Tunnel Rat (Rogue Kit)[]
Tunnel rats come from the ranks of all humanoid races that dwell beneath the earth. They serve as advance scouts and explorers for their tribes, using whatever skills they can pick up to survive the unknown dangers waiting below the ground. The good ones have learned to be keen observers and decent fighters, for they must be able to spot natural and artificial traps before they stumble into them, and they must be able to defend themselves against other subterranean races and the monsters that dwell below. The bad ones are all dead.
Player character tunnel rats perform the same services for adventuring parties as they did for their tribes. They take the point, using their skills and abilities to pick a safe path through dungeons and underground tunnels. When they encounter dangers, they warn their companions and take the necessary steps to make the way safe.
Requirements: Tunnel rats must come from the races that live and labor beneath the ground. Of those humanoids detailed in this book, the following may select this kit: goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, orcs, and half-orcs. There are no special alignment or gender requirements. A tunnel rat usually has a lower Strength or Constitution than is typical.
Role: Tunnel rats serve as bait for the humanoid tribes which live and work in subterranean areas. At least that's how their fellows view them. When humanoids find new tunnels to explore and new mines to dig, or when they decide to spy on their underground neighbors, the first thing they do is select a member of the tribe to be "bait." Ropes are attached to the bait and it is sent into the unexplored tunnel to search for traps, hostile creatures, and other dangers. If the rope reaches the end of its length and nothing bad happens, then the rest of the tribe knows it's relatively safe to follow the bait into the tunnel. Those that survive this particular job often become quite skilled. When this occurs, they are no longer called bait. They earn the title of tunnel rat.
Even successful tunnel rats rarely achieve high regard in the tribe. They are the butt of jokes, seen as poor fighters because they do not get to fight with the rest of the warriors. They are also considered extremely expendable, for their job is to find dangers before the rest of the tribe can be hurt. As finding these dangers often means death, all tunnel rats are considered to be living on borrowed time. If a tunnel rat dies by stumbling into a trap, causing a cave-in, or springing an ambush, then he has done his job. There are no tears, for more bait is waiting to be tossed into the tunnel ahead once a rat falls.
The best tunnel rats have a stubborn will to survive. With a little luck and a lot of determination, these characters train themselves on the job. They learn to spot and disarm traps, for they believe that is a better course than simply stepping into them and setting them off. They learn to move with stealth and to keep hidden so that they may see enemies before they are seen. They learn to climb, to hunt, to fight, to find their way in the most confusing tunnels, for to do less is to fail at the task their chiefs have given them.
Of course, some decide that they do not like being unappreciated. These individuals leave their tribes in order to find fame and fortune. They sell their skills to those who need them, often joining adventuring parties about to embark on an underground quest.
Tunnel rats are extremely self-sufficient. They are almost supernaturally silent, appearing from the shadows without warning when the rest of their party least expects them. They are not easy to like, and they seldom make good friends, but they are invaluable when exploring the regions below the earth.
Weapon Proficiencies: Members of this kit must take the short sword proficiency. The other slot can be filled from the weapons usable by thieves.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
- Bonus Proficiencies: Close-quarter fighting.
- Recommended, General: Alertness, danger sense, direction sense, hiding, navigation (underground), rope use, survival (underground).
- Recommended, Warrior: Endurance.
- Recommended, Priest: None.
- Recommended, Wizard: None.
- Recommended, Rogue: Jumping, tightrope walking.
- Forbidden: None.
Equipment: Tunnel rats can use and purchase any equipment and armor normally available to thieves. They should purchase basic survival equipment, including ropes, pitons, tools, food and water, etc.
Special Benefits: Tunnel rats receive a +5% bonus to their initial find/remove traps, move silently, and climb walls skills.
Special Hindrances: Tunnel rats have a -10% penalty to their pick pocket skill and a - 5% penalty to their read languages skill.
Wealth Options: Each member of this kit begins play with Id6 x 10 gp.