Rogue Playbook

For my Ptolus campaign, I prepared thematic playbooks for each of the fantasy archetypes.

Against the common design mantra of “less is more” I packed these playbooks to the brim with abilities and options that fit the archetype concept. Below is my Rogue playbook annotated with design notes.

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Rogue ¹

Life is an endless adventure for those who live by their wits. Ever just one step ahead of danger, rogues bank on their cunning, skill, and charm to bend fate to their favor. Never knowing what to expect, they prepare for everything, becoming masters of a wide variety of skills, training themselves to be adept manipulators, agile acrobats, shadowy stalkers, or masters of any of dozens of other professions or talents.

Roleplaying the Rogue ²

During Combat Encounters

You move about stealthily so you can catch foes unawares. You’re a precision instrument, more useful against a tough boss or distant spellcaster than against rank-and-file soldiers.

During Social Encounters

Your skills give you multiple tools to influence your opposition. Pulling cons and ferreting out information are second nature to you.

While Exploring

You sneak to get the drop on foes and scout for danger or traps. You’re a great asset, since you can disable traps, solve puzzles, and anticipate dangers.

In Downtime

You might pick pockets or trade in illegal goods. You can also become part of a thieves’ guild, or even found one of your own.

You Might

• Hone your skills through intense practice, both on your own and out in the world.
• Know where to attain illicit goods.
• Skirt or break the law because you think it’s meaningless or have your own code.

Others Probably

• Find you charming or fascinating, even if they think they know better than to trust you.
• Come to you when they need someone who is willing to take risks or use questionable methods.
• Suspect you’re motivated primarily by greed.

Skills

• You have Inabilities with: Heavy weapons
• You are Practiced with: Light and medium weapons
• You can carry 2 one-time magic items without risk³
• You can cast a spell by expending one Recovery Slot (plus any pool costs)⁴

Starting Equpiment⁵

• Appropriate clothing and a weapon of your choice, plus two expensive items, two moderately priced items, and up to four inexpensive items.
• You have 3d6 + 90 gold pieces.
• You have two one-use magic items.

Pools, Edge and Effort

• You start with 8 points in Might pool, 10 in Speed pool and 9 in Intellect pool.
• You have an Edge of 1 for one stat of your choice: Speed, or Intellect
• You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish.

Player Intrusions⁶

You may spend 1 XP to use one of the following player intrusions – or make up your own – provided the situation is appropriate, and the GM agrees.

Welcoming Dark: Being chased, you dart into a dark alley. After the bright sunlit streets, your pursuers are hindered in spotting you when you attempt to hide.
Crowds and Crates: If you suspect that you are being followed or are in the middle of a chase, the street traffic and clutter slows your target’s movement by half, and attempts not to lose you are hindered.
Like Home: Having taken them to this location several times in the day, tonight, three of your allies can weave their way through this spot without bumping into things.
Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a dangerous device malfunctions before it can affect you.

Minor & Major Effects

A minor effect happens when a player rolls a natural 19. Most of the time, a minor effect is slightly beneficial to the PC, but not overwhelming. A major effect happens when a player rolls a natural 20. Most of the time, a major effect is quite beneficial to the character.
When you take an ability from a den, you can use that den’s minor and major options.⁷

Rogue Dens⁸

At each Tier choose one ability from one Rogue den.
You don’t have to choose a specific den, and you don’t need someone to teach you a den ability.
You can learn tier 1 abilities from any den, even if that means that eventually you know abilities from several dens. However, to learn a tier 2 or higher ability from a den, you first have to know at least one lower-tier ability from that den.

House of Snake

Thieves, burglars, pickpockets: you lived with and learned from these dangerous individuals who haunt the back alleys of every community. You were a thief in a city or town, making your livelihood at the expense of the wealthy. Your talents, however, prepare you for all kinds of pursuits, even when you’re not crouching in an alley or climbing into a window.

