The Mage of Deceit (Prestige, Peach!)

[NeoSeraphi]

The Mage of Deceit


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"Aristotle said that the human mind is a tabula rasa, a blank slate. I agree, your mind is nothing but an empty page to me, and I intend to fill it with lies and commands."


The mage of deceit is a character who uses his magic and skills to lie, cheat and steal as much as possible. Unlike arcane tricksters, mages of deceit rely heavily on illusions in order to cement their lies in their target's minds. Because of this, most mages of deceit are single-classed sorcerers or bards, rather than rogues.

Suggested Bloodlines for a Sorcerer Taking this Class: Fey, Maestro, Rakshasa

Prerequisites:
Skills: Bluff 5 ranks
Feats: Spell Focus (Illusion), Spell Focus (Enchantment)
Special: Able to cast at least one arcane spell of both the illusion and enchantment school, each 2nd level or higher, without preparation.

Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: The mage of deceit treats Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Linguistics, Perform, Profession, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth, and Use Magic Device as class skills.

Skill Points: 6+Int per level

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spellcasting

1st|+0|+0|+0|+1|Deceitful Illusion, Hidden Enchantment |+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

2nd|+1|+1|+1|+1|Liar Liar |+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+2|Disguised Casting|+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

4th|+2|+1|+1|+2|Silent Commands |+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

5th|+2|+2|+2|+3|Convincing Shadows |+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

6th|+3|+2|+2|+3|Silent Deceit|+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

7th|+3|+2|+2|+4|Forged Scroll Casting |+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

8th|+4|+3|+3|+4|Still Deceit|+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

9th|+4|+3|+3|+5|Enchanting Performance|+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment

10th|+5|+3|+3|+5|Grand Misdirection|+1 level of arcane illusions and enchantment
[/table]

Class Features: The following are the class features of the mage of deceit:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A mage of deceit gains proficiency with light armor.

Spellcasting: At each level, a mage of deceit gains increased spells per day, spells known, and an increased caster level for a spontaneous arcane class she had before entering this class. However, she may only learn new spells of the illusion or enchantment school, and her caster level only increases when she casts spells of the illusion and enchantment school (A sorcerer 5/mage of deceit 2 would cast scorching ray as a 5th level sorcerer, but would cast invisibility as a 7th level sorcerer, and could select hold person as one of her 3rd level spells known, but not fireball).

Deceitful Illusions (Ex): A mage of deceit is able to use her skill with lying to make her illusions far more convincing. As a mage of deceit casts a spell with the illusion school that has a WillDisbelief saving throw, she may make a Bluff check against all creatures within 60' who can see, hear, and understand her. Any creature who fails to beat her Bluff check with an opposed Sense Motive check takes a -4 penalty to its saving throw to disbelieve her illusion, and does not benefit from an ally telling it that the illusion is fake.

Hidden Enchantment (Ex): A mage of deceit whispers her sweetest nothings into the ear that is unsuspecting. If a mage of deceit casts an enchantment spell with the (charm) or (compulsion) subschool on a creature that is flat-footed or otherwise denied its Dexterity bonus to its AC against her, she gets a +2 circumstance bonus to the DC of her enchantment's saving throw.

Liar Liar (Ex): A mage of deceit's tongue may as well be literally made of silver. Starting at level 2, the mage of deceit gains a competence bonus equal to her class level on all Bluff checks and all Disguise checks made to stay in character.

Disguised Casting (Ex): A mage of deceit can hide her guilt by completely disguising her verbal and somatic components. Even a scrutinizing guard would have trouble noticing her spells. Starting at 3rd level, creatures must succeed a DC 20 Perception check to notice a mage of deceit is casting a spell before they are allowed to even attempt a Spellcraft check to identify it, and the DC for that Spellcraft check is increased by an amount equal to her class level.

Silent Commands (Su): A mage of deceit does not get caught when she's tugging on the strings of her human puppets. Starting at 4th level, a mage of deceit can issue commands or suggestions to creatures she has charmed or compelled telepathically as a free action. The range of her telepathy is 100 feet.

Convincing Shadows (Ex): Phantasms are not the only illusions a mage of deceit can make more real with her lies. Beginning at 5th level, when a mage of deceit casts an illusion spell with the (shadow) sub-school, such as shadow conjuration, she can make a DC 20 Bluff check. If she succeeds, her shadow is 20% more real to anyone who makes their save against it, plus 20% more for every 5 points she beat the DC by (to a maximum of 80% more real). This ability has no effect on creatures who fail their saving throw against her spell (and thus are subject to 100% of the effect anyway).

