Even the smallest of actions can have far-reaching consequences. A hundred stones can build a fortress; a single loose stone can send it crashing down. A thousand blades can protect a king; a single blade can topple a nation. When subtlety of thought and action is necessary, a saboteur answers the call. Masters of deception and infiltration, saboteurs have all of the tools necessary to gain entrance to the most well-defended bastions and complete their mission. With specialized tricks to suit their needs and a variety of magical traps at their disposal, a well-prepared saboteur can accomplish any goal with none the wiser.
Role: Saboteurs are masters of trickery and sabotage, bypassing sentries and wards with ease while placing their own magical devices to trap unsuspecting foes. A saboteur’s variety of skills and abilities lets them improvise when needed, but a saboteur that properly prepares can be a truly dangerous combatant.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: Self-taught
Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
CLASS SKILLS: The saboteur’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES[]
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Marked Target, Trapfinding | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | Evasion, Saboteur Trick | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Hidden Spotter | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Saboteur Trick | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Swift Sabotage | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | Saboteur Trick | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | Improved Mark | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | Saboteur Trick | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | Ranged Setup | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | Saboteur Trick | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | Combined Arms | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | Saboteur Trick | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +9/+4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | Improved Evasion | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | 4 | 9 | 9 | Saboteur Trick | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | 5 | 9 | 9 | Greater Mark | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | 5 | 10 | 10 | Saboteur Trick | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | 5 | 10 | 10 | Expanded Arsenal | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | 6 | 11 | 11 | Saboteur Trick | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | 6 | 11 | 11 | Instant Sabotage | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | 6 | 12 | 12 | Master's Trick, Saboteur Trick | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
All of the following are class features of the saboteur.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency[]
Saboteurs are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, net, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and with all firearms. They are proficient in light armors, but not with shields.
Saboteur Trap[]
Unlike most trapsmiths, a saboteur can create complex, magically-enhanced traps with minimal materials, imparting her own arcane power into the trap to make a wide variety of effects. In many ways, saboteur traps behave like spells in trap form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like dispel magic using the saboteur’s level as the caster level.
A saboteur can create only a certain number of traps of each level per day. Her base daily allotment of traps is given on Table: Saboteur. In addition, she receives bonus traps per day if she has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day. When a saboteur creates a trap, she assembles it with carefully-constructed gears, wires, and parts, imparting it with magical power to create wondrous effects. Each saboteur creates her traps differently; a trap made by one saboteur cannot be set or detonated remotely by another person, even another saboteur, though they can be disarmed via Disable Device like a normal trap. A trap, once created, remains usable for 1 day before the parts need to be repaired, so a saboteur must re-prepare her traps every day. Creating a trap takes 1 minute of work—most saboteurs prepare many traps at the start of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s not uncommon for a saboteur to keep some (or even all) of her daily trap slots open so that she can prepare traps in the field as needed.
Although the saboteur doesn’t actually cast spells, she does have an assembly list that determines what traps she can create. A saboteur can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on her assembly list, but not spell-completion items (unless she uses Use Magic Device to do so). A trap is “cast” by setting it—setting a trap is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, and it must be placed in an open, adjacent square to the saboteur. A trap fills a single 5-foot square and cannot be placed in the same area as another saboteur trap or a magical trap such as a glyph of warding, and once placed cannot be moved. All saboteur traps are Type: Magical, Trigger: Location, and Reset: None. Once a trap is placed, it remains set for 1 hour per caster level, after which it falls apart harmlessly. A saboteur can have a number of traps set equal to her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1); if she tries to set another trap when at this maximum, the oldest trap set deactivates harmlessly. When the saboteur would regain her trap slots for the day, she does not regain the slots for any trap that is still set and active.
