#ultimate intrigue

 Today is an interesting entry, as we will be covering a feat that a lot of GMs actually ban in their games, which is fair given how easy it is to use this feat to break the game. I speak of course of Leadership.

Anyone familiar with this feat likely already knows why banning it is so common, but for context, I’ll explain what it is and why it gives many GMs pause.

The leadership feat represents a character whose personal power and gravitas has attracted a number of followers who loyally aid them in various ways. The basic followers are simply background support, but they have one follower called a cohort which acts as another, lower-level adventurer to aid the leader on their adventures. Additionally, the leader gains a leadership score, which as a baseline based on their level and charisma, and is modified by other factors such as having a special power that marks them as a chosen one, having proven themselves honorable, wise, and worthy, and the likes, but also in negative ways such as killing or causing the death of followers, and so on, which determines the number of followers they can recruit and the maximum level a cohort can be (aside from never being more than two levels below your own.

 As you can imagine, having a massive amount of NPCs at your beck and call can be a bit game breaking. In theory you are supposed to leave your followers at home while adventuring, but inevitably someone brings them along with them to serve as fodder, or to do game-breaking nonsense like the “Peasant Railgun”. Others build their cohort completely around working in tandem with the leader to the point of being absurdly broken.

Having an extra body with full access to character abilities, unlike companion creatures, puts a lot of strain on the fairness of the action economy, to say nothing of having a horde of such bodies at your command, so it’s no surprise that this feat gets banned a lot as result, either from experienced GMs who have had to deal with someone who tried it before or who have heard the horror stories and banned it immediately.

But does it have to be that way?

 First and foremost when considering whether you want a player to take the leadership feat, consider: does the campaign fit having a leadership feat? In a lot of cases, the answer is actually no, since a lot of adventures have you travelling far and wide as adventurers, rarely staying in one place for too long, or travelling to exotic locales that one could not reliably bring followers along with or even regularly return and access them as a resource.

However, in a campaign where, say, one of the characters is an officer in an army, or has a leadership position in a static location that the party returns to often, then perhaps having a loyal group of followers makes sense.

From there, consider if there is a logical in-game reason for the character to have such a following. Are they military or nobility? Perhaps the leader of a following of a religion, or an important member of a thieves’ guild. Regardless, if there isn’t an in-game reason for the character to have such a following, that’s a good enough reason to disallow it.

But let’s say they have a reason to take leadership and do. First off, make sure the player knows that you will not allow them to make their followers do anything that wouldn’t make sense given the context of why they follow in the first place. The staff and guards of your castle have little reason to go on adventures with you, for example, and a mage academy probably will spend most of the time studying and experimenting, but could be convinced to make potions on your behalf (for a modest discount).

Secondly, make sure they know that their cohort should not be built as a way to exploit and destroy the action economy. If you notice game-breaking activity, calmly ask them to revise the character, and if they refuse, consider more firm measures.

(As a general rule, you probably shouldn’t allow multiple characters to take leadership though.)

 Most of all, like all feats and features of the game, Leadership is meant to be a way for the character to have fun, to reap the benefits of becoming someone that people look to for guidance and inspiration. With that in mind, make sure that the player in question understands that their fun with this feat should not detract from the fun of other players

Speaking of fun, players might be surprised to learn that the Leadership feat also lets you take intelligent monsters as cohorts! This was a thing back in 3.5 that Pathfinder brought back with the Ultimate Intrigue book! As you might imagine, the monster’s CR plays a hand in what their effective level as a cohort is (adjusted by any disruptive abilities they may have), and like other cohorts, advance by level. Depending on what allies you make in your adventure, you could potentially have all sorts of monstrous allies, though naturally they might turn heads, raise eyebrows, or call stakes and torches down upon them and the leader.

I’d also recommend looking at Ultimate Intrigue for guidelines on what sort of useful roles your followers can have if you’d like them to have more use than just being a number on a sheet.

