The Rogue -- a "rougher" Bard varient

[David]

Howdy folks,

Here's problem: you want to make a HUMAN generalist PC (can fight a little, do magic a little, and has stealthy skills) but the concept for the character is NOT a wealthy or sophisicated type. You see, normally, a Bard can easily fit this bill, but a bard also has a fascination with knowledge, lore, music, and language which doesn't fit a "street punk" type PC.

What I'm trying to do is create a class to fit the archetype from Tunnels and Trolls -- a rogue. Another example would be Fritz Lieber's Gray Mouser. The idea is a person who can fight okay, do some spells, and still have a few cunning "thief" tricks, but on no count a match for a specialist in any of these areas. Moreover, said archetype would have little or no interest in the "finer things in life" such as music or linguistic etymology.

Think a backstory more like, "yo, man, I gru up on da streetz and learnt me some magik frum dat wizard-cat ______ when I wuzant stealin' for food for my ho-momma or bashin' heads o dat gang next block o'er..." This doesn't say bard. It says "fights better, limited spells, no music, no lore, no language-skills."

So, after an idea that's been rattling around my brain since at least 2001, I'd like to propose the Rogue kit for bards. In all ways not specifically covered, they're just like regular bards.

ADVANTAGES:
1) fight like a cleric
2) can select any two THIEF skills
3) use base-THIEF percentages
4) use BARD base points and addition per level
5) gain another THIEF skill as base-THIEF percentage every time class gains a weapon (5th, 9th, 13th, etc)

DISADVANTAGES:
1) NO special musical skills
2) NO special poetry or inspirational skills
3) NO legend lore skill
4) use scrolls as a THIEF instead of as a BARD
5) only gets two THIEF skills instead of four
6) -1 social level penalty like a Thief (Bards have no penalty)

Whaddya think?
David

[Andy]

Kind of a neat idea. I like it!

[Admin]

This is EXACTLY what I had in mind for Sean actually...hence the Theif...changing to be a low-level mage...although I don't have the stats for the fighter part of the triad...he would if he could...if for no other reason than to get a little respectability

[David]

After some thought, here is the update:

ADVANTAGES:
1) fight like a cleric
2) use base-THIEF percentages
3) use BARD base points and addition per level

DISADVANTAGES:
1) NO special musical skills
2) NO special poetry or inspirational skills
3) NO legend lore skill
4) use scrolls as a THIEF instead of as a BARD
5) -1 social level penalty like a Thief (Bards have no penalty)

CHANGES:
1) gains Pick Pockets, Hide in Shadows, and Move Silently instead of Pick Pockets, Climb Walls, Hear Noises, and Read Languages
2) attribute requirements are 13 STR, INT, and DEX instead of 12 INT, 13 DEX, and 15 CHR

[Andy]

Hehe - Sean has no interest in the finer things in life.

[Artec]

I like the idea, I might even give it a try. heheheehe