Silent Deceit (Ex): A mage of deceit will never be caught whispering her verbal components. Her enchantments affect creatures even if she's being strangled or gagged. When a mage of deceit reaches 6th level, she gains Silent Spell as a bonus feat. She may apply Silent Spell to her illusion and enchantment spells without increasing the spell level or the cast time. This class feature also allows a mage of deceit to apply the Silent Spell feat to her illusion and enchantment spells even if she is a bard.

Forged Scroll Casting (Ex): A mage of deceit is a trickster at heart, and sometimes she just wants to have fun at another caster's expense. When a mage of deceit scribes a scroll, she can make a DC 20 Linguistics check. If she succeeds, any creature other than herself who attempts to use that scroll must first succeed a DC 30 Spellcraft check. If the creature fails, it instead casts another spell, chosen by the mage of deceit at the time of casting, which targets the caster of the scroll. If the spell is a non-phantasm area of effect spell, it instead centers its area of effect on the caster of the scroll. If the spell is an illusion spell with the (phantasm) sub-school, it instead appears in a random direction 30 feet from the caster of the scroll.

If a caster is attempting to decipher the scroll through the use of read magic, they still must attempt a Spellcraft check.

The second spell is deeply embedded in the scroll and cannot be detected with divination abilities. Additionally, if the mage of deceit exceeds the DC of her Linguistics check by 10 or more, she can have the second spell's magic aura and verbal/somatic components be disguised to look like something else (such as disguising a phantasmal illusion as a conjuration (summon) spell). If she does so, the DC to recognize the spell for what it really is with the Spellcraft skill is doubled.


Still Deceit (Ex): A mage of deceit may be bound and gagged, but that doesn't change the fact that her captor is going to think he's seeing a red dragon coming to her rescue. When she reaches 8th level, a mage of deceit gains the Still Spell feat as a bonus feat. She can apply the Still Spell feat to her illusion and enchantment spells without increasing the spell level or the casting time.

Enchanting Performance (Su): Whether she was originally a bard or not, the melodies of the mage of deceit's voice and the rhythmic movements of her dance are almost....hypnotic. At 9th level, a mage of deceit may attempt to improve someone's attitude towards her with a mesmerizing performance. She may do this a number of times per day equal to 3+her Charisma modifier.

By performing before a creature for one full minute, a mage of deceit may attempt to hypnotize her prey. The affected creature makes a Will save (DC equal to her Perform check). If it fails, the creature is affected by the charm monster spell, with a caster level equal to the mage of deceit's ranks in the Perform skill (minimum 1). If the creature succeeds its Will save, it is immune to Enchanting Performance for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting (compulsion) supernatural ability.

Grand Misdirection (Su): At 10th level, a mage of deceit has unlocked her true calling: using words and magic together to tell the biggest lies of her life! Once per day, when the mage of deceit tells a lie that would be considered unbelievable (-20 to her Bluff check), and she has at least one fourth level illusion spell available to cast, she can force her target(s) to make a Will save (DC 20+her Charisma modifier).

If the creature fails its saving throw, the mage of deceit creates a mental image in the creature's mind that acts as evidence for her claim. (For example, if she claims to be an emperor, the creature suddenly sees a grand procession of soldiers and nobles behind the mage of deceit).

This is not an illusion, it is a mind-affecting enchantment ability, and so creatures with true seeing or that are otherwise immune to illusions or phantasms are still affected by this ability. The mage of deceit has full control over the effect as long as she concentrates, allowing the creatures or objects she has created to make noise and even conversations with the affected creature. The illusion persists as long as she concentrates and for one round per class level afterwards. As long as the illusion persists, any penalties associated with that particular lie do not apply to the creature(s) affected by Grand Misdirection.

[NeoSeraphi]

Any and all feedback, positive or negative, wall of text or three words, would be greatly appreciated.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Holy crap, you're back! Hooray, more Seraphi HomebrewTM!


Hit Dice: d8
Seems a bit large for a half-BAB caster class. I'd knock it down to a d6.


Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A mage of deceit gains proficiency with light armor. If she already has proficiency with light armor, she gains proficiency with medium armor.
This is... really odd. Leaving aside that PrCs generally don't grant new proficiencies, this is an arcane caster class. The only way you're wearing armor is if you've already got a class feature that lets you do it... in which case you've already got the light armor proficiency, but the medium probably doesn't help you too much.


Spellcasting: At each level, a mage of deceit gains increased spells per day, spells known, and an increased caster level for a spontaneous arcane class she had before entering this class. However, she may only learn new spells of the illusion or enchantment school, and her caster level only increases when she casts spells of the illusion and enchantment school (A sorcerer 5/mage of deceit 2 would cast scorching ray as a 5th level sorcerer, but would cast invisibility as a 7th level sorcerer, and could select hold person as one of her 3rd level spells known, but not fireball).
I like the idea, but I'm kind of concerned about how complicated it works out to be in practice.