 Ultimate Intrigue also gave us a series of lesser leadership feats that let those interested get a taste of the benefits at lower levels. Most of them grant a minor cohort at a considerably lower level that provides various benefits, such as a Groom taking care of your animal companions, a Light Bearer holding torches and light sources for you, the Page to aid you diplomatically, and the Weapon Bearer to hold and retrieve weapons for you. Additionally, the Recruits feat lets you take multiple minor cohorts which you can take turns taking into the field while the others study and practice in your absence, each one being a student of yours. All of these feats can be exchanged later on for the true leadership feat, one of the existing cohorts graduating up or being replaced once you become a proper leader.

Of course, we couldn’t leave off a discussion about Leadership without Vile Leadership, an alternate version of the feat for villainous characters where evil and cruel acts on your part actually increase your leadership score, as you rule through fear and ruthlessness rather than the respect and admiration of those under you.

"But why would you risk everything," demanded Vanira, "especially when you are a dragonmarked heir?"  

Josku sighed. If Janar and Vanira hadn't come along when they did, the demon would have torn him limb from limb, which would have been the end of both the Silver Stallion and Josku d'Jorasco. He owed them an explanation.

"The Silver Stallion started as a way to get out from under the thumb of my family. I've been to Korranberg Van, I know that your people prize their security. I don't. I was never allowed to take risks as a child because my blood was too precious. The Dragonmark House own your body and they work damn hard to own your mind and soul as well. That's true no matter where you go, even here in the reaches"

"So you resented them?" Janar quipped.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't love and respect them. I wanted a way to get out and find myself without drawing the House's attention or bringing the wrong sort of attention back to my family. Once I stumbled upon the cultists, though, I couldn't ignore their presence."

"So you broke smashed in through a window?"

"Ha! I thought a bard would appreciate how powerful a tool theatricality can be!"

Before I get going, we have to acknowledge something. Ultimate Intrigue is about the closest thing we will ever see to Paizo producing an Ultimate Eberron book. It is flat out awesome, and I encourage everyone using a d20 system to play Eberron to pick it up. Why do I bring this up? Vigilantes are one the most Eberron things is a book of setting neutral Eberron things. Eberron was initially described as Lord of the Rings meets Indian Jones and the Maltese Falcon, these days I use a different trinity of movies to describe the setting.

Eberron is Game of Thrones meets Sin City and the Avengers.

Really, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe fits extraordinarily well with my vision of Eberron. It should come as no surprise that the class that lets you play a superhero would be a natural fit.

The key ability of the Vigilante is Dual Identity, which allows on individual to have two identities with different alignments and abilities. This is perfect for Eberron's murky noir setting, since it allows (apparently) saintly characters to have a legitimate dark side while remaining undetected by alignment spells. The obvious niche for this class would be spies and superheroes, but let's think of some other possibilities. The Dreaming Dark and Lords of Dust could deploy sleeper agents that go for years in deep cover. The Inspired could assume completely different identities when they are possessed or unpossessed by Quori. Trust Agents could literally not exist until they switch identities and topple their foes from within like a house of cards.

It is also worth considering how we, the gamers, are biased by our society's conception of identity. There is an implicit implication the Vigilante that the social identity is the "real" person, while the vigilante identity a construct to hide the social identity. Now, any Batman fan worth their salt could deconstruct this idea by arguing that Batman is the real identity while Bruce Wayne is the costume. Hell, that idea is so mainstream that Batman Begins ends with it, but all of this is still predicated on the idea that each person has one "true" identity.

Changelings and Tairnadel both have very different cultural norms from our default assumptions and embrace the idea of multiple identities. Sure, you may know Caerys' alternate identity is Daealyth of Taeri, but there are dozens of other elves who carry on Daealyth's memory and can assume her identity. How do you know that its Caerys if Daealyth appears in front of you? Likewise, many changelings adopt multiple personalities, all of which they consider to be real. It would be fascinating to associate each of those personalities to either the social identity or the vigilante, although it would take an unusual build.

