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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Khaalis" data-source="post: 1394390" data-attributes="member: 2167">Well I promised I would come and comment… but you’re not gonna like it me thinks.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />    I did warn you we have some very different ideas for this kind of thing.  But I hope the comments and suggestions at least help you feel out where you want to be with this.With all this said, it sounds basically like a Rogue without the heavy combat and traps abilities. More of a specifically spy oriented Rogue.I would suggest the following instead.Class Skills: As Rogue + Knowledge (Underworld, Nobility and Royalty, Religion) and Speak Languages. And remove Use Magic Device.Why? Because as a spy and Emissary there isn’t a skill on the Rogue list that wont be useful.These are all fine.I would give standard Bard weapons and armor. He needs to blend in as a diplomat which being a fop. The sap is also necessary. I would also add all Garrotes.Garrote, Cord………1sp……1d6*…..19-20…..No Range…..1/10 lb…..BludgeoningGarrote, Locking…..100gp…1d8*…..18-20….. No Range…..3 lb……..SlashingGarrote, Wire………10gp…..1d8*…..18-20….. No Range…..1 lb……..SlashingCord Garrote: Simple cord used for strangulation.Wire Garrote: Wire with pair of metal grips. If not grips or other hand protection, user takes 1d3 damage per round.Locking Garrote: Wire with pair of metal grips, each of which has a locking mechanism, allowing the attacker to lock them in place to continue the strangulation after a successful garrote attack, even after letting go. The victim continues to make grapple checks (each opposed by the last attack roll the attacker made) until free or unconscious. DC for Disable Device to free a victim is 10 if the person has Exotic proficiency in the locking garrote, or 25 otherwise.  If the attempt is by anyone but the victim they suffer a –5 unless the victim is held or otherwise immobilized. However, a Disable Device by the victim suffers a –5 check due to working blind. Not possible to take 10 or 20.Garrote Attack: Uses the grappling rules with some exceptions.These rules can be found in either Song and Silence or one of the Dragons (I don’t remember which one off hand). Anyone know?I would open this up some to allow some choice as to what the Bard wants to focus on: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Leadership, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Stealthy, and Track.This ability is very clunky, and I am not even sure what it does. Why does it provoke AoO? And why does it effect Spot and Listen? If you have a photographic memory its memorized. What I think might work to do what you are saying here.Imprint (Ex): An emissary may study any printed page or other surface for one round as a full-round action and all words and images on that surface are then stored in their mind. Later, these words and images may be repeated or transferred to another media at the emissary’s leisure, at which time it is released from their memory. An emissary may only memorize one such written page per point of Intelligence modifier at any one time. Note that magical text cannot be memorized in this manner.If you want it to act as the Fascinate ability, then yes it must remain as is. The name I would alter. If you don’t like fascinate, then how about something a bit more close than Fast Talk which has a different connotation. Something like: Captivating Speaker, or Compelling Conversationalist.If you don’t want them to have magic… why are you giving them more and more spell-like abilities? You should be focusing on Extraordinary abilities and avoiding magic.Useless ability overall. Allow them to take Skill Focus (Intimidation) instead as a bonus feat.I would grant the Bardic Knowledge  As-Is. By the level they gain it they should get the full DC check to make the ability worth-while.  I would also rename it something like Worldly Knowledge.As mentioned before, I would drop this. If you really want to keep something like it I would suggest a variant of “Influence” from Green Ronin.Favor +(1-X) (Ex): Emissaries have some ability to gain favors from others, coaxing them to perform tasks for them that would benefit the emissary and his party. They may do so in a variety of ways: calling in a favor, bullying a weak-willed thug, blackmailing another or bribing someone. This requires a Favor check: Roll 1d20 and add the emissaries current influence modifier. DC determined by the DM. The emissary cannot take 10 or 20 on this roll, and there are no re-tries on the same target until they gain a level. Failure indicates that the emissary does not have enough clout or influence to get what he needs, or that the person he asked the favor of was intercepted. This ability may be used a number of times per week equal to one half their character level, rounded down.DC’s: Simple tasks such as procuring a simple item or locating an individual will carry a DC 10 or less. More difficult, illegal, expensive, distasteful or dangerous tasks might range as high as DC 20. ExamplesDC 10: Borrow a coach and horse team, get a private dining room at an inn, convince a blacksmith to forge a special sword.DC 15: Gain entrance to an exclusive dinner, convince an innkeeper to move commoners out of a room and give it to the party instead, book passage on a smuggling shipDC 20: Get an ally out of jail, have an enemy thrown in jailDC 25: Gain entrance to a fortified city during times of war, bypass customs and security when entering a portDC 30+: Get an audience with the ruler on the spur of the moment, have an enemy assassinatedThis should be a role=playing functionality and the use of Information Gathering, Intimidate, and Sense Motive. In what you describe this is the Skill of Torture.Is this really necessary? This should be a role-playing function based on who the emissary serves, not a class ability.Kahuna is correct, the class has to be somewhat viable in combat. There needs to be at least some combat effectiveness thus I would include some basic Sneak Attack functionality to go along with their weapons, especially the use of the garrote.Again – this is a spell-like ability. I would prefer seeing them get Improved Feint instead.Again, duplication. Use the verbiage to explain why, but grant Dodge.Too much to give Uncanny and Improved Dodge.I would combine these, see below.Thus I would recommend…(This follows the 24 Rogue class abilities; and I even kept 1 Spell-Like)EMISSARYThe Lords of the city-states need ot have eyes an ears everywhere. To sniff out dissent, to uncover plots, to secure rights in other cities, or even to sow dissent in other city-states. Lacking great magicians or wondrous new devices this job falls upon the shoulders of the Emissary.GAME RULE INFORMATION Emissaries have the following game statistics.Abilities: Charisma, Dexterity and Intelligence are most important for the emissary’s class skills.Alignment: AnyHit Die: d6CLASS SKILLSThe class skills of the Emissary are: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Underworld, Nobility and Royalty, Religion, Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Languages, Spot, Swim, Tumble and Use Rope.Skill Points for 1st Level: (8+INT modifier) x4Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8+INT modifierBAB: IntermediateSAVES: Reflex & Will