Smuggler's Savvy (5e Subclass)

Smuggler's Savvy

Rogue Subclass

In the shadow-laden alleys of Marrowport, where whispers trade hands as frequently as coins and the night air carries the scent of both opportunity and danger, there walks a figure cloaked not just in fabric but in intrigue. This is the realm of the Smuggler's Savvy, a rogue whose currency is as much secrecy as it is the forbidden treasures they ferry through the dark. To the untrained eye, they are but another shadow among many, a ghost flitting through the underbelly of civilization. But to those who know, they are the lifeline to desires unspoken and needs unmet by the light of day.

With a grin as elusive as their cargo, they navigate the tightrope of legality with the finesse of a born acrobat, their pockets as deep as their connections. The Smuggler's Savvy knows the true value of things, be it a bolt of silk banned by the crown or a tome of forgotten magic whispered to exist only in legend. They trade not just in goods, but in favors, secrets, and the unbreakable currency of trust forged in the fires of mutual benefit.

Their path is one of constant vigilance, a chess game played across the cobblestones and rooftops of the city. Every handshake is a contract, every nod an agreement as binding as any seal. In their world, a well-placed word can be as valuable as the rarest gem, and a promise kept is the strongest armor.

To some, they are a scourge, a thorn in the side of law and order. But to others, they are heroes of a sort, champions of the free market and the right to choose one's own destiny. They are patrons of the oppressed, providers to the needy, and occasionally, on those rare nights when the moon shines just right, rebels with a cause.

In the grand tapestry of tales that weave through the streets of Marrowport and cities like it, the Smuggler's Savvy is a thread of gold, hidden among the rest, yet pivotal to the pattern. Their story is one of risk and reward, shadowed deals and whispered agreements, a dance of light and dark as intricate as it is dangerous.

Hidden Compartments

At 3rd level, your skill in crafting and discovering hidden compartments has become unparalleled. You gain the following benefits :

• Craft Hidden Compartment : With one hour of work and materials costing 25 gold pieces, you can create a hidden compartment in a container, piece of clothing, or area (no larger than a 5-foot cube). This compartment is undetectable except by magical means or a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your Hidden Compartments DC, which is 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity modifier. You can maintain a number of such compartments equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of one), and you can dismantle one compartment to reclaim half the materials used.

• Smuggle with Skill : You have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to hide or find hidden compartments and objects. When you hide an object in a hidden compartment you've created, you double your proficiency bonus for any check made to conceal it or prevent it from being found.

• Evasive Maneuvers : If you are frisked or an attempt is made to physically search you for hidden items, you can use your reaction to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the searcher's Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, you manage to keep one item (of a size you could conceivably hide on your person) concealed, even if it's in a place the searcher checks.

Shadow Network

Upon reaching 3rd level, your connections within the underworld and knack for communication allow you to tap into a Shadow Network, a clandestine group of informants, smugglers, thieves, and other rogues. This network enables you to gather information, acquire goods, or gain assistance. You gain the following benefits :

• Gather Information : Spending at least 1 hour and 25 gold pieces to gather information through your contacts, you can learn about a person, location, or item that is not heavily guarded or concealed by magic. The DM will determine the amount of information you receive, which may vary from basic knowledge to a useful secret, depending on the success of a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check.

• Acquire Goods : Once per long rest, you can use your network to obtain an item or piece of information that is not worth more than 100 gold pieces. The time required to obtain it can vary from an hour to a day, depending on the item’s rarity and your current location.

• Assistance : You can call upon your network for assistance in criminal activities, such as creating distractions, smuggling small items, or providing alibis. Doing so requires spending 25 gold pieces and making a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. The DM will determine the exact nature of the assistance based on the narrative context and the needs of the situation.

Smuggler's Guile

By 7th level, your cunning and resourcefulness in smuggling operations have sharpened to a fine edge. You've learned how to manipulate situations to your advantage and evade detection with unparalleled skill. You gain the following benefits:

• Quick Switch : You can spend your bonus action to quickly swap an item you are holding with one hidden on your person or within reach, making it difficult for observers to track the switch. This can be particularly useful for planting, stealing, or concealing items during a search or while under observation. A creature can notice the switch only if it succeeds on a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by your Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

• Cover Tracks : You have mastered the art of covering your tracks, both literally and metaphorically. When you take actions that would leave evidence of your passage or activities (such as breaking into a building, smuggling goods, or even just traveling through a guarded area), you can spend 10 minutes to obscure any traces. This makes it require a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your Smuggler’s Guile DC (8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier, whichever is higher) to uncover evidence of your actions.