• Additional Equipment: You start with a bag of light tools.
• Minor Effect: You can immediately attempt to hide after this action.
• Major Effect: You can immediately take a second action during this turn
• Category: Movement⁹

Tier	Ability	Description
1	Stealth Skills (186)	You are trained in your choice of two of the following skills: disguise, deception, lockpicking, pickpocketing, seeing through deception, sleight of hand, or stealth. You can choose this ability multiple times, but you must select different skills each time
2	Underworld Contacts (195)	You know many people in a variety of communities who engage in illegal activities. These people are not necessarily your friends and might not be trustworthy, but they recognize you as a peer. You and the GM should work out the details of your underworld contacts.
3	Guild Training (147)	Your type abilities that have durations last twice as long. Your type abilities that have short ranges reach to long range instead. Your type abilities that inflict damage deal 1 additional point of damage.
3	Pull a Fast One (173)	When you’re running a con, picking a pocket, fooling or tricking a dupe, sneaking something by a guard, and so on, you gain an asset on the task.
4	Master Thief (160)	You are trained in climbing, escaping from bonds, slipping through narrow places, and other contortionist moves.
5	Dirty Fighter (128)	You distract, blind, annoy, hamper, or otherwise interfere with a foe, hindering their attacks and defenses for one minute.
6	All-Out Con (109)	You put everything into it. You add three free levels of Effort to the next task you attempt. You can’t use this ability again until after you’ve taken a ten-hour recovery action.
6	Alley Rat (109)	While in a city, you find or create a significant shortcut, secret entrance, or emergency escape route where it looked like none existed. Doing so requires that you succeed on an Intellect action whose difficulty is set by the GM based on the situation. You and the GM should work out the details.

Guiding Knife

Murderous assassins who were masters of dealing death. No one was better at sneaking into a location, eliminating a target, and slipping out again. Obviously, a professional killer is not likely to have a lot of friends.

• Additional Equipment: You start with a disguise kit and three doses of a level 2 blade poison that inflicts 5 points of damage.
• Minor Effect: No one but the foe notices that you make the attack.
• Major Effect: If you have poison amid your belongings, you were able to apply it just before the strike, adding the poison’s effects to the normal attack damage.
• Category: Striker Combat

Tier	Ability	Description
1	Assassin Skills (110)	You are trained in stealth and disguise tasks.
1	Surprise Attack (188)	If attacking from a hidden vantage, with surprise, or before your opponent has acted, you get an asset on the attack. On a successful hit, you inflict 2 additional points of damage.
2	Infiltrator (153)	You are trained in interactions involving lies or trickery
2	Quick Death (173)	You know how to kill quickly. When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, you deal 4 additional points of damage. You can’t make this attack in two consecutive rounds.
3	Spell Awareness (111)	You become hyperaware of your surroundings in order to better locate your target. For ten minutes, you are aware of all living things within long range (including their general position), and by concentrating (another action), you can attempt to learn the general health and power level of any one of them.
3	Poison Crafter (170)	You are trained in crafting, sensing, identifying, and resisting poisons. Your poison crafting has given you some immunity to poisons; you have +5 Armor that applies specifically to poison damage.
4	Better Surprise Attack (113)	If attacking from a hidden vantage, with surprise, or before an opponent has acted, you get an asset on the attack (if you have Surprise Attack, this is in addition to the asset from that ability). On a successful hit with this surprise attack, you inflict 2 additional points of damage (for a total of 4 additional points of damage if you have Surprise Attack).
5	Damage Dealer (124)	You inflict an additional 3 points of damage with your chosen weapon.
6	Escape Plan (136)	When you kill a foe, you can attempt a stealth task to immediately hide from anyone around, assuming that a suitable hiding place is nearby.
6	Murderer (165)	With a swift and sudden attack, you strike a foe in a vital spot. If the target is level 4 or lower, it is killed outright. For each additional level of Effort you apply, you can increase the level of the target by 1.

Left Hand of Darkness

A den of subtlety, guile, and stealth. Your body has been trained (or perhaps even genetically or magically altered) to make you the perfect infiltrator. You use a wide variety of disguises and tools to perform your duties, but your greatest tools are your own skills and training.

