Syndicate Agent (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Some wealthy merchant syndicates employ unscrupulous individuals in their plots to achieve wealth and dominion over others. Syndicate agents are the chief instruments in this endeavor. Syndicate agents research lore to discover long-lost treasures, then organize expeditions to recover them for their leaders—usually higher-ranking agents. Their careful study of the traps and hazards of ancient ruins helps agents evade danger themselves while leaving such threats intact for competing treasure hunters to face.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype.

Prestige Class: Aspis agent from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige.

Build Classes: Rogue.

Role: Syndicate agents infiltrate legitimate organizations and expeditions, maintain fronts for criminal organizations, create trade and diplomatic links, and lead covert expeditions in search of magic and wealth..

Alignment: Any. Most syndicate agents are either chaotic or evil but rarely both. Good syndicate agents tend to be on the fringe of their organization, as much dupes as agents. Sometimes the become vigilantes determined to use the syndicate's secrets to destroy it.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The Syndicate agent's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) 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 (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (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 at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The syndicate agent has all rogue class features, except as follows.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Syndicate agents are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, and whip. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Sneak Attack (Ex)

This ability is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 at every third level (3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th). If a syndicate agent gains a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.

Danger Sense (Ex)

At 4th level a syndicate agent gains a +1 bonus to AC and on Reflex saves made to avoid traps; this bonus increases by +1 every 3 levels after 4th. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

At 4th level, a syndicate agent gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. In addition, she gains a +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe. These bonuses increase by 1 every 3 syndicate agent levels thereafter (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level). This ability counts as trap sense for the purpose of any feat or class prerequisite, and can be replaced by any archetype class feature that replaces trap sense. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from trap sense (from another class).

Mask Alignment (Su)

At 4th level, as a standard action, a syndicate agent can alter her alignment aura to deceive effects that detect alignment. She may choose to be detected as any specific alignment she chooses or as no alignment. This affects only alignment detection, not effects that cause harm or are otherwise based on alignment. This effect lasts until she dismisses it or changes her alignment aura again. This replaces uncanny dodge.

At 11 level, a syndicate agent targeted with an effect that detects alignment or with any alignment-based effect can automatically identify the effect by making a Spellcraft check. If successful, she can assume a false alignment as an immediate action. This replaces one die of sneak attack damage.

At 17th level, when a syndicate agent assumes a false alignment, she is treated as having that alignment for all effects of magic items, spells, and spell-like or supernatural effects (such as forbiddance, sympathy, or an unholy weapon), including magical traps based on alignment. While masking her alignment, she ignores these types of effects that relate to her true alignment. This replaces one die of sneak attack damage.

Ambush Trap (Ex)

At 5th level, a syndicate agent can specially rig a trap she has either crafted or disarmed. A trap so made can be triggered by the Syndicate agent as a move action as long as she is adjacent to the trap. She adds her trap sense bonus to the trap's Perception DC and on the trap's attack rolls, and adds her sneak attack damage to the trap's damage if the target is flat-footed or otherwise denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. This replaces one die of sneak attack damage.

Syndicate Secrets

At 8th level and every two levels thereafter, a syndicate agent gains one of the following syndicate secrets. Spell-like abilities function as if cast by a wizard of a level equal to the syndicate agent's level. Unless noted a syndicate agent can't select an individual syndicate secret more than once. This replaces improved uncanny dodge and rogue talents gained at level 8 and above.

Bluster (Ex): a syndicate agent takes no penalty on Intimidate checks against larger creatures, and larger creatures gain no bonus on Intimidate checks against her.

Bonus Feat: a syndicate agent may choose one of the following as a bonus feat: Advanced Ranger Trap, Antagonize, Combat Expertise, Enforcer, Greater Dirty Trick, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Whip Mastery, Intimidating Prowess, Learn Ranger Trap, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Whip Mastery. She must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus feat. This syndicate secret can be selected multiple times.

Conceal Thoughts (Su): a syndicate agent targeted with detect thoughts or a similar effect may choose what thoughts are detected, while her true thoughts remain private. This does not affect mind-affecting effects other than thought-reading.

Hidden Stash (Ex/Sp): a syndicate agent gains a bonus equal to half her class level on Sleight of Hand checks to hide small objects on her person. In addition, once per day she can hide the magical properties of one item as magic aura.

Improved Trap Sense (Ex): a syndicate agent's trap sense bonus applies on all saving throws made to avoid trap effects.

Remote Activation (Ex): a syndicate agent can use her ambush trap ability on a trap up to 30 feet away.

Rogue Talent: a syndicate agent can select one rogue talent for which she qualifies. Her Syndicate agent levels stack with rogue levels for any rogue talents she possesses with level-dependent effects, whether they were gained from this or another class. She can pick this syndicate secret several times, but cannot pick advanced rogue talents.

Shrunken Smuggle (Sp): a syndicate agent can cast shrink item once per day, using her class level as her caster level. In addition, while the item is shrunken, it is also affected as nondetection. This effect ends when the item returns to its proper size.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): This is the same as the rogue's uncanny dodge ability. Syndicate agent levels count as rogue levels for this ability.

Crucial Taunt (Ex)

At 10th level, a syndicate agent can combine infuriating smugness and sneering mockery with Bluff checks to feint, Intimidate checks to demoralize, and dirty trick combat maneuvers, gaining a bonus of +2 on these checks. She may then delay the effect of the successful check for up to 1 day per class level, spending an immediate action to trigger it later. The Syndicate agent must be within 60 feet to use or trigger a crucial taunt. She can only have one crucial taunt delayed against any particular target. This is a language-dependent effect.

At level 15, the bonus increases to +3. At level 20, it increases to +4. This replaces advanced talents, a syndicate agent cannot learn advanced rogue talents.

Table: Syndicate Agent

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Finesse training (Weapon Finesse), sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Evasion, rogue talent
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Finesse training, sneak attack +1d6
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Debilitating injury, mask alignment, rogue talent, danger sense +1
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Ambush trap, rogue's edge
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Rogue talent, sneak attack
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Danger sense +2
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Syndicate secret
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sneak attack
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Crucial taunt, danger sense +3, syndicate secret, rogue's edge
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Finesse training, mask alignment (immediate)
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Syndicate secret, sneak attack
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Danger sense +4
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Syndicate secret
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Rogue's edge, sneak attack
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Syndicate secret, danger sense +5
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Mask alignment (magic)
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Syndicate secret, sneak attack
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Danger sense +6, finesse training
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Syndicate secret, master strike

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Weapon Proficiencies
• Sneak Attack (3 dice lost)
• Uncanny dodge
• Improved uncanny dodge
• Rogue Talents (Level 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18)
• Advanced Talent

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