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View Full Version : [3.5] Greensteel Infiltrator (PrC, Baatorian)



Zaydos
2014-02-05, 05:18 PM
Greensteel Infiltrator

”Nothing is incorruptible.”

A Greensteel Infiltrator is a baatorian agent which uses their diabolic power to infiltrate both mortal and tanar’ric civilization. A combination recruitment agent, scout, and spy, a Greensteel Infiltrator is able to get in quietly, obscure themselves from simple and even not so simple divination magic, and slow if not completely halt the spread of rumors about their evil ways as they manipulate and corrupt mortals or subtly influence the tanar’ri war plotters leading to suicidal marches and battles.

This is a class for a diabolic spy, dedicated to the forces of Baator. It is useful for deep cover missions, for spying, and to a lesser extent for any stealth mission. As such one should be careful when taking this class to see if it fits the tone of the campaign both mechanically and fluff-based. Primarily this class exists because erinyes fail as succubus equivalents as they are so obviously diabolic and it gives them a way to appear mortal, but expanded from this purpose.

BECOMING A CLASS NAME
A Greensteel Infiltrator is a heavily trained agent of the Baatorian forces. This training allows them to tap into otherwise dormant diabolic powers that aid in deception and stealth. It is a route taken by those willing to go into an extremely dangerous position in exchange for quicker promotion and, among those tainted with mortal blood, the chance of something resembling acceptance by their Baatezu sires.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
One of the following sets of prerequisites:
Skills: Bluff 5 ranks, Hide 5 ranks, Move Silently 5 ranks, and Sense Motive 9 ranks.
Special: Outsider with the Evil and Lawful subtypes.
Special: Must have traveled to the Abyss on a scouting mission for the Baatezu.

Or

Skills: Bluff 9 ranks, Hide 7 ranks, Move Silently 7 ranks, Sense Motive 9 ranks
Special: Half-Fiend.
Special: Must have traveled to the Abyss on a scouting mission for the Baatezu.
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Or

Skills: Bluff 13 ranks, Hide 11 ranks, Move Silently 11 ranks, Sense Motive 13 ranks
Race: Tiefling.
Feats: Fiendish Heritage, one feat requiring Fiendish Heritage as a prerequisite.
Special: Must have traveled to the Abyss on a scouting mission for the Baatezu.
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), and Spot (Wis).
Skills Points at Each Level: 8 + int

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+2|Disguise Self, False Flag, Morality Undone, Spell Resistance

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Pass Unseen, Tanar’ri Hide

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3|Change Shape, Persona

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4|Devil’s Tongue

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+4|Devil’s Pact, Sense Desire[/table]

Weapon Proficiencies: A Greensteel Infiltrator gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Disguise Self (Sp): The ability to disguise your true nature is absolutely necessary to a Baatorian spy. A Greensteel Infiltrator gains the ability to use Disguise Self as a spell-like ability at-will, their caster level equaling their ECL or CR (if an npc).

False Flag (Su): A Greensteel Infiltrator must be able to deceive simple magic. A Greensteel Infiltrator may appear as a different type, subtype, or alignment they desire for the purposes of magic items and effects. A Greensteel Infiltrator can change the type, subtype, and alignment as a full round action, but can only be considered one type at a time which must be outsider or humanoid, and only one alignment at a time, and may only be considered non-elemental outsider subtypes, alignment subtypes, or humanoid subtypes and gain none of the features or traits associated with the type or subtype.

Morality Undone (Sp): A Greensteel Infiltrator is a corrupter who must be able to undo even the most noble paragons of humanity. They gain the ability to use Morality UndoneFCI once per day per class level as a spell-like ability (CL = ECL or CR).

Spell Resistance: A Greensteel Infiltrator’s racial spell resistance increases by 1 per Greensteel Infiltrator level if their racial spell resistance does not already increase by character level.

Pass Unseen (Su): The ability to pass through enemy territory without being noticed is of great value in the Blood War, and such stealth proves useful even to those infiltrators tasked with corruption of mortals. Beginning at 2nd level a Greensteel Infiltrator adds their Charisma modifier as a bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks. In addition a Greensteel Infiltrator is hard to notice. A Greensteel Infiltrator cannot be observed (even by extraordinary senses such as blindsight) by a creature unless they succeed at a Will save (DC 13 + class level + Charisma modifier), attacking suppresses this portion of the ability for 1 minute and a Greensteel Infiltrator may suppress this ability as a free action, or resume it as one (outside of the shutdown from attacking).

