Sometimes playing the odds too much leads a gambler down a rough path where luck alone won’t keep them afloat. In the world of piracy and underground smuggling, a sharp tongue, a quick draw, and an escape plan are worth more than any Royal Flush. These scoundrels thrive on the lawless fringes of society as daring pirates or cunning smugglers where they take what they want, evade the law, and stay one step ahead of their enemies.
The scoundrel is an archetype of the gambler class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The scoundrel mainly focuses on DEX and CHA for combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Roulette, Precise Throw. 2nd – Professional Gambler. 3rd – Joker’s Aim, Slots. 5th – Coin Toss, Press Your Luck. 6th – Big Bluff. 9th – Pocket Pair.
Class Skills
The scoundrel adds Knowledge (technology) (Int), Navigate (Int), and Pilot (Dex) to his class skills. The scoundrel loses Disguise, Linguistics, and Use Magic Device as class skills.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The scoundrel loses proficiency with throwing cards but gains proficiency with simple firearms.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, the scoundrel receives the Limit Breaks (Element of Treachery and Out of the Blue).
Element of Treachery (Su): When this limit break is activated as a standard action, the scoundrel briefly vanishes before calling down a devastating explosion at his location, dealing 1d8 non-elemental damage per gambler level to all enemies within 30 feet. A successful reflex save (DC 10 + ½ the scoundrel’s level + his Charisma modifier) halves the damage. Creatures that fail their saving throw suffer from 20% concealment against the scoundrel for 1 round + 1 round per 4 gambler levels after 1st.
Out of the Blue (Su): This Limit Break allows the scoundrel to perform a series of unexpected attacks while deftly evading retaliation. When activated, the scoundrel may spend up to half his level in MGP. For a duration of 1 round plus 1 additional round for every 4 gambler levels beyond 1st, the scoundrel’s weapon attacks deal precision damage equal to his Charisma modifier, plus an additional 1d6 precision damage per MGP spent.
While this Limit Break is active, the scoundrel does not provoke attacks of opportunity from any source. This immunity extends to any vehicle the scoundrel is piloting, and if the scoundrel is firing the vehicle’s weapons, those attacks also gain the bonus precision damage. This does not apply to attacks made by weapons controlled by another creature.
This ability replaces the gambler’s limit breaks.
Firearm Training (Ex)
At 1st level, the scoundrel gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat. Additionally, he starts with a trainee firearm, as per the Gunner class feature.
This ability replaces precise throw.
The Leading Man (Ex)
At 2nd level, the scoundrel adds half his gambler level to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive skill checks. Additionally, the scoundrel may re-roll a failed Bluff or Diplomacy check a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces professional gambler.
Gunnery Talents (Ex)
As a scoundrel gains experience, he learns specialized techniques that improve his marksmanship. Starting at 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, a scoundrel gains one gunnery talent or gambler talent. He must meet the prerequisite of the talent selected, and unless otherwise specified, each talent can only be selected once. For the purpose of selecting and using gunnery talents, the scoundrel treats his gambler level as his gunner level.
- A complete list of gunnery talents can be found here: Gunnery Talents
This ability may replace gambler talents.
Scoundrel’s Aim (Ex)
At 3rd level, the scoundrel’s aim becomes impeccable. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with firearms. This bonus increases by +1 for every five gambler levels beyond 3rd.
This ability modifies joker’s aim.
Quickening (Su)
At 3rd level, the scoundrel gains access to a powerful set of Quickening techniques fueled by his MGP:
- Percussive Slug: At 3rd level, the scoundrel may spend 2 MGP to fire a specially modified percussive slug as a standard action. If the attack roll is successful and exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is pushed back as though subjected to a Bull Rush combat maneuver in addition to taking normal damage. The scoundrel does not move with the target on a successful bullrush.
- Target Shooting: At 3rd level, the scoundrel can strike individual body parts with uncanny precision, relying on supernatural luck instead of precise aim. This ability functions as the Targeted Shot class feature from Archer, except the scoundrel must pay MGP equal to the attack penalty imposed by the targeted shot to attempt it. The scoundrel does not need to use the aim class feature to attempt a Targeted Shot.
