Table of Contents
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Wiki Note: This class is from Lost Spheres Publishing and is not official Spheres content.
Charlatans. Cads. Ne’er-do-wells.
These are all names given to mountebanks. Masters of stealth and guile, mountebanks exist in a world which is theirs for the taking, weaving powerful illusions and fooling even the most perceptive people into seeing things their way. Often living life on the silver piece of others, mountebanks thrive in social settings, using their innate charm and talents to ingratiate themselves to royalty and influential social figures. Never without a quick jab or witty retort, dueling a mountebank in either blades or words often ends in humiliation. The greatest of mountebanks find themselves the true power behind thrones or leading scores of fawning adorers, dozens who no doubt have no idea how much they truly know about their charismatic leader. Able to blend into locations at the drop of a hat, finding a mountebank can be nearly impossible (unless they want to be found).
Role: Consummate adventurers, mountebanks can serve a great many roles in a party, although they tend to focus on distraction and illusions. Helping to beguile an enemy into being entirely ineffectual, mountebanks thrive on the challenge of fooling anyone and everyone they meet, always having the proper skills for any situation. With their wide variety of both mundane and magical solutions, mountebanks can fight on the frontlines with others or take solace in the back row of combat, although they lack the ability to take hits as well as their more martially inclined brethren.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
Class Skills: The mountebank’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneer) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Abilities
Table: The MountebankLevel | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Reflex Save | Will Save | Special | Combat & Magic Talents | Caster Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Casting, blended training, natural scoundrel, spell pool, thief's mark +1, trickster training | 1 (+2 magic) | +0 (1) |
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Creative strike, social talent, veiled magic | 2 | +1 |
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Trick casting | 3 | +2 |
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Social talent | 4 | +3 |
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Skill breaker, thief's mark +2 | 5 | +3 |
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Secretive spell +1, social talent | 6 | +4 |
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Swift veil | 7 | +5 |
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Social talent | 8 | +6 |
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Advanced trickery, Thief's mark +3 | 9 | +6 |
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Skill breaker, social talent | 10 | +7 |
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Shade Stepper | 11 | +8 |
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Secretive spell +2, social talent | 12 | +9 |
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Master trickster, thief's mark +4 | 13 | +9 |
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Social talent | 14 | +10 |
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Skill breaker | 15 | +11 |
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Social talent | 16 | +12 |
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Thief's mark +5 | 17 | +12 |
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Secretive spell +3, social talent | 18 | +13 |
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Lord of shade | 19 | +14 |
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Skill breaker, skill mastery, social talent | 20 | +15 |
Proficiencies
Mountebanks are proficient with simple weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers. In addition, if this is this character’s first level in any class, they may select a martial tradition of their choice.
Casting
A mountebank may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. A mountebank is considered a Mid-Caster. She may use either Intelligence or Charisma as her casting ability modifier and must make this choice at 1st level. (Note: all casters may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)
Spell Pool
A mountebank gains a small reservoir of energy she can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to her level + her casting ability modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Blended Training
A mountebank gains combat or magic talents according to Table: Mountebank, gaining her choice of combat or magic talents at each level she would gain a talent. Mountebanks use their casting ability modifier as their practitioner modifier. (See Natural Scoundrel)
Trickster Training
A mountebank gains the Illusion sphere as a bonus magic talent and uses her class level as her caster level with the Illusion sphere. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources.
Natural Scoundrel
A mountebank must select the Scoundrel sphere with the first talent they gain from this class and cannot select the natural rogue drawback when gaining this talent.
Thief’s Mark (Ex)
At 1st level, whenever a mountebank successfully uses her ‘marked target’ sphere ability from the Scoundrel sphere against a creature, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus to attack and damage rolls against the marked creature for 1 minute. A mountebank can only use this ability against a creature a number of times equal to her casting ability modifier every 24 hours. At 5th level and every four levels afterwards, this bonus increases by +1 (to a maximum of +5 at 17th level).
Creative Strike (Ex)
At 2nd level, whenever a mountebank makes a successful attack with a light, finessable, or ranged weapon, she may choose not to add her Strength modifier (or any other ability modifier she would add) to the damage roll. If she does, she gains a circumstance bonus on that damage roll equal to her casting ability modifier; this bonus cannot exceed her class level. If any effect would prevent the mountebank from adding her Strength modifier to the damage roll (or if she would normally be unable to, such as with crossbows), she cannot use this ability.
Social Talent (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a mountebank gains a social talent as per the vigilante class feature. A mountebank treats her class level as her vigilante level for the purpose of meeting prerequisites, and is always treated as though she was in her social identity for the purpose of the effects of social talents.
If a mountebank later gains a vigilante identity, she determines the effect of these talents by which identity she is currently in.
Veiled Magic (Ex)
At 2nd level, once per round a mountebank can decide to attempt to hide her spell’s manifestations from others, making it appear as though she is doing nothing at all. The attempt to hide the spell slows her casting slightly, such that spells that normally take a swift action now take a move action, spells that take a move action now take a standard action, and spells that take a standard action now take a full-round action, and spells that normally take longer than a standard action take twice as long (free action spells still take a free action).