Liar Liar (Ex): A mage of deceit's tongue may as well be literally made of silver. Starting at level 2, the mage of deceit gains a competence bonus equal to her class level on all Bluff checks and all Disguise checks made to stay in character.
Mmm... as a competence bonus, it's probably OK.


Convincing Shadows (Ex): Phantasms are not the only illusions a mage of deceit can make more real with her lies. Beginning at 5th level, when a mage of deceit casts an illusion spell with the (shadow) sub-school, such as shadow conjuration, she can make a DC 20 Bluff check. If she succeeds, her shadow is 20% more real to anyone who makes their save against it, plus 20% more for every 5 points she beat the DC by (to a maximum of 80% more real). This ability has no effect on creatures who fail their saving throw against her spell (and thus are subject to 100% of the effect anyway).
Hmm... it's got the checks to prevent some of the Shadowcraft Mage shennanigans, but still... this is pretty dang strong, and I feel like the result isn't as fitting for the class...


Forged Scroll Casting (Ex): A mage of deceit is a trickster at heart, and sometimes she just wants to have fun at another caster's expense. When a mage of deceit scribes a scroll, she can make a DC 20 Linguistics check. If she succeeds, any creature other than herself who attempts to use that scroll must first succeed a DC 30 Spellcraft check. If the creature fails, it instead casts another spell, chosen by the mage of deceit at the time of casting, which targets the caster of the scroll. If the spell is a non-phantasm area of effect spell, it instead centers its area of effect on the caster of the scroll. If the spell is an illusion spell with the (phantasm) sub-school, it instead appears in a random direction 30 feet from the caster of the scroll.
Lingusitics check? In any case, this is a neat effect, but it's incredibly niche... and requires you to have a feat that, as a spontaneous caster, you probably never took.


By performing before a creature for one full minute, a mage of deceit may attempt to hypnotize her prey. The affected creature makes a Will save (DC equal to her Perform check). If it fails, the creature is affected by the charm monster spell, with a caster level equal to the mage of deceit's ranks in the Perform skill (minimum 1). If the creature succeeds its Will save, it is immune to Enchanting Performance for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting (compulsion) supernatural ability.
Again, it's a very cool ability, but requires you to all of a sudden have optimized your Perform check. I'd change it to a class-based DC, or at least make it an option to use that-- otherwise, this winds up being another oddly niche ability.


Grand Misdirection (Su): At 10th level, a mage of deceit has unlocked her true calling: using words and magic together to tell the biggest lies of her life! When the mage of deceit tells a lie that would be considered unbelievable (-20 to her Bluff check), and she has at least one fourth level illusion spell available to cast, she can force her target(s) to make a Will save (DC 20+her Charisma modifier).
Awesome capstone.

(If I didn't comment on something, assume it's good)

[NeoSeraphi]

Holy crap, you're back! Hooray, more Seraphi HomebrewTM!
Haha, yep! The first of many, hopefully!



Seems a bit large for a half-BAB caster class. I'd knock it down to a d6.

This is... really odd. Leaving aside that PrCs generally don't grant new proficiencies, this is an arcane caster class. The only way you're wearing armor is if you've already got a class feature that lets you do it... in which case you've already got the light armor proficiency, but the medium probably doesn't help you too much.

Again, it's a very cool ability, but requires you to all of a sudden have optimized your Perform check. I'd change it to a class-based DC, or at least make it an option to use that-- otherwise, this winds up being another oddly niche ability.



All of these features are because the bard is a caster that has every reason to take this class as well as a sorcerer. For the proficiency, giving the sorcerer Still Spell doesn't really help if he has to blow a feat just to wear armor to enjoy it.

Bards optimize their Perform abilities. They aren't getting any improvement to their Bardic Performance, so I figured I'd give them something cool to help out. As for the sorcerer, well, he's got many more skill points now and Perform as a class skill, so why not?



I like the idea, but I'm kind of concerned about how complicated it works out to be in practice.


One of many reasons why I shut the class off to wizards. Essentially, I wanted to make this PrC into like a beguiler from 3.5. So the bard and the sorcerer get vastly improved enchantments and illusions but their evocation, necromancy, abjuration, divination, and conjuration just fall through the cracks. It's complicated, sure, but it's far more balanced than just a full casting advancement.



Hmm... it's got the checks to prevent some of the Shadowcraft Mage shennanigans, but still... this is pretty dang strong, and I feel like the result isn't as fitting for the class...


