Difference between revisions of "Mountebank (FiD)"

Latest revision as of 22:44, 18 November 2025

The Mountebank is a master of deception, a charismatic trickster who uses guile and sleight of hand to manipulate others. Whether selling snake oil or doing diplomacy, the Mountebank thrives on the art of the con. Some make a somewhat honest living as entertainers, but as this is not a good living, most at least have a sideline as tricksters. They are equally at home in both bustling marketplaces and royal courts, using charm, misdirection, and deception to pull off grand schemes.

Touchstones An adaptation of the Slide. A charisma-focused rogue.

Agnes (Flesh and Blood 1985), Stanley Ipkiss / The Mask (The Mask 1994), Bret Maverick (Maverick 1994), Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 2003).

Special Abilities

Cosmopolite

You know all the common languages of the setting and can improvise communication in languages you don't know. You do not suffer a penalty and gain improved Position on Resolve actions against foreigners or those of a lower tier. If an account of languages is desired, you know Common, your racial language, and a number of additional languages equal to the sum of your ratings in Consort, Study, and Sway.

Fame

During downtime and when Gathering Information, you get +1d on all Resolve actions.

Gracious

You can roll your Consort to recover Stress when indulging vice and pick which of the dice to use. You roll 3d, 2, 5, and 6. You have only used 3 stress, so you either pick the 2 or overindulge. Your crew gains this benefit when they indulge with you; they can use your vice and provider.

Inception

When you Sway someone into action, you can cause them to think it was their own idea. You can always tell when someone is trying to deceive you, but not how.

Misdirect

When you Resist a Consequence that would focus attention on you, instead of negating the Consequence you can redirect it at someone else.

Rabble Rouser

By performing or orating before an appreciative audience, you can recruit a temporary gang of cohorts (p 96) appropriate to the situation. These cohorts stay with you for the duration of the score or until you use this ability again.

Scene Stealer

Push a Resolve action to do one of the following: Attract everyone's attention — get a scene alone with someone — escape a location.

Star

Gain increased Effect when you perform for an audience, including holding a speech. You know a number of performing arts equal to the sum of your ratings in Consort, Finesse, and Sway. You know all kinds of performance. If detail is desired, select a number of performing arts equal to the sum of your action ratings in Consort, Finesse, and Sway.

Additional Playbook

Select another playbook. You gain immediate access to its Inventory and XP conditions, but not base upgrades. From now on, you can choose its Special Abilities. You can take this special ability multiple times, each time selecting a new playbook. Prerequisite: To select a playbook, you need an action rating of one in each of its starting actions.

Sly Friends

˄ ˅ Bryl, a fixer.

˄ ˅ Batzo, a captain.

˄ ˅ Klyra, a tavern owner.

˄ ˅ Nyryx, a prostitute.

˄ ˅ Harker, a jail-bird.

Inventory

☐ Cover identity.

☐ Disguised weapon.

☐, ☐, ☐ Fine Bottle of Wine.

◯ Fine Clothes [☐ if carried].

☐ Fine disguise kit.

◯ Fine loaded dice, trick cards.

Cover Identity ☐: An advanced disguise, personalized outfit, paperwork, planted stories and rumors, and false relationships sufficient to establish a false identity. +2d to maintain this identity. Takes at least an hour to don, so usually worn at the start of a score. Playbook.
Disguised Fine Weapon ☐: A weapon that does not appear to be a weapon except under close scrutiny. Examples include cane swords, fighting fans, hairpin daggers, daggers concealed in holy symbols, belt buckles, shoes, and emblems of rank, or a palm pistol. Sashes, belts, or clock chains made to be used as whips or garottes.
Fine Bottle of Wine ☐: A highly desirable vintage, effective at loosening tongues and making an impression.
Fine Clothes ◯: Attire that increases your apparent lifestyle (p 43) by +1, to a minimum of 2. If carried as a second outfit to change into, this is ☐.
Fine Disguise Kit ☐: A theatrical make-up kit equipped with an impressive array of expert accessories to fool the eye. The fine quality of this kit may increase the effect when playing a role or relying on beauty.
Fine Loaded Dice, Trick Cards ◯: Gambling accouterments subtly altered to favor particular outcomes. Adds effect, making wins larger. Makes fumbles worse.

XP

Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.

At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.