• Additional Equipment: You have three throwing weapons of your choice.
• Minor Effect: Your opponent is so startled by your moves that it is dazed, during which time the difficulty of all tasks it performs is increased by one step.
• Major Effect: All opponents within short range are so startled by your moves that they are dazed, during which time the difficulty of all tasks they perform is increased by one step.
• Category: Exploration

Tier	Ability	Description
1	Sense Attitudes (181)	You are trained in sensing lies and whether a person is likely to (or already does) believe your lies.
1	Stealth Skills (186)	You are trained in your choice of two of the following skills: disguise, deception, lockpicking, pickpocketing, seeing through deception, sleight of hand, or stealth. You can choose this ability multiple times, but you must select different skills each time.
2	Flight Not Fight (141)	If you use your action only to move, all Speed defense tasks are eased.
2	Impersonate (151)	For one hour, you alter your voice, posture, and mannerisms, whip together a disguise, and gain an asset on an attempt to impersonate someone else, whether it is a specific individual (Bob the cop) or a general role (a police officer).
3	Spell Awareness (111)	You become hyperaware of your surroundings in order to better locate your target. For ten minutes, you are aware of all living things within long range (including their general position), and by concentrating (another action), you can attempt to learn the general health and power level of any one of them.
3	Skill With Attacks (183)	Choose one type of attack in which you are not already trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks using that type of weapon. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of attack.
4	Spell Invisibility (155)	You become invisible for ten minutes. While invisible, you are specialized in stealth and Speed defense tasks. This effect ends if you do something to reveal your presence or position—attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on. If this occurs, you can regain the remaining invisibility effect by taking an action to hide your position. If you have another ability that also confers invisibility, using either one allows you to remain invisible for twice as long as the duration specified. Action to initiate or reinitiate.
5	Brainwashing (116)	You use trickery, well-spoken lies, and mind-affecting chemicals (or other means, like magic or high technology) to make others temporarily do what you want them to do. You control the actions of another creature you touch. This effect lasts for one minute. The target must be level 3 or lower. You can allow it to act freely or override its control on a case-by-case basis as long as you can see it. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target or increase the duration by one minute. Thus, to control the mind of a level 6 target (three levels above the normal limit) or control a target for four minutes (three minutes above the normal duration), you must apply three levels of Effort. When the duration ends, the creature doesn’t remember being controlled or anything it did while under your influence.
5	Evasion (136)	You’re hard to affect when you don’t want to be affected. You are trained in all defense tasks.
6	Spring Away (186)	Whenever you succeed on a Speed defense roll, you can immediately move up to a short distance. You cannot use this ability more than once in a given round.

Foci

Each player should have a unique focus. For a well rounded character, choose a focus from a different category than the den’s.
Suggested foci for rogues are:

• Is Wanted by the Law (Striker Combat)
• Dances with Dark Matter (Energy Manipulation)
• Sailed Beneath the Jolly Roger (Irregular)
• Finds the Flaw in All Things (EW)
• Fell Through a Rabbit Hole (EW)
• Walks with the Night (GotF)
• Inks Spells on Skin (WNaS) (Irregular)
• Works the System (Influence)
• Crafts Illusions ( Environment Manipulation)
• Exists in Two Places at Once (Ally Use)
• Runs Away (Movement)
• Looks For Trouble ( Striker Combat)
• Focuses Mind Over Matter (Environment Manipulation)
• Curses the World (WaaMH)
• Lived Among the Fey (WaaMH)

Rogue Abilities¹⁰

Tier 1 Rogue

Choose three of the abilities listed below. You can’t choose the same ability more than once unless its description says otherwise.

