Pathfinder Unchained Rogue Guide (1st -13th level)

Out-of-Combat Role:  The unchained rogue is a better version of the standard rogue for the purposes of out-of-combat play.  The out-of-combat role for an unchained rogue is, for the most part, the same as was stated in the standard rogue guide.  There is one notable exception, however.  The unchained rogue gets access to Rogue’s Edge, which allows her to acquire access to an unchained skill at 5^th and 10^th level.  The unchained abilities are good for the skills listed as bread and butter for the rogue in the standard rogue guide.  Further, there are no downsides or trade-offs the unchained rogue has to make to get Rogue’s Edge.

Combat Role:  The unchained rogue is a better version of the standard rogue for the purposes of combat.  Through Finesse Training you basically get Weapon Finesse and Slashing Grace for free.  What is even better is that you get this for multiple weapons.  What is even better is that you can use this ability while two-weapon fighting, unlike Slashing Grace and similar feats.  Finesse Training makes the standard optimized Rogue Archer a natural Switch Hitter.  It also makes the two-weapon fighting rogue much stronger.  It complete obsoletes the standard Strength-based melee rogue in my opinion.

Lost Rogue Talents: Other than Befuddling Strike (needed for standard rogue Melee Fighters) and Sniper’s Eye (needed for standard rogue Archers), I think that the lost Rogue Talents are not that important from an optimization standpoint, unless you are building an extreme role-play skill monkey rogue.  The only exception to the rule is the Hard to Fool rogue talent, if you are playing a Snake Style Build.

With that said, you don’t really lose Befuddling Strike or Sniper’s Eye because the Unchained Rogue basically gets better versions of these abilities for free.  Debilitating Injury (Disorient) is basically Befuddling Strike and, further, Debilitating Injury also gives you the option to do a Bewildering or Hampered Strike.  With these three options you can choose between lowering the targets attacks, AC, or mobility.  As for Sniper’s Eye, this rogue talent would have no significance for an unchained rogue anyway.  Unlike a standard rogue, an unchained rogue’s attacks are not affected by normal concealment for ranged or melee attacks.  The unchained rogue basically gets a better version of Sniper’s Eye for free.

Advanced Rogue Talents / Lost Advance Rogue Talents: Honestly, I don’t care about the lost advanced rogue talents because on one new advanced rogue talent (Double Debilitation).  Game over.

Rogue Talent Upgrades:  Many of the rogue talents listed for the unchained rogue are upgrades to the versions for the standard rogue.  Most notably are Minor Magic, Major Magic, and Resiliency.  All of these were great in their original form.  Now Minor Magic has unlimited uses.  This is great for spells like Mending (fix those broken arrows), Detect Magic (finding traps), Mage’s Hand (kleptomaniacs), Ghost Sounds (for the creative), Jolt/Ray of Frost/Acid Splash/Disrupt Undead (not bad choices).  Major Magic now has more uses per day and the same number of great spell choices.  Resiliency now gives more temporary hitpoints and more uses per day.

Danger Sense: It is just an upgrade of Trap Sense, so this is all gravy.

Saves:  They are still terrible.  Nothing has changed.

Conclusion: Unlike the Barbarian, the Rogue has truly been unchained.  If you can get around the terrible saves, the Unchained Rogue can be a strong class through 13^th level.