Impersonator

Impersonators are characters who play dress up and pretend to be heroes of old to try to gain some of their power. The closer in likeness they are to the original, the more their power grows. Impersonators can only mimic mundane heroes, not deities or supernatural figures, who have passed on. An impersonator should chose a warrior or pop legend from within the last 100 years whose biology is similar to their own (the icon they are impersonating should be a member of a race selectable as a player race and have class levels in a player class).

Hit Dice: d8

Requirements:

  • Skills: Disguise 5 ranks
  • Special: You must have a piece of iconic memorabilia from your icon (a weapon, an outfit, etc). This doesn’t need to be wielded or worn, but must be on your person in order to benefit from impersonator class features. Should you lose this, it leaves your person, it is drastically changed, or if it is destroyed you cannot benefit from any impersonator class feature until you replace it or recover it.

Class Skills: The impersonator’s class skills are Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (select one) (Int), and Perform (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int Modifier

Class Features

Table: The Impersonator
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells Per Day
1st +0 +1 +0 +1 Background training, bonus feat, impersonation, professional performer -
2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Aura of awe +1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd +2 +2 +1 +2 Assume persona, iconic presence +1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th +3 +2 +1 +2 Bonus feat, star weapon +1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th +3 +3 +2 +3 Theatrics +2 -
6th +4 +3 +2 +3 Assume persona +1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th +5 +4 +2 +4 Bonus feat +1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th +6 +4 +3 +4 Method Acting +1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th +6 +5 +3 +5 Assume persona -
10th +7 +5 +3 +5 Bonus feat, theatrics +3, second Coming +1 level of existing spellcasting class

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

The impersonator gains no new weapon and armor proficiencies.

Background Training (Ex)

An impersonator often dedicate himself to mastering his icon’s vocations. An impersonator counts half his levels in two classes listed under his icon for the purposes of any class features he possesses. If there are more than two, the impersonator must select two.

Spells per Day

At the indicated levels, an impersonator gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an impersonator, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Bonus Feat

At 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the impersonator gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. This must be from the list of bonus feats associated with the impersonator’s icon. This bonus feat may always be Skill Focus or Skill EdgePFU in one of the icon’s class skill. The impersonator must meet all the prerequisites for the chosen feat.

Impersonation (Ex)

At 1st level, the impersonator dedicates himself to channeling his icon in every aspect. Each morning he must spend at least 1 hour preparing his costume/disguise. He may then attempt to make a Disguise check and based on the result, he gains certain benefits. If unsatisfied with the results, an impersonator can take 5 minutes to do another check.

Table: Impersonation
DC Result Benefit
10 You have the basics down. Costume, accent, swagger, etc. You are a step above an amateur but not much better. Required to access any class feature.
15 You have the minor details hashed out. You can change your minor physical aspects (slicked back black hair, cunning green eyes, etc). Required to access the “Theatrics” class feature.
20 You have got his distinctive blustery, machismo-laden, voice down pitch perfect. Your word-choice and mannerisms match his perfectly. Required to access the “Professional Performer” class feature.
25 You can pull off your persona’s costume perfectly. If your persona had an extensive and very famous wardrobe you can mimic it perfectly. Required to access the “Aura of Awe” class feature.

Theatrics (Ex)

As a swift action an impersonator can make a Perform check (DC 20) to grant himself a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls until the start of his next turn. At 5th level this bonus improves to a +2 morale bonus and at 10th this becomes a +3.

While making this Perform check the impersonator must either utter a famous line/saying or strike a signature blow from his icon’s repertoire.” Whatever it is, there must be bluster and bravado behind it.

At 10th level this ability is a free action.

Professional Performer (Ex)

An impersonator gains a bonus equal to half his impersonator level on Perform checks.

Aura of Awe (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, witnessing an impersonator triggers a sense of awe as the enemy appears to be fighting a legend arisen from the dead. The first time in a 24 hour period a creature sees the impersonator they must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 ranks in Disguise + Charisma modifier) or be struck with awe. Creatures attacking the impersonator take a penalty on attack rolls equal to 1/3 his impersonator level (minimum +1). In addition, the impersonator gains a +4 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks against creatures struck with awe. Awe lasts for 1 hour and is a mind affecting effect.

