Everyone in the area is hurled Prone and suffers 1d10 Bludgeoning damage per 3 Rogue levels (round up), with a Fortitude Save for half damage. At level ten, the radius increases by 5 feet and those who fail their save are also Staggered for one round. At level fifteen, they are Stunned for one round instead.
Elementeer [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you move through hindering or dangerous terrain tied to earth, fire, air/wind or water (including mud, ice, smoke, lava or snow)
By achieving perfect elemental balance, you stride unharmed through the strange otherworldly terrain of the Inner Planes.
Effect: make a Balance check as part of the action of moving through the terrain. If you would suffer damage from the terrain, reduce the damage by an amount equal to the skill check. If you have to make a saving throw against an effect, you may substitute the skill check for the saving throw. Either way, your movement is not reduced by it.
Empathic Defensive Offence [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an enemy targets you with Rage, Crushing Despair or a [Fear] or [Charm] effect
You link your feelings with those of your attacker, and they risk linking hearts with you.
Effect: as a non-action in response to being targeted, you can attempt to afflict your attacker with the same effect they used against you – whether you are affected or not. They must pass a Will Save (with the normal DC for Techniques) or else suffer the full effects of the effect they used against you.
Sentry Turret [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: loaded repeater crossbow, tripod, crystal ball, string
Turrets are motionless and full of crossbow bolts. Wait, my mistake, that's the enemy after it sees them.
Effect: setting this device up requires a Full Round Action, and results in a turret that will swivel around and shoot enemies (the magic that makes it move also tells it what not to shoot) that get within the first range increment. It attacks using your Base Attack Bonus and a Dexterity Bonus equal to your Intelligence Bonus, on your Initiative count, but can also make one Attack of Opportunity per turn to shoot against somebody who enters its range. If it is within a damaging Area of Effect, or hit (AC 14) with a targeted attack, it is broken apart and ceases to function, otherwise it will keep going until it runs out of ammunition or one minute expires, whichever happens first. This is a Magic Weapon, and if it has an Enhancement Bonus smaller than your level divided by four (round up), use that instead. At level fifteen, the bolts are resolved as [Force] effects, and anybody adjacent to a struck target will also take “Splash” damage equal to 1d4 plus the Enhancement Bonus.
Spell Plantation [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: magic wand
A simple stick lies in the ground, until bumped, at which point the primed magic is unleashed.
Effect: this device is shoved into the ground with a Standard Action. It can’t be fully covered, with a few inches sticking out into the air, but is still hard to spot if nobody sees you placing it there – a Spot check of 20 is needed. If somebody enters its square, they must pass a Reflex Save to avoid bumping it, though if they spotted it first they get a +4 Bonus to this roll. If the save is failed and they touch it, the wand is activated – the spell is either cast directly at them (for targeted effects) or begins at or is centred on them (for Area of Effect abilities). Either way, no attack roll is needed, and if it typically allows a Reflex Save, this is no longer allowed – they already failed a Reflex Save against it. Other Saving Throws are allowed normally, and this doesn’t affect Spell Resistance. Use a Caster Level equal to your own level, and the standard Save DC for Techniques if the spell has a Saving Throw.
Sudden Sandstorm [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: string, rope, chain or wire at least 20’ long
With a flick of the wrist, you tug at the rope you had half-buried earlier, creating a maelstrom of sand in the air.
Effect: it takes a Full Round Action to “prime” this ahead of time, and until you activate the ability you are effectively tethered to it: 15 feet are buried, and if you move too far away you will need to drop the rope. With a Swift or Immediate Action, you may yank your end, pulling a giant cloud of sand and dust into the air. Everything within a 15’ radius of the central point is caught in a sandstorm for 1d6 rounds, +1 round per 4 levels you have (round up). The Sandstorm is at Sandstorm (Windstorm force) grade (It’s Hot Outside, page 16). At level ten, the grade increases to Flensing Sandstorm (Hurricane force), and at level fifteen it becomes a Flensing Sandstorm (Tornado force). Any Save DC uses the standard DC for Techniques.
Superior Rope Trick [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a whip or 15’ length of rope
In your hands, a simple length of rope is truly amazing.
Effect: you can use a whip as a 15’ length of rope or lasso, or a 15’ rope as a whip, bolas or lasso, and are considered Proficient in all cases. Additionally, you can always treat a rope (or whip being used as one) as having a grappling hook or being knotted if that would be beneficial. Finally, you may treat it as an extension of your own arm for the purpose of pulling levers, opening doors, grabbing things to swing from, grappling people (but not lifting them up) and disarming them.
As long as you hold one end, you may keep it animated as Animate Rope. Starting at level nine, you can let it go and keep it animated, but this makes it a Supernatural Effect, and may treat it as an Assassin Vine with hit dice equal to your ranks in Use Rope if you hold onto one end (meaning it must remain adjacent to you, and is pulled along with you when you move). If you used a magic whip for this, any Enhancement Bonus or magic weapon traits are applied to its own attacks. From level thirteen onwards, you can have it function as an Assassin Vine even if you let go, but this is a Supernatural Effect. Either way, if it is reduced to zero hit points, it “dies” and is sufficiently damaged that it can no longer be used, so maybe you don’t want to use a magic weapon.
You can also use it to replicate a Rope Trick effect as a Supernatural Effect from level thirteen onwards.
Trick Shot [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an opponent is out of Line of Sight, or benefits from Cover or Concealment provided by the environment (ie is not Blurred or Invisible)
In an uncanny way, you fire at a wall, and hit your unsuspecting foe with the ricochet.
Effect: make a ranged attack (whether with a ranged weapon, a thrown weapon or a spell effect that requires a Ranged Touch Attack to hit) as a Standard Action. The foe does not benefit from Cover or Concealment, and is treated as being within Line of Sight. They are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against this attack.
Ingredients: acid flask, chalk, wax
A bit of a shake, and then it's ready to explode in a fine, choking mist, likely killing all who take a breath.