The class is half "I lie, therefore my illusions are better" and half "I craft illusions, therefore my lies are better". What part of Convincing Shadows doesn't fit that ideal for this class?



Lingusitics check? In any case, this is a neat effect, but it's incredibly niche... and requires you to have a feat that, as a spontaneous caster, you probably never took.


Linguistics is the new Forgery in PF, in case you didn't know.



Awesome capstone.

(If I didn't comment on something, assume it's good)

Why thank you! Happy to see you again Grod.

[Grod_The_Giant]

All of these features are because the bard is a caster that has every reason to take this class as well as a sorcerer. For the proficiency, giving the sorcerer Still Spell doesn't really help if he has to blow a feat just to wear armor to enjoy it.
Mmm. I suppose, yeah-- I wasn't thinking about that Still Spell down the line. Medium armor still seems a bit odd for a trickster, but eh.


Bards optimize their Perform abilities. They aren't getting any improvement to their Bardic Performance, so I figured I'd give them something cool to help out. As for the sorcerer, well, he's got many more skill points now and Perform as a class skill, so why not?
But for the first ~13 levels of his career, the sorcerer has been buying other skills. Now suddenly he either needs to drop 14 skill points into Perform to have a decent DC, or have a wasted ability. The bard, meanwhile, has already chosen to give up his music for improved cast-y stuff.

(Oh, and a skill-based save DC will be waaaay too high-- skills scale twice as fast as save bonuses)


The class is half "I lie, therefore my illusions are better" and half "I craft illusions, therefore my lies are better". What part of Convincing Shadows doesn't fit that ideal for this class?
What you do with the spells. It makes you better at blasting, at summoning, at battlefield control-- probably better than a standard blaster-sorcerer, given how good your illusion DCs are.


Linguistics is the new Forgery in PF, in case you didn't know.
Oh, right.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mmm. I suppose, yeah-- I wasn't thinking about that Still Spell down the line. Medium armor still seems a bit odd for a trickster, but eh.


I agree. I'll take that part out.



But for the first ~13 levels of his career, the sorcerer has been buying other skills. Now suddenly he either needs to drop 14 skill points into Perform to have a decent DC, or have a wasted ability. The bard, meanwhile, has already chosen to give up his music for improved cast-y stuff.


13 levels? Huh? This class has a level 6 entry...And when he gets into the class, he has 4 more skill points per level than he did before, and he knows he has this class feature coming...



(Oh, and a skill-based save DC will be waaaay too high-- skills scale twice as fast as save bonuses)


I assumed the one-minute casting time and generally suckiness of mind-affecting abilities balanced it out.



What you do with the spells. It makes you better at blasting, at summoning, at battlefield control-- probably better than a standard blaster-sorcerer, given how good your illusion DCs are.


Yes, and I personally feel that that's a good thing. I like the shadow conjuration and shadow evocation line, those spells add some much needed versatility to the sorcerer's pitiful list of spells known. The wizard can know every spell, and prepare one of each of them. The sorcerer can cast a great number of low-level control spells, but his target gets two saving throws against them. I reduced that to one saving throw, basically, if the mage of deceit can succeed a DC 35 Bluff check every time she casts it (10 ranks + 3 trained +5 class bonus = +18 on the check, plus Cha of probably +3-+5, still only around a +20-23 on the check, which is less than a 50% success rate).

Anyway, changing the proficiencies so it only grants light armor and I added a list of suggested bloodlines for sorcerers interested in the class.

[Zakaroth]

Once again a nice solid creation. I especially like the way you addressed the spellcasting progression, very elegant and fitting. I think I might even adapt this progression style to my Energon Evoker :smallbiggrin:

Somehow Grand Misdirection does get me worried. It feels like a real game changer, you can get a lot of weird stuff going (derail?) when using this ability. Is it an at-will ability? And it doesn't say that the minimum 4th level spell you need to have available is used/expended in anyway, this is intended?

[NeoSeraphi]

Once again a nice solid creation. I especially like the way you addressed the spellcasting progression, very elegant and fitting. I think I might even adapt this progression style to my Energon Evoker :smallbiggrin:

Somehow Grand Misdirection does get me worried. It feels like a real game changer, you can get a lot of weird stuff going (derail?) when using this ability. Is it an at-will ability? And it doesn't say that the minimum 4th level spell you need to have available is used/expended in anyway, this is intended?

It's once per day. Somehow my retyping of this class messed that up. I'll fix it, thanks for the heads up. And yes, the mage of deceit doesn't actually expend the spell, she just needs to have the necessary magic to create it left over.