Ability	Description
Critter Companion (123)	A level 1 creature accompanies you and follows your instructions. This creature is no larger than a large cat (about 20 pounds, or 9 kg) and is normally some sort of domesticated species. You and the GM must work out the details of your creature, and you’ll probably make rolls for it in combat or when it takes actions. The critter companion acts on your turn. As a level 1 creature, it has a target number of 3 and 3 health, and it inflicts 1 point of damage. Its movement is based on its creature type (avian, swimmer, and so on). If your critter companion dies, you can search an urban or wild environment for 1d6 days to find a new one.
Goad (145)	You can attempt to goad a target into a belligerent—and probably foolish—reaction that requires the target to try to close the distance between you and attempt to physically strike you on its next turn. They attempt this action even if this would cause them to break formation or to give up cover or a tactically superior position. Whether the target strikes you or fails to do so, they come to their senses immediately afterward, after which further tasks attempting to goad the target again are hindered.
Trapster (193)	You are trained in creating simple traps for human-sized or smaller targets, especially many varieties of deadfalls and snares using natural objects from the surrounding environment. When you lay a trap, decide whether you want to hold the victim in place (a snare) or inflict damage (a deadfall). Creating a snare is a difficulty 3 task, while the difficulty of creating a deadfall is equal to the number of points of damage you want it to inflict. For example, if you want to inflict 4 points of damage, that’s a difficulty 4 task (the training that comes with this ability eases the task). On a success, you create your one-use trap in about one minute, and it is considered level 3 for the purposes of avoiding detection before it is sprung and for a victim trying to struggle free (if a snare). Action to initiate, one minute or one hour to complete.
Legerdemain (157)	You can perform small but seemingly impossible tricks. For example, you can make a small object in your hands disappear and move into a desired spot within reach (like your pocket). You can make someone believe that they have something in their possession that they do not have (or vice versa). You can switch similar objects right in front of someone’s eyes.
Improved Edge (151)	Choose one of your Edge stats that is 0. It increases to 1.
Precision (171)	You deal 2 additional points of damage with attacks using weapons that you throw.
Fleet of Foot (141)	You can move a short distance as part of another action. You can move a long distance as your entire action for a turn. If you apply a level of Effort to this ability, you can move a long distance and make an attack as your entire action for a turn, but the attack is hindered.
Spell Spider Climb (PTL619)	Ptolus page 619
Practiced in Armor (171)	You can wear armor for long periods of time without tiring and can compensate for slowed reactions from wearing armor. You reduce the Speed cost for wearing armor by 1. You start the game with a type of armor of your choice.
Trained Without Armor (193)	You are trained in Speed defense tasks when not wearing armor.
Block (115)	You automatically block the next melee attack made against you within the next minute.
Misdirect Blame (163)	Using your clever words and knowledge of others, you can attempt to alter the narrative so that a target of up to level 3 within short range becomes uncertain of its conviction in one simple area, such as their conviction that you just stole a fruit from their stand or their belief that they’ve never met you before. This effect usually lasts only for the period of time you spend speaking, and perhaps up to a minute longer, before the target realizes its error. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the target level that can be affected. Afterward, all your tasks to persuade or otherwise socially interact with the target are hindered.
Eye Gouge (138)	You make an attack against a creature with an eye. The attack is hindered, but if you hit, the creature has trouble seeing for the next hour. During this time, the creature’s tasks that rely on sight (which is most tasks) are hindered.
Opportunist (167)	You have an asset on any attack roll you make against a creature that has already been attacked at some point during the round and is within immediate range.
Dual Light Wield (132)	You can use two light weapons at the same time, making two separate attacks on your turn as a single action. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action, but because you make separate attacks, your opponent’s Armor applies to both. Anything that modifies your attack or damage applies to both attacks, unless it’s specifically tied to one of the weapons.
Danger Sense (124)	Your initiative task is eased. You pay the cost each time the ability is used.

