Brigand

A cry of “brigand!” often serves as either a warning or an insult. And more often than not, this hostility is warranted—brigands are not honorable fighters but sneaks by nature, and prefer to deceive or misdirect rather than rely on sheer strength. However, brigands can and do have varying moral codes. While many are black-hearted criminals, others have hidden hearts of gold. What unites them is their talent for underhanded combat.

d6 hit die, 4 + Intellect skill points per level

Class skills: Investigation, Linguistics, Monsters, Technology, World, Insight, Sense, Spot, Survival, Device, Intimidate, Deception, Diplomacy, Disguise, Athletics, Sleight of Hand, Tinker, Acrobatics, Stealth, Craft, Perform, Profession

Good resistances: Finesse, Grace, Intellect, Acumen, Charm

Proficiencies: Light armor, simple weapons, 3 martial weapons of choice

**Precision Damage:**

When the brigand attacks a flat-footed creature, or a creature they are flanking, they add the listed precision damage to the damage roll. This damage counts as the same type as the damage inflicted by the regular attack. Some creatures are not subject to precision damage, as listed in their descriptions.

**Brigand’s Technique**:

At 1st level brigands select a fighting style:

Light Fingers--

At 1st level, the brigand gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.

At 3rd level, the brigand gains Light Strike as a bonus feat. They further reduce the penalties to their effective stature from Weapon Finesse and wielding two weapons by 1 each at 7th and 11th level.

At 8th level, the brigand selects a single melee weapon they are proficient with. They add their Finesse modifier to any damage rolls with this weapon instead of their Power modifier. This is not increased by wielding a weapon two-handed.

At 15th level, the brigand can add their Finesse modifier to their AC as a quick action. This can only be performed a number of times per short rest equal to ⅓ their level.

At 20th level, once per short rest, a target damaged by the brigand’s precision damage must succeed on a Finesse resistance or become *paralyzed* for 1d4 rounds. The DC for this is 16 + half the brigand’s level + the brigand’s Finesse modifier.

Ruffian--

At 1st level, the brigand gains an Improved Exploit feat as a bonus feat.

At 3rd level, the brigand gains another Improved Exploit feat as a bonus feat. The brigand treats their CB as equal to half their level +1 for the purposes of qualifying for exploit feats.

At 8th level, the brigand gains a Greater Exploit feat as a bonus feat, and a bonus to TEB and TED equal to ¼ their level.

At 15th level, the brigand gains a Master Exploit feat as a bonus feat. Once per round on a successful attack that would normally deal precision damage, the brigand may forgo the precision damage and instead perform an exploit as a free action. Performing this exploit does not require a touch attack.

At 20th level, any target damaged by the brigand’s precision damage also takes 1d6 points of damage to one of the listed ability scores: Power, Finesse, Grace, or Vitality. The brigand can change their selection upon the next short rest.

Sniper--

At 1st level the brigand gains Deadly Aim as a bonus feat.

At 3rd level, the brigand gains Rapid Shot as a bonus feat.

At 8th level the brigand selects a single ranged weapon they are proficient with; while using this weapon, the brigand suffers only half the normal penalties for range, doubles their maximum range, and gains a +10 to Stealth to hide from a target that they successfully hit from outside their first range increment.

At 15th level, when taking a 20 on an attack roll with a ranged weapon, the brigand can release the attack, as per the readied action rules, as a quick action. Critical hits with the sniper’s chosen ranged weapon *stun* the target for one round, VR negates (DC 16+½ lvl +F).

At 20th level, the brigand’s selected weapon has its critical multiplier increased by 2. When taking a 20 on an attack using their selected weapon, the brigand takes no penalty to stealth from making the attack.

Trapper--

At 1st level, the brigand adds half their level to skill checks to notice traps, on resistances against traps, to AC against traps, and on skill checks to disable them. The brigand can use Tinker on magical traps.

At 3rd level, the brigand gains the Craft Traps feat, even if they do not meet the prerequisites. Their damage-dealing traps gain a bonus to damage equal to the brigand’s precision damage.

At 8th level, the brigand can lay a premade trap as a swift action. The time needed to craft a trap is halved, and the brigand can never accidentally trigger their own traps.

At 15th level, they gain the Craft Magic Trap feat even if they don’t meet the prerequisites. A number of times per long rest equal to their Intellect modifier, the brigand can make a trap as a standard action by taking a -10 to their Craft check. They still must have all the necessary supplies and materials on their person. For example, it is not possible to create a pit trap even if they have a shovel, since the terrain, a component of the trap, is not on their person. Other types of large-scale or terrain-based traps may also not be feasible to create in this manner. Ultimately, the exact limits are left to common sense and GM discretion.