Tanar’ri Hide (Su): Passing as a tanar’ri requires more than looking the part, or even appearing as such to divination. A common test used by tanar’ric officers is the test of the blade, where in they attempt to cut the fiend with a silver blade, if it cuts easily they’re baatorian spies fit only for death. To avoid such detection Greensteel Infiltrators are able to alter their resistances to align with chaos. Beginning at 2nd level a Greensteel Infiltrator may spend 5 consecutive full round actions to change any DR overcome by silver or DR overcome by magic (if they have both they choose one) to where it is instead overcome by cold iron. For example a Half-Fiend Greensteel Infiltrator could change their DR 5/magic into DR 5/cold iron, and a pit fiend Greensteel Infiltrator could change their DR 15/good and silver to DR 15/good and cold iron (though this would have no effect on their regeneration). Restoring their DR to normal also takes 5 full round actions. This also allows the trade of Fire Immunity (if any) for Electricity Immunity and Fire Resistance 10.

Change Shape (Su): Beginning at 3rd level a Greensteel Infiltrator gains the Change Shape ability and can assume the form of a humanoid or outsider ranging from small size up to medium or the Greensteel Infiltrator’s natural size (whichever is greater).

Persona (Su): Merely looking the part is not enough to play the part. Beginning at 3rd level a Greensteel Infiltrator is able to enter deeply into a specific role. A Greensteel Infiltrator no longer suffers penalties for disguise checks if the form is a different gender, age category, or race (this is an extraordinary ability). In addition if they have been in an assumed role for at least a week any creature attempting to obtain information about the Greensteel Infiltrator in his alias (through magic or other means) must make a sense motive check opposed by the Infiltrator’s bluff check or the information will be that of the Greensteel Infiltrator’s alias. For example Detect Good would ping if the Infiltrator was pretending to be a good aligned creature, Commune or Contact Other Plane used to ask if the Infiltrator was really who they were pretending to be would come up as yes, or read thoughts would detect thoughts their alias would be having. In addition if observed through an outsider’s supernatural True Seeing ability the Greensteel Infiltrator will appear as their alias unless the viewer succeeds at a Sense Motive check opposed by the Greensteel Infiltrator’s Bluff check.

Devil’s Tongue (Su): A devil’s words sound true even to those who should know better. Beginning at 4th level a Greensteel Infiltrator gains a +10 bonus on Bluff checks to convince a creature that what they say is true (but not other uses of the Bluff skill). In addition it’s difficult for creatures to spread their suspicions about a Greensteel Infiltrator. A creature that has met a Greensteel Infiltrator must succeed on a Will save (DC 13 + your class level + your Charisma modifier) to communicate suspicions about the Greensteel Infiltrator, or to believe those conveyed to them by another creature.

Devil’s Pact (Su/Sp): A Greensteel Infiltrator has but one true mission: to subvert. On the Prime they do this by corrupting souls towards law and evil, on the Abyss they do this by causing abyssal commanders to defect or abyssal soldiers to turn spy against their own kind. To facilitate this a Greensteel Infiltrator is given the power to make pacts. Beginning at 5th level a Greensteel Infiltrator may make a pact with one sapient mortal or demon each day. This creature may never have entered into a Devil’s Pact or similar ability before. In so doing the Greensteel Infiltrator grants the creature some boon, up to the effects of a Wish spell. In exchange the creature’s alignment instantly changes to Lawful Evil and if mortal they are consigned to die in 1d12 months their soul going to Baator, if a tanar’ri they become bound to obey the Big Eight and Bel’s military orders, failure to do so causing 2d12 damage each round (ignoring DR, energy resistance, and regeneration). A creature must be aware that this pact will cost them their soul, and either shorten their life or place them under the Baatezu military high command, but do not have to be aware or the exact penalties. The making of the pact is itself Supernatural although the duplicated Wish is a 9t level spell like ability.

