Hobgoblin (3.5e Racial Substitution Levels)

Hobgoblin Rogue

Combative, clever and cruel; a well disciplined tribe of hobgoblins can lay waste to leagues around themselves and depopulate it of "lesser" races through war and enslavement. Fortunately for the other races of the world hobgoblins fight each other as much or more than other races.

When most think of a hobgoblin war party they see the heavily clad warriors, but for every unit of hobgoblin infantry or cavalry there is a hobgoblin war scout. Leave sculking the back alleys of human cities to halflings and elves, the hobgoblin rogue works as the outrider and often pathfinder for his brothers in arms, be they the rest of his tribe, or his new mercenary party.

Requirements: To take a hobgoblin rogue substitution level, a character must be a Hobgoblin about to take her 1st, 3rd, or 5th level of rogue.

Table: The Hobgoblin Rogue Racial Substitution Levels

Hit Die: d6

Level	Bonus	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding	-
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Armored Scout	-
5th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Sneak Attack +3d6, Sword Brother	-

Class Skills

Hobgoblin Rogue substitution levels have fewer class skills than the standard rogue class.

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)

Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha),Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

All the following are features of the Hobgoblin Rogue’s racial substitution levels.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Due to their races martial focus, hobgoblin rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the sap, shortbow, and short sword. Hobgoblins make little use of hand crossbows and rapiers and instead hobgoblins gain proficiency in 2 of the following: Armor spikes, battle axe, longbow, longsword, scimitar, throwing axe. Hobgoblin rogues are proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.

Sneak Attack: If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

A rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Trapfinding: Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical traps has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic traps has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Rogues (and only rogues) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic traps generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Armored Scout: Hobgoblin culture centers around warfare and a hobgoblin rogue learns how to stay agile while more heavily encumbered than a traditional rogue. At 3rd level, the hobgoblin does not lose the benefits of rogue class abilities while wearing medium armor, or any heavier armor (or shield) with an armor check penalty of 0.

Furthermore, every three levels (6th, 9th, 12th, 15, 18th) after third, instead of getting +1 to the rogues trap sense, the hobgoblin rogue reduces the armor check penalty for any armor worn by 1.

Sword Brother: Hobgoblin rogues are likely to be military scouts or some other form of irregular. Due to their constant interaction with other hobgoblins (or other fighters), at 5th level Hobgoblins gain proficiency in a number of martial or exotic weapons up to their Intellegence modifier. They get an additional martial or exotic weapon proficiency at 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level

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