Tier 2 Rogue

Choose three of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

Ability	Description
Create Deadly Poison (123)	You create one dose of a level 2 poison that either inflicts 5 points of damage or hinders the poisoned creature’s actions for ten minutes (your choice each time you create the poison). You can apply this poison to a weapon, food, or drink as part of the action of creating it. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of the poison; each level of Effort used in this way increases the poison level by 1. If unused, the poison loses its potency after one hour.
Escape (136)	You slip your restraints, squeeze through the bars, break the grip of a creature holding you, pull free from sucking quicksand, or otherwise get loose from whatever is holding you in place.
Slip Into Shadow (183)	You attempt to slip away from a selected target and hide from view in a nearby shadow, behind a tree or a furnishing, or in the next room, even if in full view of the target. For each level of Effort applied, you can attempt to affect one additional target, as long as all your targets are next to each other.
Spell Fetch (139)	You cause an object to disappear and reappear in your hands or somewhere else nearby. Choose one object that can fit inside a 5-foot (2 m) cube and that you can see within long range. The object vanishes and appears in your hands or in an open space anywhere you choose within immediate range.
Double Strike (131)	When you wield two weapons, you can choose to make one attack roll against a foe. If you hit, you inflict damage with both weapons plus 2 additional points of damage, and because you made a single attack, the target’s Armor is subtracted only once.
Contortionist (121)	You can wriggle free from bindings or squeeze through a tight spot. You are trained in escaping. When you use an action to escape or move through a tight area, you can immediately use another action. You may use this action only to move.
Get Away (145)	After your action on your turn, you move up to a short distance or get behind or beneath cover within immediate range.
Danger Instinct (124)	If you are attacked by surprise, whether by a creature, a device, or simply an environmental hazard (a tree falling on you), you can move an immediate distance before the attack occurs. If moving prevents the attack, you are safe. If the attack can still potentially affect you—if the attacking creature can move to keep pace, if the attack fills an area too big to escape, etc. —the ability offers no benefit.
Safe Fall (179)	You reduce the damage from a fall by 5 points.
Skill With Defense (183)	Choose one type of defense task in which you are not already trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are trained in defense tasks of that type.
Sense Ambush (181)	You are never surprised by an attack.
Find an Opening (139)	You use trickery to find an opening in your foe’s defenses. If you succeed on a Speed roll against one creature within immediate range, your next attack against that creature before the end of the next round is eased.
Quick Throw (174)	After using a thrown light weapon, you draw another light weapon and make another thrown attack against the same target or a different one.
Tool Mastery (192)	When you have an asset from using a tool, the time required to perform the task is cut in half (minimum one round).
Hand to Eye (148)	This ability provides an asset to any tasks involving manual dexterity, such as pickpocketing, lockpicking, games involving agility, and so on. Each use lasts up to a minute; a new use (to switch tasks) replaces the previous use.
Stand Watch (186)	While standing watch (mostly remaining in place for an extended period of time), you unfailingly remain awake and alert for up to eight hours. During this time, you are trained in perception tasks as well as stealth tasks to conceal yourself from those who might approach.
Careful Aim (118)	You are trained in attacks with all weapons that you throw.
Taking Advantage (188)	When your foe is weakened, dazed, stunned, moved down the damage track, or disadvantaged in some other way, your attacks against that foe are eased beyond any other modifications due to the disadvantage.
Spell Face Morph (138)	You alter your features and coloration for one hour, hiding your identity or impersonating someone. This affects only your face, not the rest of your body. You can’t perfectly duplicate someone else’s face, but you can be accurate enough to fool someone who knows that person casually. You have an asset in all tasks involving disguise. You must apply a level of Effort to be able to impersonate a different species (such as a human morphing into a humanoid alien).
Spell Vanish (196)	You become invisible for a short amount of time. While invisible, you have an asset on stealth and Speed defense tasks. The invisibility ends at the end of your next turn, or if you do something to reveal your presence or position—attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on.