Effect: this can be unleashed as a Splash Weapon which can be thrown out to thirty feet. This bursts into a 10’ radius cloud that lasts 1d4 rounds, plus another 1d4 rounds at levels 10, 15 and 20, however it can also be dispersed like an Obscuring Mist. The cloud of acid causes Concealment just like Obscuring Mist, except any creature that is inside it suffers 1d6 Acid damage per 3 levels every round, and if any damage gets past any Immunity or Resistance to Acid they have, they must attempt a Fortitude Save. If they fail, they are also rendered Blind and Sickened for as long as they are in the area and until the start of their turn afterwards.
Cloak of Shadows [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an Illusion or [Darkness] spell is cast with an area of effect that includes you, or you enter the area of effect of an Illusion or [Darkness] spell
Grasping the intangible, you pull it to you, hiding you from sight.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may become Invisible. This either lasts until you break the invisibility (by attacking) or until the end of the Illusion’s normal duration, whichever happens first. While you benefit like this, you ignore the regular effects of the Illusion, seeing through it and being unaffected. If you break the invisibility, the spell goes back into effect, but its remaining duration is halved (unless Permanent).
Curb Stomp [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy you threaten falls Prone
Even as the enemy falls, you are ready to take advantage of the situation with a boot to the back of their skull.
Effect: you may make a melee attack against the foe as an Immediate Action. If it hits the foe, they must attempt a Fortitude Save or be Stunned for 1 round, plus 1 round for every 5 full Rogue levels you have.
Displacing Dive [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you use Tumble to avoid an Attack of Opportunity, or Evasion to avoid damage
Hurling yourself out of the way, you move to a better position even as foes remain trained on where you used to be.
Effect: as part of the action or non-action, you may move to another location via Teleportation, moving a maximum distance equal to the Tumble check or Reflex Save result in feet, rounded down to a 5’ increment. You may then make a Hide check as a Free Action, even if it is not your turn, to be hidden and leave foes unaware that you have moved.
Diverting Defence [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are Flanked by two opponents, one of whom attacks you
You duck at just the right moment, causing a mis-communication, and the enemies are soon striking one another.
Effect: you may attempt a Bluff or Tumble check, your choice, with a DC equal to the attack roll. If you equal or beat their roll, the attack is instead directed at the other foe, applied against their Armour Class normally. If this hits, it provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the other foe against the attacker, which must be taken.
Earthquake Bomb [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: blast globe or black powder and thunder stone
The foe takes one step... and then the ground erupts beneath them.
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. If they step on it, it explodes, and all ground in a 10’ radius burst is torn apart and thrown into the air. The area becomes Difficult Terrain. Everyone in the area is hurled Prone and suffers 1d10 Bludgeoning damage per 3 Rogue levels (round up), with a Fortitude Save for half damage. At level ten, the radius increases by 5 feet and those who fail their save are also Staggered for one round. At level fifteen, they are Stunned for one round instead.
Elementeer [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you move through hindering or dangerous terrain tied to earth, fire, air/wind or water (including mud, ice, smoke, lava or snow)
By achieving perfect elemental balance, you stride unharmed through the strange otherworldly terrain of the Inner Planes.
Effect: make a Balance check as part of the action of moving through the terrain. If you would suffer damage from the terrain, reduce the damage by an amount equal to the skill check. If you have to make a saving throw against an effect, you may substitute the skill check for the saving throw. Either way, your movement is not reduced by it.
Empathic Defensive Offence [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an enemy targets you with Rage, Crushing Despair or a [Fear] or [Charm] effect
You link your feelings with those of your attacker, and they risk linking hearts with you.
Effect: as a non-action in response to being targeted, you can attempt to afflict your attacker with the same effect they used against you – whether you are affected or not. They must pass a Will Save (with the normal DC for Techniques) or else suffer the full effects of the effect they used against you.
Sentry Turret [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: loaded repeater crossbow, tripod, crystal ball, string
Turrets are motionless and full of crossbow bolts. Wait, my mistake, that's the enemy after it sees them.
Effect: setting this device up requires a Full Round Action, and results in a turret that will swivel around and shoot enemies (the magic that makes it move also tells it what not to shoot) that get within the first range increment. It attacks using your Base Attack Bonus and a Dexterity Bonus equal to your Intelligence Bonus, on your Initiative count, but can also make one Attack of Opportunity per turn to shoot against somebody who enters its range. If it is within a damaging Area of Effect, or hit (AC 14) with a targeted attack, it is broken apart and ceases to function, otherwise it will keep going until it runs out of ammunition or one minute expires, whichever happens first. This is a Magic Weapon, and if it has an Enhancement Bonus smaller than your level divided by four (round up), use that instead. At level fifteen, the bolts are resolved as [Force] effects, and anybody adjacent to a struck target will also take “Splash” damage equal to 1d4 plus the Enhancement Bonus.
Spell Plantation [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: magic wand
A simple stick lies in the ground, until bumped, at which point the primed magic is unleashed.
Effect: this device is shoved into the ground with a Standard Action. It can’t be fully covered, with a few inches sticking out into the air, but is still hard to spot if nobody sees you placing it there – a Spot check of 20 is needed. If somebody enters its square, they must pass a Reflex Save to avoid bumping it, though if they spotted it first they get a +4 Bonus to this roll. If the save is failed and they touch it, the wand is activated – the spell is either cast directly at them (for targeted effects) or begins at or is centred on them (for Area of Effect abilities). Either way, no attack roll is needed, and if it typically allows a Reflex Save, this is no longer allowed – they already failed a Reflex Save against it. Other Saving Throws are allowed normally, and this doesn’t affect Spell Resistance. Use a Caster Level equal to your own level, and the standard Save DC for Techniques if the spell has a Saving Throw.
Sudden Sandstorm [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: string, rope, chain or wire at least 20’ long
With a flick of the wrist, you tug at the rope you had half-buried earlier, creating a maelstrom of sand in the air.
Effect: it takes a Full Round Action to “prime” this ahead of time, and until you activate the ability you are effectively tethered to it: 15 feet are buried, and if you move too far away you will need to drop the rope. With a Swift or Immediate Action, you may yank your end, pulling a giant cloud of sand and dust into the air. Everything within a 15’ radius of the central point is caught in a sandstorm for 1d6 rounds, +1 round per 4 levels you have (round up). The Sandstorm is at Sandstorm (Windstorm force) grade (It’s Hot Outside, page 16). At level ten, the grade increases to Flensing Sandstorm (Hurricane force), and at level fifteen it becomes a Flensing Sandstorm (Tornado force). Any Save DC uses the standard DC for Techniques.
