Ironsoul wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:02 pm
Every 10 levels Rogue's get a free skill focus feat - epic skill focus at levels 20, 30
This is separate from the other bonus feats.
Alternatively - Give rogues a "skill specialization" path, similar to the Spell School changes with Wizards. Pick a handful of flavorful rogue skills and give them a line of evolving perks tied to rogue levels. Each rogue with sufficient levels gets to pick one skill as their "Skill Mastery"
Example - Maybe a Hide/MS rogue would start with SF Hide/MS at lower levels, unlock trackless Step/Stealthy at mid levels, unlock concealing tracks at 1 per class levels like a Ranger in the epics and a 28 Rogue would unlock an even greater speed bonus while moving in stealth.
Could make a bonus perk, that every x level of rogue (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30)
you get a unique bonus feat, like
Stealth specialization +2 hide/ms,
Trapper: +2 use trap/+2 disarm trap,
Locksmith +4 open lock.
Could make a Epic variant you get if you become a epic rogue, at the same intervalls.
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My feedback
My experience: rogue lvl 25, (planning pure rogue, yes, not ideal i know).
Feedback: Rogues are by on Arelith great skill monkies, they gain more skills than any other classes and arelith has improved their hitpoints and somewhat solved their issue related to feat-starvation, recent changes has even improved it future.
Rogues can really be both just a dip, or partial class to allow for a flanker combatant, or give access to certain skills.
as a pure rogue you're a skill monkey with access to some unique tools that are practical (nades) even if they have some faults and issues.
I personally don't think there's anything wrong with rogue, it's just slightly weaker than the other classes in combat, due to lower AB, ARP and sadly damage as a result of arelith's balance has made critical strikes a reliable way fight. But a rogue has alot more than just direct combat going for it, and recent changes has even helped to boost it slightly.
If i was to point any real weakness to rogues is that sneak attack is originally intended to be their holy grail to make up for their lower attacks bonus, and attacks per round, but on Arelith most fighters will build with critical strikes in mind.. and can far more effectively deal damage. Equally a rogue has to choose between taking combat feats to try and somehow compete with the martial classes, or take skill focus towards the skill monkey section.
I'd try to enable rogues to use their skill more in combat, indirectly.
Sleight of hand is currently useless for pickpocketing monsters, it gives 7 xp and 17 gold, and items has been disabled (as pr discord discussion) it could thus safely just be removed, and instead make it a combat alternative.. like use it on a monster in stealth, to apply a debuff to AB/AC if done undetected, simulating the rogue preforming sabotage, a way to weaken more difficult spawns for the team.
Master Ambusher, rogues already get some pretty decent bonuses in form of a +1/+2 ab when coming out of stealth, one of the weakness of a pure rogue is that it lacks discipline, a decent boon at level 27/28 could be to add class levels to discipline for the duration of the Stealth Bonuses helping rogues to somewhat compensate for a short period/strike.