Deadly Spy (Apath)

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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 assassination and infiltration.

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 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.

Class Features

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

Explosive Distraction (Ex)

At 2ndlevel, when the deadly spy succeeds at a Reflex saving throw, she can use the effect that forced her to make the save as a distraction to use the Stealth skill. As an immediate, action, she can move up to her speed and make a Stealth check at no penalty for movement. This does not provide any protection against what originally triggered the Reflex save. This replaces evasion.

Master of Disguise (Ex)

At 2nd level 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 removed. 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 and at level 16 there is no penalty on the roll. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 2.

Art of Deception (Ex)

A 3rd level deadly spy gains a +1 bonus to all Bluff, Disguise checks, and Sense Motive checks. This bonus increases by one every three levels. This replaces danger sense.

Glib Lie (Ex)

A deadly spy of 4th level or higher can deceive truth-detecting and mind-reading magic. A creature using this sort of magic against the deadly spy must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 10 + the deadly spy’s Bluff skill bonus to succeed; failure means the magic doesn’t detect the deadly spy’s lies or force her to speak only the truth. This replaces the rogue talent gained at level 4.

Magic Aura (Sp)

At 4th level, a deadly spy can use magic aura at will with a caster level equal to her class level. This replaces debilitating injury.

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. She can also use 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 10th level, a deadly spy learns the art of killing or paralyzing a foe with a careful strike.

If a deadly 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 deadly spy or recognizes the deadly spy 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 deadly spy's class level + the deadly 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 deadly spy. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the deadly 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 deadly 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 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 8th level as a deadly spy. 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. 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. Note that the caster senses that the spy's original save succeed, but does not sense the additional save granted by slippery mind (see Succeeding on a Saving Throw in the magic rules). 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 14.

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 20.

Table: Deadly Spy

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Finesse training, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Explosive distraction, masterof disguise
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Art of deception +1, finesse training, sneak attack +2d6
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Debilitating injury, glib lie, uncanny dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Magic aura, rogue's edge, sneak attack +3d6
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Art of deception +2, mask alignment
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	Art of deception +3, sneak attack +5d6
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Death attack, elude detection, rogue's edge
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Finesse training, sneak attack +6d6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Art of deception +4, slippery mind
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak attack +7d6
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Shift alignment
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Art of deception +5, rogue's edge, sneak attack +8d6
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	Art of deception +6, hidden mind
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Finesse training, sneak attack +10d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Assumption, master strike, rogue's edge

Summary of Changed Class Features

These features are lost or modified in this archetype:

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

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