General Prestige Class : Spymaster

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, nor 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.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Spymaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:

Class Skills

The spymaster's class skills are Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device, and Use Rope.

Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the spymaster prestige

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A spymaster is proficient with light and medium armor and with all simple and martial weapons.

Cover Identity: A typical spymaster wishes to keep her true profession secret, so she pretends to be a simple rogue, ranger, or the like. In addition to allaying her companions' suspicions, maintaining a cover identity also leads opponents to underestimate the spymaster until it is too late. At 1st level, a spymaster establishes one specific cover identity (such as Murek the tailor from Sumberton). While operating in that identity, she gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks and a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Gather Information checks. At 4th level and again at 7th level, the spymaster can maintain one additional cover identity that provides the same circumstance bonuses as the first.

Should the spymaster wish to "retire" a cover identity and develop a new one, she must spend one week rigorously practicing subtle vocal intonations and body language before she earns the bonuses. Cover identities do not in themselves provide the spymaster with additional skills, proficiencies, or class features that others might expect of the professions pretended, though required ranks (see below) can bolster skills in the chosen areas. However, the spymaster must be careful to choose identities that can withstand regular scrutiny.

Required Ranks: A spymaster makes it a point to know what she's doing while she's pretending to be someone else. At every spymaster level, she must spend at least two skill points on a Craft, Profession, or Knowledge skill relating to one of her chosen cover identities. The usual maximum rank limit still applies to these skills.

Sneak Attack: The spymaster gains the sneak attack ability (see Rogue abilities) at 1st level if she does not already have it. She gains +1d6 damage with this attack initially, but this rises to +2d6 at 4th level and to +3d6 at 7th level. If she already has the sneak attack ability from a previous class, the damage bonuses stack.

Undetectable Alignment (Ex): The web of different identities and agendas inside the spymaster's mind makes it impossible to detect her alignment via any form of divination once she reaches 2nd level. This ability functions exactly like an undetectable alignment spell, except that it is always active. Only divinations are confounded; spells that function only against certain alignments, such as protection from evil and holy smite, affect the spymaster normally.

Quick Change (Ex): By 3rd level, the spymaster has become adept at quickly switching from one identity to another. She now can don a disguise in one-tenth the normal time (1d3 minutes) and put on or take off armor in one-half the normal time.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Also at 3rd level, the spymaster gains the uncanny dodge ability (see the Rogue section in Chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook) if she did not already have it. She gains additional benefits of this ability as her spymaster level increases (see below). If she already had uncanny dodge from one or more previous classes, levels of those classes stack with spymaster levels for the purpose of determining the benefits, but she continues to progress in the ability along whichever track she was originally using for it. For example, if a rogue becomes a spymaster, add together her levels of spymaster and rogue, then refer to Table 3-15: The Rogue in the Player's Handbook to determine the benefits of uncanny dodge at her new, combined level.

Slippery Mind (Ex): At 5th level, the spymaster gains the slippery mind ability (see Rogue abilities) if she does not already have it.

Spot Scrying (Ex): Also at 5th level, the spymaster notices the magical sensor created by arcane eye, scrying, a crystal ball, or the like with a successful Spot check (DC 20).

Deep Cover (Ex): At 8th level, the spymaster can quiet her mind and completely immerse herself in her cover identity at will. While she is in deep cover, divination spells detect only information appropriate for her cover identity; they reveal nothing relating to her spymaster persona.

Hear Subharmonics: Also at 8th level, the spymaster can determine the true motives of others by listening carefully to the subtle inflections of their voices. Her ears are so well trained that she gains a +3 insight bonus on Sense Motive checks.

Detection Damper (Su): At 9th level, the spymaster can subconsciously create interference that hampers detect magic spells. The aura strengths for all magic items she holds, carries, or wears register as two categories weaker than they normally would. For example, a strong aura becomes faint, and faint or dim auras become completely undetectable.

Reactive Body language (Ex): Also at 9th level, the spymaster learns the silent language of subconscious body movements. By mimicking the body language of those with whom she interacts, she gains a +2 insight bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.

Mind Blank (Sp): At 10th level, the spymaster can become immune to all mind-affecting spells and divinations by rigorously silencing her mind. Using mind blank is a standard action, and the spymaster can do it a number of times per day equal to 3 + her intelligence modifier. This ability works exactly like a mind blank spell cast by a 15th-level sorcerer, except that it affects the spymaster only and its duration is 10 minutes.

SpymasterHit Die: d8
CLBABFortRefWillSpecial
1st+0+0+2+2Cover identity, required ranks, sneak attack +1d6
2nd+1+0+3+3Required ranks, undetectable alignment
3rd+2+1+3+3Quick change, required ranks, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
4th+3+1+4+4Cover identity, required ranks, sneak attack +2d6
5th+3+1+4-4Required ranks slippery mind, spot scrying
6th+4+2+5+5Required ranks, uncanny dodge (can't be flanked)
7th+5+2+5+5Cover identity, required ranks, sneak attack s-3d6
8th+6+2+6+6Deep cover, hear subharmonics, required ranks
9th+6+3+6+6Detection damper, reactive body language, required ranks
10th+7+3+7+7Mind blank, required ranks

Source: Complete Adventurer
Song and Silence

Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5

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