Superior Rope Trick [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a whip or 15’ length of rope
In your hands, a simple length of rope is truly amazing.
Effect: you can use a whip as a 15’ length of rope or lasso, or a 15’ rope as a whip, bolas or lasso, and are considered Proficient in all cases. Additionally, you can always treat a rope (or whip being used as one) as having a grappling hook or being knotted if that would be beneficial. Finally, you may treat it as an extension of your own arm for the purpose of pulling levers, opening doors, grabbing things to swing from, grappling people (but not lifting them up) and disarming them.
As long as you hold one end, you may keep it animated as Animate Rope. Starting at level nine, you can let it go and keep it animated, but this makes it a Supernatural Effect, and may treat it as an Assassin Vine with hit dice equal to your ranks in Use Rope if you hold onto one end (meaning it must remain adjacent to you, and is pulled along with you when you move). If you used a magic whip for this, any Enhancement Bonus or magic weapon traits are applied to its own attacks. From level thirteen onwards, you can have it function as an Assassin Vine even if you let go, but this is a Supernatural Effect. Either way, if it is reduced to zero hit points, it “dies” and is sufficiently damaged that it can no longer be used, so maybe you don’t want to use a magic weapon.
You can also use it to replicate a Rope Trick effect as a Supernatural Effect from level thirteen onwards.
Trick Shot [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an opponent is out of Line of Sight, or benefits from Cover or Concealment provided by the environment (ie is not Blurred or Invisible)
In an uncanny way, you fire at a wall, and hit your unsuspecting foe with the ricochet.
Effect: make a ranged attack (whether with a ranged weapon, a thrown weapon or a spell effect that requires a Ranged Touch Attack to hit) as a Standard Action. The foe does not benefit from Cover or Concealment, and is treated as being within Line of Sight. They are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armour Class against this attack.
A Word in Your Ear [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an adjacent opponent is Confused
With a whisper, you shape the delusions of a puzzled foe, directing their actions.
Effect: with a Move-Equivalent Action, you may attempt a Bluff check opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check or Will Save, whichever is higher. If your roll equals or exceeds theirs, you Dominate the target until the end of their next turn.
Arcane Surge [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: somebody within Close Range activates a Magic Item that creates a spell effect
You react swiftly, and disrupt the use of the magic item, causing dangerous backlash.
Effect: make a Use Magic Device check as an Immediate Action. If you roll higher than their own Use Magic Device roll, or their Caster Level plus ten (if they have no caster level but the item is used without a skill check, you merely need to roll 20 or more), you wrest control of the item. You may choose any variables of the spell (targets/area, specific creatures summoned from a list, the actual spell cast in the case of an item that can cast multiple spells), or cause them to suffer a Mishap: they suffer 1d6 damage per Spell Level and the item becomes inactive and unattuned for 10 minutes, unless the item has its own special Mishap rules in which case you use those.
Burial Chamber [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: acid flask, water, flour
All it takes is one step, and then solid ground is more like mud, and the enemy is buried
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Once stepped on, the mixture spreads through the entire 5’ cube and turns it to something reminiscent of glue, mud and quicksand almost instantly. Anybody within will sink to the bottom instantly, and swimming will not help them although flight and levitation greater than 5 feet can lift them, and a DC 20 Strength check can be used to pull someone else free. The following round, all of the adjacent squares (including diagonally) also transform in this manner, and the original one becomes 5’ deeper. The round after this, the entire area turns to thick mud and the DC of a Strength check to pull someone free becomes equal to your level plus 15 – however swimming is possible, with a DC 10 higher than the Strength check just to move five feet. The round after this, the ground hardens again, and anybody still in there is essentially stuck until dug out.
Cluster Bomb Mine [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: blast globe, nail
Somehow, the nail drives into the globe perfectly, and the explosion sends individual chunks of explosive flying, each as dangerous as the original.
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Once stepped on, it explodes in a 10 foot radius, dealing 1d6 Force damage per level with a Reflex Save for half. Those who fail the save are hurled fifteen feet away from the point of impact (for someone who stepped on top, this means being launched upwards and taking falling damage) and landing Prone. You may then designate four 5’ radius blasts within fifty feet, not overlapping with each other or the original area although they may be placed over people who have been flung from the original blast. Those in these areas suffer a number of points of Sonic damage equal to 3d6 plus your level, with a Reflex Save for half. At levels 13 and 17, an extra secondary explosion is added and the base damage of the secondary explosions increases by 1d6.
Feed the Flames [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy within 30 feet is on fire
You're all too happy to add to the fire with a handful of dust, sending the enemy into a gigantic blaze.
Effect: with a Standard Action, make a Ranged Touch Attack against the target. If you hit, the target suffers 1d6 Fire damage per level with no saving throw, and all other creatures within 15 feet of the enemy suffer this damage with a Reflex Save for half. If they fail the save, however, they also catch fire.
Instant Wall [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: brick or iron ingot or chunk of ice
By inscribing Conjuration and Transmutation runes on a simple brick, you prime it to form a magical wall with just a moment's notice.
Effect: this device requires a Full Round Action to prepare, and then a Swift Action to drop in an adjacent square, or can be thrown out to 30 feet with a Standard Action. It creates a Wall of Stone (brick) or Wall of Iron (ingot) or Wall of Ice (ice) as the spell. At level 13, you may use an iron ingot to instead create a Wall of Gears or a brick to create a Wall of Magma or an ice chunk to create a Wall of Force.
Poisonous Presence [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: any one poison, garlic, belladonna, thin pouch
It takes a while for people to notice, but hanging around you is bad news. Of course, if they hit you they notice pretty quickly.
Effect: you radiate a constant aura of minor poison – creatures adjacent to you are constantly Sickened and take an additional -2 Penalty to any Ability Scores the poison damages/drains. Creatures immune to Poison do not suffer this, and it ends at the end of the player turn in which they are no longer adjacent. If you are hit for any amount of Piercing or Slashing damage, the poison spills out in a cloud, affecting all creatures adjacent to you: on a failed Fortitude Save (using the Save DC for your Devices, not for the poison), they are Nauseated for one round per 4 levels you have (round up), and are also affected by the Primary Damage of the Poison in question, and one minute later must save against the Secondary Effect (using the standard Save DC for the Poison).