To discover the mountebank’s ruse, a creature must succeed at a Perception or Spellcraft check (the creature receives an automatic check with whichever of those skills has the highest bonus) against a DC equal to 15 + the mountebank’s number of ranks in Stealth + her casting ability modifier. If the mountebank has a drawback which has an obvious visual or auditory display such as somatic casting or verbal casting, this DC is reduced by 5 for each such drawback, to a minimum of DC 0 (this ability does not hide the visual or auditory display, but rather causes those who see the mountebank casting and fail this check to not notice the display is due to spellcasting). If the mountebank has the virtuoso boon, the DC increases by 5 (the skilled caster drawback does not add to the DC in this circumstance).
If an opponent fails its check, the mountebank’s casting also does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and an opponent that fails its check can’t use readied actions that depend on realizing that the mountebank is casting a spell, or readied actions such as counterspelling that require identifying the spell the mountebank is casting. Spells such as those from the Destruction sphere that create an additional obvious effect (aside from the manifestation of casting that all spells share) still create that effect, though it might not be obvious who cast the spell unless it emanates from the mountebank.
If a character interacts with the mountebank long enough to attempt a Sense Motive check without realizing she have been casting spells, that character can use Sense Motive to gain a hunch that she’s behaving unusually.
Trick Casting (Ex)
At 3rd level, whenever a mountebank has hidden her spellcasting with her veiled casting ability, once per round as a free action, she can expend her martial focus to attempt to feint against a creature within 30 ft. of herself. This feint attempt resolves before the spell, and the creature is unaware of the feint being used against them.
Skill Breaker (Ex)
At 5th level, a mountebank has mastered a single skill beyond that skill’s normal boundaries, gaining results that others can only dream about. She gains the skill unlock powers for that skill as appropriate for her number of ranks in that skill. At 10th level and every five levels thereafter, she chooses an additional skill and gains skill unlock powers for that skill as well.
Secretive Spell (Ex)
At 6th level, a mountebank gains a +1 bonus to the spell’s save DC when she casts a spell that affects any foe who would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not). This bonus increases by +1 at 12th and 18th level.
Swift Veil (Ex)
At 7th level, the mountebank no longer increases the casting time needed while using her veiled magic class feature.
Advanced Trickery (Ex)
At 9th level, a mountebank no longer has to expend her martial focus when using her trick casting class feature.
Shade Stepper (Ex)
At 11th level, as long as a mountebank has her martial focus, she can use the Stealth skill to hide, even while being observed.
Master Trickster (Ex)
At 13th level, whenever a mountebank successfully feint against a creature with her trick casting class feature, that creature remains flat footed for an additional round.
Lord of Shade (Su)
At 19th level, a mountebank can expend her martial focus as a swift action. If she does, she can choose to become invisible for a number of rounds equal to her casting modifier. While invisible, she cannot be detected by blindsense, tremorsense, life sense, telepathy, blindsight, or other similar abilities.
Skill Mastery (Ex)
At 20th level, a mountebank unlocks all skills in which she has at least 5 or more ranks. In addition, she permanently increases her Intelligence and Charisma scores by 2.
Archetypes
-Back Alley Grifter
-Mental Manipulator
-Phantom Thief
Mountebank Feats
Unique Creative Strike
Prerequisite: Creative strike class feature.
Benefit: You can use your creative strike class feature with crossbows, firearms (but not siege weapons), and other ranged weapons properly sized for you which would not normally be able to used with the creative strike class feature. In addition, this feat is treated as Point- Blank Shot for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of feats and prestige classes.
Related Talents
The following talents were included in the product the Mountebank is from and may work particularly well with it.
- Boxing: Extra Trigger, Forceful Smash (Counter), Loopy Blow (Counter), Knuckle Crusher (Counter)
- Equipment: Dagger Bravo, Dagger Dancer
- Scoundrel: Forgettable Theft, Humiliating Trick, Ranged Mark
Favored Class Bonuses
A mountebank belonging to an indicated species below can gain the listed benefit in place of normal benefits (if it is that character’s favored class).
AasimarARG: +1/5 of a Life sphere talent.
CeptuCo7S: +1/5 of a Mind or Telekinesis sphere talent.
ChangelingARG: +1/5 of an Illusion sphere talent.
DhampirARG: +1/5 of an Death sphere talent.
Dwarf: +1/5 of an Equipment sphere talent.
Elf: +1/6 of a new magical talent.
FetchlingARG: +1/5 of a Dark sphere talent.
Gnome: +1/5 of an Illusion sphere talent.
GoblinARG: +1/5 of an Destruction or Scoundrel sphere talent.
Halfling: +1/5 of a Scout sphere talent.
Half-Elf: +1/6 of a social talent.
Human: +1/6 of a Combat sphere talent.
IfritARG: +1/5 of a Destruction or Fire Nature sphere talent.
JudowCo7S:SoH: +1/5 of a Dark sphere talent.
KitsuneARG: +1/5 of an Alteration or Illusion sphere talent.
KoboldARG: +1/6 of a new magical talent.
MirrorkinCo7S: +1/5 of an Alteration or Fate sphere talent.
OrcARG: +1/2 damage on damage from a Destruction talent.
OreadARG: +1/5 of an Earth or Metal Nature sphere talent.
RhyzalaCo7S:SoH: +1/5 of a Time sphere talent.
Shadow FeyCo7S: +1/5 of a Warp sphere talent.
SylphARG: +1/5 of a Weather sphere talent.
TieflingARG: +1/2 damage on damage from a Destruction talent.
UndineARG: +1/5 of a Spirit or Water Nature sphere talent.
VanaraARG: +1/5 of an Athletics sphere talent.
VeryxCo7S: +1/5 of a Mind sphere talent.
