Mystic Spy (Apath)
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Spellcaster spies combine spying skills and magic. Magic is not as big a blessing as it would first appear, since spells are easy to detect and can be prepared against, but the spellcaster spy grows skilled at avoiding notice.
Class Information
This is a prestige class archetype.
Prestige Class: Master spy.
Build Class: Bard.
The spellcaster spy is a skilled infiltrator with bard spells.
Role: Spellcater spies are full of tricks, using a mix of skills, spell, and abilities to fool those they come across.
Alignment: Any nonlawful. Spellcaster spies gain their powers through adventure and chance.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Features
The following are class features of the spy prestige class.
Class Skills
The 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), Spellcraft (Int), and Stealth (Dex).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Art of Deception (Ex)
A spellcaster spy adds half her class level (minimum +1) to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sense Motive checks. This replaces countersong.
Fascinate (Ex)
At 1st level, a spellcaster spy can use Bluff to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with her, except that this condition is not supernatural. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 30 feet, able to see and hear the spellcaster spy, and capable of paying attention to her. The spellcaster spy must also be able to see the creatures affected. Each possible target must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the spellcaster spy's Bluff skill bonus). The spellcaster spy must concentrate to maintain this ability. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a spellcaster spy has attained beyond 1st, she can target one additional creature with this ability. This replaces the fascinate bardic performance.
Master of Disguise (Ex)
A spellcaster 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 distraction.
Sneak Attack (Ex)
This ability is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 for every three spellcaster spy levels (1st, 3th, 6th, 9th, 12, 15, 18). If a spellcaster spy gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack. This replaces inspire courage, inspire competence from level 11, and versatile performance from level 14 and 18.
Mask Alignment (Su)
A spellcaster spy of 2nd 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 versalitle performance from level 2.
Glib Lie (Su)
A spellcaster spy of 2nd level or higher can deceive truth-detecting magic. A creature using this sort of magic against the spellcaster spy must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the spellcaster 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 spellcaster spy’s lies or force her to speak only the truth. This ability does not give the spellcaster spy the glibness spell’s bonus on Bluff checks. This replaces inspire cometence from level 3
Nonmagical Aura (Sp)
At 4th level, a spellcaster spy can use magic aura twice per day, but only for the purposes of making an object appear nonmagical. This replaces suggestion.
Concealed Thoughts (Su)
A 7th-level spellcaster 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 inspire competence from level 7.
Quick Change (Ex)
Starting at 8th level, a spellcaster spy can assume a disguise in only 2d4 rounds by taking a –10 penalty on her Disguise check. This penalty drops to –5 at 12th level. This replaces dirge of doom.
Elude Detection (Sp)
At 10th level, a spellcaster 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 spellcaster spy cannot resume the nondetection for 1d4 rounds. This replaces jack of all trades.
Mind Games (Ex)
A spellcaster spy of 6th level or higher can use his performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature that he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, and can be activated on the same action used to maintain fascinate. The same range and conditions apply, and another saving throw is allowed at the same DC. Suggestions implanted willo remain after fascinate ceases.
Slippery Mind (Su)
At 13th level, a spellcaster spy can slip away from mental control. This functions as the rogue advanced talent slippery mind. If the spellcaster 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 soothing performance.
Shift Alignment (Su)
Starting at 14th level, a spellcaster 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 spellcaster 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 spellcaster 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 frightening tune.
Death Attack (Ex)
At 15th level, a spellcaster 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 spellcaster spy has levels in another class that grants the death attack ability, these levels stack with her spellcaster spy level to determine the DC of her death attack, even if she has not yet reached 15th level as a spellcaster spy. This replaces inspire heroics.
Fool Casting (Su)
A spellcaster spy of 16th level or higher can trick an opponent into believing that she has been charmed or dominated. When the spellcaster 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 spellcaster spy failed her saving throw, but the spellcaster spy is not under the caster’s control. If the spell provides a telepathic link, it functions normally, but the spellcaster spy is under no obligation to follow the caster’s commands. The spellcaster spy can dismiss a fooled spell as a standard action. Fooled casting can be used when the spellcaster spy succeeds at a subsequent saving throw against an ongoing effect, such as that granted by slippery mind. This replaces inspire cometence from level 15.
Mass Suggestion (Ex)
This ability functions just like mind games above, but allows a spellcaster spy of 18th level or higher to make a suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures that he has already fascinated.
Hidden Mind (Sp)
At 19th level, a spellcaster spy gains the benefit of a constant mind blank spell at a caster level equal to her character level. The spellcaster spy can suppress or resume this protection as a standard action. If dispelled, the spellcaster spy cannot resume the mind blank for 1d4 rounds. This replaces inspire competence from level 19.
Assumption (Su)
The ultimate ability of the spellcaster spy is to take over another persona entirely, making it her own. As a full-round action, the spellcaster 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 spellcaster 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 spellcaster spy ends it (a standard action) or she uses the ability on another creature. This replaces deadly performance.
Table: Spellcaster Spy
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells per Day | |||||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Art of deception, Bardic knowledge, bardic performance, cantrips, fascinate, master of disguise, sneak attack +1d6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Mask alignment, well-versed | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Glib lie, sneak attack +2d6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Nonmagical aura 2/day | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Lore master 1/day | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Sneak attack +3d6, | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Concealed thoughts | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Quick change | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Sneak attack +4d6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Elude detection, mind games | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Lore master 2/day | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | sneak attack +5d6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Slippery mind | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Shift alignment | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Death attack, sneak attack +6d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | fool casting | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | lore master 3/day | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | sneak attack +7d6, Mass suggestion, | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Hidden mind | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Assumption | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Summary of Changed Class Features
These features are lost or modified in this archetype:
- Class Skills
- Bardic Performance
- Countersong
- Distraction
- Inspire Courage (all)
- Versatile Performance (all)
- Inspire Competence (all)
- Suggestion
- Dirge Of Doom
- Inspire Greatness
- Jack-Of-All-Trades
- Soothing Performance
- Frightening Tune
- Inspire Heroics
- Deadly Performance