Redirected Projectile [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy makes a ranged attack or casts a spell that is resolved with a Ranged Attack or Ranged Touch Attack
With a single shot or a thrown stone, you adjust the flight path of an enemy projectile.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may choose a new target within range. This may include “nobody – it just flies off harmlessly” or objects, but can only be reflected back at the original attacker if you roll higher than their attack roll with a ranged attack roll of your own. The original attack roll is still used to determine whether or not the attack hits the new target.
Shadow Jump [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are in sufficient darkness to gain Concealment
With the smallest effort, you vanish into the darkness and reappear in other darkness.
Effect: using a Swift Action, you may travel to any other dark place within one mile, moving as though by Teleportation. If the location is not within Line of Sight, you must know beforehand that it is indeed in sufficient darkness to grant Concealment, otherwise the action is wasted.
Terminal Ground [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a handful of sand and ash or bone fragments
By drawing the Negative Energy Plane into the earth itself, you prime it to suck the life out of anything nearby.
Effect: with a Swift Action, this may be hurled out in a 30’ Cone, exposing all in the area to Necrotic Flaywinds (page 22 of It’s Hot Outside), with a strength of Sandstorm. Alternatively, a Full Round Action may be used to spread it around in a 15’ by 15’ square of sand, dust or loose earth, infusing it with negative energy to create an area of Black Sand (page 20). It may instead be scattered across a 15’ by 15’ square of ice to transform it into Ebony Ice (page 15 of It’s Cold Outside) or a 5’ square of snow to create Blood Snow (same page). For each point of Capacity devoted to Terminal Ground, you have one usage of this per five levels (round up).
Conditions: an adjacent opponent is Confused
With a whisper, you shape the delusions of a puzzled foe, directing their actions.
Effect: with a Move-Equivalent Action, you may attempt a Bluff check opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check or Will Save, whichever is higher. If your roll equals or exceeds theirs, you Dominate the target until the end of their next turn.
Arcane Surge [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: somebody within Close Range activates a Magic Item that creates a spell effect
You react swiftly, and disrupt the use of the magic item, causing dangerous backlash.
Effect: make a Use Magic Device check as an Immediate Action. If you roll higher than their own Use Magic Device roll, or their Caster Level plus ten (if they have no caster level but the item is used without a skill check, you merely need to roll 20 or more), you wrest control of the item. You may choose any variables of the spell (targets/area, specific creatures summoned from a list, the actual spell cast in the case of an item that can cast multiple spells), or cause them to suffer a Mishap: they suffer 1d6 damage per Spell Level and the item becomes inactive and unattuned for 10 minutes, unless the item has its own special Mishap rules in which case you use those.
Burial Chamber [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: acid flask, water, flour
All it takes is one step, and then solid ground is more like mud, and the enemy is buried
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Once stepped on, the mixture spreads through the entire 5’ cube and turns it to something reminiscent of glue, mud and quicksand almost instantly. Anybody within will sink to the bottom instantly, and swimming will not help them although flight and levitation greater than 5 feet can lift them, and a DC 20 Strength check can be used to pull someone else free. The following round, all of the adjacent squares (including diagonally) also transform in this manner, and the original one becomes 5’ deeper. The round after this, the entire area turns to thick mud and the DC of a Strength check to pull someone free becomes equal to your level plus 15 – however swimming is possible, with a DC 10 higher than the Strength check just to move five feet. The round after this, the ground hardens again, and anybody still in there is essentially stuck until dug out.
Cluster Bomb Mine [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: blast globe, nail
Somehow, the nail drives into the globe perfectly, and the explosion sends individual chunks of explosive flying, each as dangerous as the original.
Effect: placing the device on the ground requires a Standard Action. Covering it up takes a Full Round Action and a Sleight of Hand check, opposed by the Search of anyone who might want to notice. If someone enters its square, they must make a Reflex Save to avoid stepping on it – assuming they can see it in the first place. Once stepped on, it explodes in a 10 foot radius, dealing 1d6 Force damage per level with a Reflex Save for half. Those who fail the save are hurled fifteen feet away from the point of impact (for someone who stepped on top, this means being launched upwards and taking falling damage) and landing Prone. You may then designate four 5’ radius blasts within fifty feet, not overlapping with each other or the original area although they may be placed over people who have been flung from the original blast. Those in these areas suffer a number of points of Sonic damage equal to 3d6 plus your level, with a Reflex Save for half. At levels 13 and 17, an extra secondary explosion is added and the base damage of the secondary explosions increases by 1d6.
Feed the Flames [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy within 30 feet is on fire
You're all too happy to add to the fire with a handful of dust, sending the enemy into a gigantic blaze.
Effect: with a Standard Action, make a Ranged Touch Attack against the target. If you hit, the target suffers 1d6 Fire damage per level with no saving throw, and all other creatures within 15 feet of the enemy suffer this damage with a Reflex Save for half. If they fail the save, however, they also catch fire.
Instant Wall [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: brick or iron ingot or chunk of ice
By inscribing Conjuration and Transmutation runes on a simple brick, you prime it to form a magical wall with just a moment's notice.
Effect: this device requires a Full Round Action to prepare, and then a Swift Action to drop in an adjacent square, or can be thrown out to 30 feet with a Standard Action. It creates a Wall of Stone (brick) or Wall of Iron (ingot) or Wall of Ice (ice) as the spell. At level 13, you may use an iron ingot to instead create a Wall of Gears or a brick to create a Wall of Magma or an ice chunk to create a Wall of Force.
Poisonous Presence [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: any one poison, garlic, belladonna, thin pouch
It takes a while for people to notice, but hanging around you is bad news. Of course, if they hit you they notice pretty quickly.
