Helpful Sidekick
This class is available as Open Game Content.
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Description:
The sidekick is an icon firmly attached to heroes (and sometimes villains). Helpful sidekicks often do the dirty work but get little credit. Whether its busting the hero out of jail or jumping on an enemy’s back, the helpful sidekick does whatever he can to give his allies an advantage. Other tasks left to the helpful sidekick include spying and information gathering. Helpful sidekicks are the perfect cohort and work well assisting a single hero, or an entire party. Most helpful sidekicks are rogues.

Requirements:
Feats: Dodge, Mobility
Skills: Listen 8 ranks, Spot 8 ranks
Special: The character cannot be a loner. He must attach himself to a hero or group of heroes (though his presence need not be welcome).

Hit Die: 1d6
Skill Points: 8 + Int Modifier
Class Skills:
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)

Level	Attack	Fort	Reflex	Will	Special
1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sidekick Sacrifice, Carry Supplies
2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Combat Helper (+2)
3	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sneak Attack (+1d6)
4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Uncanny Dodge, Alert Allies
5	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak Attack (+2d6)
6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Combat Helper (+4)
7	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak Attack (+3d6)
8	+6	+2	+6	+2	Improved Uncanny Dodge, Guard Ally's Back
9	+6	+3	+6	+3	Sneak Attack (+4d6)
10	+7	+3	+7	+3	Combat Helper (+6)

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: simple weapons, light armor Sidekick Sacrifice (Ex) - If an ally standing adjacent to the helpful sidekick is struck by a melee or ranged attack, then the helpful sidekick can elect to suffer the damage instead of his ally. The use of this ability must be declared before the damage is rolled. Carry Supplies (Ex) - The helpful sidekick's Strength is effectively 4 points higher when determining his carrying capacity. The helpful sidekick's Strength score is not affected in any other way, only with respect to his carrying capacity. Combat Helper (Ex) - When the helpful sidekick flanks an opponent, he grants his ally (but not himself) an additional bonus to attack rolls equal to the listed amount. Additionally, when the helpful sidekick uses the aid another action, the bonus that he grants to his ally's Armor Class or attack rolls is increased by the listed amount. Sneak Attack (Ex) - If a helpful sidekick can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, the helpful sidekick can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The helpful sidekick's attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the helpful sidekick flanks his target. Should the helpful sidekick score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a helpful sidekick can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty. A helpful sidekick can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies; undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The helpful sidekick must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A helpful sidekick cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. Uncanny Dodge (Ex) - The helpful sidekick retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a helpful sidekick already has uncanny dodge from a different class, then he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead. Alert Allies (Ex) - All allies standing adjacent to the helpful sidekick (within 5 feet) are considered to have the Uncanny Dodge ability. Allies that already have the Uncanny Dodge ability do not gain any additional benefits (they do not gain the Improved Uncanny Dodge Ability). If the helpful sidekick has the Improved Uncanny Dodge ability, then he does not grant it to his allies until he gains the Guard Ally's Back ability. Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex) - The helpful sidekick cannot be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the helpful sidekick by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has helpful sidekick levels. If a helpful sidekick already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, then the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character. Guard Ally's Back (Ex) - All allies standing adjacent to the helpful sidekick (within 5 feet) are considered to have the Improved Uncanny Dodge ability. Use the helpful sidekick's effective level to determine if rogues can flank his allies or not. Allies that already have the Improved Uncanny Dodge ability can use their effective level or the help sidekick's effective level, whichever is better.