At 20th level, damage-dealing traps made by the brigand instead gain a bonus to damage equal to double their precision damage. The brigand gains a bonus equal to their Intellect modifier to their trap’s DCs. Targets suffering from a condition due to the brigand’s traps are flat-footed against the brigand’s attacks.

**Brigand Tricks**:

At 2nd level, brigands gains a trick from the list of Brigand Tricks. They gain an additional trick every 2 levels thereafter.

**Wary Dodge**:

At 4th level, a brigand’s senses allow them to react instantly to danger. They gain half their level to checks made to avoid the *surprised* condition.

**Skill Mastery**:

At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, brigands gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat with a brigand class skill.

**Hindsight**:

At 7th level, the bonuses to hit brigands from flanking are reduced by 4 (min 0). If this reduces an opponent's bonus from flanking to 0, they gain no benefits from flanking.

**Advanced Tricks**:

At 10th level, brigands can select Brigand Tricks from the list of Advanced Brigand Tricks.

**Master Tricks:**

At 18th level, brigands can select Brigand Tricks from the list of Master Brigand Tricks.

**Tricks**: (Those marked with an asterisk modify precision damage)

-Charming Smile: Gain advantage on Charm-based skill checks with neutral or friendlier targets. This ability may be used a number of times per long rest equal to level.

-\*Clouding Strike: Forgo dealing precision damage to instead reduce the target’s bonus to Spot and Sense by 2+1/2 your level for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Coward’s Shield: While adjacent to an ally, the brigand may choose as a free action to gain a +4 bonus to AC for one round as long as the ally remains adjacent. This reduces the ally’s AC by this amount for one round as long as the ally remains adjacent.

-\*Deadly Precision: All 1s and 2s on precision damage dice are treated as 3s.

-\*Debilitating Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to gain a dodge bonus to AC equal to 2 + ⅓ their level against the target for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-\*Distracting Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead grant their allies a bonus to hit the target equal to 1+¼ their level for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Elusive Target: When an attack misses the brigand, they gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against that creature for one round. This can stack with itself to a maximum of the brigand’s Grace modifier.

-Evasion: When making a Grace resistance to take half damage from an effect, if successful the brigand instead takes no damage.

-\*Exhaustive Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead reduce the target’s bonus to one resistance by 1+¼ their level for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-\*Exsanguinate: Requires lvl 4. The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead deal 1 point of bleed per 2 precision damage diceforgone. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-False Mage: Pick a 1st-level spell, the brigand may use that spell as a spell-like ability a number of times per long rest equal to their I mod.

-Finesse Feats: Requires Weapon Finesse. Gain a bonus feat which has Weapon Finesse as a prerequisite.

-Flight over Fight: As a full-round action, disengage and make a Stealth check with a bonus equal to brigand level. This action can be taken in any stage of fear.

-\*Focused Study: Select a weapon for which the brigand has the feat Weapon Focus. Precision damage done with that weapon deals an extra point of damage per precision damage die.

-\*Hampering Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead grant their allies a dodge bonus to AC against the target equal to 1+¼ their level for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Hit and Run: After a successful strike as a standard action which deals precision damage, the brigand may disengage as a move action.

-Jinx: Gain one Jinx, as per the jinxer feature. Usable once per short rest.

-\*Knockout: Once per short rest when taking a 20 on an attack and dealing non-lethal damage, the target must succeed a VR (DC 16+½ lvl +F) or become unconscious for 1d4 minutes.

-Legendermaine: Gain *Prestidigitation, Mage Hand,* and *Detect Magic* as at-will spell-like abilities.

-Magic-Fearing: Gain a bonus equal to 2 + ¼ your level on resistances against one type of magic, selected when you gain this Trick.

-Pass Without Trace: The brigand gains a bonus equal to half their level on Craft: Forgery checks.

-\*Piercing Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead reduce the target’s DR against their attacks by 5 + ½ their lvl for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Practiced Quackery: May use *Reckless Healing* as a spell-like ability a number of times per short rest equal to the brigand’s Intellect mod.

-\*Pressure Points: On a successful attack with precision damage, deal 1 point of drain to either Finesse or Grace.

-\*Quick Strike: Forgo dealing precision damage to instead make an attack as swift action. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Quixotic Attack: The brigand can choose to ignore the *bloodied* condition for one round, but they take 2d6 non-lethal damage the next round. If used in successive rounds, each round after the first increases the damage taken by 1d6.

-Ready, Aim, Fire: The brigand may make a single attack as a full-round action with a bonus to hit and damage equal to 2+ ¼ their level. This attack deals precision damage, even if would not normally do so.

-Real McCoy: The brigand may make one Profession check per short rest as though they had ranks in it equal to half their level.

-Silencing Stare: Upon failing a Stealth check to hide, or being noticed by an opposing Spot check, the brigand may make an Intimidation attempt against the noticing creature. If this check succeeds, the target acts as though they did not notice the brigand for one round plus one round per 5 by which the DC was exceeded.

