Delver (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Some people are right at home treading ground untouched in years or even centuries, in search of the next challenge, the next dungeon, or the next ancient treasure. Delvers run the gamut from crazed archaeologists to thrill-seeking adventurers to unprincipled tomb robbers.

Class Information

This is a prestige class archetype.

Prestige Class: Delver.

Build Classes: Rogue.

Role: Delvers are rogues specialized on reconnaissance and traps.

Alignment: Any. Most delvers are thrillseekers out to line their pockets at the expense of the dead. Some have more advanced objectives, seeking to uncover relics of the past either for study or to reawaken the powers of old.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The delvers's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The delver has the class features of the rogue, except as follows.

Bardic Knowledge (Ex)

This ability is identical to the bard ability of the same name. Levels in this class stack with levels in any other class that grants bardic knowledge or a similar ability. This replaces the sneak attack die rogues get at level 1

Sneak Attack (Ex)

This is the same as the rogue's sneak attack ability, except the delver has 1d6 sneak attack damage at level 1, 2d6 sneak attack damage at level 5, and an additional die of sneak attack damage every five levels after level 5.

Master Explorer (Ex)

At 2nd level a Delver adds 1/2 her class level (minimum 1) as a bonus on all Perception checks (this does not stack with the bonus from trapfinding). A Delver can disable intricate and complex traps in half the normal amount of time (minimum 1 round) and open a lock as a standard action instead of a fullround action. She can always take 10 on Disable Device and Stealth checks, even if distracted or endangered.

Rogue Talents

As a delver gains experience, she learns a number of rogue talents that aid her and confound her foes. Starting at 3rd level, a delver gains one rogue talent. She gains an additional rogue talent for every 4 levels of delver attained after 3rd level. A delver cannot select an individual talent more than once.

Talents marked with an asterisk add effects to a delver's sneak attack. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack and the decision must be made before the attack roll is made.

A delver cannot choose a ninja trick with the same name as a rogue talent.

At 11th level, and every four levels thereafter, a delver can choose an advanced rogue talent in place of a regular rogue talent if desired.

Surefooted (Ex)

At 3rd level, a Delver can move through difficult terrain (such as hills, mountains, rubble, ruins, and similar terrain) at her normal speed. Ground that has been magically manipulated to impede motion still affects her normally.

Resourceful Disabler (Ex)

Delvers are adept at making use of what’s at hand. At 5th level, a Delver can use the Disable Device skill without tools at no penalty.

Guardbreaker (Ex)

At 6th level, a delver’s familiarity with the strange guardians often left in tombs allows her to attack them more effectively. She may treat her trap sense bonus as if it were a favored enemy bonus against constructs, oozes, and undead; this bonus stacks with any ranger favored enemy bonuses.

Thrilling Escape (Ex)

At 7th level, a Delver can attempt to delay a trap immediately after triggering it. To use this ability, she makes a Disable Device check as an immediate action against the trap's Disable Device DC; if she’s successful, the trap's activation is delayed until the end of the delver’s next turn. The delver can attempt this check even if the trap was triggered by a failed Disable Device check, or if it is not the Delver’s turn.

Vigilant Combatant (Ex)

Starting at 8th level, a Delver adds +2 initiative checks. This bonus increases to +4 at level 13 and +6 at level 17.

Fortunate Soul (Su)

Once per day at 10th level, the delver may reroll any saving throw she has just made before the results of the roll are revealed. She must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. She may use this ability twice per day at level 15 and three times per day at level 20.

Left for Dead (Su)

Once per day, a 10th-level Delver can cheat death. If she would be killed by a melee attack, ranged attack, or an effect that requires a saving throw, she is instead reduced to –1 hit points and knocked unconscious, but stable. The delver appears dead (though a DC 25 Heal check or life-tracking abilities such as deathwatch reveals she is not), but becomes conscious 1 minute later unless awakened sooner.

True Seeing (Sp)

At 14th level, a Delver can use true seeing once per day. At 19th level, she can use this ability 2 times per day. His caster level equals her class level.

Nick of Time (Ex)

A Delver has a knack for choosing the best time to act. Once per day at 20th level, a delver can use an immediate action to perform an action that normally requires a standard action to perform.

Table: Delver

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Bardic knowledge, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Evasion, master explorer
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Rogue talent, surefooted, Trap sense +1
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak attack +2d6, uncanny dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Resourceful disabler
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Guardbreaker, Trap sense +2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Rogue talent, thrilling escape
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Sneak attack +3d6, vigilant combatant +2
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Trap sense +3
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Fortunate soul 1/day , Left for dead
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Advanced talents, rogue talent
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Improved uncanny dodge, Sneak attack +4d6, trap sense +4
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Vigilant combatant +4
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	True seeing 1/day
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Fortunate soul 2/day, rogue talent, trap sense +5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Sneak attack +5d6
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Vigilant combatant +6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Trap sense +6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Rogue talent, true seeing 2/day
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Fortunate soul 3/day, nick of time, sneak attack +6d6

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the rogue are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Rogue talents (all)
• Advanced rogue talent
• Sneak Attack (level 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19)
• Improved Uncanny Dodge
• Master Strike