Here I am, hypocritically trying to solve a problem my players keep bringing to me [a problem I don't really feel is that bad]. But my players liked it so much I felt it could do good on your tables too.
Tell me what you guys think. I'm all ears for constructive feedback. But I'll read any, so yeah here it goes:
Sneak Attack Specialist
Level 4+ Feat (Prerequisite: Sneak Attack Feature)
You have refined your opportunistic combat techniques to an almost supernatural degree, learning to strike vulnerable points before vanishing from your enemy's reach.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Dexterity or Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Grievous Wounds. You deal an extra 1d6 damage when you deal Sneak Attack damage with a Melee weapon. If you use a Cunning Strike option as part of that Sneak Attack, the extra damage increases to 2d6.
Quick Step. When you use a melee weapon to deal Sneak Attack damage to a creature during your turn, you can immediately move up to half your Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks from that creature.
Finally, Design Notes:
Intent: This feat aims to incentivize the Rogue to engage in melee combat, providing a "high risk, high reward" alternative to the safety of ranged "Steady Aim" builds.
Balance: It offsets the damage loss from the new Cunning Strike mechanic, allowing the Rogue to maintain competitive DPR while applying control effects when in melee.
Drawback: The mobility benefit is target-specific and requires a successful hit, leaving the Rogue vulnerable if the attack fails or if multiple enemies are nearby. And obviously, it only works for melee builds - so, if you want to keep it safe, keep your basic dpr and have fun with Skulker I guess.