-Silent as the Grave: The brigand gains a bonus to Stealth equal to twice their level when not moving for more than 1 minute. This also applies to Disguise checks to appear dead.

-Slippery Mind: Once per short rest per 3 levels gained (min 1) the brigand may use their bonus to Intellect resistances against charming and compulsion effects.

-\*Slowing Strike: Once per round, the brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead reduce the target’s movement speed by 5ft per 2 levels for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Speedy Sneak: May move at full speed while using Stealth.

-\*Spell Strike: Requires False Mage. Forgo dealing precision damage to instead deliver a touch attack spell granted by False Mage. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-\*Spooky Strike: Once per round, upon making a successful attack with precision damage, the brigand may roll an Intimidate check against the target as a free action.

-\*Stealing Strike: Forgo dealing precision damage to instead make a steal check against the target as a swift action. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

-Strong-Arm: Stature penalty from dual-wielding and using Weapon Finesse decreases by 2 (min 0).

-Trickery Strike\*:  Forgo dealing precision damage to instead make a Stealth check as a free action to hide from the target, even if the brigand has no cover. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage

-Vulnerability Seeking: The brigand deals precision damage against targets that are *altered, confused, dazed, entangled,* or *frightened.*

-Wall Climber: The brigand gains a climb speed equal to their move speed.

-\*Weakness Strike: The brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead gain a bonus to hit the target equal to 1+¼ their level for one round. This may only be performed once per round on an attack that would normally deal precision damage.

**Advanced Tricks**:

-Act Normal: Requires Silencing Stare. The brigand may choose to be noticed while previously hidden in order to gain +5 to the Intimidation attempt used in Silencing Stare. If this intimidation attempt succeeds by 10 or more, the target acts as if they had not noticed the brigand as long as they remain within 60ft. Other creatures may notice the target is acting strange with a successful Insight check with a DC of the target’s Deception check plus the brigand's Ego modifier.

-\*Anatomical Study: When the brigand successfully makes an attack which would be subject to precision damage, they may forgo the damage of the attack to instead deal damage directly to Health. This damage is equal to the base damage of the weapon plus their Intellect modifier, rather than their weapon’s normal damage. It is not subject to DR or DD. This damage is not considered weapon damage, and is not affected by effects that modify damage or critical modifier. The brigand can only use this ability once per short rest.

-Assassinate: The brigand may take up to five rounds to study a target which does not notice or suspect them. They cannot take any actions during these rounds. For each turn they spend studying, they gain +1 to hit and 2d4 to damage for the first strike they make against the target.

-\*Blinding Strike: Upon making a successful attack which would deal precision damage, the brigand may forgo dealing precision damage to instead blind the target. A successful FR reduces this to be blind only until the start of the creature’s turn. (DC 16 + precision dice forgone + F).

-\*Frightful Strike: Requires Spooky Strike. As Spooky Strike, but a foe affected is now *frightened*.

-Illusionist: Requires False Mage. Pick a 2nd level or lower spell with the Illusion quality. The brigand may cast it a number of times per long rest equal to their I mod.

-\*Impeding Blow: Requires Pressure Points. As a standard action, make a single attack. If it deals precision damage, the brigand may forgo any number of damage dice to deal a number of points of drain to G equal to the number of dice forgone.

-Improved Hindsight: Requires Hindsight. Bonus to hit from flanking are reduced instead by half the brigand’s level +1 (min 0). The brigand is immune to the *surprised* condition.

-Sawbones: Requires Practiced Quackery. A number of times per short rest equal to I mod, the brigand may roll a Medicine check to end a target’s bleed as a swift action. The DC of the check is 16 + the amount of bleed suffered.

-\*Singular Focus: Requires Focused. Select one weapon for which the Focused Brigand Trick applies. As long as the brigand uses that weapon, roll d8s instead of d6s for precision damage, but roll d4s if using any other weapon to deal precision damage.

**Master Tricks**

-Anatomical Terror (Pre-req: Anatomical Study): The brigand can use Anatomical Study an additional time per short rest. Using anatomical study causes the target to take 1 bleed.

-Deep Injection: When administering a toxin with a weapon, forgo precision damage to instead increase the DC of the toxin by the number of precision damage dice sacrificed.

-\*Master of One: Requires Singular Focus. While using the weapon selected with Singular Focus, use d10s for precision damage. Do not deal precision damage with other weapons.

-Meticulous Precision: Gain an additional 2d6 precision damage.

-Terrifying Strike: Requires Frightful Strike. As Frightful Strike, but the foe is *panicked* or *cowering* (your choice).

-Waiting in the Wings: Requires Assassinate. The brigand may study the target for an additional number of rounds equal to their I mod (min 1). These rounds grant a +1 to hit and 1d4 to damage each.