XodaiCo7S: +1/2 a point of damage with Fencing sphere talents when flanking.
Skill Unlocks
Optionally, a character who reaches 5, 10, 15, or 20 ranks in a skill unlocks various bonuses and abilities unique to that skill. The unchained rogue and mountebank use these rules extensively, but others can gain access to them with a new feat (or through other methods).
In this system, characters unlock additional abilities when they attain 5, 10, 15, and 20 ranks in a skill. The skill unlocks system interfaces with the unchained rogue and mountebank to make the rogue the true master of skills. Skill unlocks give characters new abilities and ways to use their skills upon reaching 5, 10, 15, and 20 ranks in a skill. Any character with the Signature Skill feat can earn skill unlocks for a single skill, and they are a prime feature of the revised version of the rogue who uses her rogue’s edge ability to gain skill unlocks for several of her most iconic skills.
Acrobatics
With sufficient ranks in Acrobatics, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You can move at normal speed through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity by increasing the DC of the check by 5 (instead of by 10). You aren’t denied your Dexterity bonus when attempting Acrobatics checks with DCs of 20 or lower.
- 10 Ranks: You can attempt an Acrobatics check at a –10 penalty and use the result as your CMD against trip maneuvers. You can also attempt an Acrobatics check at a –10 penalty in place of a Reflex save to avoid falling. You must choose to use this ability before the trip attempt or Reflex save is rolled. With a successful DC 20 Acrobatics check, you treat an unintentional fall as 10 feet shorter plus 10 feet for every 10 by which you exceed the DC, and treat an intentional fall as 10 feet shorter for every 10 by which you exceed the DC.
- 15 Ranks: You do not provoke attacks of opportunity when standing up from prone.
- 20 Ranks: You double the result of any Acrobatics check when jumping and never fall prone at the end of a fall as long as you remain conscious.
Appraise
With sufficient ranks in Appraise, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: A successful DC 20 Appraise check reveals whether an item is magical, and a second check (DC = 25 + the item’s caster level) unveils its properties. You can use Appraise to detect non-written forgeries and counterfeits.
- 10 Ranks: You can determine the most expensive object a creature is wearing or wielding (or in a 5-foot cube) as a standard action by succeeding at a DC 20 check. You never make a wildly inaccurate appraisal of an item’s value.
- 15 Ranks: Determining the most expensive object as above is a move action. You can substitute an Appraise check at a –10 penalty for a Will save to disbelieve a figment or glamer.
- 20 Ranks: Determining the most expensive object as above is a move action, and if the check succeeds, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on combat maneuver checks to steal that object or disarm a creature of that object for 1 minute.
Bluff
With sufficient ranks in Bluff, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: The penalty to Bluff a creature after a failed check is halved unless you failed by 5 or more.
- 10 Ranks: You take no penalty to Bluff a creature after a failed check unless you failed by 5 or more.
- 15 Ranks: Creatures magically attempting to read your thoughts, detect your alignment, or reveal when you are lying must attempt a caster level check (DC = 11 + your ranks in Bluff ) or the effect reveals nothing.
- 20 Ranks: As a full-round action, you can make a suggestion (as the spell, maximum duration 1 hour) to a creature within 30 feet (Will negates, DC = 15 + your Charisma modifier). A creature that saves against your suggestion is immune to further uses of this effect for 24 hours, and whenever the suggested creature is specifically confronted with proof of your manipulation, it receives another saving throw. This is an extraordinary mind-affecting compulsion.
Climb
With sufficient ranks in Climb, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You are no longer denied your Dexterity bonus when climbing.
- 10 Ranks: You gain a natural climb speed (but not the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks) of 10 feet, but only on surfaces with a Climb DC of 20 or lower.
- 15 Ranks: You gain a natural climb speed (but not the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks) equal to your base speed on surfaces with a Climb DC of 20 or lower, and of 10 feet on all other surfaces.
- 20 Ranks: You gain a natural climb speed equal to your base speed on all surfaces. If you have both hands free, you gain a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks.
Craft
With sufficient ranks in Craft, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: When determining your weekly progress, double the result of your Craft check before multiplying the result by the item’s DC.
- 10 Ranks: You do not ruin any of your raw materials unless you fail a check by 10 or more.
- 15 Ranks: When you determine your progress, the result of your check is how much work you complete each day in silver pieces.
- 20 Ranks: You can craft magic armor, magic weapons, magic rings, and wondrous items that fall under your category of Craft using the normal Craft rules.
Diplomacy
With sufficient ranks in Diplomacy, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: The time required to influence a creature’s attitude or gather information is halved.
- 10 Ranks: You can attempt to adjust a creature’s attitude in 1 round by taking a –10 penalty. If you take 1 minute to adjust a creature’s attitude, add your Charisma bonus to the number of hours that attitude change persists.
- 15 Ranks: You can attempt to adjust a creature’s attitude in 1 round with no penalty. If you take 1 minute to adjust a creature’s attitude, the duration of the resulting change is measured in days, not hours. You can gather information in 10 minutes by taking a –5 penalty.
- 20 Ranks: You can attempt to adjust a creature’s attitude in 1 round with no penalty. If you take 1 minute to adjust a creature’s attitude, the duration of the resulting change is measured in weeks, not hours. You can gather information in 1d4 minutes with no penalty.
Disable Device
With sufficient ranks in Disable Device, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Reduce the time required to disarm a trap or open a lock by taking a –5 penalty on your Disable Device check for each step by which you reduce the time required: 2d4 rounds, 1d4 rounds, 1 round, a standard action, a move action, a swift action.