You addressed a challenge with deception or influence.
You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

Starting Actions

Consort 1

Sway 2

4 points by choice, no higher than 2 in any one.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{FiD}}
+{{FiD}}{{tocright}}
-The Mountebank is a master of deception, a charismatic trickster who uses promises, and sleight of hand to manipulate others.
+The Mountebank is a master of deception, a charismatic trickster who uses guile and sleight of hand to manipulate others.
 Whether selling snake oil or doing diplomacy, the Mountebank thrives on the art of the con.
-Some make a somewhat honest living as entertainers, but this is not a good living so most at least have a sideline as tricksters.
+Some make a somewhat honest living as entertainers, but as this is not a good living, most at least have a sideline as tricksters.
-They are equally at home in both bustling marketplaces and royal courts, using charm, misdirection, and illusion to pull off grand schemes.
+They are equally at home in both bustling marketplaces and royal courts, using charm, misdirection, and deception to pull off grand schemes.
+'''Touchstones'''
 An adaptation of the Slide.
-In D&D this would be a charisma focused rogue, but the match is far from exact.
+A charisma-focused rogue.
+Agnes (''Flesh and Blood'' 1985),
+Stanley Ipkiss / The Mask (''The Mask'' 1994),
+Bret Maverick (''Maverick'' 1994),
+Jack Sparrow (''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' 2003).
 === Special Abilities ===
-# '''Cosmopolite:''' You know all the common languages of the setting and can improvise communication in languages you don't know. Gain increased effect on Resolve actions when speaking to someone in their own language who speaks Common as a second language. ''If an account of languages is desired, you know Common, your racial language, and a number of additional languages equal to the sum of your ratings in Consort, Study, and Sway.
-# '''Fame:''' During downtime, you get +1d when you reduce heat or improve your crew's status with other factions. At the end of each downtime phase, you earn +2 stash.
+==== Cosmopolite ====
-# '''Inception:''' When you Sway someone into action, you can cause them to think it was their own idea. You can always tell when someone is lying. You automatically note when someone is trying to deceive you, but not in which way.
+You know all the common languages of the setting and can improvise communication in languages you don't know. You do not suffer a penalty and gain improved Position on Resolve actions against foreigners or those of a lower tier. ''If an account of languages is desired, you know Common, your racial language, and a number of additional languages equal to the sum of your ratings in Consort, Study, and Sway.''
-# '''Rabble Rouser:''' By performing before an appreciative audience you can recruit a temporary gang of cohorts (p 96) appropriate to the situation. These cohorts have no edges and one flaw and stay with you for the duration of the score or until you use this ability again.
-# '''Social Butterfly:''' You never roll less than 2d indulging in vice. You may pick which dice result to use to reduce Stress. ''For example, if you rolled a 2 and a 5 you could choose to reduce your Stress by either 2 or 5.'' Your crew also benefits from this if they indulge with you, and can use your vice but their own attributes, with a minimum of 2 dice.
+==== Fame ====
-# '''Star:''' You gain an additional xp trigger: Perform for an appreciative audience with scale based on tier (p 221). If your crew helped you, also mark crew xp. Gain +1 stash during payoff if you did this during the score. You know all kinds of performance. ''If detail is desired, select a number of performing arts equal to the sum of your action ratings in Consort, Finesse, and Sway''.
+During downtime and when Gathering Information, you get +1d on all Resolve actions.
-# '''Subterfuge:''' You may expend your '''special armor''' to resist a consequence from suspicion or persuasion, or to push yourself for social interaction.
-# '''Tete-a-tete:''' Push a Resolve action to do one of the following: ''Attract everyone's attention—get a scene alone with someone—learn a secret—escape a location''.
+==== Gracious ====
+You can roll your [[Actions_(IB)#Consort|Consort]] to recover Stress when indulging vice and pick which of the dice to use. ''You roll 3d, 2, 5, and 6. You have only used 3 stress, so you either pick the 2 or overindulge.'' Your crew gains this benefit when they indulge with you; they can use your vice and provider.
+==== Inception ====
+When you Sway someone into action, you can cause them to think it was their own idea. You can always tell when someone is trying to deceive you, but not how.
+==== Misdirect ====