When the trap is triggered, the spell comes into effect on the creature that triggered it (even if that creature is the saboteur herself). If the spell targets one or more creatures, the trap targets as many creatures within range of the spell as possible, starting with the creature that triggered the trap and continuing to the next nearest creature, using the trap’s location as the point of origin and the saboteur’s bonuses for attack rolls. If the spell affects an area, it comes into effect centered on the trap’s location or originating from the trap’s space (in the case of spells with a point of origin like burning hands), aimed to strike as many targets as possible with the trap’s effect, even if the spell could normally only be centered on the saboteur. Effects that require space to appear (such as wall of ice) appear in the nearest available space within the spell’s range. If the saboteur sees the trap trigger, she can instead designate targets or aim the area of effect as desired within the limitations of the trap’s effects, though the effect still originates from the trap’s space and must include the creature that triggered the trap in its area of effect or as one of its targets (where applicable). If an effect has a duration of “concentration”, it can only be concentrated on if the saboteur has line of sight to the trap’s effect; otherwise, it lasts as if “concentrated” on for 1 round + 1 round per five saboteur levels obtained, up to its normal maximum duration. Any extra abilities the trap has that can be used by concentration or require action on the saboteur’s part, such as moving a flaming sphere, cannot be used unless the saboteur can see the effect and is within its normal range.
In addition to her traps being triggered normally, the saboteur can use a move action once per round to detonate a trap within 30 feet of her that she can see. When detonating a trap this way, she does not have to include herself as one of its targets or within in its area of effect. She may disarm one of her traps within 5 feet of her as a standard action with no check needed.
The saboteur uses her level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level. Creating traps consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the placing of that trap. Spells that normally have a focus or divine focus requirement do not have a those requirements when made as a saboteur trap. A saboteur can prepare a trap of any assembly she knows. To learn or use a trap, a saboteur must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the trap’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a saboteur’s trap is 10 + the trap level + the saboteur’s Intelligence modifier. The Difficulty Class of Perception checks to locate a saboteur trap or Disable Device checks to disable a saboteur trap is equal to the trap’s save DC + 10.
A saboteur may know any number of assemblies. She stores her assemblies in a special tome called an assembly book. She must refer to this book whenever she prepares a trap but not when she sets it. A saboteur begins play with two 1st level assemblies of her choice, plus a number of additional assemblies equal to her Intelligence modifier. At each new saboteur level, she gains two new assemblies of any level that she can create. A saboteur can also add assemblies to her book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs and time requirements. A saboteur can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any assemblies that are equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from an assembly book. A saboteur does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them.
Marked Target (Ex)[]
Saboteurs adapt as needed based on the foes and obstacles they face. At 1st level, a saboteur learns how to mark a creature she can see as a move action. When she does, she gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against that target. The bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four saboteur levels thereafter.
In addition, she chooses one of the following types of mark to apply to her target. She gains bonuses to additional checks or statistics based on the type of mark used. The bonus is equal to the bonus to her attack rolls against the marked target:
- Assassin’s Mark: The bonus applies to weapon damage rolls against the target.
- Charlatan’s Mark: The bonus applies to Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks against the target and on Bluff and Disguise checks to pass herself as the marked target.
- Duelist’s Mark: The bonus applies to her AC and CMD against attacks or maneuvers made by the target.
- Informant’s Mark: The bonus applies to Knowledge, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Perception checks made against or concerning the marked target.
Once she has chosen which type of mark to apply to her target, she cannot change it. The mark lasts until the target dies, the saboteur dismisses the mark (a swift action), or for 24 hours, whichever comes first. She can choose to mark a dead creature (or leave her mark on a creature that dies, rather than having it automatically end); usually this is done to disguise herself as the deceased target with charlatan’s mark or to learn about the target with informant’s mark. Once a target has been marked, it cannot be marked again for 24 hours. The saboteur can only maintain one marked target at a time.
Trapfinding (Ex)[]
A saboteur adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A saboteur can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.
Evasion (Ex)[]
At 2nd level and higher, a saboteur can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the saboteur is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless saboteur does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Saboteur Trick[]
Rather than learning a broad spectrum of techniques as a fighter, or a plethora of magical abilities as a wizard, a saboteur learns a few specialized tricks to better accomplish her goals. Starting at 2nd level, a saboteur gains one saboteur trick. She gains an additional trick for every two levels of saboteur attained after 2nd level. A saboteur cannot select an individual trick more than once. If a trick calls for a saving throw, the save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the saboteur’s level + her Intelligence modifier, unless otherwise stated.