The Tairnadel elves of Valenar are a warrior culture, through and through, but not all of their patron ancestors were combatants. Taelasha the Weaver was known not as a fighter, but as an artisan-diplomat who could enter the court of any lord, be they elf, goblin, or dragon. Many of the modern Tairnadel who continue her legacy are vigilantes, but they only assume their social identities when recreating Taelasha's great deeds. 

There is no warforged more famous than the Lord of Blades. More and more settlements near the Mornlands claim to have seen the warforged prophet stalking the hinterlands. Some now whisper that the Lord of Blades is not an artificer, but a vigilante who hides amongst the warforged, seeking vengeance for his race. 

Lyyka the Evangelist is legendary figure amongst the vassals of the Sovereign Host. Multiple changelings have adopted the identity of this vigilante over the centuries to bring the word of the Soverigns to new lands and cultures. Traditionally, Lyyka's vigilante identity will work to convert warriors, military institutions, and thieves, while their social identity preaches to merchants, nobles, and scholars.

 No doubt readers have at least heard the term “dandy” at least in passing, calling the image of a nonchalant fellow in fancy clothes. But what is it that makes a dandy?

Historically, a dandy was a man who, despite not being noble-born or extremely wealthy, dressed and behaved as someone far above their station, peppered with a nonchalant charm. These individuals put a surprising amount of focus on their own appearances despite their lack of power, and used that persona to worm their way into high society. However, they did more than simply imitate high society, they actually influenced it, their extravagant dress setting fashion trends.

With their focus on their appearance and defiance of class and convention, dandies as a concept are still alive to this day, even if the term itself is no longer used. Trendsetters, celebrities, and cultural icons come to mind. Hell, though the term was used to refer to men, there are and were plenty of women that also filled a similar niche as well, to say nothing of other genders.

So with that in mind, why is the dandy a ranger archetype? To me, the parallel is drawn by how they work hard to stay at the forefront of high society as it develops and changes, hunting rumor and threads of social jockeying the way their contemporaries hunt game. Makeup becomes their camouflage, words and the occasional duelist’s rapier their weapon, and so on.

There are many ways to be a dandy as well, from the rugged but clean gentleman to the fop, and anywhere in between, but there is no denying that a good dandy keeps the next great social play and fashion trend in their sights, even, and especially if they have to go out and make them happen themselves.

 As one might expect, the dandy sports a skill set more attuned with the cutthroat world of high society, and that attunement goes further thanks to their extensive knowledge of a handful of cultures, including their social mores and decorum, to better work and live among the elite therein.

As social climbers, dandies have a knack for recognizing the power of hearsay, and are adept at shifting rumors to be more positive and negative, though doing so takes time, and is more difficult the more people they have to influence.

Naturally, they are very at home in the cities of the world, becoming especially adept within them.

Not one for exotic pets (at least, not ones as large and dangerous as animal companions tend to be), these socialites bond with their companions, and can even help them out in the social sphere by making introductions and smoothing over relations.

Rather than the traditional nature magic of the ranger class, dandies instead favor the magic associated with bards, which is not surprising given their overlapping focus. However, they still remain minor casters, unable of casting more powerful spells.

Though it may be hard to believe, there are sometimes situations where the dandy and their compatriots are NOT invited to social gatherings (gasp The Nerve!), but that doesn’t stop a determined socialite, whether they have to secure an invitation letter, find a socialite in need of a plus one, or simply find a servant willing to look the other way, dandies can find a way to crash a party, though this is obviously limited to actual social affair, with truly secretive exclusive meetings and gatherings requiring more… adventurous methods.

Interested in playing a ranger or martial socialite, but not wanting to play a bard? This archetype certainly has you covered, granting all sorts of bonuses in social spheres without compromising the offensive power of the class. You won’t get favored enemy though, so be sure to pick up some buff spells from the bard list as well. As for fighting style, a good idea would be to pick one based on the combat style favored by nobility and the wealthy in the character’s home region, such as deceptive or faithful (Cayden Caylien) for those feint and weapon finesse combatants with a rapier or other light weapon, and so on.

