I would think that a riffing of the arcane trickster could work well. Have the same spell casting requirements (Illusion or enchantment) but make charisma the spell casting modifier. Then other class features would do things like give proficiency in deception, allow for the do something like the Kobold's grovel, and maybe have some kind of charisma based stalling ability that works a bit like hypnotic pattern.
Ummm. My last thief archetype character was a smuggler. Does that count? I only got to play it for a short time (was preplanned as short term) took the sailor background. Used Fast hands for slipping things past guards and such or to pass people things without being noticed. Supreme sneak was excellent for hiding and keeping people from following me to my stash. And 2nd story work was nice for losing tails and such by going vertically where they couldn't follow easily.
Though the Thief archetype seems like it would fit, if you really want to be an exceptional smuggler...
Bonus Expertise in one of Slight of Hand, Deception or Stealth. This sounds kinda broken and it pretty much is, but the Scout archetype also gets more Expertise. It's just that these particular skills are much more frequently used... None the less, a fitting feature.
If we look into combat though, I think it'll be interesting to introduce a hidden weapons mechanic. You can hide weapons in pockets and sleeves of your clothes up to your proficiency bonus amount of either daggers, darts and hand crossbows. If you use firearms in your campaign, small firearms can be used as well, as long as you're proficient with them. Alternatively, you can store any small item, by the DM's discretion. You can also make a bonus action to attempt a Sleight of Hand check contested by the enemy's passive perception score to hide an eligible weapon, assuming you have a free space for it. So if you use one of the hidden weapons, you can try to hide another one inside, or the same one if still possible, back into the space left empty. You can't load a crossbow while it's hidden nor when you take it out of the hidden place nor when you're hiding it. If you attack with a hidden weapon, you gain an advantage on the attack roll if you make a successful Sleight of Hand check contested by the enemy's passive perception score. Otherwise, the attack is normal.
Higher-level features will probably make the hidden weapon attacks more interesting in some ways. Maybe not.
Anyways, just a concept, I didn't really try to balance it or anything.
I don't know whether smuggling really warrants a whole subclass. Maybe a background, though criminal and charlatan would work well.
What sort of smuggler are we talking about. Are we talking maritime blockade running? Overland trafficking? Extraplanar stuff? Or maybe the character is more the fixer "who doesn't master a particular route or method, but if they know the method, they can find a few folks good for the job and will travel with the contraband to provide oversight. Different skillsets or features for the environment they work in. Charisma will be necessary to bribe, talk their way out of getting caught, negotiate rates, and maybe bargain for their life if they dumped their spice load at the first sign of an Imperial vessel. Existing rogue subclasses like Swashbuckler and Scout would work, Mastermind of course. I'd say some varieties of Ranger may work well too. Oath of the Sea Paladin may be worth a look (the seas must be free, and that includes free trade). Don't discount the possibilities within Bards.
Magically, distort value would be very useful. Most people think of drugs, weapons, and human trafficking when they think smuggling, and you can do that. But a lot of smuggling is more often tax and trade barrier avoidance. Your smuggler can distort the value of their wares saving costs on tariffs and the like ... illusion wise "this isn't gun powder, it's just pepper (fakes a sneeze)."
Not sure if you're writing as a DM or a player, but possible adventure hook based on real crime. There's something called "trade based money laundering" where money exchanged for criminal activity passes through legitimate businesses, mostly shipping related, for goods that don't really exist. Your smuggler gets a legit job (hired because moral ambiguity is in their comfort zone) to move some high value cargo with a big emphasis on assuring all the custom paperwork at point A and point B are in order, not lost or anything. There's even a naval interdiction your characters may be in on or not, where the ship is "inspected" and received some sort of certification of letter of inspection. Once your ship arrives at port, turns out you unloaded basically a bunch of empty boxes or crates filled with worthless goods. You hear about all the financing from contracts to insurance that went into the venture, and you're confused why all the coin would be spent for basically nothing (because you know it had to have been spent for something, the question is what?).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Is rouge a homebrew class? Could someone tell me what it does?