+When you Resist a Consequence that would focus attention on you, instead of negating the Consequence you can redirect it at someone else.
+==== Rabble Rouser ====
+By performing or orating before an appreciative audience, you can recruit a temporary gang of cohorts (p 96) appropriate to the situation. These cohorts stay with you for the duration of the score or until you use this ability again.
+==== Scene Stealer ====
+Push a Resolve action to do one of the following: ''Attract everyone's attention — get a scene alone with someone — escape a location.''
+==== Star ====
+Gain increased Effect when you perform for an audience, including holding a speech. You know a number of performing arts equal to the sum of your ratings in [[Actions_(IB)#Consort|Consort]], [[Actions_(IB)#Finesse|Finesse]], and [[Actions_(IB)#Sway|Sway]].
+You know all kinds of performance. ''If detail is desired, select a number of performing arts equal to the sum of your action ratings in Consort, Finesse, and Sway.''
+==== Additional Playbook ====
+Select another playbook. You gain immediate access to its Inventory and XP conditions, but not base upgrades. From now on, you can choose its Special Abilities. You can take this special ability multiple times, each time selecting a new playbook. ''Prerequisite'': To select a playbook, you need an action rating of one in each of its starting actions.''
 === Sly Friends ===
 : ˄ ˅ Bryl, a fixer.
-: ˄ ˅ Batzo, a mercenary captain.
+: ˄ ˅ Batzo, a captain.
 : ˄ ˅ Klyra, a tavern owner.
 : ˄ ˅ Nyryx, a prostitute.
@@ Line 29: / Line 55: @@
 : ☐ Disguised weapon.
 : ☐, ☐, ☐ Fine Bottle of Wine.
-: ◯ Fine clothes & jewelry [☐ if carried].
+: ◯ Fine Clothes [☐ if carried].
 : ☐ Fine disguise kit.
 : ◯ Fine loaded dice, trick cards.
-* '''Cover Identity''' ☐: An advanced disguise, personalized outfit, paperwork, planted stories and rumors, and false relationships sufficient to establish a false identity. +2d to maintain this identity. Takes at least an hour to don, so you need to explain this as a part of your plan.
+* '''Cover Identity''' ☐: An advanced disguise, personalized outfit, paperwork, planted stories and rumors, and false relationships sufficient to establish a false identity. +2d to maintain this identity. Takes at least an hour to don, so usually worn at the start of a score. '''Playbook'''.
-* '''Disguised Weapon''' ☐: A weapon that does not appear to be a weapon except under close scrutiny. Examples include cane swords, fighting fans, hair pin daggers, daggers concealed in holy symbols, belt buckles, shoes, and emblems of rank, palm pistols concealed in cutlery, snuff boxes, swagger sticks, or purses. Sashes, belts, or clock chains made to be used as whips or garottes.
+* '''Disguised Fine Weapon''' ☐: A weapon that does not appear to be a weapon except under close scrutiny. Examples include cane swords, fighting fans, hairpin daggers, daggers concealed in holy symbols, belt buckles, shoes, and emblems of rank, or a palm pistol. Sashes, belts, or clock chains made to be used as whips or garottes.
-* '''Fine Bottle of Wine''' ☐: A rare vintage from your personal collection, potent both in its alcohol and its ability to impress. Desirable to most people and tends to loosen tunges.
+* '''Fine Bottle of Wine''' ☐: A highly desirable vintage, effective at loosening tongues and making an impression.
-* '''Fine Clothes & Jewelry''' ◯: An outfit that appears to be of such fine make as to pass you off as a noble. If you're carrying this item as a second outfit to change into, it is ☐.
+* '''Fine Clothes''' ◯: Attire that increases your apparent lifestyle (p 43) by +1, to a minimum of 2. If carried as a second outfit to change into, this is ☐.
-* '''Fine Disguise Kit''' ☐: A theatrical make-up kit equipped with an impressive array of expert appliances to fool the eye. The fine quality of this kit may increase the effect when playing a role or relying on beauty.
+* '''Fine Disguise Kit''' ☐: A theatrical make-up kit equipped with an impressive array of expert accessories to fool the eye. The fine quality of this kit may increase the effect when playing a role or relying on beauty.
-* '''Fine Loaded Dice, Trick Cards''' ◯: Gambling accouterments subtly altered to favor particular outcomes. Adds effect, making wins larger.
+* '''Fine Loaded Dice, Trick Cards''' ◯: Gambling accouterments subtly altered to favor particular outcomes. Adds effect, making wins larger. Makes fumbles worse.
 === XP ===
-* ''Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.
+* ''Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.''
-At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.
+''At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.''
 * ''You addressed a challenge with deception or influence.''
 * ''You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.''