 Though this archetype might have the name dandy, you shouldn’t let that prevent you from using the word to describe your character if it fits, nor should that prevent you from playing a charismatic socialite in general. After all, there are plenty of classes and archetypes that cater to that as well anyway.

  Senjo the Rake is a rarity among the courts of the nation of Shen, a man who dares to reach beyond his station, and while nobody takes him seriously yet, they find him interesting enough to allow him to attend the imperial court. There is one who is not laughing, however, an imperial courtier and rokurokubi in disguise. Very soon, she will tire of his antics and threat to her plans.

 Many humans assume that halflings have no courts or noble parties, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Landed gentlemen and gentleladies attend humble but comparatively vibrant parties wearing brightly dyed fashions. Even the humbler folk get involved, eager to impress with hand-crafted outfits of their own.

 While some cavaliers err on the side of being any sort of warrior mounted on a beast, the original context of this archetype paints them as noble knights, or the equivalent in their culture, being expert mounted combatants, but also expected to be involved in the politics of their nation.

Today’s archetype focuses a bit more on that latter aspect. While they are still skilled combatants, they leave tactical decisions to others, instead having greater familiarity with courtly intrigue and noble authority.

This might lead to a stereotype among other cavaliers that these knights are dandies or otherwise play-acting at warfare without any true understanding of the horrors, but while that might be true for some, others may be all to aware of the consequences and take politics and warfare very seriously, even if their outward demeanor remains jovial.

 Naturally, these cavaliers have a special knack for the social graces, especially skilled at social niceties. What’s more, this confidence gives them an edge when engaging in social debate.

Furthermore, they are quite adept at using their social standing to get their way, even if the person in question dislikes them. Of course, this has little effect on those equal to or superior to them on the social ladder, or those who do not recognize such a hierarchy at all.

When challenging a fresh foe that is fully ready to fight and uninhibited, these knights may dare to make a grand boast, claiming they can defeat such a foe easily. If they do so, they can choose not to take advantage of any of the benefits of their challenge focus, and should they defeat this foe with no outside help, the glory of their victory strikes fear into the hearts of their foe’s allies, granting the cavalier the benefits of their challenge against all of them at once as they mop up.

With their focus on social graces, these cavaliers will be relying on their order’s abilities for supporting allies, should their order have such abilities. In addition to being skilled in the social arena, I’d also consider building for being a powerhouse in combat, all the better to take advantage of their grand boast against other opponents. Overall this archetype is useful for a little social edge with the verbal duel system as well.

 This archetype brings to mind classic concepts like courtly love, honor, and the like, so I’d recommend doing some research on those concepts if you want to go deep into a character with this archetype. If you’re having them be part of a less classically western culture, it would also be a good idea to research courtly customs of any real-world society that influenced their home culture as well.

  Many assume the merfolk kingdoms of the Siran Sea are lacking in sophistication, but they could not be further from the truth, for they hold courts of their own, complete with their own sort of knights, who cling to the back of mighty ocean predators for mounts, and engage in their own courtly intrigues.

 A poet in addition to a lancer, lady Benaia is equally skilled at slaying a foe with biting satire as she is with her actual weapon, and she is quite popular among the court of Queen Illana, despite being a naiad. She takes ill one day, however, when the nearby lake that serves as her bond becomes polluted suddenly.

 For good or ill, the concept of nobility has been a major influence on our idea of leisure. After all, when you have the resources to not worry about your day to day needs, you do need to find ways to fill your time.

It is from this need for fulfillment that hunting for sport comes from. Participants might have hunted before they became landed gentry, or they might simply picked it up as a way to test their mastery over the world around them. (and maybe disprove jokes and rumors about their lack of hunting prowess among the common folk).

