Spymaster - General Prestige Class
This is a general Prestige class that may be applicable to the Forgotten Realms Campaign
Some adventurers glory in their reputations - the wider their exploits are known, the happier they are. By contrast, the spymaster prefers to avoid attention. She does her work quietly and in private, keeping well away from public scrutiny. To allay suspicions, she often maintains a cover identity by pretending to be a member of some other character class - typically the one in which she began her career.
Spymasters are rarely popular, but as long as nation distrusts nation, there will be work for those who can gather information that others wish to keep hidden. Many a ruler who publicly claims to abhor spymasters secretly employs a stable of them, if only to protect his own secrets from the spymasters of other nations. The secrecy inherent in the profession and its high fatality rate make it impossible to determine how many spymasters are active in a setting at any given time.
Rogues make excellent spymasters because of their generous skill allotments and their propensity for stealth. Likewise, rangers have an edge when operating as spymasters in outdoor surroundings. in truth, however, characters of any class may become spymasters - the more unlikely the combination may seem, the better the cover it provides. Some wizards and sorcerers use their spellcraft as a cover for subterfuge, and some barbarians are far more subtle than they may seem. Spymasters may also be of any alignment. They range from self-serving information brokers who sell their services to the highest bidder to high-minded moles who penetrate and destroy corrupt organizations.
It's important for spymasters to keep personal emotions distinct from professional attachments. They must be ready to liquidate even someone close to them without a moment's thought if so ordered. Betrayal is their business, and their loyalty is always to their mission, not to the people encountered while carrying that mission out.
Occasionally, spymasters find it expedient to infiltrate adventuring parties heading for the area where the real mission lies.
Hit Die: d8
To qualify to become a Spymaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Bluff 5 ranks, Gather Information 5 ranks.
- Feats: Skill Focus (Bluff).
- Base Attack Bonus: +5.
- Special: The character must have 5 ranks in each of two skills from the following list: Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery, and Sense Motive.
From:
Complete Adventurer
Song and Silence
Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5
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