- 10 Ranks: You can disarm magical traps at a –10 penalty even if you lack the trapfinding ability. If you possess the trapfinding ability, when attempting to disable magic traps, you never trigger them, even if you perform the trigger action (such as looking at a symbol). If you fail the check, you can still trigger the trap, and you can’t use this ability to bypass it.
- 15 Ranks: When attacked by a trap, you can attempt a Disable Device check as an immediate action (adding your trap sense bonus, if any) opposed by the trap’s attack roll or its save DC. If you succeed, you take half damage (or no damage if you exceed the DC by at least 10).
- 20 Ranks: You halve the penalties for performing a quick disarm as described in the 5 Ranks entry. If you possess the trapfinding ability and accept a –20 penalty while using the ability unlocked at 15 ranks, all nearby allies gain the benefit, and you disable the trap as an immediate action before it can trigger if you exceed the DC by at least 10.
Disguise
With sufficient ranks in Disguise, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You can create a disguise in 1d3 minutes.
- 10 Ranks: You can create a disguise in 1d3 rounds. If you take the full normal amount of time to create your disguise, you take no penalty for disguising your gender, race, or age category.
- 15 Ranks: You can create a disguise as a full-round action.
- 20 Ranks: You can create a disguise as a standard action, or as a full-round action combined with a Bluff check to create a diversion to hide.
Escape Artist
With sufficient ranks in Escape Artist, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: If you take a –10 penalty, the time required to use this skill is halved; escaping a grapple or pin is a move action, and escaping a net, animate rope, command plants, or control plants spell is a standard action.
- 10 Ranks: You can attempt to escape from any entangling effect as a standard action with an Escape Artist check (DC = the effect’s save DC + 10). You can attempt an Escape Artist check as a move action to set the DC for a creature to escape from ropes or bindings; you gain a +10 bonus on the check if you instead attempt it as a full-round action.
- 15 Ranks: You can escape any entangling effect (as above) as a move action. As a standard action, you can attempt an Escape Artist check (DC = the effect’s save DC + 20) to suppress a slow or paralysis effect for 1 round, plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC. This action counts as purely mental for the purpose of being able to take it while paralyzed.
- 20 Ranks: You can escape being entangled, grappled, or pinned as an immediate action with an Escape Artist check (DC = the effect’s DC + 10 or the attacker’s CMB + 10). You can attempt to suppress a slow or paralysis effect as a standard action (increasing the DC by 10), a move action (increasing the DC by 15), or an immediate action (increasing the DC by 20).
Fly
With sufficient ranks in Fly, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: A successful DC 20 Fly check allows you to make a 45-degree turn without sacrificing movement.
- 10 Ranks: A successful DC 30 Fly check allows you to ascend at a 45-degree angle at full speed. You treat falls after midair collisions as 10 feet shorter with a successful DC 10 Fly check, plus 10 feet for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC.
- 15 Ranks: A successful DC 30 Fly check allows you to make a 90-degree turn without sacrificing movement, or a 180-degree turn by sacrificing 5 feet of movement. You are considered one size category larger when determining wind effects on Fly checks.
- 20 Ranks: A successful DC 35 Fly check allows you to fly straight up at full speed. You are considered two size categories larger when determining wind effects on Fly checks.
Handle Animal
With sufficient ranks in Handle Animal, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Creatures you have trained gain a +2 bonus on Will saves when adjacent to you.
- 10 Ranks: Creatures you have trained gain a +2 bonus on Will saves whenever you are within 30 feet and clearly visible. You can teach a trick in 1 day by increasing the DC by 20.
- 15 Ranks: You can train an animal to understand your speech (as speak with animals) with 1 week of effort and a successful DC 30 Handle Animal check. Its actions are still limited by its Intelligence. You can teach a trick in 1 day (increasing the DC by 10) or 1 hour (increasing the DC by 20).
- 20 Ranks: You can make your speech understandable to any animal for 24 hours with a successful DC 30 Handle Animal check (DC 40 for magical beasts or vermin). You can teach a trick in 1 day, 1 hour (increasing the DC by 10), or 1 minute (increasing the DC by 20).
Intimidate
With sufficient ranks in Intimidate, you earn the following. An asterisk (*) indicates the total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC.
- 5 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 10, it is frightened for 1 round and shaken thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the frightened condition, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
- 10 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 10, it is panicked for 1 round or frightened for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and shaken thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the frightened or panicked condition, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
- 15 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1 round or panicked for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and frightened thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering, panicked, and frightened conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
- 20 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1d4 rounds and panicked thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering and panicked conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.
Knowledge (All)
With sufficient ranks in Knowledge, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: When you successfully identify a creature, you gain one additional piece of information for every 5 ranks you possess in that Knowledge skill.
- 10 Ranks: When you successfully identify a creature, you gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, opposed ability checks, skill checks, and caster level checks against creatures of that kind (e.g., glabrezu demons, but not other demons or evil outsiders) for 1 minute. This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 ranks beyond 10 you possess in that Knowledge skill.
- 15 Ranks: When you fail a Knowledge check, you can reroll the check at a –10 penalty. The competence bonus above also applies to saving throws against exceptional, spelllike, or supernatural abilities used by creatures you identify.
- 20 Ranks: Whenever you attempt a Knowledge check, you can roll twice and take the better result.