Of course, such sport activities did also give rise to dubiously-sporting activities such as fox hunts, or importing exotic beasts just to kill them, so we can be thankful that not everything about those activities became part of more widespread leisure activities in the modern era.

Today we are looking at such a noble hunter sort. They might be a noble who enjoys the hunt, or they might be a royal huntsmaster in the employ of the same. Regardless, their combination of courtly knowledge and wilderness savvy make them sort of a bridge between civilization and the wilds.

This is especially true when we consider the unique powers and abilities of their animal companion as well, which we will see below. There are some parallels between this archetype and the chameleon hunter, but they remain very different from each other.

In any case, a courtly hunter promises to be effective in both the wilds and noble court.

 Naturally, this flavor of hunter is much more adept at social graces compared to their peers.

Whether it be a quirk of fate, or a deliberate action on part of the hunter, their animal companions are blessed with a possessing nature spirit, granting them much greater intelligence, though they still cannot speak. This greater intellect does mean they can behave much more independently than other companions.

Given their focus on civilization, these hunters only gain a selection of animal foci from the base list, replacing the rest with new ones more keyed to their social interests. The ones the archetype keeps include bat, falcon, mouse, and owl.

The new foci for this archetype include the beaver, who grants the blessing of craftsmanship; the chameleon, who helps disguise their identity; the eagle, which improves your force of personality directly; the fox, which proves a cunning liar; the frilled lizard, lending you some of it’s intimidation; the octopus, blessing you with incredible flexibility in tight places and restraints; the thieving hands of the raccoon; and finally the beautiful performative skill of the songbird.

However, having a mighty beast following you around in noble circles is bound to turn some heads, even with “domesticated” animal companions like dogs. So, these hunters learn magics to turn their companions into smaller forms suitable for easy carry and concealment, and might be mistaken for an exotic pet. These forms might range from a juvenile member of the same species, or a much smaller related species, such as a small bat, or a lapdog. With a touch, the hunter can shift them between forms.

Thanks to their intelligence and bond with their master, these companions can tap into some of the knowledge of the hunter when performing skills all on their own.

The first time a courtly hunter turns their exotic pet tarantula into a web tyrant spider and sics it on an assassin, it’s a shock, but whether it be to confuse foes or to add to their companion’s abilities when playing scout, these hunters learn how to give them smaller forms that change their species, gaining the associated abilities. Over time, they learn to master more and more forms.

Not quite as good at working together directly with their companion in combat, this archetype has the advantage of a companion that is smart enough to take orders directly rather than relying on the trick system, and can serve as a skilled ally in the right circumstances, and even as a scout that is more durable than a familiar in the same role, thanks to the smaller and multiple alternate forms they gain access to. I’d recommend a stealthy social build that prefers to strike from ambush.

 While it is almost certainly not always the case, I imagine that those of these hunters that remain true to the druidic nature of their magic might serve as an envoy of nature, having the ear of royalty to help them understand how to live alongside nature, preventing overhunting and exploitation of resources, as well as bringing the missives of fey and nature spirits and beings directly to the rulers of the land.

  Dryroot came into the service of the Countess ten years ago, and in that time, the little vine leshy has done much to improve the care given to the surrounding wilderness. They have also proved to be an excellent aid to the royal spymaster, their companion, a tortoise named Bura, able to take on the form of birds and keeping an eye on key individuals.

 Sandevor is reknowned as the best hunter in the land, frightened by no beast. However, a different predator now stalks the streets of his beloved home, and the king is calling upon all his resources to find the source of these bizarre killings that leave behind boneless corpses. The culprit: a horrific eye-palmed creature called tenome.

 The cavalier has a few archetypes related to being the implied leader of large forces, and it’s hardly the only class to have such things, the warpriest in particular coming to mind.

However, I think today’s subject is the first I’ve seen where it gives you your own armed force as part of the class abilities, in the form of a souped-up version of the Leadership feat.

In any case, the Daring General archetype is built around being an incredible commander in addition to a warrior, commanding the respect of their troops.