Assume Persona (Sp)

At 3rd level, an impersonator gains the ability to cast disguise self as a spell-like ability on either themselves or allies, but only to appear to look like their icon. The impersonator uses his full character level as his caster level. The bonus on this does not apply for the impersonation class feature. He may do this a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier + 1/2 his impersonator level.

At 6th level, if an ally is under the effect of this class feature he may make a Disguise check (DC 15) as a swift action to gain the impersonator’s theatrics class feature for the duration of the spell-like ability. The bonus from disguise self applies to this roll.

At 9th level, if there are 3 or more characters disguised as the same icon within 30 feet of the impersonator (including the impersonator) all characters disguised as the same icon in that range gain a +4 bonus on Will saves.

Iconic Presence (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level an impersonator gains an insight bonus equal to 1/2 impersonator level to 2 skills from their icon’s list of skills. In addition, the impersonator treats these skills as class skills.

Star Weapon (Su)

At 4th level whenever an impersonator uses a weapon listed in their icon’s entry and he threatens a critical hit with the selected weapon, he gains a +2 bonus on the confirmation roll. In addition, his impersonator levels counts as and stacks with any fighter levels he possesses for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites for feats that specifically select his chosen weapon, such as Weapon Specialization.

Method Acting(Ex)

It is at this point in an impersonators career that they start to confuse people as to who they actually are. At 8th level an impersonator always detects as their icon in regards to any divination magic. They also add 1/2 their impersonator level on saves against polymorph effects.

Second Coming (Ex)

At 10th level the impersonator becomes their icon, replacing them on the mortal plane. The universe recognizes them as the icon. As such things like items keyed specifically to them or land tithed to them now belong to the impersonator. Anything specifically tied to the impersonator prior to this level no longer applies to him (example: If a demon knew the impersonator’s true name, his new true name is now that of his icon). An impersonator never needs to make a disguise check to appear as his icon as he is now literally that icon. This may change his gender, race, physical appearance, etc. While the impersonator does not gain his icon’s memories, he may get nostalgic feelings in places his icon has been in the past, get a sense of recognition from people his icon used to know, have similar feelings about things and places, etc. Finally, the impersonator is no longer required to maintain ownership of his icon’s memorabilia to retain his impersonator class features.

Example Icons

Below are a few examples of famous mortals that players might want to play as. We encourage you to create your own to represent famous figures in the history of your setting.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

FEATS: All combat feats
SKILLS: Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Swim (Str)
CLASSES: AthleteAP:M, barbarian, fighter, gunslinger
WEAPONS: Two-handed melee weapons and two-handed firearms

Bruce Lee

FEATS: All feats on the monk’s list of bonus feats as well as any style feats
SKILLS: Acrobatics (Dex), Intimidate (Cha)
CLASSES: AthleteAP:M, brawlerACG, monk
WEAPONS: Unarmed strikes and nunchucks

John Wayne

FEATS: All combat feats
SKILLS: Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Survival (Wis)
CLASSES: Gunslinger, ranger, brave HoW
WEAPONS: All one-handed firearms

Errol Flynn

FEATS: All combat feats
SKILLS: Acrobatics (Dex), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Survival (Wis)
CLASSES: Fighter, Ranger, SwashbucklerACG, Fencer EnGarde
WEAPONS: All weapons in the fighter’s bow weapon group and the rapier

Indiana Jones

FEATS: Any non-combat feat
SKILLS: Climb (Str), Knowledge (history) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha).
CLASSES: AdventurerAP:M, Fighter, Gunslinger, Detective
WEAPONS: Unarmed strikes, whip and one-handed firearms

Jackie Chan

FEATS: Catch Off-Guard, Improvised Weapon Mastery, Throw Anything, and all feats on the monk’s list of bonus feats
SKILLS: Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Perform (Cha)
CLASSES: Bard, monk, gladiatorAP:M
WEAPONS: Improvised weapons and unarmed strikes

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