Tier 3 Rogue

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

Ability	Description
From the Shadows (144)	If you successfully attack a creature that was previously unaware of your presence, you deal 3 additional points of damage.
Gambler (144)	Each day, choose two different numbers from 2 to 16. One number is your lucky number, and the other is your unlucky number. Whenever you make a roll that day and get a number matching your lucky number, your next task is eased. Whenever you make a roll that day and get a number matching your unlucky number, your next task is hindered.
Expert Cypher Use (137)	You can bear three cyphers at a time.
Seize the Moment (181)	If you succeed on a Speed defense roll to resist an attack, you gain an action. You can use the action immediately even if you have already taken a turn in the round. You don’t take an action during the next round, unless you apply a level of Effort when you use Seize the Moment.
Precise Cut (171)	You inflict 1 additional point of damage with light weapons.
Enhanced Speed (135)	You gain 3 points to your Speed Pool.
Betrayal (113)	Any time you convince a foe that you are not a threat and then suddenly attack it (without provocation), the attack deals 4 additional points of damage.
Controlled Fall (122)	When you fall while you are able to use actions and within reach of a vertical surface, you can attempt to slow your fall. Make a Speed roll with a difficulty of 1 for every 20 feet (6 m) you fall. On a success, you take half damage from the fall. If you reduce the difficulty to 0, you take no damage.
Obstacle Running (167)	For the next minute, you can ignore obstacles that slow your movement, allowing you to travel at normal speed through areas with rubble, fences, tables, and similar objects that you would have to climb over or move around. This movement might include sliding on a railing, briefly running along a wall, or even stepping on a creature to boost yourself over something. If an obstacle would normally require a Might or Speed task to overcome, such as swinging on a rope, balancing on a rope, or jumping over a hole, you are trained in that task.
Dual Medium Wield (132)	You can use two light weapons or medium weapons at the same time (or one light weapon and one medium weapon), making two separate attacks on your turn as a single action. This ability otherwise works like the Dual Light Wield ability.
Misdirect (163)	When an opponent misses you, you can redirect their attack to another target (a creature or object) of your choosing that’s within immediate range of you. Make an unmodified attack roll against the new target (do not use any of your or the opponent’s modifiers to the attack roll, but you can apply Effort for accuracy). If the attack hits, the target takes damage from your opponent’s attack.
Successive Attack (187)	If you take down a foe, you can immediately make another attack on that same turn against a new foe within your reach. The second attack is part of the same action. You can use this ability with melee attacks and ranged attacks.
Run and Fight (179)	You can move a short distance and make a melee attack that inflicts 2 additional points of damage.
Spell Fling (141)	You violently launch a creature or object about your size or smaller within short range and send it flying a short distance in any direction. This is an Intellect attack that inflicts 4 points of damage to the object being flung when it lands or strikes a barrier. If you aim the primary target at another creature or object (and succeed on a second attack), the secondary target also takes 4 points of damage.
Inner Defense (154)	Life’s trials have toughened you and made you hard to read. You are trained in any task to resist another creature’s attempt to discern your true feelings, beliefs, or plans. You are likewise trained in resisting torture, telepathic intrusion, and mind control.
Improvise (152)	When you perform a task in which you are not trained, you can improvise to gain an asset on the task. The asset might be a tool you cobble together, a sudden insight into overcoming a problem, or a rush of dumb luck.
Evanesce (136)	You step into shadows or behind cover, and everyone who was observing you completely loses track of you. Although you’re not invisible, you can’t be seen until you reveal yourself again by moving out of the shadows or from behind cover (or by making an attack).

Tier 4 Rogue

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

Ability	Description
Specialized Throwing (185)	You are specialized in attacks with all weapons that you throw.
Tough As Nails (192)	When you are impaired or debilitated on the damage track, Might-based tasks and defense rolls you attempt are eased. If you also have Ignore the Pain, make a difficulty 1 Might defense roll when you reach 0 points in all three of your Pools to immediately regain 1 Might point and avoid dying. Each time you attempt to save yourself with this ability before your next ten-hour recovery roll, the task is hindered.
Outwit (168)	When you make a Speed defense roll, you can use your Intellect in place of your Speed.
Increased Effects (153)	You treat rolls of natural 19 as rolls of natural 20 for either Might actions or Speed actions (your choice when you gain this ability). This allows you to gain a major effect on a natural 19 or 20.
Capable Warrior (118)	Your attacks deal 1 additional point of damage.
Deadly Aim (125)	For the next minute, all ranged attacks you make inflict 2 additional points of damage.
Tumbling Moves (194)	When you use an action to move, Speed defense rolls are eased until the end of your next turn.
Dual Defense (132)	When you wield two weapons, you are trained in Speed defense tasks.
Anticipate Attack (110)	You can sense when and how creatures attacking you will make their attacks. Speed defense rolls are eased for one minute.
Debilitating Strike (126)	You make an attack to deliver a painful or debilitating strike. The attack is hindered. If it hits, the creature takes 2 additional points of damage at the end of the next round, and its attacks are hindered until the end of the next round.
Everything Is a Weapon (136)	You can take any small object—a coin, a pen, a bottle, a stone, and so on—and throw it with such force and precision that it inflicts damage as a light weapon.
Quick Strike (174)	You make a melee attack with such speed that it is hard for your foe to defend against, and it knocks them off balance. Your attack is eased by two steps, and the foe, if struck, takes normal damage but is dazed so that their tasks are hindered for the next round.
Knock Out (156)	You make a melee attack that inflicts no damage. Instead, if the attack hits, make a second Might-based roll. If successful, a foe of level 3 or lower is knocked unconscious for one minute. For each level of Effort used, you can affect one higher level of foe, or you can extend the duration for an additional minute.
Spell Pry Open (172)	You tear apart the defenses of a creature within long range. Any energy-based defenses it has (such as a force field or a Ward ability) are negated for 1d6 + 1 rounds. If the creature has no energy defenses, its Armor is reduced by 2 for one minute. If it has no energy-based defenses or Armor, attacks against it are eased for one minute.
Ambusher (109)	When you attack a creature that has not yet acted during the first round of combat, your attack is eased.
Subtle Steps (187)	When you move no more than a short distance, you can move without making a sound, regardless of the surface you move across.
Preternatural Senses (171)	While you are conscious and able to use an action, you cannot be surprised. In addition, you are trained in initiative actions.

