Aspis AgentSource Adventurer's Guide pg. 30, Paths of Prestige pg. 8
The Aspis Consortium employs many unscrupulous individuals in its ongoing plots to achieve wealth and dominion throughout the Inner Sea region. Aspis agents are the Consortium’s chief instruments in this endeavor— public ambassadors who put a pleasant and disarming face forward while diverting attention from the company’s true interests and activities.
Aspis agents research ancient lore to discover long-lost treasures; then they organize expeditions to recover them for their leaders (usually higher-ranking Aspis agents). Their careful study of the traps and hazards of ancient ruins helps agents evade danger while leaving such threats intact for competing treasure hunters to face.RequirementsTo qualify to become an Aspis agent, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Appraise 5 ranks, Bluff 5 ranks, Craft (traps) 5 ranks, Disable Device 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (history) 5 ranks, Perception 5 ranks.
Special: Proficiency with the whip, as well as either the trap sense class feature or the ability to cast detect secret doors.Class SkillsThe Aspis Agent's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Hit Die: d8.Class Features| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | | 1st | +0 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Trap sense +1, trapfinding | | 2nd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Agency secrets, mask alignment | | 3rd | +2 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Ambush trap, sneak attack +1d6 | | 4th | +3 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Agency secrets, trap sense +2 | | 5th | +3 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Crucial taunt | | 6th | +4 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Agency secrets, sneak attack +2d6 | | 7th | +5 | +2 | +4 | +2 | improved trap sense, trap sense +3 | | 8th | +6 | +3 | +4 | +3 | Agency secrets, remote activation | | 9th | +6 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Sneak attack +3d6 | | 10th | +7 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Agency secrets, trap sense +4 |
The following are features of the Aspis agent prestige class.
Trap Sense (Ex): An Aspis agent gains a +1 bonus to her AC and on Reflex saves to avoid traps; this bonus increases by 1 at 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter. This ability stacks with any trap sense bonuses that are gained from other classes.
Trapfinding (Ex): This ability functions as per the rogue class feature. Levels in Aspis agent stack with levels from any other class that grants this ability for the purposes of determining an Aspis agent’s total trapfinding bonus.
Agency Secrets: At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, an Aspis agent gains one of the following agency secrets. An Aspis agent can’t select an individual agency secret more than once (unless otherwise stated in the secret’s text).
Bluster (Ex): The Aspis agent takes no penalty on Intimidate checks against larger creatures, and larger creatures gain no bonus on Intimidate checks against her.
Bonus Feat:: The Aspis agent can choose one of the following as a bonus feat: Advanced Ranger TrapUM, AntagonizeUM, Combat Expertise, EnforcerAPG, Greater Dirty TrickAPG, Improved Dirty TrickAPG, Improved Whip MasteryUC, Intimidating Prowess, Learn Ranger TrapUM, Skill Focus (Intimidate), or Whip MasteryUC. She must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus feat. An Aspis agent can select this agency secret twice.
Conceal Thoughts (Su): The Aspis agent who is targeted with detect thoughts or a similar effect can choose what thoughts are actually detected, while her true thoughts remain private. This does not affect mind-affecting effects other than thought-reading.
Exotic Performance: The Aspis agent with the bardic performance or the versatile performance class feature increases her effective bard level by 1 for all effects related to performances, including learning new types of performances and increasing the effects of her performances.
Hidden Stash (Ex/Sp): The Aspis agent gains a bonus equal to her class level on Sleight of Hand checks to hide small objects on her person. In addition, once per day she can hide the magical properties of one item as per magic aura.
Master Caster: The Aspis agent who can cast spells as a bard, inquisitor, or mesmerist increases her caster level for that class by 1. She does not gain other benefits of that class other than spells per day, spells known, and an increased caster level. If the agent has levels in more than one of these classes, she must choose which class to apply this increase to when she takes this agency secret. An Aspis agent can select this agency secret twice.
Rogue Talent: The Aspis agent can select one rogue talent for which she qualifies. Her Aspis agent levels stack with class levels for any rogue talents she has with level-dependent effects, whether they were gained from this prestige class or another class. An Aspis agent with at least 1 level in a class that grants access to rogue talents can select this agency secret twice.
Shrunken Smuggle (Sp): The Aspis agent can cast shrink item once per day as a spell-like ability, using her class level as her caster level. In addition, while the item is shrunken, it is also affected as per nondetection. This effect ends when the item returns to its proper size.
Vigilante Agent (Ex): The Aspis agent with vigilante class levels can select one social talent for which she qualifies. If she can gain vigilante talents from her vigilante class levels, she can instead select one vigilante talent for which she qualifies. Her Aspis agent levels stack with her vigilante class levels for any such talents she has with level-dependent effects, whether they were gained with this prestige class or another class. An Aspis agent with at least 1 vigilante level can select this agency secret twice.
Mask Alignment (Su): At 2nd level, as a standard action, an Aspis agent can alter her alignment aura to deceive effects that detect alignment. She can emulate a different aura of her choice or to radiate no alignment aura. This affects only alignment detection, not effects that cause harm or are otherwise based on alignment. This effect lasts until she dismisses it or changes her alignment aura again.
At 6th level, an Aspis agent targeted with an effect that detects alignment or with any alignment-based effect can automatically identify the effect by attempting a Spellcraft check. If successful, she can mask her alignment as an immediate action.
At 10th level, when an Aspis agent assumes a false alignment aura, she is treated as having that alignment for all effects of magic items, spells, and spell-like or supernatural effects (such as forbiddance, sympathy, or an unholy weapon), including magical traps based on alignment. While masking her alignment, she ignores these types of effects that relate to her true alignment.
Ambush Trap (Ex): At 3rd level, an Aspis agent can specially rig a mechanical trap she has either crafted or bypassed by exceeding its Disable Device DC by 10. A trap so rigged can be triggered by the Aspis agent as a move action as long as she is adjacent to the trap. She adds her trap sense bonus to the trap’s Perception DC and to the trap’s attack rolls, and adds her sneak attack damage to the damage the trap deals to affected creatures that are flat-footed or otherwise denied their Dexterity bonus to AC.
Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, an Aspis agent gains sneak attack as per the rogue ability. Initially, the extra damage dealt is 1d6, and it increases by 1d6 at 6th level and at 9th level. If an Aspis agent gains a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
Crucial Taunt (Ex): At 5th level, an Aspis agent can combine smugness and mockery with Bluff checks to feint, Intimidate checks to demoralize, and dirty trick combat maneuver checks (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 320), gaining a bonus equal to half her class level on these checks. She can then delay the effect of the successful check for up to 1 day per class level, spending an immediate action to trigger it later. The Aspis agent must be within 60 feet of her target to use or trigger a crucial taunt. This is a language-dependent effect.
Improved Trap Sense (Ex): At 7th level, an Aspis agent’s trap sense bonus applies to saving throws to avoid trap effects.
Remote Activation (Ex): At 8th level, an Aspis agent can use her ambush trap ability on a trap up to 30 feet away.
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