It's red. That's pretty much all it is.
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All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
I don't know whether smuggling really warrants a whole subclass. Maybe a background, though criminal and charlatan would work well.
What sort of smuggler are we talking about. Are we talking maritime blockade running? Overland trafficking? Extraplanar stuff? Or maybe the character is more the fixer "who doesn't master a particular route or method, but if they know the method, they can find a few folks good for the job and will travel with the contraband to provide oversight. Different skillsets or features for the environment they work in. Charisma will be necessary to bribe, talk their way out of getting caught, negotiate rates, and maybe bargain for their life if they dumped their spice load at the first sign of an Imperial vessel. Existing rogue subclasses like Swashbuckler and Scout would work, Mastermind of course. I'd say some varieties of Ranger may work well too. Oath of the Sea Paladin may be worth a look (the seas must be free, and that includes free trade). Don't discount the possibilities within Bards.
Magically, distort value would be very useful. Most people think of drugs, weapons, and human trafficking when they think smuggling, and you can do that. But a lot of smuggling is more often tax and trade barrier avoidance. Your smuggler can distort the value of their wares saving costs on tariffs and the like ... illusion wise "this isn't gun powder, it's just pepper (fakes a sneeze)."
Not sure if you're writing as a DM or a player, but possible adventure hook based on real crime. There's something called "trade based money laundering" where money exchanged for criminal activity passes through legitimate businesses, mostly shipping related, for goods that don't really exist. Your smuggler gets a legit job (hired because moral ambiguity is in their comfort zone) to move some high value cargo with a big emphasis on assuring all the custom paperwork at point A and point B are in order, not lost or anything. There's even a naval interdiction your characters may be in on or not, where the ship is "inspected" and received some sort of certification of letter of inspection. Once your ship arrives at port, turns out you unloaded basically a bunch of empty boxes or crates filled with worthless goods. You hear about all the financing from contracts to insurance that went into the venture, and you're confused why all the coin would be spent for basically nothing (because you know it had to have been spent for something, the question is what?).
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
There is a Smuggler background in Ghosts of Saltmarch.
True, and it's the maritime sort. I guess I'd open up smuggler backgrounds to choose between maritime or land vehicles, or maybe drop athletics to take both (is that a legist homebrew rule in the tools we have here?). Honestly, I can see some smugglers relying on athleticism as their getaway strategy but unless backpacking and maybe mountain climbing is their "vehicle" I don't see it as essential. What would be essential is some proficiency reflective of concealment (false compartments in a vehicle or vessel, hiding contraband in a barrel of oats that would pass casual inspection etc). I could see survival maybe sleight of hand.
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
Thanks, but to be fair, the Ghost of Saltmarsh background does offer a fancy leather vest ... why you would want a fancy leather vest while working in a saltwater environment I don't know. I guess if the WotC designers were really showing their Hand or Han there you would get the vest, the boots, and a pair of pants with a stripe down the side, you know because you're a low profile smuggler.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
There is a Smuggler background in Ghosts of Saltmarch.
True, and it's the maritime sort. I guess I'd open up smuggler backgrounds to choose between maritime or land vehicles, or maybe drop athletics to take both (is that a legist homebrew rule in the tools we have here?). Honestly, I can see some smugglers relying on athleticism as their getaway strategy but unless backpacking and maybe mountain climbing is their "vehicle" I don't see it as essential. What would be essential is some proficiency reflective of concealment (false compartments in a vehicle or vessel, hiding contraband in a barrel of oats that would pass casual inspection etc). I could see survival maybe sleight of hand.
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
Thanks, but to be fair, the Ghost of Saltmarsh background does offer a fancy leather vest ... why you would want a fancy leather vest while working in a saltwater environment I don't know. I guess if the WotC designers were really showing their Hand or Han there you would get the vest, the boots, and a pair of pants with a stripe down the side, you know because you're a low profile smuggler.