Good1: Imprint, Bonus Feat2: Survival Training 3: Favor +1, Sneak Attack +1d64: Bonus Feat5: Captivating Speaker6: Improved Survival Training7: Bonus Feat, Sneak Attack +2d68: Favor +29:  Worldly Knowledge10: Bonus Feat, Special Ability11:  Survival Training Mastery12: Sneak Attack +3d613: Bonus Feat14: Favor +315: Special Ability16: Bonus Feat17: Sneak Attack +4d618: Favor +419: Bonus Feat20: Special AbilityImprint (Ex): An emissary may study any printed page or other surface for one round as a full-round action and all words and images on that surface are then stored in their mind. Later, these words and images may be repeated or transferred to another media at the emissary’s leisure, at which time it is released from their memory. An emissary may only memorize one such written page per point of Intelligence modifier at any one time. Note that magical text cannot be memorized in this manner.Feat: At 1st level, an emissary gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. They gain an additional bonus feat every 3rd level thereafter (4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th). These bonus feats must be drawn from these feats: Alertness, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Leadership, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Stealthy, and Track. An emissary must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. An emissary is not limited to this list of bonus feats when choosing these feats.Survival Training (Ex): At 2nd level, an emissary must select one of two combat styles to pursue: stealthy or defensive combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.If the emissary selects stealthy combat, he is treated as having the Improved Grapple feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.If the emissary selects defensive combat, he is treated as having the Dodge feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.The benefits of the emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.Worldly Knowledge: A emissary may make a special worldly knowledge check with a bonus equal to his emissary level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the emissary has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)A successful worldly knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A emissary may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. DC…..Type of Knowledge10……….Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population.20……….Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.25……….Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.30……….Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.Survival Training Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, an emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves again. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Critical feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Combat Expertise feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.As before, the benefits of the emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.Favor (Ex): Emissaries have some ability to gain favors from others, coaxing them to perform tasks for them that would benefit the emissary and his party. They may do so in a variety of ways: calling in a favor, bullying a weak-willed thug, blackmailing another or bribing someone. This requires a Favor check: Roll 1d20 and add the emissaries current influence modifier. DC determined by the DM. The emissary cannot take 10 or 20 on this roll, and there are no re-tries on the same target until they gain a level. Failure indicates that the emissary does not have enough clout or influence to get what he needs, or that the person he asked the favor of was intercepted. This ability may be used a number of times per week equal to one half their character level, rounded down.DC’s: Simple tasks such as procuring a simple item or locating an individual will carry a DC 10 or less. More difficult, illegal, expensive, distasteful or dangerous tasks might range as high as DC 20. ExamplesDC 10: Borrow a coach and horse team, get a private dining room at an inn, convince a blacksmith to forge a special sword.DC 15: Gain entrance to an exclusive dinner, convince an innkeeper to move commoners out of a room and give it to the party instead, book passage on a smuggling shipDC 20: Get an ally out of jail, have an enemy thrown in jailDC 25: Gain entrance to a fortified city during times of war, bypass customs and security when entering a portDC 30+: Get an audience with the ruler on the spur of the moment, have an enemy assassinatedCaptivating Speaker (Sp): An emissary with 8 or more ranks in the Perform (Oratory) skill can use his poetic conversational skills to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the emissary, and able to pay attention to him. The emissary must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels an emissary attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.To use the ability, an emissary makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the emissary cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the speech, taking no other actions, for as long as the emissary continues to speak (up to a maximum of 1 round per emissary level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the emissary to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Captivating Speaker is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.Improved Survival Training (Ex): At 6th level, an emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Feint feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Uncanny Dodge class ability, allowing them to react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so.  They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If an emissary already has uncanny dodge from a different class they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge (as the Rogue ability) instead.As before, the benefits of the emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.Special Abilities: On attaining 10th level, and at every five levels thereafter (15th, and 20th) an emissary gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.Crippling Strike (Ex): An emissary with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.Defensive Roll (Ex): The emissary can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the emissary can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the emissary must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the emissary’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.Evasion (Ex): An emissary can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the emissary is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless emissary does not gain the benefit of evasion.Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the emissary can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the emissary’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a emissary with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.Skill Mastery: The emissary becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. An emissary may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the emissary’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a emissary 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.Hope that helps give you some ideas.</blockquote>

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