Deadly Spy (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Unparalleled practitioners of deception, deadly spies rely on deceit and trickery over brawn and spells. A deadly spy is an expert at evading detection, both magical and mundane, and quick-witted when it comes to improvisation. Deadly spies may serve countries or private interests, or sell their services to the highest bidder without a thought to long-term loyalty.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype.

Prestige Class: Master spy from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player's Guide.

Build Class: Rogue.

The deadly spy is a rogue specialized in acting and evading detection magic.

Role: Deadly spies are pathfinder both in dungeons and courts, able to get their team where it needs to go.

Alignment: Any. The practice of espionage demands discipline and a certain amount of moral and ethical flexibility; more master spies are neutral than lawful or chaotic.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Features

The deadly spy has all the rogues class features, except as noted.

Class Skills

The deadly spy’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 (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Art of Deception (Ex)

A 2nd level deadly spy adds half her class level to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sense Motive checks. This replaces evasion

Master of Disguise (Ex)

A deadly spy can create a disguise in half the time normally required. In addition, any penalties from assuming a disguise of a different gender, race, age, or size are reduced by 1. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 2.

Quick Change (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, a deadly spy can assume a disguise in only 2d4 rounds by taking a –10 penalty on her Disguise check. This penalty drops to –5 at 9th level.

Glib Lie (Su)

A deadly spy of 4th level or higher can deceive truth-detecting magic. A creature using this sort of magic against the deadly spy must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the deadly spy’s class level to succeed (as if she were under the effect of a glibness spell); failure means the magic doesn’t detect the deadly spy’s lies or force her to speak only the truth. This ability does not give the deadly spy the glibness spell’s bonus on Bluff checks. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 4.

Nonmagical Aura (Sp)

At 5th level, a deadly spy can use magic aura twice per day, but only for the purposes of making an object appear nonmagical.

Mask Alignment (Su)

A deadly spy of 6th level or higher can alter her alignment aura to deceive spells that discern alignment (such as detect evil). She may choose to detect as any specific alignment, or to detect as no alignment at all. This ability does not protect against spells or effects that cause harm based on alignment. Masking her alignment aura is a standard action, and lasts until she changes it again or ends the effect. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 6.

Superficial Knowledge (Ex)

A deadly spy gives the appearance of knowing more than she actually does. Starting at 8th level, she can make untrained Knowledge and Profession checks pertaining to her cover or assumed identity as if she were trained and gains a bonus equal to her trap sense bonus on these checks. For example, a deadly spy masquerading as a noblewoman can make untrained Knowledge (history) checks about the kingdom and Knowledge (nobility) checks about its noble and royal families as if she were trained, but she cannot make untrained Knowledge (nature) skill checks to identify herbs. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 8.

Death Attack (Ex)

At 9th level, a deadly spy learns the art of killing or paralyzing a foe with a careful strike. This ability functions as the assassin’s death attack ability. If the deadly spy has levels in another class that grants the death attack ability, these levels stack with her deadly spy level to determine the DC of her death attack, even if she has not yet reached 9th level as a deadly spy. This replaces deadly strike.

Concealed Thoughts (Su)

A 10th-level deadly spy can conceal her schemes from mind-reading magic. When a creature is using detect thoughts or similar magic to read her mind, she decides what surface thoughts her opponent detects, and her true surface thoughts remain private. This ability does not protect against mental attacks or mind-reading that delves deeper than surface thoughts. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 10.

Elude Detection (Sp)

At 10th level, a deadly spy can befuddle divinations used against her as if she were under the effect of a nondetection spell with a caster level equal to her character level. She can suppress or resume this protection as a standard action. If dispelled, the deadly spy cannot resume the nondetection for 1d4 rounds. This replaces advanced talents.

Slippery Mind (Su)

At 12th level, a deadly spy can slip away from mental control. This functions as the rogue advanced talent slippery mind. If the deadly spy has the slippery mind ability from another class, these abilities stack, but she can still only use slippery mind once per round. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 12.

Shift Alignment (Su)

Starting at 14th level, a deadly spy’s control over her aura improves. When she assumes a false alignment, she can choose to have all spells and magic items affect her as though she were that alignment; this includes helpful and harmful effects. For example, a neutral good deadly spy can shift her aura to lawful evil so she can pass through a doorway that shocks creatures that aren’t lawful evil; if hit by holy smite with this shifted aura, she takes damage as if she were evil. A deadly spy can change her alignment aura from a masked alignment (as per her 2nd-level class feature, where effects still function based on her actual alignment) to a shifted alignment (as per this ability, where effects function based on her assumed alignment) as a standard action. Shifting her alignment aura is a standard action, and lasts until she changes it again or ends the effect. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 6.

Fool Casting (Su)

A deadly spy of 16th level or higher can trick an opponent into believing that she has been charmed or dominated. When the deadly spy succeeds at a saving throw against a magical effect that provides ongoing control (such as charm person, dominate person, or a vampire’s dominate ability), she can allow the spell to take partial effect. To the caster, it appears that the deadly spy failed her saving throw, but the deadly spy is not under the caster’s control. If the spell provides a telepathic link, it functions normally, but the deadly spy is under no obligation to follow the caster’s commands. The deadly spy can dismiss a fooled spell as a standard action. Fooled casting can be used when the deadly spy succeeds at a subsequent saving throw against an ongoing effect, such as that granted by slippery mind. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 16.

Hidden Mind (Sp)

At 18th level, a deadly spy gains the benefit of a constant mind blank spell at a caster level equal to her character level. The deadly spy can suppress or resume this protection as a standard action. If dispelled, the deadly spy cannot resume the mind blank for 1d4 rounds. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 18.

Assumption (Su)

The ultimate ability of the deadly spy is to take over another persona entirely, making it her own. As a full-round action, a 20th level deadly spy can touch a helpless creature and shift her aura to that of her target. This confuses divination effects and spells, even ones as powerful as discern location, such that they register the deadly spy as being the creature she has touched. This ability is not proof against the actions of deities or similarly powerful beings. The assumption of an identity lasts until the deadly spy ends it (a standard action) or she uses the ability on another creature. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 10.

Table: Deadly Spy

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Art of deception, master of disguise
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sneak attack +2d6, trap sense +1, quick change
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Glib lie, uncanny dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Nonmagical aura 2/day, sneak attack +3d6
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Mask alignment, trap sense +2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak attack +4d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Improved uncanny dodge, superficial knowledge
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sneak attack +5d6, trap sense +3
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Concealed thoughts, elude detection
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Sneak attack +6d6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Slippery mind, trap sense +4
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak attack +7d6
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Shift alignment
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Sneak attack +8d6, trap sense +5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Fool casting
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Sneak attack +9d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Hidden mind, trap sense +6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Sneak attack +10d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Assumption

Summary of Changed Class Features

These features are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Class Skills
• Evasion
• Rogue Talents (all)
• Advanced Talents
• Deadly Strike