Interesting. I did hear the Smuggler background feature allows you to make the Kessel run in 1d12 parsecs!
There is a Smuggler background in Ghosts of Saltmarch.
True, and it's the maritime sort. I guess I'd open up smuggler backgrounds to choose between maritime or land vehicles, or maybe drop athletics to take both (is that a legist homebrew rule in the tools we have here?). Honestly, I can see some smugglers relying on athleticism as their getaway strategy but unless backpacking and maybe mountain climbing is their "vehicle" I don't see it as essential. What would be essential is some proficiency reflective of concealment (false compartments in a vehicle or vessel, hiding contraband in a barrel of oats that would pass casual inspection etc). I could see survival maybe sleight of hand.
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
Thanks, but to be fair, the Ghost of Saltmarsh background does offer a fancy leather vest ... why you would want a fancy leather vest while working in a saltwater environment I don't know. I guess if the WotC designers were really showing their Hand or Han there you would get the vest, the boots, and a pair of pants with a stripe down the side, you know because you're a low profile smuggler.
Interesting. I did hear the Smuggler background feature allows you to make the Kessel run in 1d12 parsecs!
I wonder what the Spelljammer equivalent of a parsec is...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
There is a Smuggler background in Ghosts of Saltmarch.
True, and it's the maritime sort. I guess I'd open up smuggler backgrounds to choose between maritime or land vehicles, or maybe drop athletics to take both (is that a legist homebrew rule in the tools we have here?). Honestly, I can see some smugglers relying on athleticism as their getaway strategy but unless backpacking and maybe mountain climbing is their "vehicle" I don't see it as essential. What would be essential is some proficiency reflective of concealment (false compartments in a vehicle or vessel, hiding contraband in a barrel of oats that would pass casual inspection etc). I could see survival maybe sleight of hand.
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
Thanks, but to be fair, the Ghost of Saltmarsh background does offer a fancy leather vest ... why you would want a fancy leather vest while working in a saltwater environment I don't know. I guess if the WotC designers were really showing their Hand or Han there you would get the vest, the boots, and a pair of pants with a stripe down the side, you know because you're a low profile smuggler.
Interesting. I did hear the Smuggler background feature allows you to make the Kessel run in 1d12 parsecs!
I wonder what the Spelljammer equivalent of a parsec is...
I wouldn't know but I suspect it involves two Illithids, a Gith, and something unsavory.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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just put all your ideas for a smuggler subclass here. have fun!
I would think that a riffing of the arcane trickster could work well. Have the same spell casting requirements (Illusion or enchantment) but make charisma the spell casting modifier. Then other class features would do things like give proficiency in deception, allow for the do something like the Kobold's grovel, and maybe have some kind of charisma based stalling ability that works a bit like hypnotic pattern.
Ummm. My last thief archetype character was a smuggler. Does that count? I only got to play it for a short time (was preplanned as short term) took the sailor background. Used Fast hands for slipping things past guards and such or to pass people things without being noticed. Supreme sneak was excellent for hiding and keeping people from following me to my stash. And 2nd story work was nice for losing tails and such by going vertically where they couldn't follow easily.
Though the Thief archetype seems like it would fit, if you really want to be an exceptional smuggler...
Bonus Expertise in one of Slight of Hand, Deception or Stealth. This sounds kinda broken and it pretty much is, but the Scout archetype also gets more Expertise. It's just that these particular skills are much more frequently used... None the less, a fitting feature.
If we look into combat though, I think it'll be interesting to introduce a hidden weapons mechanic. You can hide weapons in pockets and sleeves of your clothes up to your proficiency bonus amount of either daggers, darts and hand crossbows. If you use firearms in your campaign, small firearms can be used as well, as long as you're proficient with them. Alternatively, you can store any small item, by the DM's discretion. You can also make a bonus action to attempt a Sleight of Hand check contested by the enemy's passive perception score to hide an eligible weapon, assuming you have a free space for it. So if you use one of the hidden weapons, you can try to hide another one inside, or the same one if still possible, back into the space left empty. You can't load a crossbow while it's hidden nor when you take it out of the hidden place nor when you're hiding it.