Linguistics
With sufficient ranks in Linguistics, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You can use Linguistics instead of Sense Motive to intercept and interpret secret messages (as the Bluff skill). You gain a +1 insight bonus on Perception and Disable Device checks to detect or disarm written magical traps. This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 ranks beyond 5 you possess in Linguistics.
- 10 Ranks: If you succeed at a Linguistics check by at least 10 when examining writing, you can learn the precise meaning rather than general content, and you never draw false conclusions on a failed check. A successful DC 30 Linguistics check reveals the general meaning of speech, a successful DC 35 check reveals 1d4 pieces of specific information, and a successful DC 40 check reveals exact meaning.
- 15 Ranks: You can decipher magical writings (as read magic) by succeeding at a Linguistics check (DC = 25 + caster level). If you identify a written magical trap in this way, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Disable Device checks to disarm it.
- 20 Ranks: You can attempt to decipher magical or non-magical text at a rate of one page per round. If you instead spend 1 minute per page, roll twice and take the better result.
Perception
With sufficient ranks in Perception, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You remain alert to sounds even in your sleep, and the normal DC increase to Perception checks when you are sleeping is halved. The distance modifier on the DC of Perception checks you attempt is reduced to +1 per 20 feet.
- 10 Ranks: The distance modifier on the DC of Perception checks you attempt is reduced to +1 per 30 feet. In addition, you gain a +5 bonus on Perception checks to notice or locate an invisible creature or object.
- 15 Ranks: You remain alert to sounds even in your sleep, and the normal DC increase to Perception checks when you are sleeping doesn’t apply to you. The distance modifier on the DC of your Perception checks is reduced to +1 per 40 feet.
- 20 Ranks: You gain a +10 bonus on Perception checks to notice invisible creatures or objects. The distance modifier on the DC of Perception checks you attempt is reduced to +1 per 60 feet.
Perform
With sufficient ranks in Perform, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Whenever you attempt a Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, or Intimidate check, you can attempt a DC 20 Perform check to gain a +2 circumstance bonus on the check.
- 10 Ranks: Whenever you cast a spell with the emotion or language-dependent descriptor, you can attempt a DC 25 Perform check to increase the save DC by 1.
- 15 Ranks: Whenever you cast a spell with the emotion or language-dependent descriptor, you can attempt a DC 30 Perform check to increase your caster level by 1. You must choose whether to use this ability or the ability unlocked at 10 ranks when casting the spell.
- 20 Ranks: Choose one of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate. When you attempt a skill check with that skill, you can also attempt a Perform check and use the better result to determine the success of that skill check.
Profession
With sufficient ranks in Profession, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: When using Profession checks to earn income, you earn gold pieces equal to the result of your check each week.
- 10 Ranks: When attempting Profession checks, you can roll twice and take the better result. When answering questions about your Profession, you can always take 10.
- 15 Ranks: You can attempt checks to earn income once per day instead of once per week.
- 20 Ranks: When attempting Profession checks, you can choose to roll once instead of twice. If you do and the result of the roll is less than 10, replace it with 10. When answering questions about your Profession, you can always take 20.
Ride
With sufficient ranks in Ride, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Your mount gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves or Constitution checks to avoid becoming fatigued or exhausted. This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 ranks beyond 5 you possess in Ride.
- 10 Ranks: When you spur your mount, its speed is increased by 20 feet, and it gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves and a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
- 15 Ranks: When an opponent targets you or your mount with a bull rush, drag, overrun, reposition, or trip combat maneuver while you are mounted, you can substitute the result of a Ride check in place of your (or your mount’s) CMD.
- 20 Ranks: When you spur your mount, its speed is increased by 30 feet, and it gains a +4 bonus on Reflex saves and a +4 dodge bonus to AC.
Sense Motive
With sufficient ranks in Sense Motive, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: If you were aware of an opponent before rolling initiative (such as when you ambush an enemy or negotiations break down into combat, but not when both sides happen upon each other or you are surprised), you can attempt a Sense Motive check as part of your initiative check (DC = 11 + the highest Bluff modifier among your opponents or DC 15, whichever is higher). If you succeed, you gain a +1 bonus on the initiative check, plus an additional +1 for every 5 by which you exceeded the DC.
- 10 Ranks: After 1 minute of conversation, you can read a creature’s surface thoughts (as detect thoughts) by attempting a Sense Motive check at a –20 penalty opposed by the creature’s Bluff check.
- 15 Ranks: You can read surface thoughts as above after 1 round. In addition, when attacked, you can attempt a Sense Motive check as an immediate action opposed by your target’s attack roll. A successful check grants a +2 insight bonus to your AC against attacks from that specific opponent for 1 minute.
- 20 Ranks: You can read surface thoughts as above as a standard action. A successful check to gain an insight bonus to your AC also negates the attack that triggered it.
Sleight of Hand
With sufficient ranks in Sleight of Hand, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: When attempting a disarm or steal maneuver, a successful Sleight of Hand check against your target’s CMD grants a +2 circumstance bonus on your combat maneuver check.
- 10 Ranks: The penalty for attempting a Sleight of Hand check (including drawing a hidden weapon) as a move action is reduced to –10.
- 15 Ranks: You can attempt a Sleight of Hand check (including drawing a hidden weapon) as a swift action at a –20 penalty.
- 20 Ranks: You take no penalty for using Sleight of Hand as a move action, and take only a –10 penalty when using it as a swift action.