Effect: you radiate a constant aura of minor poison – creatures adjacent to you are constantly Sickened and take an additional -2 Penalty to any Ability Scores the poison damages/drains. Creatures immune to Poison do not suffer this, and it ends at the end of the player turn in which they are no longer adjacent. If you are hit for any amount of Piercing or Slashing damage, the poison spills out in a cloud, affecting all creatures adjacent to you: on a failed Fortitude Save (using the Save DC for your Devices, not for the poison), they are Nauseated for one round per 4 levels you have (round up), and are also affected by the Primary Damage of the Poison in question, and one minute later must save against the Secondary Effect (using the standard Save DC for the Poison).
Redirected Projectile [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: an enemy makes a ranged attack or casts a spell that is resolved with a Ranged Attack or Ranged Touch Attack
With a single shot or a thrown stone, you adjust the flight path of an enemy projectile.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may choose a new target within range. This may include “nobody – it just flies off harmlessly” or objects, but can only be reflected back at the original attacker if you roll higher than their attack roll with a ranged attack roll of your own. The original attack roll is still used to determine whether or not the attack hits the new target.
Shadow Jump [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are in sufficient darkness to gain Concealment
With the smallest effort, you vanish into the darkness and reappear in other darkness.
Effect: using a Swift Action, you may travel to any other dark place within one mile, moving as though by Teleportation. If the location is not within Line of Sight, you must know beforehand that it is indeed in sufficient darkness to grant Concealment, otherwise the action is wasted.
Terminal Ground [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a handful of sand and ash or bone fragments
By drawing the Negative Energy Plane into the earth itself, you prime it to suck the life out of anything nearby.
Effect: with a Swift Action, this may be hurled out in a 30’ Cone, exposing all in the area to Necrotic Flaywinds (page 22 of It’s Hot Outside), with a strength of Sandstorm. Alternatively, a Full Round Action may be used to spread it around in a 15’ by 15’ square of sand, dust or loose earth, infusing it with negative energy to create an area of Black Sand (page 20). It may instead be scattered across a 15’ by 15’ square of ice to transform it into Ebony Ice (page 15 of It’s Cold Outside) or a 5’ square of snow to create Blood Snow (same page). For each point of Capacity devoted to Terminal Ground, you have one usage of this per five levels (round up).
Control Stick [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a conductive metal rod
Jamming the stick into the ancient being, you now have a way to direct its every action.
Effect: this is used on an adjacent Construct with a Standard Action, and requires a successful attack roll against its Armour Class. If successful, this places the Construct under your control. At the end of each of your turns, if you are no longer adjacent to it, it ceases being under your control, however directing its full turn requires only a Standard Action, so you could make it approach and attack somebody, then follow it in the same turn.
Hidden Assassin [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you successfully hit a foe who is unaware of your presence
Without a sound, the target is slain, and their features stolen so you may walk amongst your foes.
Effect: the foe must attempt a Fortitude Save against a [Death] effect. If they fail this, they are instantly and silently slain. Whether they die from this or from the damage of the attack, you may instantly take on the shape and voice of your foe as an Illusion effect, and you gain access to their memories. This does not grant you their skills, feats, languages and such, but you would recognise anybody they knew, remember passwords and so on.
Instant Trap [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a handful of minor components of the completed trap (wire, springs, bricks...)
Shadowstuff augments the few real pieces, and in a matter of seconds, deadly traps lie everywhere.
Effect: you may create a number of readied traps with a combined Challenge Rating equal to your level, though no trap may have a CR equal to or higher than your level, nor may you create a pit or create your own spell effect trap – use traps actually listed in books. Every square that can work as a trigger (pressure plate, rune, tripwire etc) requires its own Standard Action to affect, from an adjacent square, as does every square with an active mechanism (so a 5’ wall section with spikes is one, but a 10’ wall would be two actions, as would a swinging blade suspended from a 5’ rope, even though the blade could reach three squares). A given square may only contain elements of one trap (trigger, mechanism or both), and if both the trigger and mechanism are in the same square, the same action is used to affect both. If a given trap has a Challenge Rating lower than half your level, each square only requires a Swift Action, or a Full Round Action may affect every adjacent square at once. Any attack roll for the trap uses your own attack rolls, and any Save DC is standard for a Device. The traps last until the next sunrise.
Into the Void [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an opponent declares a Charge against you
It seemed so straightforward – run in one direction. And yet they were so disorientated they ended up trapped in another world.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you target the opponent with this, and they are required to make a Will Save. If they pass, the charge continues as normal. If they fail, they are affected by a Maze effect, as the spell, with no Spell Resistance.
Makeshift Magic [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a stick, and a handful of “bits” from a monster that can cast Spells or Spell-Like Abilities
Apparently, it just takes some magic bird feathers and a stick to blast people with magic.
Effect: the Device may be used with a Standard Action to cast a Spell or Spell-Like Ability that the creature type (not that individual creature, so class levels do not count), using your own level as the Caster Level, and any Save DC is normal for a Device. This destroys the components, and cannot be used to cast a spell with a level more than half your level.
Planar Tumble [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you feel like moving
There are tiny gaps between the realms. With a bit of skill, you can step through these.
Effect: with a Move Action, you may move up to your movement speed via Teleportation, or with a Full Round Action you may actually Teleport as the spell, with a Caster Level equal to your own level, however it only affects you and anything you can physically carry with you. Any location you can currently see is safe – you arrive On Target every single time. You cannot use this if you are unable to use the Tumble skill for any reason.
Scribbled Arcana [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: chalk, charcoal or coloured wax
Using magical shorthand and the font of Hell-vetica Standard, you make a quick rune of powerful magic.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you may cast any Symbol spell (Symbol of Stunning etc), with a Caster Level equal to your level. You cannot create a symbol with a Spell Level more than half your own level.
Shadow Form [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: a foe attacks you while you are in sufficient darkness to provide Concealment (even if they can actually see through the darkness)
In an instant, where once there was a target, there is now nowt but darkness.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you become Incorporeal [Ethereal] until the end of your next turn. If the attack fails to hit you, they suffer Strength Drain equal to 1d6, plus one per four levels (round up). While you remain in this state, all of your successful melee attacks also deal this Strength Drain.
Unlimited Growth [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a small amount of mold in a box or jar
It turned out you had a dangerous trap-like mold, and now it is growing for all eternity.