A full list of saboteur tricks can be found here.
Hidden Spotter (Ex)[]
At 3rd level, a saboteur becomes skilled at spotting hidden alcoves and traps, even passively. Whenever she passes within 10 feet of a trap, hidden passage, or secret door, she can attempt an immediate Perception check to notice the trap or passage. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Swift Sabotage (Ex)[]
Starting at 5th level, a saboteur becomes adept at quickly disabling traps and other devices. It takes the saboteur half the normal time to perform a Disable Device check (minimum 1 round). If she attempts to use Disable Device to open a lock that would take a full-round action to open, she instead can do so as a standard action. She can also trigger a trap she has placed within 30 feet of her as a swift action, whether that trap is a saboteur trap or a mechanical trap she has placed.
Improved Mark (Ex)[]
At 7th level, a saboteur’s ability to mark a target improves. She can now maintain two marked targets at once, and marking a target can be done as a swift action. She may now change which type of marks are applied to her marked targets as a swift action, but only once per marked target in a 24 hour period. She can change all of her marks with the same swift action.
Ranged Setup (Ex)[]
At 9th level, a saboteur learns how to set her traps from a distance. As part of the standard action to place a saboteur trap, she can throw the trap with a free hand to setup the trap in a single unoccupied square within 20 feet. Alternatively, she can affix the trap to a piece of ammunition (bolt, arrow, bullet, etc.) or a thrown weapon, allowing her to set the trap from further away or use it as a direct attack. Drawing the trap, attaching the trap to the projectile, and firing it in this manner is a full-round action. The trapped projectile is fired or thrown in the normal manner. If fired at a square, the trap is treated as if the saboteur had set the trap in that square. If fired at a creature, the target takes damage from the ranged weapon and is treated as if it had triggered the trap (saving throw applies).
A trap that is set with this ability (either thrown or affixed to a ranged weapon) has its saving throw DC lowered by 2. A trap that is affixed to a ranged weapon and misses its target breaks apart harmlessly.
| Trap Level | Total Trap Levels Needed
To Create |
|---|---|
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 4 |
| 4th | 5 |
| 5th | 7 |
| 6th | 9 |
Combined Arms (Ex)[]
Beginning at 11th level, a saboteur can combine the mechanical parts and magical energy of her weaker traps to create more powerful traps. When preparing her traps, she can give up a number of trap slots whose total trap levels is greater than or equal to the value shown in Table: Combined Arms to create a trap of the level shown. For example, if she wants to create an ice storm trap (a 4th level trap), she would have to give up a number of trap slots whose total levels is at least five or more. This can be any combination of trap slots, such as a 3rd level trap slot and a 2nd level trap slot, five 1st level trap slots, or some other combination. She cannot give up a trap slot whose level is equal to or higher than the trap being created. She can only use combined arms to create a trap she is capable of making.
Improved Evasion (Ex)[]
At 13th level, a saboteur’s evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the saboteur still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless saboteur does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Greater Mark (Ex)[]
Starting at 15th level, a saboteur’s mark becomes especially potent. She can maintain three marked targets and can mark all targets with a single swift action. Instead of keeping multiple marked targets, she can instead mark a target with two different marks. She cannot have any other marked targets while she does so. The attack bonus from her two marks do not stack.
Expanded Arsenal (Ex)[]
At 17th level, a saboteur doubles the number of saboteur traps she can have placed at once, allowing her to maintain a number of traps equal to twice her Intelligence bonus (minimum 2).
Instant Sabotage (Ex)[]
At 19th level, the saboteur can complete any Disable Device check that would take 1 round or longer in a single standard action. When using Disable Device to open a lock that would take a full-round action to open, she can instead do so as a swift action. She can also trigger a trap she has placed within 30 feet of her as a free action, whether that trap is a saboteur trap or a mechanical trap. She can still only trigger one trap each round in this manner.
