Countering a check to gather information

[legomaster00156]

The party I'm running a Pathfinder game for is in pursuit of a dangerous and mysterious criminal. Unknown to the rest of the players and characters, one of the party members is actually the criminal's family, and wants to subtly sabotage their efforts to track them down. How would you guys go about allowing the PC in question to sabotage other party member's Diplomacy checks to gather information?

[DrMotives]

A basic of counter intelligence is flooding the environment with false data. So, in 3e, I'd do this by making up lies, and using bluff checks to put them out in the wild, or tavern rumor grapevine in this case. The bluff checks would be the opposed check to the gather information.

[Hackulator]

Set a base DC for the gather information check. Set a base DC for a bluff check for the "anti-gather information check". If the player succeeds in the Bluff check, it increases the DC of the Gather information check but 1, +1 for every 5 points he beats the DC by. This represents him spreading false info. He needs to find the time to do it without the party knowing (should be 1d4 hours similar to gather info) and if the party makes the gather information check anyway there should be some chance they find out about what he is doing.

[Telonius]

I'm assuming this is the sort of thing that won't get people at the table upset (party betrayal can lead to a lot of hurt feelings if it isn't handled right).

For the player who's trying to sabotage it, tell him that whenever he wants to sabotage, say: "I'd like to Aid Another on that Gather Info check." Those words precisely, or some other thing that you'll know that he's messing with the check instead of actually trying to help. Keep his Bluff modifiers behind your screen, treat it as an opposed check. If the Saboteur's roll is lower, the Info-Gatherer gets the real information he's looking for. If Saboteur's is higher, Info-Gatherer gets the cover story.

[legomaster00156]

This isn't even the first time PC's in this group have had hidden counter-party agendas, so I think we'll be fine OOC. :smallwink:

[King of Nowhere]

both ideas proposed are fine, if very generic.

how exactly is the guy trying to cover his tracks? what is it that could become known by the rest of the party exactly? you could try to answer those questions and set up specific checks.

[Hunter Noventa]

Also consider having the sabotuer produce physical forgeries of various bits of potential evidence. I think they moved the 'Create a Forged Document' under the Decipher Script skill in PF, so that's another avenue for misleading the party.

[rel]

The duplicitous PC could claim they have a big bonus to gather information and offer to make the inquiries for the group. Then come back with evidence that directs the party away from the actual criminal and towards others said PC has an interest in taking down.

[TheCount]

Good ideas all around, but there is anoter way, that is, misdirection!

Frame one of the criminal's rivals/enemies! Ofc, noone on the side of the law, that would be a reeeeeeaaaally bad idea, even if they do some... jobs in the gray zone....

Im sure there IS at least one person who would like to take over the hunted criminal's.... lets say, assets. thing is, unles you can mind controll or worse someone, it will get out from the bag sooner or later.....

but then, im sure a necromancer would be more than happy to provide a helping hand (or two or ten or more) for the right price.... better ask the criminal's blessing for this, to have some more weight for that offer.....

[RoboEmperor]

Just set the DC high and if they get something lower give them false information.

[liquidformat]

making people disappear that would otherwise have valuable information is a decent choice...