Tier 5 Rogue

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

Ability	Description
Band of Desperados (112)	Your reputation draws a band of six level 2 desperado NPC followers who are completely devoted to you. You and the GM must work out the details of these followers. If a follower dies, you gain a new one after at least two weeks and proper recruitment.
Free to Move (143)	You ignore all movement penalties and adjustments due to terrain or other obstacles. You can fit through any space large enough to fit your head. Tasks involving breaking free of bonds, a creature’s grip, or any similar impediment gain three free levels of Effort.
Uncanny Luck (194)	When you roll for a task and succeed, roll again. If the second number rolled is higher than the first, you get a minor effect. If you roll the same number again, you get a major effect. If you have Uncanny Luck from another source or a similar ability, it’s your choice (no roll required) whether you get a minor effect, a major effect, or a free activation of one of your tier 1–3 focus abilities.
Dual Distraction (132)	When you wield two weapons, your opponent’s next attack is hindered, and if you apply Effort on your next attack against that same foe, you get a free level of Effort on the task.
Adroit Cypher Use (108)	You can bear four cyphers at a time.
Hard Target (148)	If you move a short distance or farther on your turn, all Speed defense rolls are eased.
Mastery With Defense (161)	Choose one type of defense task in which you are trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are specialized in defense tasks of that type. You can select this ability up to three times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of defense task.
Whirlwind of Throws (198)	With a large handful of small objects—tiny knives, shuriken, stones, jagged bits of metal, coins, or whatever is on hand—you attack every creature in an immediate area within short range. You must make attack rolls against each target. Each attack is hindered. You inflict 3 points of damage on targets you hit.
Return to Sender (177)	If you succeed at a Speed defense task against a melee attack, you can make an immediate melee attack against your foe. You can use this ability only once per round.
Stun Attack (187)	You attempt a difficulty 5 Speed task to stun a creature as part of your melee or ranged attack. If you succeed, your attack inflicts its normal damage and stuns the creature for one round, causing it to lose its next turn. If you fail, you still make your normal attack roll, but you don’t stun the opponent if you hit. If you also have this ability from another source (such as having it as a type ability and a focus ability), using this costs you only 3 points instead of 6 points.
Assassin Strike (110)	If you successfully attack a creature that was previously unaware of your presence, you deal 9 additional points of damage.
Using the Environment (195)	You find some way to use the environment to your advantage in a fight. For the next ten minutes, attack rolls and Speed defense rolls are eased.
Mask (160)	You transform your body to become someone else. You can change any physical characteristic you wish, including coloration, height, weight, gender, and distinguishing markings. You can also change the appearance of whatever you are wearing or carrying. Your stats, as well as the stats of your items, do not change. You remain in this form for up to a day or until you use an action to resume your normal appearance.

Tier 6 Rogue

Choose two of the abilities listed below (or from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier abilities with a different one from a lower tier.