Sense Desire (Su): To successfully subvert a creature’s will a Greensteel Infiltrator must be able to determine what it is that they want most. A Greensteel Infiltrator gains Telepathy 60-ft. In addition they are able to read the surface thoughts of one creature within their telepathy range that they are aware of each round as a free action. This allows them to know the general gist of whatever the creature is actively thinking, granting them a +4 bonus to Bluff checks against the creature and +8 on Sense Motive checks as well as never being considered flat-footed against it or otherwise denied their Dex bonus to AC while able to move and granting them a +3 bonus to AC and saves against a creature they are reading the thoughts of. Most importantly whenever they read the surface thoughts of a creature they also learn what its greatest desire is. A target is allowed a Will save (DC 13 + class level + charisma modifier) to resist this effect, and if they do they are immune to it for 24 hours; if this ability is used for consecutive rounds on the same creature they only make a save when it is first initiated. This mind reading ability is a mind-affecting effect.

Ex-Greensteel Infiltrator:
A Greensteel Infiltrator that ceases to be Lawful Evil retains all abilities of this class, except Devil’s Pact, but may no longer progress within it. Devil’s Pact, however, is lost as channeling the dark powers of Baator in that way requires an utmost devotion to its principles.

PLAYING A GREENSTEEL INFILTRATOR
A Greensteel Infiltrator is a scout, spy, and corrupter. They use their powers to move through enemy forces without being noticed, and to enter into an enemy’s trust slowly corrupting them from within. A Greensteel Infiltrator becomes a pillar of the community, and a bearer of spiritual plague, using their powers to infiltrate a society or organization and then lead to its military or spiritual destruction through the use of Devil’s Tongue and Morality Undone and in the most advanced cases liberally seasoned with Devil’s Pact and Sense Desires.
Combat: A Greensteel Infiltrator’s abilities do not lend themselves directly towards combat, although they may aid in it. Between False Flag and Disguise Self (or later Change Shape) a Greensteel Infiltrator can fool an enemy into believing it is some other type of creature and failing to use the proper weapons. Tanar’ri Hide and Change Shape both make this option even easier as they allow for the Infiltrator to assume another form (say that of a Planetar) while having damage reduction penetrated by holy cold iron weapons, or even maintain their natural form but with a set of resistances which do not match it. Sense Desire’s use in combat is an obvious one, and Pass Unseen allows a Greensteel Infiltrator to buff up before combat while standing amidst their enemies yet unnoticed.
Advancement: Advancement in true fiends is quite different than among player characters, and Greensteel Infiltrators among fiends often find it a quick means of promotion to a higher category of Baatezu. Half-fiendish and tiefling Greensteel Infiltrators find it near the end of their careers (ECL 15 with LA buy-off in both cases, although a half-fiend can buy off LA after this point).Returning to rogue, bard, or another deceptive class is the natural option, although others will look for another prestige class which focuses more on combat prowess to round out their skill set.
Resources: A Greensteel Infiltrator can normally count upon the support of the Baatorian war-machine as long as they continue to work for official purposes. This can mean information on their prospective targets, tools and weapons to make infiltration easier, or even convoluted war-plots designed to make them seem war heroes of the Tanar’ri forces for inevitable corruption and betrayal. Beyond that their primary resources are their natural powers and cunning, such is the nature of work behind enemy lines.

GREENSTEEL INFILTRAOTS IN THE WORLD
”Father Marius is a good man, one of the best we’ve ever had,”- a farmer unwittingly talking about a Greensteel Infiltrator.
[i]”Halfway to chaos, I say. They’d have to be to deal with the Abyss born for so long. But by the Nine they’re useful.”/i] – one of the Big Eight talking about Greensteel Infiltrators

