Rogue, Smuggler

Gliding into port under the cover of darkness, meeting at the base of a seaside cliff for a clandestine transaction, or carrying banned items hidden in his pack, the smuggler is a master of moving goods in secret.

The Quintessential Rogue
Author Michael Mearls
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2002

He trades in restricted items, such as narcotics, poisons, banned weapons, and sometimes even human cargo such as slaves or fugitives. The smuggler masters the ins and outs of law enforcement, learning how to skirt the law’s watchful eye with bribes or well-hidden pathways. Often, rival criminals represent a much bigger threat than any paladin or crusading watchman. In the smuggling game, the laws of the traditional business world do not apply. Murder, violence, and bribes play just as much a role as finding cheap suppliers and cultivating a large customer base. After all, a merchant who dabbles in illegal trade is not likely to report his troubles to the authorities and bring the law down on his own head.

Adventuring: Many smugglers turn to adventuring as a side project, chasing down buried treasures or hidden hoards in order to strike a fortune and leave the business behind. Sometimes, smugglers pose as adventurers in order to provide a convenient excuse for moving from city to city laden with bizarre goods and strange treasures.

Role-Playing: Smugglers often have many criminal contacts and have a slick, crafty personality. They are used to dealing in secrets, and are slow to confide in others or trust strangers. An adventuring smuggler might never reveal his previous line of work or side business to his fellow adventurers, even if the goods he ferries are neither banned nor harmful. A smuggler who helps escaped slaves flee an oppressive regime would be fearful even of confiding in an honourable paladin, knowing full well that each additional person knowledgeable of his operation is one more potential
leak that could doom him.

Bonuses: The smuggler excels at guiding boats, horses, or carts in a quiet, Stealthy manner. He also has many contacts in the criminal underworld and can find a seller offering almost any item imaginable. The smuggler may use his Move Silently skill with a vehicle or animal without penalty. He may also use the Hide skill with such transports, but cannot use it to hide in plain sight. The smuggler gains a +2 competence bonus when using Gather Information to find an item for sale or to locate black market merchants.

Penalties: When using Gather Information for any purpose other than tracking down an item, the smuggler receives a –2 competence penalty. The smuggler has trouble finding information outside of his area of specialisation, as he usually attempts to draw as little attention to himself as possible rather than actively socialise with others.