Spellcraft
With sufficient ranks in Spellcraft, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Identifying magic items takes 1 full round, and the time required to learn a spell from a spellbook is halved.
- 10 Ranks: You can identify magic items without using detect magic, though the DC is increased by 10.
- 15 Ranks: Identifying magic items is a standard action, and the time required to learn a new spell from a spellbook is reduced to 1 minute per spell level.
- 20 Ranks: Whenever you attempt a caster level check, attempt a Spellcraft check at a –20 penalty at the same DC. If the spellcraft check succeeds, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on your caster level check.
Stealth
With sufficient ranks in Stealth, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: Reduce the Stealth penalty from sniping by 10.
- 10 Ranks: Stealth check penalties for moving quickly are halved, including the ability unlocked at 5 ranks, moving full speed, and reaching concealment after creating a distraction.
- 15 Ranks: If you attack after successfully using Stealth, your target is denied its Dexterity bonus against all attacks that you make before the end of your turn.
- 20 Ranks: If you attack after successfully using Stealth, your target is denied its Dexterity bonus against all attacks that you make before the beginning of your next turn.
Survival
With sufficient ranks in Survival, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You reduce all nonlethal damage you take from heat, cold, starvation, or thirst by 1 point for every 5 ranks you possess in Survival.
- 10 Ranks: You can track creatures that leave no tracks, including flying and swimming creatures and creatures using trackless step or pass without trace, taking a –20 penalty on your Survival check.
- 15 Ranks: Once per day, you can spend 1 hour and attempt a DC 30 Survival check. Success grants you cold resistance or fire resistance 5 for 24 hours. You can share this with one ally for every 5 by which you exceeded the check.
- 20 Ranks: You take only a –10 penalty when tracking creatures that leave no tracks.
Swim
With sufficient ranks in Swim, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You gain a swim speed of 10 feet, but only in water with a Swim DC of 15 or lower.
- 10 Ranks: You gain a swim speed (though you do not gain the +8 racial bonus on Swim checks) equal to your base speed in water with a Swim DC of 15 or lower, or 10 feet in all other water.
- 15 Ranks: You ignore the penalties for using slashing or bludgeoning weapons underwater, as freedom of movement.
- 20 Ranks: You gain a swim speed equal to your base speed in all water. If you have both hands free, you gain a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks.
Use Magic Device
With sufficient ranks in Use Magic Device, you earn the following.
- 5 Ranks: You can use the aid another action to assist another creature’s Use Magic Device check by attempting a check against the item’s Use Magic Device DC.
- 10 Ranks: If you roll a natural 1 when activating an item, you take a –10 penalty on Use Magic Device checks with that item for 24 hours instead of being unable to activate it. This penalty stacks with itself.
- 15 Ranks: You can use this skill to emulate two races or two alignments simultaneously.
- 20 Ranks: If you roll a natural 1 when activating an item, you can reroll the check at a –10 penalty to activate the item. You must take the result of the second check, even if it is worse, and you can’t reroll it again.
Social Talents
Ancestral Enlightenment (Ex)
The vigilante can attempt any Knowledge check untrained. If he already has ranks in a particular Knowledge skill, he gains a +4 bonus on checks with that skill. A vigilante must be at least 5th level to select this talent.
Case the Joint (Ex)
The vigilante can use his social identity to learn important facts about a location before returning later in his vigilante identity. If he spends at least 1 hour in a location while in his social identity, he can attempt a DC 20 Knowledge (engineering) check. If he succeeds, he gains the ability to later reroll any one failed skill check involving the location’s layout (such as a Stealth check to sneak into the location, a Disable Device check to disable an alarm, or a Sleight of Hand check to snatch an object from a pedestal). For every 10 by which the check exceeds 20, the vigilante gains an additional reroll. If the vigilante fails to return to the location within 1 week, the situation changes too much and he cannot use the rerolls. A vigilante can’t case the same joint more than once a week.
Celebrity Discount (Ex)
The vigilante’s social identity is popular enough to receive discounts in his area of renown. Whenever he buys an item in his area of renown that costs 500 gp or less, he can buy it at 90% of the market price, rather than the full price. If he has the great renown social talent, the gp limit increases to 2,000 gp, and if he possesses the incredible renown social talent, the gp limit increases to 8,000 gp. A vigilante must be at least 3rd level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.
Celebrity Perks (Ex)
The vigilante is a celebrity in his area of renown, and adoring fans are all too eager to shower him with the fundamental necessities. While within his area of renown, he can always receive common meals or lodging (worth up to 1 gp per meal or night) for free, and can avoid paying taxes or bribes of 1 gp or less. If he wants a particular non-magical item worth 1 gp or less, he can spend 1d10 minutes interacting with people in his area of renown to receive the item from a fan (if he ever sells such a gift from a fan, he loses this social talent permanently). If he has the great renown social talent, he can receive gifts of up to 5 gp, receive fine food and lodgings (worth up to 10 gp per meal or night) for free, and avoid paying taxes or bribes of 10 gp or less. If he has incredible renown, he can receive gifts of up to 25 gp, receive exquisite food and lodgings (worth up to 100 gp per meal or night) for free, and avoid paying taxes or bribes of 100 gp or less. A vigilante must be at least 5th level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.
