The Silent Sniper

Rogues who follow the path of the Silent Sniper are patient, calculating hunters who observe their quarry, identify weaknesses, and deliver devastatingly precise strikes from concealment. They understand that the deadliest attack is not necessarily the most powerful, but the one delivered at precisely the right moment, against a weakness their prey never knew existed.

This subclass represents Part A: The Silent Sniper (Rogue) of the Ghost in the Shadows prestige class. It focuses on preserving concealment during attacks, sacrificing Sneak Attack damage to study creatures, exposing weaknesses in enemy defenses, and progressively dismantling even the most formidable opponents through calculated precision.

The Silent Sniper is a complete, independently playable Rogue subclass. Its features rely on Rogue abilities, particularly Sneak Attack, and do not require levels, features, or resources from another class.

It is thematically paired with Part B: The Prowling Phantom (Ranger), which embodies the supernatural elusiveness and relentless pursuit of a wilderness hunter. The Prowling Phantom specializes in teleportation, Hunter's Mark, critical precision, exceptional wilderness instincts, and striking terror into prey through attacks delivered from concealment.

For the intended Ghost in the Shadows progression, take Rogue at 1st character level, Ranger at 2nd character level, and alternate between the two classes thereafter, reaching Rogue 10 / Ranger 10 at 20th character level.

The Silent Sniper's subclass features begin at Rogue level 3 (character level 5), while the Prowling Phantom's subclass features begin at Ranger level 3 (character level 6) in the intended progression. These character levels describe the prestige-class progression, not additional prerequisites for either subclass.

At higher levels, the Silent Sniper learns to maintain and accumulate its analysis of an enemy's defenses, while gaining supernatural passage through the wilderness. Its mastery lies not in overwhelming force, but in turning careful observation into increasingly devastating opportunities for itself and its allies.

Although its name evokes a distant marksman, the Silent Sniper's techniques are equally effective with eligible melee and ranged attacks. Precision, patience, and concealment define this subclass—not the weapon it carries.

Ethos: “Every creature has a weakness. I will find yours.”

Unseen Sniper

You have learned to strike without betraying your position, allowing you to attack from concealment even as your prey searches desperately for its unseen assailant.

Unrevealing Miss. When you miss with a ranged weapon attack while Hidden, that attack does not reveal your location or end the Invisible condition granted by the Hide action.

Concealed Strike. When you hit a creature with an attack eligible for Sneak Attack while Hidden, you can forgo one Sneak Attack die from that attack's damage to preserve your Hidden status and the Invisible condition granted by Hide. Neither the triggering attack nor any further attacks you make before the end of your current turn end that concealment solely because you made an attack.

You must have at least one Sneak Attack die available to forgo. A die sacrificed through this feature cannot also be used for damage or another feature.

Other circumstances that would normally end your concealment, such as being found or becoming unable to remain concealed, still apply.

Analytical Strike

You can transform a precise strike into an opportunity to study your prey, identifying weaknesses that others might overlook.

When you hit a creature with an attack eligible for Sneak Attack, you can sacrifice one or more Sneak Attack dice from that attack to make an Intelligence check determined by the creature's type:

• Intelligence (Nature): Beasts, Dragons, Giants, Humanoids, Monstrosities, Oozes, and Plants.

• Intelligence (Arcana): Aberrations, Constructs, Elementals, and Fey.

• Intelligence (Religion): Celestials, Fiends, and Undead.

You must decide how many Sneak Attack dice to sacrifice before making the check. Roll those sacrificed dice and add their total to your ability check.

Study DC = 14 + the creature's Challenge Rating, treating Challenge Ratings below 1 as 1 and Challenge Ratings above 10 as 10.

The DM may grant Advantage on the check if you are exceptionally familiar with the creature, or impose Disadvantage if the creature is exceptionally unfamiliar.

Success. You learn meaningful information about the creature's nature, defenses, capabilities, or weaknesses, as determined by the DM. The creature's Armor Class is also reduced by 1 for each Sneak Attack die sacrificed, until the end of your next turn.

Failure. You learn no information and do not reduce the creature's Armor Class. The sacrificed Sneak Attack dice are still expended.

Sneak Attack dice sacrificed for Analytical Strike cannot also be used for Sneak Attack damage or another feature. If you use Unseen Sniper and Analytical Strike on the same attack, you must sacrifice separate dice for each feature.

Relentless Analysis

Your understanding of a creature's weaknesses becomes increasingly comprehensive as the hunt continues.

When you successfully use Analytical Strike against a creature, you can maintain your analysis of that creature for up to 1 hour, requiring Concentration as though concentrating on a spell.

Initial Analysis. Your first successful Analytical Strike against that creature reduces its Armor Class by the full number of Sneak Attack dice sacrificed, as normal.

Accumulating Weaknesses. Each subsequent successful Analytical Strike against the same creature adds a further Armor Class reduction equal to half the number of Sneak Attack dice sacrificed for that study, rounded down. These reductions accumulate without a maximum.

Every successful study refreshes the duration of the accumulated reduction to 1 hour. An unsuccessful study does not remove or refresh existing reductions.

Independent Concentration. Concentration on Relentless Analysis is independent of Concentration on spells. You can maintain Relentless Analysis while concentrating on a spell. These are separate instances of Concentration, and you must make separate Concentration saving throws for each when required.

Otherwise, Relentless Analysis follows the normal rules for Concentration, including Constitution saving throws when you take damage. If you lose Concentration on Relentless Analysis, all accumulated Armor Class reductions maintained by it end.

Phantom's Passage

Your mastery of the hunt extends beyond ordinary stealth, allowing you to disappear into the wilderness and move through the trees like a passing spirit.

You can cast Pass without Trace once without expending a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest.

You can also cast Tree Stride once without expending a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a Long Rest.

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for both spells.

These castings are independent of one another. Both spells otherwise follow their normal rules, including casting time, duration, and Concentration.

Concentration on either spell can coexist with the independent Concentration granted by Relentless Analysis, but does not permit you to concentrate on two spells simultaneously.

Epic Boon

This feature is a placeholder for the extended progression of The Silent Sniper beyond the intended Ghost in the Shadows prestige-class build.

The intended multiclass progression ends at Rogue 10 / Ranger 10, so this feature is not gained during normal prestige-class advancement.

This placeholder grants no additional subclass abilities, modifiers, resources, or actions.

Epic Boon

This feature is a placeholder for the extended progression of The Silent Sniper beyond the intended Ghost in the Shadows prestige-class build.

The intended multiclass progression ends at Rogue 10 / Ranger 10, so this feature is not gained during normal prestige-class advancement.

This placeholder grants no additional subclass abilities, modifiers, resources, or actions.