way around a trap, or more specific information to wield the perfect bargaining chip. Clerics: Piety often brings with it a certain authority. The words “scoundrel” and “rogue” have similar meanWielding a deity’s magic and communing with unknowings, but one does not need to be a member of the rogue able powers, clerics have knowledge from beyond this character class to be a scoundrel. While rogues often world and can draw on belief—both their own and that do adopt the lives of daring and cunning common to of others—to get what they want. Clerics of trickster scoundrels, so can barbarians, bards, rangers, and sordeities or deities that favor cunning, debauchery, and cerers. In fact, nothing prevents members of any class theft often turn to the path of the scoundrel, trusting in from taking up lives ruled by their own wit and their skill and their faith to see them resourcefulness. through. Clever worshipers of othEach class from the er divine powers might also take Player’s Handbook can be up this path, employing their infused with a bit of deities’ names to get what they scoundrel flavor. For and their extraplanar patrons more concrete examples want. on how to build a vari Druids: Druids tap into ety of scoundrels from ancient and mysterious powclass archetypes, see ers of the earth and control Making a Scoundrel its beasts. Veiled in superon page 12. stition and rumor, they Barbarians: sometimes use their fearBarbarians move some reputations to attain fast and strike their goals. With the ability hard to get what to turn into a variety of creathey want, refusing tures, cunning druids could to let anything stand be anywhere, see anything, in their way. They are and at higher levels, look like in tune with their inanyone. These talents might stincts and the harsh allow them to infiltrate a comrealities of the world. munity and work the will of In the remote wilds, nature or their own wills barbarian scoundrels from within. resort to lives of thugFighters: What a gery and brigandage sharp word can’t acin order to survive. complish, a sharp In more civilized enblade probably can. vironments, they make Fighter scoundrels lives for themselves excel at finding the weakby putting their unnesses in their enemies’ defenses, couth natures to work using the best fighting ground to beneath the veneer of make their stands, and setting law and justice. Flexing a up ambushes to finish a battle as few muscles and letting out an swiftly and decisively as possible. OutScoundrels can belong intimidating roar can get barbarian scounside combat, their heavy armor, powerful to any class drels anything they want. weapons, and fierce reputations lend them Bards: Bard scoundrels are talented presence and authority. A fighter scoundrel con artists and manipulators. Using their verbal skill who uses these advantages might get what he wants withand natural charm, they can influence even the most out even unsheathing his weapon. somber, standoffish, or disagreeable individual with a Monks: Daredevils of the highest order, monks few sly words and a well-placed smile. Bards have the attempt feats few other mortals would consider. They can uncanny ability to sway large groups of people, gain circumvent barriers and attain their goals by mastering allies, and manipulate opinion, always with an eye toward little-understood powers to harness their minds and gaining fame, information, or any other goals they desire. bodies in ways others cannot. Some monk scoundrels, Keen-witted and quick studies, they can formulate plans like fighters, use their reputations or displays of their in mere seconds, relying on general knowledge to find a prowess to intimidate, mislead, or simply take what they
Illus. by F. Vohwinkel
CHAPTER 1
Scoundrels of All Types
Scoundrels of Any Class
10
