Maestro Spy (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

More than one master performer has worked as a spy, using tours as a cover. A combination of maestro performer and covert agent, the maestro spy hides in plain sight, invited by his victim to perform in their most secret places.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype. The maestro spy is a bard with spy talents instead of spells.

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

Build Class: Bard.

Role: Maestro spies gain passage for their team by a mix of bluff and bravado, and then encourage team members to do their very best once conflict begins.

Alignment: Any. Maestro spies often work for a faraway nation or organization and maintain strict loyalties. Others just pick up secrets as they tour, and then sell these secrets to the highest bidder or use them for mischief.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The maestro 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), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The maestro spy has all bard class features except as follows:

Art of Deception (Ex)

A maestro spy adds half her class level (minimum +1) to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sense Motive checks.

Master of Disguise (Ex)

A maestro 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.

Mask Alignment (Su)

A maestro 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 spends another standard action to change it again or end the effect.

Glib Lie (Su)

A maestro spy of 3rd level or higher can deceive truth-detecting magic. A creature using this sort of magic against the maestro spy must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 15 + the maestro 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 maestro spy’s lies or force her to speak only the truth. This ability does not give the maestro spy the glibness spell’s bonus on Bluff checks.

Nonmagical Aura (Sp)

At 4th level, a maestro spy can use magic aura twice per day with a caster level equal to her class level, but only for the purposes of making an object appear non-magical.

Concealed Thoughts (Su)

A 6th-level maestro 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.

Quick Change (Ex)

Starting at 8th level, a maestro 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.

Elude Detection (Sp)

At 10th level, a maestro 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 maestro spy cannot resume the nondetection for 1d4 rounds.

Slippery Mind (Su)

At 12th level, a maestro spy can slip away from mental control. If a 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. If the maestro 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 13th level, a maestro 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 maestro 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 maestro 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.

Fool Control (Su)

A maestro spy of 16th level or higher can trick an opponent into believing that the spy has been charmed or dominated. When the maestro 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 maestro spy failed her saving throw, but the maestro spy is not under the caster’s control. If the spell provides a telepathic link, it functions normally, but the maestro spy is under no obligation to follow the caster’s commands. The maestro spy can dismiss a fooled spell as a standard action. Fooled casting can be used when the maestro spy succeeds at a subsequent saving throw against an ongoing effect, such as that granted by slippery mind.

Hidden Mind (Sp)

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

Assumption (Su)

The ultimate ability of the maestro spy is to take over another persona entirely, making it her own. As a full-round action, a 20th level maestro 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 maestro 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 maestro spy ends it (a standard action) or she uses the ability on another creature. This replaces dealdy performance

No Spells

The maestro spy is not a spellcaster. She has no spell list or caster level, and can only use spell trigger and spell completion items with the help of Use Magic Device.

Table: Maestro Spy

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Art of deception, bardic knowledge, bardic performance, cantrips, countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +1, master of disguise
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Mask alignment, versatile performance, well-versed
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Glib lie, inspire competence +2
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Nonmagical aura 2/day
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Inspire courage +2, lore master 1/day
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Concealed thoughts, suggestion, versatile performance
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Inspire competence +3
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Dirge of doom, quick change
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Inspire greatness
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Elude detection, jack-of-all-trades, versatile performance
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Inspire competence +4, inspire courage +3, lore master 2/day
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Slippery mind
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Shift alignment
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Frightening tune, versatile performance
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Inspire competence +5, inspire heroics
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Fool casting
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Inspire courage +4, lore master 3/day
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Hidden mind, mass suggestion, versatile performance
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Inspire competence +6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Assumption

Summary of Changed Class Features

These features are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Class Skills
• Spells
• Soothing performance
• Deadly performance

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