Mystic Spy (Apath)
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Mystic spies combine spying skills and magic. Spells are not as big a blessing to a spy as it would first appear, since spells are easy to detect and can be prepared against, but the mystic spy grows skilled at avoiding notice.
Class Information
This is a prestige archetype. The mystic spy is a skilled infiltrator with bard spells.
Prestige Class: Master spy from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player's Guide.
Build Class: Bard.
Role: Mystic spies are full of tricks, using a mix of skills, spells, and abilities to fool those they come across.
Alignment: Any nonlawful. Mystic spies gain their powers through adventure and chance.
Hit Die: d8.
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.
Class Features
The mystic spy has all bard class features, except as follows:
Art of Deception (Ex)
A mystic spy adds half her class level (minimum +1) to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sense Motive checks. This replaces countersong.
Eschew Materials
The mystic spy gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Fascinate (Su)
At 1st level, a mystic spy can use Bluff to keep up a banter that makes one or more creatures to become fascinated with her. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 30 feet, able to see and hear the mystic spy, and capable of paying attention to her. The mystic spy must also be able to see the creatures affected. Each possible target must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the mystic spy's Bluff skill bonus). The mystic 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 mystic 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 mystic 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 at level five and every six mystic spy levels thereafter (1, 5, 11, 17). If a mystic spy gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses stack. This replaces inspire courage.
Mask Alignment (Su)
A mystic 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. Mask alignment, non-magical aura, concealed thoughts, hidden spell, and slippery mind replaces versatile performance.
Glib Lie (Su)
A mystic spy of 2nd level or higher can deceive truth-detecting magic. A creature using this sort of magic against the mystic spy must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the mystic 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 mystic spy’s lies or force her to speak only the truth. This ability does not give the mystic spy the glibness spell’s bonus on Bluff checks. This replaces inspire competence.
Non-magical Aura
At 4th level, add magic aura as a first level bard spell to the mystic spy's spell list and spells known. She can also use this to conceal a single spell on her own person (Magic aura only affects objects, in case one spell on her person is considered an object.) If the mystic spy already knows this spell, she learns another known spell of the same level. Mask alignment, non-magical aura, concealed thoughts, hidden spell, and slippery mind replaces versatile performance.
Jack of All Trades (Ex)
At 6th level, the mystic spy can use any skill, even if the skill normally requires him to be trained. At 12th level, the mystic spy considers all skills to be class skills. At 18th level, the mystic spy can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed. This is the same as the bard class feature, except that it is gained att different levels. This replaces suggestion, soothing performance, and mass suggestion.
Concealed Thoughts (Su)
A 7th-level mystic 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. Mask alignment, non-magical aura, concealed thoughts, hidden spell, and slippery mind replaces versatile performance.
Hidden Spell (Sp)
At 8th level, the mystic spy can cast Quickened magic aura on any spell she casts on herself, as outlined in non-magical aura above. This requires a swift action that must be performed immediately after the other spell is cast or the opportunity is lost, but it does not consume any spell slots. Mask alignment, non-magical aura, concealed thoughts, hidden spell, and slippery mind replaces versatile performance.
Quick Change (Ex)
Starting at 9th level, a mystic 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 inspire greatness.
Elude Detection (Sp)
At 10th level, a mystic 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 mystic spy cannot resume the nondetection for 1d4 rounds. Elude detection, fool control, and hidden mind replaces jack of all trades, which is moved to level 6.
Slippery Mind (Su)
At 13th level, a mystic spy can slip away from mental control. If a mystic spy with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw. Mask alignment, non-magical aura, concealed thoughts, hidden spell, and slippery mind replaces versatile performance.
Shift Alignment (Su)
Starting at 14th level, a mystic 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 mystic 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 mystic 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 mystic spy learns the art of killing or paralyzing a foe with a careful strike. If a spy studies her victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (spy's choice). Studying the victim is a standard action. The death attack fails if the target detects the spy or recognizes her as an enemy (although the attack might still be a sneak attack if the target is denied his Dexterity bonus to his Armor Class or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the spy's class level + the spy's Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the spy. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the spy has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.
If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the spy does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.
If the spy has levels in another class that grants the death attack ability, these levels stack with her spy levels to determine the DC of her death attack, even if she has not yet reached 15th level as a mystic spy. This replaces inspire heroics.
Fool Control (Su)
A mystic spy of 16th level or higher can trick an opponent into believing that she has been charmed or dominated. When the mystic 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 mystic spy failed her saving throw, but the mystic spy is not under the caster’s control. If the spell provides a telepathic link, it functions normally, but the mystic spy is under no obligation to follow the caster’s commands. The mystic spy can dismiss a fooled spell as a standard action. Fooled casting can be used when the mystic spy succeeds at a subsequent saving throw against an ongoing effect, such as that granted by slippery mind. Elude detection, fool control, and hidden mind replaces jack of all trades, which is moved to level 10.
Hidden Mind (Sp)
At 19th level, a mystic spy gains the benefit of a constant mind blank spell at a caster level equal to her character level. The mystic spy can suppress or resume this protection as a standard action. If dispelled, the mystic spy cannot resume the mind blank for 1d4 rounds. Elude detection, fool control, and hidden mind replaces jack of all trades, which is moved to level 10.
Assumption (Su)
The ultimate ability of the mystic spy is to take over another persona entirely, making it her own. As a full-round action, the mystic 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 mystic 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 mystic spy ends it (a standard action) or she uses the ability on another creature. This replaces deadly performance.
Table: Mystic Spy
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Art of deception, bardic knowledge, cantrips, Eschew Material Components, 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 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Nonmagical aura | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Sneak attack +2d6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Jack of all trades | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Concealed thoughts | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Hidden spell | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Quick change | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Elude detection | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Sneak attack +3d6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Jack-of-all-trades (class skills) | 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 | 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 | Sneak attack +4d6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Jack-of-all-trades (take 10) | 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 Knowledge
- 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
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