To common folk on the Prime Greensteel Infiltrators is the image of the corrupting fiend, tanar’ri or baatezu; hard to ferret out and with a supernatural charm, able to make pacts to steal away your soul. To common folk on the Planes Greensteel Infiltrators are just another part of the Blood War. To the celestials Greensteel Infiltrators are potentially terrifying, but as long as the Baatezu are distracted by the Blood War they are just another of the pieces that keep that balance of terror from toppling to victory for one side or another. To the Tanar’ri the Greensteel Infiltrators are a half-whispered ghost story; while it’s known that Baatorian agents sometimes infiltrate the Abyssal forces, there’s no possible way that the Grand Marshal Wilhuftar could have been a Baatezu in disguise, nor that they could bind even Balors to their will. To the Baatezu the Greensteel Infiltrators are respected agents, performing a dangerous mission in exchange for the chance of recognition and promotion that come along with it. Even so the Baatezu suspect Infiltrators as a whole as being tainted by chaos due to the liberties they seem to revel in during their covert missions. They are valuable spies, but even spies working for you are something not completely trustworthy.
Non-Baatezu infiltrators are placed in an even worse position. They are mortals, or at least half-mortal and thus mortal enough, trying to impress their betters through service. Therefore they are useful tools, but no non-Baatezu can truly exemplify the Baatorian way and they are just mere imitators. Thankfully the Baatorian higher ups do recognize their usefulness and promise. If as mortals they made such useful tools then they will make even better ones as Baatezu in death, granting successful Infiltrators a fast track past lemure in the afterlife.
Daily Life: The daily life of an infiltrator is one based upon their current role. Among the Baatezu the Infiltrators live much like another of their caste, albeit sometimes with special privileges. While on duty they act in their role subtly influencing those around them; pretending to be a priest they lead their flock to believe that minor sins are of no real import and that even major ones can be committed without remorse if they are willing to pay penance and charity, subtly encouraging their followers to commit sins and allow their wealth or a day of corporal punishment to “cleanse” their sins without truly atoning.
Notables: Polidore, better known as the tanar’ri grand marshal Wilhuftar, is perhaps the most famous Greensteel Infiltrator of recent millennia. A pit fiend who, despite having already risen to the top of the Baatorian ranks, took upon himself the suspect and dangerous role of Greensteel Infiltrator. Polidore carries the Amulet of Naar, an ancient artifact said to have been made by one of the atraloths, which improves its wearer’s ability to assume other forms by granting them some of the supernatural qualities associated with it. Using this amulet Polidore successfully impersonated a Balor, creating the persona of Wilhuftar. With the help of Baatorian war planners Wilhuftar won battles ceasing several Baatorian strongholds across the Gray Waste and Gehenna, eventually earning the title Grand Marshal and leading the largest Tanar’ri attack on Baator in 14,000 years. This massive horde was met with a trap, and was slaughtered completely on the first layer of Baator, their souls captured by hell-forged sorceries and forged into weapons to destroy their own kin. The after effects of this battle can still be felt on the Abyssal layer of Yulgoth which to this day 342 years later is still absent of tanar’ri.
Another notable Greensteel Infiltrator is the tiefling Zanmyr who is not infiltrating the tanar’ri or the Prime, but instead has made her way into the eladrin forces of Arborea. Playing the role of an eladrin aasimar, she is slowly gaining their trust and making her way into their organization. From this position she has returned to the Baatezu information about when and how the eladrin intend to disrupt Baatorian recruitment missions on the Prime, aid Tanar’ri forces in the Blood War, and even some general missions supporting the causes of chaos and good.
Organizations: The Baatorian military is the main organization that Greensteel Infiltrators work with and for. Sometimes they are lent to the churches of gods of Law and Evil in return for favors that these gods can provide. Some Greensteel Infiltrators work with mortal thieves’ guilds, supporting the efforts of these (lawful evil) criminal organizations to spread their influence and through them political corruption which affects even the very roots of society. Of course not all Greensteel Infiltrators join organizations to support them, many in fact do the exact opposite. A Greensteel Infiltrator can often be found in Chaotic Evil or Lawful Good churches, kingdoms, or knighthoods undermining their efforts from within.

NPC Reaction
An NPC that knows a Greensteel Infiltrator’s true nature is likely to react as they would when dealing with a succubus, a shapeshifting fiend who uses their powers to corrupt others. Normally, though, a Greensteel Infiltrator will keep their diabolic connections hidden, allowing them to be mistaken for a common thief or spy, or better yet as a cornerstone of the community.

GREENSTEEL INFILTRATORS IN THE GAME
The Greensteel Infiltrator allows for a Baatorian equivalent of the succubus. It allows for a game with heavy use of Baatorian subterfuge. When used by PCs this class pushes for a game based on subterfuge and stealth, allowing for a long term infiltration by a PC.
Adaptation: A tanar’ric version would be easily adapted, although the existence of succubi makes it less necessary. Greensteel Infiltrators could also be adapted to work for a Lawful Evil deity.
Encounters: Applied to an erinyes it allows them to fulfill the traditional role of a succubus with a slightly greater combat punch. Alternatively it can be applied to a bearded devil for a rather interesting encounter with a surprisingly manipulative diabolic barbarian. Applied to a horned devil and you gain the interesting combat where the PCs assume they’re fighting a hezrou only to find that their cold iron weapons are ineffective and it just keeps healing.

Sample Encounter
Give an example of how one might encounter a member of this PrC.
EL x: Give the encounter level and description of a sample member of this class and a stat block for him/her.


Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
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AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
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Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions