The Schemer

Schemers are Rogues who refuse to rely on chance. They study people and places, prepare for unexpected circumstances, and devise plans without plans. To others, a Schemer’s success can look like incredible luck. In truth, the Schemer simply prepared for the possibility. 

Schemer Features

Rogue Level	Feature
3	Contingencies, Schematics
9	Preparation Pays Off
13	Failsafes
17	Everything Accounted For

 

 

Level 3: Contingencies

3rd level feature 

You have a habit of preparing for situations before they arise. This preparation takes the form of Contingencies, minor arrangements, objects, information, or connections that you established before the moment they become useful.

You have a number of Contingencies equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended Contingencies when you finish a Long Rest. Contingencies inside combat use a Bonus Action to reveal. 

Revealing a Contingency

When you encounter a situation in which a previous preparation could reasonably help, you can expend one of your Contingencies to reveal that you prepared for the situation. You describe the preparation you made, subject to the following rules:

• The preparation must be plausible. It must be something you could reasonably have arranged, concealed, learned, or established beforehand.
• The preparation must be minor. It can create an opportunity or advantage, but it can't resolve an entire encounter or accomplish a major story objective by itself.
• The preparation can't contradict established facts. You can't use a Contingency to change something that has already been established in the game.
• The preparation can't replicate magic. A Contingency can't reproduce the effects of a spell or magical feature.
• The preparation can't create a creature. You can't reveal that you secretly recruited a creature that wasn't previously established as part of the story.
• The preparation can't undo events. A Contingency can prepare for something that happens, but it can't reverse something that has already happened.

The DM determines whether a proposed Contingency is plausible. If the preparation isn't possible within the circumstances, you don't expend the Contingency. A Contingency can involve an object, a location, a creature, information, or a prior interaction.

For example, you might reveal that you:

• concealed a dagger beneath a table;
• loosened a window before entering a building;
• left climbing equipment near an escape route;
• bribed a guard;
• learned the schedule of a patrol;
• established a signal with an ally;
• marked a safe route through a building; or
• discovered a useful piece of information before arriving.

What can be involved within a contingency:

• something you did beforehand;
• something you learned;
• an item you prepared or concealed;
• your equipment;
• your position;
• your immediate surroundings;
• a prior interaction or arrangement.

The exact details of your preparation are determined when you reveal the Contingency, rather than when you finish a Long Rest.

Schematics

3rd level feature 

You have learned to study people and places until you understand their weaknesses, routines, and hidden details. You can create a Schematic a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Creating a Schematic

As an Action, choose one creature, object, room, structure, or clearly defined area that you can see within 60 feet. You study the target and create a mental Schematic of it. You can maintain only one Schematic at a time. Creating a new Schematic ends your previous one.

A Schematic lasts until you finish a Long Rest or create another Schematic. The information you gain depends on what you study: 

Creature

When you create a Schematic of a creature, you can learn information that could reasonably be determined through careful observation. The DM can reveal one or more of the following:

• Whether the creature appears injured, exhausted, frightened, or otherwise impaired.
• Its approximate physical capabilities.
• Its apparent fighting style or preferred tactics.
• Visible unusual abilities or physical characteristics.
• Damage resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities that could reasonably be inferred from observation.
• Visible magical equipment.
• Other significant weaknesses or habits that can reasonably be deduced.

The Schematic doesn't reveal information that your character could have no reasonable way of discovering.

Person

When you create a Schematic of a person, you analyse their behaviour, appearance, mannerisms, and circumstances. The DM can reveal information such as:

• Their apparent occupation or social position.
• Their motivations or immediate concerns.
• Their apparent loyalties.
• Significant relationships you could reasonably identify.
• Habits or mannerisms.
• Signs that they're concealing information.
• Useful details about their background.
• Whether they appear to possess or carry magical items.
• What subjects or approaches are likely to influence them.

A Schematic doesn't read thoughts or reveal secrets that couldn't reasonably be inferred.

Location

When you create a Schematic of a room, structure, or area, you analyse its layout and potential dangers. You learn information such as:

• The location of visible and hidden exits.
• The safest apparent routes through the area.
• Obvious or concealed traps.
• Potential hiding places.
• Structural weaknesses.
• Unusual features.
• Signs of recent activity.
• Other details that careful observation could reasonably reveal.

You have Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to examine your Schematic.

Level 9: Preparation Pays Off

9th level feature 

Your preparations are designed not merely to keep you safe, but to create opportunities when you strike.

When you deal Sneak Attack damage to a creature, you can end one Contingency currently benefiting you to exploit the preparation. The Contingency must be relevant to the attack or the circumstances surrounding it. The DM determines an appropriate additional effect based on the preparation, such as:

• Moving up to half your Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks;
• Immediately taking the Hide action;
• Forcing the target to move a short distance;
• Interacting with an object or feature of the environment;
• Imposing Disadvantage on the target's next attack against you;
• Granting you or an ally Advantage on the next attack against the target;
• Dealing a small amount of additional damage.

The benefit must be comparable to the value of a Rogue feature or a minor combat manoeuvre and can't replicate the effect of a spell.

You can use this feature once per turn.

Example:

You use a Bonus Action to reveal:

‘I prepared the sole of my boot with a layer of wax so I could slide across this polished floor.’

You then hit your Schematic target with Sneak Attack. You end the Contingency and use the preparation to move across the floor without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Or:

“I coated the edge of my dagger with an irritant.”

You hit with Sneak Attack and end the Contingency to impose Disadvantage on the creature's next attack as the irritant takes effect.

The preparation itself is what determines the benefit.

Failsafes

13th level feature 

When you reveal a Contingency, you can designate it as a Failsafe by declaring a specific trigger that causes the Contingency to activate. The trigger must be a reasonably observable event that could occur within the circumstances of the scene. Examples include:

• A creature opens a particular door.
• An alarm sounds.
• A creature moves within a certain distance of you.
• Combat begins.
• A creature attempts to flee.
• You fall unconscious.
• An ally is reduced to 0 Hit Points.

When the specified trigger occurs, the Failsafe activates immediately, provided its preparation is still possible. A Failsafe doesn't require your Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction. 

A Failsafe remains in effect until its trigger occurs, until the end of the current scene, or until you finish a Long Rest, whichever comes first. You can have only one active Failsafe at a time. Once a Failsafe activates, the Contingency is expended.

Level 17: Everything Accounted For

17th level feature 

Your preparations have become so meticulous that even the most unexpected circumstances are simply another part of your plan. Once per Long Rest, when you roll Initiative, you can activate Everything Accounted For, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

Master Schematic

You can maintain two Schematics simultaneously.

Rapid Contingency

Once on each of your turns, you can reveal a Contingency without using a Bonus Action provided the Contingency otherwise follows its normal rules.

Layered Failsafes

You can have two active Failsafes at the same time.

Planned Escape

Whenever one of your Contingencies or Failsafes activates, you can immediately move up to half your Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

One More Thing

Once during the duration, when one of your Contingencies or Failsafes activates, you regain one expended Contingency.

When Everything Accounted For ends, any Contingencies used during its duration remain expended as normal.