Effect: this is thrown out to 15 feet or applied manually with an Attack Action, requiring a Touch Attack to hit the right target. This afflicts them with Brown Mold, and at the start of your next turn, it grows to fill the entire 5’ square. At the start of every one of your turns thereafter, the area doubles, and this continues until they are destroyed.
What’s That? [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe is about to use a Gaze, Glare, Eye Ray/Beam, Shout/Roar/Bellow, or Breath Weapon, or needs to maintain concentration.
The most simple redirection trick ends up working, and the foe looks the wrong way – with devastating effect.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you force the foe to attempt a Will Save. If failed, you may select the direction they face, and thus the target of a Glare or Eye Beam, or the area affected by a Gaze, Roar or Breath Weapon. Alternatively, if they are trying to concentrate on something, failure results in them failing to concentrate.
Ingredients: a conductive metal rod
Jamming the stick into the ancient being, you now have a way to direct its every action.
Effect: this is used on an adjacent Construct with a Standard Action, and requires a successful attack roll against its Armour Class. If successful, this places the Construct under your control. At the end of each of your turns, if you are no longer adjacent to it, it ceases being under your control, however directing its full turn requires only a Standard Action, so you could make it approach and attack somebody, then follow it in the same turn.
Hidden Assassin [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you successfully hit a foe who is unaware of your presence
Without a sound, the target is slain, and their features stolen so you may walk amongst your foes.
Effect: the foe must attempt a Fortitude Save against a [Death] effect. If they fail this, they are instantly and silently slain. Whether they die from this or from the damage of the attack, you may instantly take on the shape and voice of your foe as an Illusion effect, and you gain access to their memories. This does not grant you their skills, feats, languages and such, but you would recognise anybody they knew, remember passwords and so on.
Instant Trap [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a handful of minor components of the completed trap (wire, springs, bricks...)
Shadowstuff augments the few real pieces, and in a matter of seconds, deadly traps lie everywhere.
Effect: you may create a number of readied traps with a combined Challenge Rating equal to your level, though no trap may have a CR equal to or higher than your level, nor may you create a pit or create your own spell effect trap – use traps actually listed in books. Every square that can work as a trigger (pressure plate, rune, tripwire etc) requires its own Standard Action to affect, from an adjacent square, as does every square with an active mechanism (so a 5’ wall section with spikes is one, but a 10’ wall would be two actions, as would a swinging blade suspended from a 5’ rope, even though the blade could reach three squares). A given square may only contain elements of one trap (trigger, mechanism or both), and if both the trigger and mechanism are in the same square, the same action is used to affect both. If a given trap has a Challenge Rating lower than half your level, each square only requires a Swift Action, or a Full Round Action may affect every adjacent square at once. Any attack roll for the trap uses your own attack rolls, and any Save DC is standard for a Device. The traps last until the next sunrise.
Into the Void [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an opponent declares a Charge against you
It seemed so straightforward – run in one direction. And yet they were so disorientated they ended up trapped in another world.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you target the opponent with this, and they are required to make a Will Save. If they pass, the charge continues as normal. If they fail, they are affected by a Maze effect, as the spell, with no Spell Resistance.
Makeshift Magic [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a stick, and a handful of “bits” from a monster that can cast Spells or Spell-Like Abilities
Apparently, it just takes some magic bird feathers and a stick to blast people with magic.
Effect: the Device may be used with a Standard Action to cast a Spell or Spell-Like Ability that the creature type (not that individual creature, so class levels do not count), using your own level as the Caster Level, and any Save DC is normal for a Device. This destroys the components, and cannot be used to cast a spell with a level more than half your level.
Planar Tumble [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you feel like moving
There are tiny gaps between the realms. With a bit of skill, you can step through these.
Effect: with a Move Action, you may move up to your movement speed via Teleportation, or with a Full Round Action you may actually Teleport as the spell, with a Caster Level equal to your own level, however it only affects you and anything you can physically carry with you. Any location you can currently see is safe – you arrive On Target every single time. You cannot use this if you are unable to use the Tumble skill for any reason.
Scribbled Arcana [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: chalk, charcoal or coloured wax
Using magical shorthand and the font of Hell-vetica Standard, you make a quick rune of powerful magic.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you may cast any Symbol spell (Symbol of Stunning etc), with a Caster Level equal to your level. You cannot create a symbol with a Spell Level more than half your own level.
Shadow Form [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: a foe attacks you while you are in sufficient darkness to provide Concealment (even if they can actually see through the darkness)
In an instant, where once there was a target, there is now nowt but darkness.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you become Incorporeal [Ethereal] until the end of your next turn. If the attack fails to hit you, they suffer Strength Drain equal to 1d6, plus one per four levels (round up). While you remain in this state, all of your successful melee attacks also deal this Strength Drain.
Unlimited Growth [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a small amount of mold in a box or jar
It turned out you had a dangerous trap-like mold, and now it is growing for all eternity.
Effect: this is thrown out to 15 feet or applied manually with an Attack Action, requiring a Touch Attack to hit the right target. This afflicts them with Brown Mold, and at the start of your next turn, it grows to fill the entire 5’ square. At the start of every one of your turns thereafter, the area doubles, and this continues until they are destroyed.
What’s That? [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: a foe is about to use a Gaze, Glare, Eye Ray/Beam, Shout/Roar/Bellow, or Breath Weapon, or needs to maintain concentration.
The most simple redirection trick ends up working, and the foe looks the wrong way – with devastating effect.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you force the foe to attempt a Will Save. If failed, you may select the direction they face, and thus the target of a Glare or Eye Beam, or the area affected by a Gaze, Roar or Breath Weapon. Alternatively, if they are trying to concentrate on something, failure results in them failing to concentrate.
Assimilate [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: somebody within Line of Sight takes on your shape, or somebody makes contact with your mind (Telepathy, Detect Thoughts, attempted Domination)
Your mind is a mighty trap, a void that draws others in and seizes control.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may force the target to attempt a Will Save against a [Mind-Affecting] Enchantment effect, however if they attempted to contact your mind, they do not gain the benefits of any immunity to this. On a failed save, they are Dominated by you for the next hour. In the case of somebody assuming your form, if their shape changes before this hour, the control ends earlier.