Companion to the Lonely (Ex)
Whether religiously motivated, or for purely carnal reasons, physical intimacy helps the vigilante cope with the loneliness of his double life. Once per day, the vigilante can spend at least 1 hour engaged in acts of physical pleasure with a willing partner to gain a pool of morale points equal to his Charisma bonus or his partner’s Charisma bonus, whichever is higher. For the next 24 hours, the vigilante can spend a morale point as an immediate action to roll a Charisma-based skill check or a Will saving throw again after rolling the die but before learning the consequences; he must take the second result even if it is lower.
Discreet Inquiries (Ex)
The vigilante can attempt Diplomacy checks to gather information without being obvious he is seeking any, whether by buying the silence of informants or by talking foes into revealing information without realizing they are doing so. While the vigilante is in his area of renown, gathering information in this way takes 2d4 hours and costs 2d4 gp. Anyone who might take notice of the information gathering does not notice unless she succeeds at a Sense Motive check opposed by the vigilante’s Bluff check. The vigilante gains a +4 bonus on this Bluff check.
Double Time (Ex)
The vigilante’s social identity is that of a skilled and respected artisan or professional, rather than a merchant or noble. In order to complete his day’s work while still continuing his vigilante activities, he has learned to work faster than normal, hiding his progress so it seems like he is working full shifts at his day job rather than spending some of that time on other pursuits. The vigilante needs to spend only 6 hours each day for mundane uses of the Craft or Profession skill, rather than 8 hours. If he has the social grace social talent, he needs to spend only 4 hours for any skill he’s chosen with social grace. A vigilante must have a social identity appropriate to the chosen skill to select this talent.
Entrepreneur (Ex)
Select any one Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill other than Perception or Use Magic Device. The vigilante can use the selected skill to earn money as if he were using a Profession skill. If he selects Perform or Profession, the vigilante instead gains the skill unlock powers for those skills as appropriate for his number of ranks in that skill. If he has the social grace social talent, he can apply this benefit to all skills selected with the social grace talent.
Feign Innocence (Ex)
The vigilante’s social identity seems so innocent that it is hard to believe he was involved in wrongdoing. Within his area of renown, this provides a non-magical effect identical to the innocence spell. A vigilante must be at least 5th level and have the renown social talent to take this talent.
Gossip Collector (Ex)
The vigilante sits at the center of a web of gossip, granting him access to the latest scuttlebutt with baffling speed. Whenever the vigilante is presented with a topic about which he would normally need to spend 1d4 hours to gather information, he must spend only 1d2 hours instead. If he has the renown social talent and gathers the information in his area of renown, he must instead spend only 1d4 × 10 minutes, and if he beats the DC to gather a piece of information by 20 or more, he knows that piece of information without spending any time at all; he has simply already heard that gossip. This ability doesn’t allow him to gather information that isn’t available in the locale he is canvassing, even if that locale is his area of renown.
Great Renown (Ex)
The vigilante is known on a broader scale. He can gain renown in a single community of up to 5,000 individuals (a large town) or up to two communities of no more than 2,000 individuals each (two small towns). The bonus while he is in his social identity remains unchanged, but the circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks from his renown social talent while he is in his vigilante identity increases to +6. A vigilante must be at least 7th level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.
In Vogue (Ex)
The vigilante’s crafting or professional business is always at the height of the local trends, allowing the vigilante to gain more profits than usual. Goods he crafts with a Craft skill he chose with social grace are worth 1/3 more gp than normal due to his celebrity, without increasing the cost to create. Whenever he uses a Profession skill he chose with social grace to make money, he makes twice as much money. A vigilante must be at least 5th level and have both the double time and social grace social talents to take this talent.
Incredible Renown (Ex)
The vigilante is incredibly famous in both identities. He can gain renown in a single community of up to 25,000 individuals (a large city) or up to two smaller cities of no more than 10,000 individuals each (two small cities). The bonus while he is in his social identity remains unchanged, but the circumstance bonus to Intimidate from his great renown social talent while in he is in his vigilante identity increases to +8. A vigilante must be at least 11th level and have the great renown social talent to select this talent.
Instant Recognition (Ex)
The vigilante is so well known that his name precedes him, even to other communities. It only takes 4 hours of effort to get the word out to transfer his renown benefits to a new community. A vigilante must be at least 13th level and have both the incredible renown and triumphant return social talents to select this talent.
Intrigue Feats (Ex)
The vigilante gains one of the following feats as a bonus feat: Blustering Bluff, But a Scratch, Call Truce, Confabulist, Criminal Reputation, Cutting Humiliation, Esoteric Linguistics, Intoxicating Flattery, Ironclad Logic, Nerve-Racking Negotiator, Orator, Persuasive Bribery, Play to the Crowd, Quick Favor, Rhetorical Flourish, Sense Assumptions, Sense Relationships, or Street Smarts. He must meet the feat’s prerequisites. This talent can be selected multiple times; each time, the vigilante gains a new feat from the above list. Source: PPC:SpyHB
Loyal Aid (Ex)
The vigilante gains the service of a number of loyal allies who can help him gather information, cover for his two identities, or perform minor tasks. Inside his area of renown, a vigilante with this talent gains a bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information equal to half his vigilante level. In addition, if the vigilante wants, he can task his friends to help cover for him by spreading false tales of his location and activities to others.
This has the effect of increasing the DC of Diplomacy checks to gather information about the vigilante and Survival checks to track him by an amount equal to his level. This lasts for 1 day, and can be used only once per week. Finally, once per day, the vigilante can ask his allies to perform a minor task for him. This usually involves delivering a message, purchasing a piece of mundane gear worth 100 gp or less (which the vigilante must pay for), or retrieving an object owned by the vigilante (that would be easily accessible by the ally). This task might take other forms as well, subject to GM discretion, but can never involve combat or danger. A vigilante must be at least 3rd level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.