- Fires of War: At 6th level, the scoundrel may spend up to his Charisma modifier in MGP to make a separate attack against a number of creatures equal to the MGP spent as a standard action. Each attack must be made against a different target within range.
- Tides of Fate: At 8th level, by expending an amount of MGP up to his gambler level, the scoundrel summons a tidal wave around himself, dealing 1d6 water damage per 4 MGP expended to all enemies within 30 feet. Creatures hit are affected by the drenched status effect and knocked prone. A successful reflex save (DC 10 + ½ the scoundrel’s level + his Charisma modifier) halves this damage and negates the prone effect.
- Plunder Spirit: At 12th level, the scoundrel may spend any amount of MGP to attempt to steal active beneficial spell effects from a creature they damage with a weapon attack as a swift action, up to a total spell level equal to the MGP expended. If the target creature has multiple effects, the highest level spell effects are stolen first. Stolen spell effects last for their remaining duration or 1 round per gambler level, whichever is shorter. A successful will save (DC 10 + ½ the scoundrel’s level + his Charisma modifier) negates this effect.
- Tri-Shot: At 16th level, the scoundrel may spend 7 MGP to make three firearm attacks against a single target as a standard action. Each attack is made at the scoundrel’s highest base attack bonus.
This ability replaces slots.
Solo Tactics (Ex)
A scoundrel takes advantage of every opportunity, whether his allies meant to provide one or not. At 4th level the scoundrel gains a bonus teamwork feat. The scoundrel must meet the prerequisites of the selected feat. As a standard action, the scoundrel can choose to learn a new bonus teamwork feat in place of the most recent bonus teamwork feat he has learned. He can only change the most recent teamwork feat gained. The scoundrel can change his most recent teamwork feat a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.
Additionally, all of the scoundrel’s allies are treated as if they possessed the same teamwork feats as the scoundrel for the purpose of determining whether the scoundrel receives a bonus from his teamwork feats. His allies do not receive any bonuses from these feats unless they actually possess the feats themselves. The allies’ positioning and actions must still meet the prerequisites listed in the teamwork feat for the scoundrel to receive the listed bonus.
Whenever the scoundrel would gain a gambit, he may instead gain a bonus teamwork feat.
This ability replaces the gambit granted at 4th level.
Lucky Shot (Ex or Su)
At 5th level, the scoundrel can perform extraordinary and supernatural trick shots with coins. Any coin used for this ability is destroyed, regardless of the result.
As long as the scoundrel has a free hand, he may throw a coin up to 10 feet per gambler level as part of making an attack with a firearm. The scoundrel’s firearm attack ricochets off the coin, allowing the shot to originate from the coin’s location for the purposes of determining cover. Using Lucky Shot in this way is an Extraordinary Ability (Ex).
When using an MGP coin, the scoundrel fires a concentrated laser of magical energy. Instead of a ricochet, he makes a separate attack roll against each creature in a line within the firearm’s range, dealing non-elemental damage equal to the firearm’s damage. Using Lucky Shot in this way is a Supernatural Ability (Su).
This ability replaces coin toss.
Scoundrel’s Fortune (Ex)
At 5th level, a scoundrel may ignore a misfire with a firearm a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces press your luck.
Flying Solo (Ex)
At 6th level, the scoundrel gains the Airship Operation feat. If the scoundrel already has this feat, he may pick another non-combat feat for which he meets the prerequisites. Additionally, the scoundrel reduces the minimum crew requirement to pilot a vehicle by their gambler level.
This ability replaces big bluff.
Dead Man’s Draw (Ex)
At 9th level, the scoundrel gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat. If the scoundrel already has Quick Draw, he instead gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks made when he could act during a surprise round.
Additionally, if a surprise round occurs and the scoundrel is able to act, he may spend up to 1 MGP per two gambler levels to make a bonus attack during the initiative check. This attack deals 1d6 bonus damage per MGP spent.
This ability replaces pocket pair.