• Counter Surveillance : You gain an intuitive sense for when you're being watched or followed. As a reaction to being targeted by a spell or ability that would reveal your location or activities (such as scrying or a tracker's favored enemy ability), you can make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the caster's spell save DC or the tracker's Wisdom (Survival) check. On a success, you manage to obscure the truth, rendering the spell or ability ineffective against you.

Master of Misdirection

By the time you reach 10th level, your ability to manipulate attention and perception has become almost magical in its effectiveness. You've learned how to exploit even the slightest distraction, turning the tables on foes and bypassing obstacles with ease. You gain the following benefits :

• Misdirecting Maneuver : As a bonus action on your turn, you can create a distraction that targets a number of creatures up to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1) within 30 feet of you. These targets must succeed on a Wisdom (Insight) check against your Misdirection DC (8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be unable to directly attack you or target you with harmful abilities or magical effects until the end of your next turn. This does not prevent them from targeting areas or others around you, nor does it affect creatures that cannot be deceived or are immune to being charmed.

• Redirect Blame : Once per long rest, when you or an ally within 60 feet of you is accused or suspected of a crime or misdeed within a community (whether rightfully or not), you can spend 10 minutes weaving a web of alibis, planted evidence, and persuasive arguments to redirect suspicion to another individual or plausible scenario. Make a Charisma (Deception) check with a DC determined by the complexity of the situation and the evidence against you. On a success, local authorities and individuals will believe your constructed narrative, though this may not stop more determined or insightful investigators.

• Ambush Mastery : Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll against a creature, you can forgo the advantage to instead deal an extra 2d6 damage to the target if the attack hits. This damage is in addition to your sneak attack damage and represents your skill in leveraging distractions to land devastating blows.

Shadow Merchant

By reaching level 15, you've risen to become a Shadow Merchant, a master of the clandestine trade whose name is spoken in hushed tones across the underworld and beyond. Your understanding of the complex interplay between supply, demand, and discretion allows you to move mountains—or at least, mountains of contraband—with a whisper. You gain the following benefits :

• Invisible Hand : You can manipulate market forces to your advantage once per long rest. With an hour's work and a successful Intelligence (Investigation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check (DC 20), you can create a temporary surge or drop in demand for certain goods in a community. This can significantly increase or decrease their value for up to a week, affecting not just your transactions but the entire local market. This represents your skill in spreading rumors, hoarding, releasing goods strategically, or forging documents to manipulate market perceptions.

• Master Negotiator : You gain advantage on all Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Deception) checks when negotiating prices or terms for goods and services, legal or otherwise. You also learn two languages of your choice, reflecting your broad network of contacts and your need to negotiate in various cultural contexts.

• Untouchable Smuggler : Your notoriety and skill have made you nearly untouchable within the world of smuggling. Authorities looking to arrest you or rivals seeking to undercut your operations must first succeed on a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check. On a failure, their efforts are wasted as you're always two steps ahead, whether through bribes, forged documents, or simply being elsewhere.

Sovereign of the Underworld

Reaching level 18, you ascend to become a Sovereign of the Underworld, a figure of immense influence and power within the criminal and clandestine communities. Your mastery over the art of smuggling, your intricate web of contacts, and your unparalleled skill in navigating the complex socio-economic landscapes of the underworld have elevated you to almost legendary status. You are a kingpin of shadows, orchestrating the flow of illicit goods and information with a mere nod. You gain the following benefits :

• Unseen Emperor : You can cast the spell invisibility at will, without expending a spell slot or material components. This ability represents your uncanny knack for disappearing just when you need to, slipping away from danger or observation with ease. Whether you're evading capture or positioning yourself to strike from the shadows, your ability to become invisible at will ensures that you always have the upper hand.

• Imperial Network : Your network has grown so extensive that you can procure almost anything, from rare artifacts to forbidden knowledge, within a remarkably short time frame. Once per long rest, you can use your network to attempt to acquire an item, information, or favor. The time and cost required to obtain it will vary depending on the rarity and nature of what you're seeking, but your connections ensure that if it can be found, you will have it. The DM decides the success of this endeavor based on the scope of the request and the resources available to your network.

• Authority of Shadows : You gain the ability to impose your will over others, bending them to your command with a combination of fear, respect, and sheer charisma. As an action, you can target one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be charmed by you for 8 hours, viewing you as a trusted leader and ally. This effect ends early if you or your companions do anything harmful to the target. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

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