Between the Realms [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are not currently subject to a Dimensional Anchor effect
Even the worlds themselves are no barrier to you.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may become Incorporeal and Ethereal for one minute (although you may end this earlier as a Swift Action if you wish). Furthermore, you may travel via Plane Shift (affecting only you and anything you can carry) with a Full Round Action. If you are familiar with (having personally visited) the destination within the target plane, you do not scatter off-course.
Blot [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a small weight, inside a bag, inside another bag
You wind the bags together to form a pair of dimensional holes wrapped around each other, collapsing into what seems like a black hole.
Effect: this can be thrown out to 60 feet away with a Standard Action. Once it lands, it forms something like an Umbral Blot: at the end of each of your turns, all creatures within 30 feet of it must attempt a Reflex Save or be dragged into contact by the vortex, with flying creatures suffering a -4 Penalty to the Saving Throw, creatures smaller than Small suffering a -4 Penalty and creatures larger than Large enjoying a +4 Bonus. Upon touching the vortex, creatures must attempt a Fortitude Save. On a failed save, they are utterly disintegrated and reduced to nothing, not even leaving dust behind. This is not a [Death] effect; even objects and undead can be obliterated in this manner. On a successful save, creatures and objects suffer 10d6 points of Untyped damage. This blot remains for one minute, or until destroyed by a Rod of Cancellation or anything else that can negate a Sphere of Annihilation or similar.
Burning Skies [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a sharpened copper rod that could be a lightning rod or a kunai
Somehow, you pierce the very heavens, and split the planar barriers, causing destruction to rain down.
Effect: with a Standard Action, this is hurled at the open sky, at which point it starts to take effect. The sky splits open, and you can create any magical weather, such as Storm of Vengeance, Whirlwind, Greater Whirlwind, Storm of Elemental Fury, Towering Thunderhead, Prismatic Deluge, Deadly Sunstroke, Storm of Fire and Ice, Flashflood, Meteor Swarm, Cometstrike, Whiteout, Fimbulwinter, Iceberg, Magic Miasma or any of the supernatural weather described in weather books or the Bad Weather in Book of Vile Darkness. In the case of named spells, the duration is standard for the spell (with a Caster Level equal to your level), and in the case of supernatural weather, if there is a standard duration it lasts for that, otherwise it lasts for a number of rounds equal to your level.
Deceive Reality [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are targeted by a Wish, Miracle or Limited Wish (or the Psionic equivalents), or subject to harmful Planar traits.
Even reality itself can be fooled or subtly shaped, and you make subtle changes to your benefit.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you can attempt to adjust the parameters of reality. In the case of a spell, make a Bluff check opposed by a Caster Level check of the caster, with success allowing you to instead define all terms of the spell other than the fact that you must be the target (so “I Wish that Rogue would die” could be changed to “I Wish that Rogue were Healed of his injuries” but not “I wish for the creation of a magic item”). In the case of planar traits, you only need make a Bluff check if the traits are being imposed by another being (deities, overlords with dominion over their realms, spells that change planar traits, anything caused by another creature exerting their will on morphic planes), in which case it opposes their level check. Otherwise it works automatically. Either way, you may either change the traits in a 50’ bubble around you to any you wish, or you may simply exempt yourself. This remains until either the effects end, you leave the plane, or one hour per level, whichever comes first.
Eternal Shadow [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are slain
Before your corpse even hits the ground, it fades away, and the shadows rise.
Effect: even though you normally can’t take actions or use abilities when dead, this activates anyway. Your body fades to nothing, your equipment dropping to the ground, and your spirit remains as a greater form of shadow: you gain the Umbral template (though you cease benefiting from any equipment). Creatures killed by you in this form simply rise as regular Shadows, which are not under your control but are Friendly towards you. Bringing you back from the dead, whether you remain Umbral or are destroyed, requires a Wish or Miracle.
Flux [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a small jar of slime or goo.
One of the most dangerous forms of slime, the magic-eating Flux slime, is now released.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may hurl the jar out to 30 feet away, at which point it breaks open and creates a 5’ cube of Flux Slime. At the beginning of each of your turns, it will grow by another 5’ cube. It will last for one minute, or until destroyed by extreme heat or cold, or sunlight. The Caster Level of the Antimagic Field equals your own level, and the Save DC for the effects of a magical burst is standard for a Device.
Mirrored Power [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you successfully save against a targeted effect
The foe fails to affect you, and now they must suffer their own baleful powers.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you reflect the effect back completely at its originator. You suffer no effects, even if it was merely “Fortitude Partial” or similar, and the creature or object that targeted you becomes the new target, needing to save normally.
Perfect Blend [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: the dregs of at least three magical potions or oils, one alcoholic drink
Shaking the mixture together, you create a magical cocktail that fits your every need.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you can mix the cocktail together, and after this it can be consumed as a potion normally within the next hour before it loses its potency. When consumed, its effects take place – chosen by you when it is brewed: it may duplicate the effects of any magic Potion or Elixir, with a Caster Level equal to your own level, or provide the “Undo harmful effects” or “Undo misfortune” effect of a Wish.
Shadowstuff [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: cloth and coloured powder
Forming shapes, shadow essence is drawn in, and illusions become all too real.
Effect: throwing this into the air is a Standard Action, and allows you to recreate any of the following effects: Simulacrum, Shades, Nightmare Terrain, Screen, Programmed Image, Mirage Arcana, False Vision, Shifting Paths, Shadow Landscape.
Tempting Offer [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an opponent threatens your square
You leave your defences open, such an inviting target, but if they miss...
Effect: with a Standard Action, you provoke an Attack of Opportunity from the foe in question, but no other foes. They can choose not to make this, just like normal, however if they attempt it and fail to hit you, they are instantly Imprisoned as the spell, with no saving throw or Spell Resistance.
Conditions: somebody within Line of Sight takes on your shape, or somebody makes contact with your mind (Telepathy, Detect Thoughts, attempted Domination)
Your mind is a mighty trap, a void that draws others in and seizes control.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you may force the target to attempt a Will Save against a [Mind-Affecting] Enchantment effect, however if they attempted to contact your mind, they do not gain the benefits of any immunity to this. On a failed save, they are Dominated by you for the next hour. In the case of somebody assuming your form, if their shape changes before this hour, the control ends earlier.