If you attack with a hidden weapon, you gain an advantage on the attack roll if you make a successful Sleight of Hand check contested by the enemy's passive perception score. Otherwise, the attack is normal.
Higher-level features will probably make the hidden weapon attacks more interesting in some ways. Maybe not.
Anyways, just a concept, I didn't really try to balance it or anything.
Varielky
I don't know whether smuggling really warrants a whole subclass. Maybe a background, though criminal and charlatan would work well.
What sort of smuggler are we talking about. Are we talking maritime blockade running? Overland trafficking? Extraplanar stuff? Or maybe the character is more the fixer "who doesn't master a particular route or method, but if they know the method, they can find a few folks good for the job and will travel with the contraband to provide oversight. Different skillsets or features for the environment they work in. Charisma will be necessary to bribe, talk their way out of getting caught, negotiate rates, and maybe bargain for their life if they dumped their spice load at the first sign of an Imperial vessel. Existing rogue subclasses like Swashbuckler and Scout would work, Mastermind of course. I'd say some varieties of Ranger may work well too. Oath of the Sea Paladin may be worth a look (the seas must be free, and that includes free trade). Don't discount the possibilities within Bards.
Magically, distort value would be very useful. Most people think of drugs, weapons, and human trafficking when they think smuggling, and you can do that. But a lot of smuggling is more often tax and trade barrier avoidance. Your smuggler can distort the value of their wares saving costs on tariffs and the like ... illusion wise "this isn't gun powder, it's just pepper (fakes a sneeze)."
Not sure if you're writing as a DM or a player, but possible adventure hook based on real crime. There's something called "trade based money laundering" where money exchanged for criminal activity passes through legitimate businesses, mostly shipping related, for goods that don't really exist. Your smuggler gets a legit job (hired because moral ambiguity is in their comfort zone) to move some high value cargo with a big emphasis on assuring all the custom paperwork at point A and point B are in order, not lost or anything. There's even a naval interdiction your characters may be in on or not, where the ship is "inspected" and received some sort of certification of letter of inspection. Once your ship arrives at port, turns out you unloaded basically a bunch of empty boxes or crates filled with worthless goods. You hear about all the financing from contracts to insurance that went into the venture, and you're confused why all the coin would be spent for basically nothing (because you know it had to have been spent for something, the question is what?).
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
There is a Smuggler background in Ghosts of Saltmarch.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Is rouge a homebrew class? Could someone tell me what it does?
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
It's red. That's pretty much all it is.
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
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Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
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If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Thank you. I think I want to play one soon.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
Just wanted to say this is a really solid post and also enjoyed the Han Solo & Jaba the Hut reference 😂
True, and it's the maritime sort. I guess I'd open up smuggler backgrounds to choose between maritime or land vehicles, or maybe drop athletics to take both (is that a legist homebrew rule in the tools we have here?). Honestly, I can see some smugglers relying on athleticism as their getaway strategy but unless backpacking and maybe mountain climbing is their "vehicle" I don't see it as essential. What would be essential is some proficiency reflective of concealment (false compartments in a vehicle or vessel, hiding contraband in a barrel of oats that would pass casual inspection etc). I could see survival maybe sleight of hand.
Thanks, but to be fair, the Ghost of Saltmarsh background does offer a fancy leather vest ... why you would want a fancy leather vest while working in a saltwater environment I don't know. I guess if the WotC designers were really showing their Hand or Han there you would get the vest, the boots, and a pair of pants with a stripe down the side, you know because you're a low profile smuggler.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Interesting. I did hear the Smuggler background feature allows you to make the Kessel run in 1d12 parsecs!
I wonder what the Spelljammer equivalent of a parsec is...
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I wouldn't know but I suspect it involves two Illithids, a Gith, and something unsavory.