Ability	Description
Mastery With Attacks (161)	Choose one type of attack in which you are trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are specialized in attacks using that type of weapon. (If you aren’t trained in an attack, select Skill With Attacks to become trained in that attack.)
Force and Accuracy (142)	You inflict 3 additional points of damage with attacks using weapons that you throw.
Thief’s Luck (191)	Luck is not the chaotic ocean of random chance most people believe it to be. If you fail on a task (including an attack roll or a defense roll), you can change the die result to a natural 20. That still might not be enough to succeed if the difficulty is higher than 6. Once you use this ability, it is not available again until after you make a ten-hour recovery roll. (Thief’s Luck doesn’t work if you roll a natural 1 for an attempted task, unless you also have and use the ability Wrest From Chance.)
Twist of Fate (194)	Experience has taught you a lot, including that sometimes luck is something that you have to make for yourself. When you roll a 1, you can reroll. You must use the new result, even if it’s another 1.
Trust to Luck (194)	Sometimes, you’ve just got to roll the dice and hope things add up in your favor. When you use Trust to Luck, roll a d6. On any even result, the task you’re attempting is eased by two steps. On a roll of 1, the task is hindered.
Again and Again (109)	You can take an additional action in a round in which you have already acted.
Burst of Escape (116)	You can take two separate actions this round, as long as one of them is to hide or to move in a direction that is not toward a foe.
Disarming Attack (129)	You attempt a Speed task to disarm a foe as part of your melee attack. If you succeed, your attack inflicts 3 additional points of damage and the target’s weapon is knocked from their grip, landing up to 20 feet (6 m) away. If you fail, you still attempt your normal attack, but you don’t inflict the extra damage or disarm the opponent if you hit.
Spin Attack (185)	You stand still and make attacks against up to five foes, all as part of the same action in one round. All of the attacks have to be the same sort of attack (melee or ranged). Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action. Anything that modifies your attack or damage applies to all of these attacks. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the number of foes you can attack with this ability (one additional foe per level of Effort used in this way).
Deadly Strike (125)	If you strike a foe of level 3 or lower with a weapon you’re practiced with, you kill the target instantly.
Exploit Advantage (137)	Even if you can do something well, you’ve learned that you can always do it even better. Whenever you have an asset for a roll, you ease the task by one additional step.

Advancement

By their nature, rogues are varied and versatile. There are rogues who haunt the city, those who stalk the forest, and those who serve as agents of the law. Wherever there is space for someone to make her mark with agility and wit, the rogue is there, using her wide range of skills and abilities to make a place for herself, whether openly or through cunning and subterfuge. And where a rogue’s natural cunning and quick thinking aren’t enough to win the day, well—there’s always the option of a knife in the back.

Progressing to the next tier: When you’ve spent 4 XP on each of the steps, advance to the next tier and gain all of the Rogue, Den, and Focus benefits for that tier.
Ability Swap: At any tier you can replace one of your lower-tier Rogue abilities with a different one from a lower Rogue tier. You can’t swap Den and Focus abilities.

Steps

The four steps can be purchased in any order, but each can be purchased only once per tier.
Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 new points to add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points among your Pools however you wish.
Moving Toward Perfection: You add 1 to either your Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge (your choice).
Extra Effort: Your Effort score increases by 1.
Skills: Choose one skill other than attacks or defense. You become trained in that skill. You can choose a skill based on your character’s special abilities. If you choose a skill that you are already trained in, you become specialized in that skill.
Wildcard:¹¹ Selecting this option counts as purchasing one of the four steps necessary to advance to the next tier. You can buy any ability, even the ones outside the Rogue archetype.

Advancement Table¹²

(This table does not show in full on mobile at the moment)

Tier	Rogue Abilities	Den Abilities	Focus Abilities		Increasing Capabilities	Moving To Perfection	Extra Effort	Skills	Wildcard
1	Three from T1	One from T1 den	One from T1 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 1 ability
2	Three from T2 (or from a lower tier)	One from T2 den (or from a lower tier)	One from T2 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 2 ability (or from a lower tier)
3	Two from T3 (or from a lower tier)	One from T3 den (or from a lower tier)	One from T3 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 3 ability (or from a lower tier)
4	Two from T4 (or from a lower tier)	One from T4 den (or from a lower tier)	One from T4 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 4 ability (or from a lower tier)
5	Two from T5 (or from a lower tier)	One from T5 den (or from a lower tier)	One from T5 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 5 ability (or from a lower tier)
6	Two from T6 (or from a lower tier)	One from T6 den (or from a lower tier)	One from T6 focus	»	4 pool points	+1 Edge	+1 Effort	One Skill	+1 any Tier 6 ability (or from a lower tier)

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