Stolid dwarf society frowns upon roguery in its usual forms, but dwarves value two things in common with most successful outlaws: wealth and skill. Dwarven engineers, respected masters of their race’s grand vaults and vast underground cities, sometimes feel the call of this combination to such an extent that they compromise their honour. OLhers learn engineering with the intent to destroy rather than create — to collapse tunnel ceilings on invading drow or burrow into the subterranean vaults of ancient foes.
A dwarven engineer learns to mix his mechanical aptitude with unconventional motives, finding ready employ with any adventuring party or thieves’ guild he comes across. No one builds better than a dwarf, and no one can ruin better than one either.
Only a member of the appropriate race can take a racial substitution level.
A substitution level is a level of a given class that you take instead of the level described for the standard class. Selecting a substitution level is not the same as multiclassing — you remain with the class for which the substitution level is taken. The class features of the substitution level simply replace those of the standard level.
You can select each substitution level only at a specific class level. When you take a substitution level for your class at a given level, you give up the class features gained at that level for the standard class, and you get the substitution level features instead. You can’t go back and gain the class features for the level you swapped out — when you take your next level in the standard class, you gain the next higher level as if you had gained the previous level normally.
A dwarvcn rogue can choose from new abilities.
Class: Rogue.
Hit Die: d6.
To take a dwarf rogue substitution level, a character must be a dwarf about to take her lSt, 3rd, or 5th level of rogue.
Rogue substitution levels grant class skills as the base rogue class, plus Knowledge (architecture and engineering).
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier (or four time this number as a beginning character).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Demolitionist, Trapfinding |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Expert Demolitionist, Trap Sense +1 |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Rapid Demolitionist |
All of the following are features of the dwarf rogue’s substitution levels.
Demolitionist (Ex): A 1st-level dwarf rogue deals +1d6 points of damage against constructs and objects. This bonus does not ignore hardness or damage reduction.
This substitution replaces the rogue’s normal +1d6 points of sneak attack damage at 1st level.
Expert Demolitionist (Ex): At 3rd level, the rogue deals +2d6 points of darnage against constructs and objects. This bonus does not ignore hardness or damage reduction.
In addition, she gains a +2 competence bonus on Craft, Disable Device or Knowledge (architecture and engineering) checks made to demolish, tunnel through or otherwise degrade the structural integrity of an object or building — or to plan to do so.
This substitution replaces the rogue’s normal +2d6 points of sneak attack damage at 3rd level.
Rapid Demolitionist (Su): At 5th-level the rogue deals +3d6 points of damage against constructs and objects. This bonus does not ignore hardness or damage reduction.
It takes less time for a rogue to use her Craft, Disable Device or Knowledge (architecture and engineering) checks in order to demolish, tunnel through or otherwise degrade the structural integrity of an object or building — or to plan to do so. If the task ordinarily takes more than 1 minute to complete, it instead takes half as long, A 1-minute task requires only 5 rounds. Tasks that require a full-round action take only a standard action, and those that begin as a standard action only need a move action. A task that takes a move action or free action doce not change.
This substitution replaces the rogue’s normal +3d6 points of sneak attack damage at 5th level.
Source: Dragon Magazine #338 (Page 96)