Mockingbird (Ex)
The vigilante can mimic almost any sort of voice, or even animal calls and sound effects, and he can throw his voice at a distance. This functions similarly to a combination of the ghost sound, ventriloquism, and vocal alteration spells. A vigilante must be at least 5th level to choose this talent.
Prophet’s Acumen (Ex)
A vigilante with this talent must follow strict dietary and sexual prohibitions of the in his social identity or he loses the talent’s benefit until he atones. He can treat settlements as one size category larger when determining their base values and purchase limits. At 9th level, the vigilante can treat settlements as two size categories larger for the above purposes.
At 15th level, the vigilante can treat settlements as four size categories larger for the above purposes.
Renown (Ex)
The vigilante becomes known for deeds and abilities regardless of his current identity. This renown grants him favorable treatment in civilized company and lends him an air of menace while facing down his enemies. While he is in his social identity, a vigilante can spend 1 week gaining renown among the locals of any community of no more than about 200 individuals (a village, if using settlement population ranges). This could be the entire community or a smaller neighborhood in a larger settlement. He must spend at least 4 hours each day socializing and making contacts. After spending 1 week doing this, whenever he is in his social identity, all NPCs in the community have a starting attitude toward him that is one category better, as long as each person’s initial attitude would have at least been indifferent (see the Diplomacy skill description). While he gains renown in an area using his social identity, he also spreads rumors and tales about his vigilante identity. Once he has gained renown in a community, he gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks whenever he is in his vigilante identity. This bonus applies only while he is near the community in which he has gained renown; he must be within a number of miles equal to his vigilante level. A vigilante can hold renown in a limited number of communities (normally one, with other social talents allowing two). If he gains renown in a new community, he must decide which one of his previous communities to lose.
These effects are subject to GM approval. For example, the GM might rule that an NPC or monster has not heard any tales about the vigilante. Or, a foe may have a starting attitude toward him that’s one category worse, rather than one category better.
Safe House (Ex)
The vigilante can establish a safe house in his area of renown, and he can change it every time he changes his area of renown. If he doesn’t have the renown talent, he can still select this talent and place the safe house in a single location to which he has access, but he can never move the safe house from its initial location until he gains the renown talent. This safe house must be an area no larger in volume than a cube that is a number of feet per side equal to 10 feet per vigilante level. The safe house can be arranged any way he likes and it can be part of a larger building, like a secret room or an underground cave. Objects within this safe house can’t be located by any effect that is less powerful than a discern location spell. At 7th level, this protection from being located also applies to creatures in the safe house. At 13th level, the entire area is protected from scrying effects (though not mundane snooping) like a mage’s private sanctum.
Secretive Innuendo (Ex)
A vigilante with this talent has learned to pass secret messages more efficiently by observing the coded messages of secret organizations. He can pass a secret message with Bluff in the same amount of time it would normally take to convey the message without encryption. The words and meaning of his secret messages cannot be gleaned from him or those he directly delivered the message to by divinations unless the caster succeeds at a caster level check (DC = 15 + the vigilante’s level).
Skill Familiarity (Ex)
The vigilante chooses four skills when he gains this talent. He can take 10 on checks with his chosen skills even when distracted or threatened. If he takes 10 on checks with these skills while not distracted or threatened, he gains a bonus on the check equal to one-quarter his vigilante level (minimum +2). A vigilante must be at least 9th level to select this talent.
Social Grace
The vigilante selects any one Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill other than Perception or Use Magic Device. Whenever the vigilante is in his social identity, he receives a +4 circumstance bonus on checks with the selected skill. At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, he can select another skill (with the same restrictions) to gain this bonus.
Subjective Truth (Ex)
The vigilante’s disparate identities allow him to defeat magic that detects lies. As long as what he says is true from the point of view of his current identity, it detects as true to effects such as discern lies, and he can say it in effects such as zone of truth that force him to speak the truth. A vigilante must be at least 9th level and have the feign innocence social talent to select this talent.
Triumphant Return (Ex)
The vigilante’s tales are never truly forgotten. This makes it easier to establish his renown in a place he has established it before. In any settlement where the vigilante previously gained renown, it takes only 3 days, rather than 1 week, to gain renown again. A vigilante must be at least 3rd level and have the renown social talent to select this talent.
Well-Known Expert (Ex)
The vigilante’s social identity is known as an expert in numerous fields, including areas and topics the vigilante hasn’t actually taken the time to study. As a result the vigilante is skilled at encouraging others to discover solutions to difficult problems themselves by asking probing questions, while appearing to give the information himself. In his social identity, the vigilante can take 10 when attempting to aid another on Appraise, Craft, and Knowledge checks. He also gains a bonus equal to half his class level (minimum +1) on Bluff checks to appear knowledgeable in Appraise, Craft (all), and Knowledge (all). If he has the renown social talent, he grants a +3 bonus when he successfully aids another on these skill checks, rather than +2. In his area of renown, the vigilante’s social identity is so trusted as an expert that scholars are inspired to make amazing deductions and intuitive leaps in discussions with him. A creature that has already failed a Knowledge check on a specific subject can attempt one additional check to gain information on the same topic if it receives an aid another bonus from the vigilante when doing so.
U: Part of Ultimate Spheres of Power and does not need to be bought separately from that book