Master’s Trick[]
At 20th level, the saboteur learns her signature, a special trick that sets her skill far apart from a less experienced saboteur. She gains one of the following master’s tricks of her choice. The master’s trick is an exceptionally powerful ability, the sort of skill spoken of in tales of legendary thieves and agents.
A full list of master's tricks can be found here.
Favored Class Bonuses[]
- Aasimar: Add +1/2 to the saboteur’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one saboteur trick.
- Catfolk: Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and Sleight of Hands checks to pickpocket.
- Changeling: Add one trap assembly from the saboteur’s list to the character’s assembly book. This assembly must be at least one level lower than the highest-level assembly the saboteur can create.
- Dhampir: Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks made while in dim light or darkness.
- Drow: Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize and on Bluff checks to pass secret messages.
- Duergar: Add +1/4 to the saboteur’s CMD against manuevers made by the target of her duelist’s mark.
- Dwarf: Add a +1/2 bonus on Perception checks to notice traps, hidden passages, and secret doors.
- Elf: Gain 1/6 of a new saboteur trick.
- Fetchling: Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks made while in dim light or darkness.
- Gillmen: Gain 1/6 of a new saboteur trick.
- Gnome: Add a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Use Magic Device checks related to glyphs, symbols, scrolls, and other magical writings.
- Goblin: Deal +1/2 point of damage with traps that deal fire damage.
- Grippli: Add +1/4 to the DC of poisons created by the saboteur.
- Half-Elf: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and Diplomacy checks to gain information.
- Half-Orc: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to pass secret messages, Sense Motive checks to discern secret messages, and Linguistic checks to decipher unusual handwriting.
- Halfling: Gain a +1/4 dodge bonus to AC against the target of the saboteur’s duelist’s mark (max +5).
- Hobgoblin: Add +1/2 bonus to Craft (traps) and Knowledge (engineering) checks.
- Human: Add one trap assembly from the saboteur’s list to the character’s assembly book. This assembly must be at least one level lower than the highest-level assembly the saboteur can create.
- Ifrit: Deal +1/2 point of damage with traps that deal fire damage.
- Kitsune: Add a +1/2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to change a creature’s attitude.
- Kobold: Choose acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage. Add +1/2 point of the chosen energy damage to saboteur traps set by the saboteur that deal the chosen energy damage.
- Merfolk: Add +1/2 bonus to Perform checks and Diplomacy checks.
- Nagaji: Add +1/4 to the DC of poisons created by the saboteur.
- Orc: Add +10 minutes to the duration the saboteur’s traps remain set before breaking.
- Oread: Add a +1/2 bonus to Perception checks to spot natural hazards, pitfalls, and the like, and a +1/2 bonus to Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks.
- Ratfolk: When attacking her marked target, add +1/4 to the saboteur’s swarming trait’s flanking bonus on attack rolls.
- Samsaran: Add +1/2 bonus to Knowledge checks to identify the target of the sabotuer’s informant’s mark.
- Strix: Add a +1/4 bonus to Perception checks involving her marked target, Stealth checks to avoid notice by her marked target, and on Survival checks to track her marked target.
- Suli: Add +1/2 to Diplomacy checks and Sense Motive checks against the target of the saboteur’s charlatan’s mark.
- Svirfneblin: Add a +1/2 bonus on Perception checks to notice traps, hidden passages, and secret doors.
- Sylph: Add a +1/2 bonus on Acrobatics checks and a +1/2 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
- Tengu: Gain a +1/4 bonus on Disguise, Knowledge (local), and Perception checks.
- Tiefling: Add +1/4 to weapon damage rolls dealt to marked targets with the outsider type.
- Undine: Add +1/4 to the saboteur’s CMD against manuevers made by the target of her duelist’s mark.
- Vanara: Gain 1/6 of a new saboteur trick.
- Vishkanya: Add +1/4 to the DC of poisons created by the saboteur.
- Wayang: Add a +1/4 bonus on Stealth checks and on weapon damage rolls against flat-footed opponents.