Crusading Footpad

Most thieves steal items for their own personal gain, while others do it simply to make ends meet. A few, select burglars rob others for a much higher cause.

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

The crusading footpad is the paladin of rogues. He steals from vile cults, foul necromancers, and villainous nobles in an effort to hamper the cause of evil. The crusading footpad’s methods may draw a stern reprimand from a paladin or holy-minded warrior, but his intentions are always in the right place. Some crusading footpads work as a member of a church of good-aligned cult, co-ordinating their thefts and plans with the clerics‘ and paladins‘ activities to create a formidable one-two punch against the slaves of darkness. Where a paladin may kick down his enemy’s door and charge in brandishing his longsword in one hand and his Holy symbol in the other, the crusading footpad slips in unnoticed, counting on his deity’s blessing to protect him from harm and shield him from detection.

The gods tend to closely look after a crusading footpad. Many of these rogues venture alone into unholy territory, gallantly placing their lives in extreme peril in order to further
their deity’s goals. Not all crusading footpads work in the name of a deity, but even these lone heroes draw the attention of the saintly divine powers who work to aid and protect them without these footpads’ knowledge.

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

To qualify to become a crusading footpad, a character must fulfil all the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +4 or higher.
Divine Spellcasting: Ability to cast 0-level or higher divine spells.
Feats: Dodge, Iron Will.
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks.
Alignment: Any good.

The Crusading Footpad
Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Divine Companion, Divine Luck
2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Smite undead +1d6
3	+2	+1	+3	+1	detect evil, Detect Undead
4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Smite undead +1d6
5	+3	+1	+4	+1	Mask Alignment
6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Smite Undead +1d6
7	+5	+2	+5	+2	Divine Shield
8	+6	+2	+6	+2	Smite undead +1d6
9	+6	+3	+6	+3	Sense Guards and Wards
10	+7	+3	+7	+3	Smite undead +1d6

Class Skills

The crusading footpad’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Intelligence), Balance (Dexterity), Bluff (Charisma), Climb (Strength), Craft (Intelligence), Decipher Script (Intelligence, exclusive skill), Diplomacy (Charisma), Disable Device (Intelligence), Disguise (Charisma), Escape Artist (Dexterity), Forgery (Intelligence), Gather Information (Charisma), Hide (Dexterity), Innuendo (Wisdom), Intimidate (Charisma), Intuit Direction (Wisdom), Jump (Strength), Knowledge (religion) (Wisdom), Listen (Wisdom), Move Silently (Dexterity), Open Lock (Dexterity), Perform (Charisma), Pick Pocket (Dexterity), Profession (Wisdom), Read Lips (Intelligence, exclusive skill), Search (Intelligence), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Spot (Wisdom), Swim (Strength), Tumble (Dexterity), Use Magic Device (Charisma, exclusive skill), and Rope Use(Dexterity).
Skill points at each level: 8 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the crusading footpad class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The crusading footpad gains no additional proficiencies with weapons or armour.

Divine Companion: At first level, the crusading footpad receives a companion creature from his patron deity similar to a wizard’s familiar. This creature uses all the rules for familiars with the following exceptions. The familiar does not gain the share spells, touch or scry on familiar abilities. In place of share spells, the familiar gains the crusading footpad’s divine luck ability. In place of touch, the familiar gains the crusading footpad’s detect evil ability. In place of scry on familiar it gains mask alignment.

If the divine companion dies, the footpad suffers all the penalties a familiar’s master must normally endure. A year after a footpad loses his familiar, he gains a new one from his patron deity.

Divine Luck: The crusading footpad gains a +2 bonus to all saves. The gods look after the footpad, granting him good luck when he needs it.

Smite undead: The walking dead are often the bane of rogues, for they are immune to that class’s powerful sneak attack ability. Crusading footpads often venture into areas guarded by Zombies, skeletons, and far worse. Thus, they spend long hours studying the construction and weaknesses of the undead, allowing them to strike at critical points on an undead creature’s form with the holy power of their deity. Smite undead allows a crusading footpad to sneak attack undead creatures. The bonus damage from this ability does not stack with sneak attack abilities granted by other classes. For example, a 5th-level rogue/4th-level crusading footpad could sneak attack non-undead for +3d6 damage or sneak attack undead for +2d6 damage.

Detect evil: The crusading footpad can, at will, use detect evil as a spell-like ability. This ability duplicates the effects of the detect evil spell.

Detect Undead: The crusading footpad can, at will, use Detect Undead as a spell-like ability. This ability duplicates the effects of the Detect Undead spell.

Mask Alignment: Crusading footpads must often penetrate evil temples, many of which include traps set to trigger when a good creature steps across them. At will, the footpad can choose to mask his alignment. For the purposes of spell effects, the footpad does not have an alignment. He gains no benefits or drawbacks based on his alignment that a spell or other effect may grant him. However, the footpad still does not gain any benefits or penalties for having a different alignment. Spells, triggers or anything else whose functions are determined by its target’s alignment simply do not function on a footpad who uses this ability. For example, a lawful good footpad would not trigger a trap designed to fire in response to a good-aligned creature touching an altar. On the other hand, a secret door designed to open when an evil character touches the altar would not function either. The crusading footpad may turn this ability on or off as a move-equivalent action. He may activate it up to three times per day, but may leave it functioning for as long as he wishes.

Divine Shield: As a crusading footpad gains more skill and commits great deeds in his god’s name, his patron takes a more active role in looking after him. The crusading footpad gains a +4 divine bonus to saves and AC against traps.

Sense Guards and Wards: With the divine guidance of his deity, the crusading footpad spots traps and other dangers. He gains a +2 divine bonus to all Search and Disable Device checks.