These figures might command proper armies in a nation, or they might be the leaders of mercenary companies. Regardless, they can be quite potent alongside their forces on the field of battle.

However, it should be incredibly obvious that this archetype requires a *lot* of bookkeeping, and is not suitable for every game. Even when it is, it should be extremely obvious that trying to take a whole army down into a dungeon is a really bad idea, tactically.

With those caveats out of the way, let’s take a look at the archetype proper!

 At first, a daring general starts out like any cavalier, but eventually, they attract or are gifted their own force to command, which eventually doubles, then triples in size. Additionally, they also gain multiple cohorts, though their subsequent cohorts are typically weaker than their earlier ones. Additionally, their followers and cohorts must all be of martial professions.

What’s more, these military leaders can assign certain roles and positions to their cohorts, ranging from a groom to care for their mount, a squire to assist in armoring up and protecting them, or as their standard bearer. What’s more, they can assign the soldiers in their care to roles at footmen or honor guard, making them more offensively or defensively inclined, and these apply to mass combat as well.

When leading their forces, the general may have their soldiers take up a challenge with them, bolstering them in combat against their foe.

The most powerful become such tactical geniuses that they can direct allies with various teamwork tactics as much as they wish.

Interested in leading a massive force with a retinue of cohorts and bonuses for the mass combat subsystem? This archetype might be for you. Just remember that this archetype is really only meant for campaigns where such rules would be useful, so keep that in mind. Don’t forget to also protect your troops as best you can, however, unless you want your leadership score to go down the tubes. In any case, enough of this archetype stays the same that you can build them pretty much any way you wish, though probably favoring teamwork feats and combat support over pure mounted combat.

 This archetype may have some extra bookkeeping involved which might give some folks pause, it’s also worth noting that the extra cohorts is a free set of NPCs that the GM can use for whatever purpose they need, not to mention the fun of coming up with lore for these subordinates. Also, while the archetype demands you pick cohorts with martial class levels, nothing is stopping you from taking monstrous cohorts with such levels, aside from GM say-so and lore stuff.

  In most settlements, the vanara are content to live peacefully alongside nature, but legend tells of a great general among their kind, one who led his people to victory against a cosmic threat under the blessing of the mischievous monkey god himself. Now, a map that supposedly leads to his lost tomb, and clues as to the nature of the storied threat, has been found.

 Riding atop a mighty crab steed, the merfolk warlord Shakai musters her army to subjugate the surface world. Alongside her are her loyal retainers, a cecaelian archer, a triton warrior, and a merfolk huntress. Their group is surprisingly well-equipped for the surface, but who exactly are they claiming the coast for?

(Art by bachzim on DeviantArt)

 Thieves’ Guilds, crime families, and other organized groups of criminals each have their own methods of organization, but all require lieutenants and underbosses to keep things running smoothly.

The consigliere is this and more, an advisor and agent for a greater criminal power, whether they are actually their subordinant or an independent contractor.

In the former case, such underbosses might have varying degrees of loyalty, but they are someone that their boss trusts to perform  well when assigned to a task, able to lead a crew when they need to. In the latter, they are often specialized in a particular type of criminal activity and have made themselves indispensable in that regard, able to demand their own price for their work. Such figures remain loyal while the pay is good and the criminals they work with show proper respect.

Simply put, this is an archetype all about taking a social and leadership role, supporting a larger group that works under or alongside them. Some prefer to hang back with an insulating layer between themselves and the action, while others favor a more hands-on approach.

 Accomplished speakers and deal-makers, these rogues are experts at smoothing things over in social situations, whether it’s making a deal, making a bribe sound appealing, or putting on a pleasant social face.

When combat does rear its ugly head, they are adept at creating openings for their crew even when they miss with their own attacks.

Naturally, consiglieres are skilled in leading, and learn techniques for working together with their allies.

Additionally, with a few words of command, they can briefly grant said allies the benefits of their training.