Between the Realms [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are not currently subject to a Dimensional Anchor effect
Even the worlds themselves are no barrier to you.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may become Incorporeal and Ethereal for one minute (although you may end this earlier as a Swift Action if you wish). Furthermore, you may travel via Plane Shift (affecting only you and anything you can carry) with a Full Round Action. If you are familiar with (having personally visited) the destination within the target plane, you do not scatter off-course.
Blot [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a small weight, inside a bag, inside another bag
You wind the bags together to form a pair of dimensional holes wrapped around each other, collapsing into what seems like a black hole.
Effect: this can be thrown out to 60 feet away with a Standard Action. Once it lands, it forms something like an Umbral Blot: at the end of each of your turns, all creatures within 30 feet of it must attempt a Reflex Save or be dragged into contact by the vortex, with flying creatures suffering a -4 Penalty to the Saving Throw, creatures smaller than Small suffering a -4 Penalty and creatures larger than Large enjoying a +4 Bonus. Upon touching the vortex, creatures must attempt a Fortitude Save. On a failed save, they are utterly disintegrated and reduced to nothing, not even leaving dust behind. This is not a [Death] effect; even objects and undead can be obliterated in this manner. On a successful save, creatures and objects suffer 10d6 points of Untyped damage. This blot remains for one minute, or until destroyed by a Rod of Cancellation or anything else that can negate a Sphere of Annihilation or similar.
Burning Skies [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: a sharpened copper rod that could be a lightning rod or a kunai
Somehow, you pierce the very heavens, and split the planar barriers, causing destruction to rain down.
Effect: with a Standard Action, this is hurled at the open sky, at which point it starts to take effect. The sky splits open, and you can create any magical weather, such as Storm of Vengeance, Whirlwind, Greater Whirlwind, Storm of Elemental Fury, Towering Thunderhead, Prismatic Deluge, Deadly Sunstroke, Storm of Fire and Ice, Flashflood, Meteor Swarm, Cometstrike, Whiteout, Fimbulwinter, Iceberg, Magic Miasma or any of the supernatural weather described in weather books or the Bad Weather in Book of Vile Darkness. In the case of named spells, the duration is standard for the spell (with a Caster Level equal to your level), and in the case of supernatural weather, if there is a standard duration it lasts for that, otherwise it lasts for a number of rounds equal to your level.
Deceive Reality [Exploit] (Ex)
Conditions: you are targeted by a Wish, Miracle or Limited Wish (or the Psionic equivalents), or subject to harmful Planar traits.
Even reality itself can be fooled or subtly shaped, and you make subtle changes to your benefit.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you can attempt to adjust the parameters of reality. In the case of a spell, make a Bluff check opposed by a Caster Level check of the caster, with success allowing you to instead define all terms of the spell other than the fact that you must be the target (so “I Wish that Rogue would die” could be changed to “I Wish that Rogue were Healed of his injuries” but not “I wish for the creation of a magic item”). In the case of planar traits, you only need make a Bluff check if the traits are being imposed by another being (deities, overlords with dominion over their realms, spells that change planar traits, anything caused by another creature exerting their will on morphic planes), in which case it opposes their level check. Otherwise it works automatically. Either way, you may either change the traits in a 50’ bubble around you to any you wish, or you may simply exempt yourself. This remains until either the effects end, you leave the plane, or one hour per level, whichever comes first.
Eternal Shadow [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you are slain
Before your corpse even hits the ground, it fades away, and the shadows rise.
Effect: even though you normally can’t take actions or use abilities when dead, this activates anyway. Your body fades to nothing, your equipment dropping to the ground, and your spirit remains as a greater form of shadow: you gain the Umbral template (though you cease benefiting from any equipment). Creatures killed by you in this form simply rise as regular Shadows, which are not under your control but are Friendly towards you. Bringing you back from the dead, whether you remain Umbral or are destroyed, requires a Wish or Miracle.
Flux [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: a small jar of slime or goo.
One of the most dangerous forms of slime, the magic-eating Flux slime, is now released.
Effect: with a Standard Action, you may hurl the jar out to 30 feet away, at which point it breaks open and creates a 5’ cube of Flux Slime. At the beginning of each of your turns, it will grow by another 5’ cube. It will last for one minute, or until destroyed by extreme heat or cold, or sunlight. The Caster Level of the Antimagic Field equals your own level, and the Save DC for the effects of a magical burst is standard for a Device.
Mirrored Power [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: you successfully save against a targeted effect
The foe fails to affect you, and now they must suffer their own baleful powers.
Effect: with an Immediate Action, you reflect the effect back completely at its originator. You suffer no effects, even if it was merely “Fortitude Partial” or similar, and the creature or object that targeted you becomes the new target, needing to save normally.
Perfect Blend [Device] (Ex)
Ingredients: the dregs of at least three magical potions or oils, one alcoholic drink
Shaking the mixture together, you create a magical cocktail that fits your every need.
Effect: with a Full Round Action, you can mix the cocktail together, and after this it can be consumed as a potion normally within the next hour before it loses its potency. When consumed, its effects take place – chosen by you when it is brewed: it may duplicate the effects of any magic Potion or Elixir, with a Caster Level equal to your own level, or provide the “Undo harmful effects” or “Undo misfortune” effect of a Wish.
Shadowstuff [Device] (Su)
Ingredients: cloth and coloured powder
Forming shapes, shadow essence is drawn in, and illusions become all too real.
Effect: throwing this into the air is a Standard Action, and allows you to recreate any of the following effects: Simulacrum, Shades, Nightmare Terrain, Screen, Programmed Image, Mirage Arcana, False Vision, Shifting Paths, Shadow Landscape.
Tempting Offer [Exploit] (Su)
Conditions: an opponent threatens your square
You leave your defences open, such an inviting target, but if they miss...
Effect: with a Standard Action, you provoke an Attack of Opportunity from the foe in question, but no other foes. They can choose not to make this, just like normal, however if they attempt it and fail to hit you, they are instantly Imprisoned as the spell, with no saving throw or Spell Resistance.