This archetype pairs well with rogue talents that focus on their social and manipulative skills, as well as those that bolster their ability to work with allies.

Though less adept at avoiding hidden dangers than other rogues, this archetype is a good choice if you want to fill a somewhat supporting role in addition to the skilled role you play as a rogue in the first place. In this case, I’d recommend this build for a second-line and rear guard support in addition to the usual different specializations you can choose as a rogue.

 Given their station, these roguish sorts can range between being consummate professionals and cruel bullies that nevertheless get the job done even as they torment those under them. Regardless, one doesn’t become a lieutenant by being bad at their job.

  The local mafia is in an uproar after an operation to smuggle in fey creatures to the city. One of the fey, a chaneque, managed to break free, and has begun preying upon the thugs, sealing their souls away with the promise of freeing them if they bring the fey their boss.

 Days after a minor scuffle with some local toughs, the party is invited to dinner by a mysterious man, who reveals himself to be the underboss in charge of those thugs. He offers a proposal, that the party accept a less than legal job as recompense. Of course, he warns that there will be penalties for refusing.

(art by Valeriy Zrazhevskiy on Artstation)

 It’s one thing to be stealthy, but another thing entirely to be unnoticeable. It is that distinction that today’s subject seeks to delve into.

The nature of effective stealth lies not just in your ability to hunker down and step lightly, but also in reading the behavior of those you are sneaking past. You must take note of their blind spots, what they focus on, and what they tend to gloss over.

With this knowledge in mind, some investigators seek to do just that, mastering stealth to get close to their targets, be it eavesdropping on private conversations, sneaking into offices to secure important documents, and otherwise go where they please without anyone the wiser.

These ciphers, at their greatest mastery, can pose as a mere face in the crowd, or disguised as an individual who is supposed to be there, if they are seen at all, all through their keen observation of their marks.

 Ciphers do not like to draw attention to themselves, so they cannot use their inspired thought processes for those that require interaction or loud noise, instead being able to use them at no mental cost on skills that conceal them or make use of their guile and dexterity.

While all stealthy folk enjoy taking advantage of inattentive behavior, these investigators have learned to channel a minor magic similar to certain enchantment spells to enhance placid unawareness in a key moment, causing a foe that might otherwise catch them to completely overlook them, though they can only do this with so many subjects at once, keeping supernaturally aware of their blind spots to continue moving unseen and unheard, though of course, drawing attention to themselves breaks it.

Naturally, they also master mystic arts to become slippery to divination, avoiding being seen from afar most of the time. This improves over time, making them hard to scry on without direct connection to them, and culiminates in a mystical nondetection effect.

Due to the roguish nature of their training and the indiscriminate nature of more explosive defenses, they also learn to avoid such blasts as a rogue or other evasive type might.

Doing everything in their power to appear as an innocuous non-combatant when they even deign to be seen at all, they are quite skilled at getting in cheap shots against foes that assume that they are harmless, that is until it is too late.

The most powerful ciphers are able to hide even in plain sight, taking advantage of anything that might hide their presence.

If you’re interested in an investigator that acts more like a stealth rogue, this archetype might be for you. I’d personally recommend looking through investigator talents to find those that suit a build of stealth and observation.

 While a normal investigator might be unnerving in their ability to pick up on minor details on those that they meet, a cipher might be unnerving for another reason, observing others from near and far without their subject being any the wiser. Many might be antisocial or awkward, but perhaps the most unnerving of all are those that remain sociable and cunning while also being undetectable.

  Being a non-citizen in a drow city has its downsides, but also it’s perks for those that can match wits with their drow masters. Veshida the drider is one such figure, feigning the role of a simple disposable bodyguard, for years she has accrued a secret body of information for use in blackmail when she amasses enough power to be free of her masters.

 It seems impossible, but it seems that a tallfolk managed to infiltrate the estate of a minor halfling noble and steal an important heirloom, all without being seen. The only evidence at all that it was a tallfolk is a singular bootprint, but is it real, or staged by the real culprit.