Enigmatic manipulators, masterminds always have a plan. Be they from high society or from the deepest slum, a mastermind makes use of a web of lies, manipulation, knowledge to claw their way to their goal; regardless how benign or destructive their aims may be.
Mastermind is an archetype of Thief
There's Always A Plan…(Ex):
The Mastermind begins play with the Always Prepared social talent. In addition, the mastermind can give instructions to his allies for specific tasks. By spending 30 minutes "planning" per allied creature (minimum of 1 hour), that creature may treat one selected skill as part of the plan as their "role".
Creatures with a "role" treat one skill as having an amount of skill ranks equal to the mastermind's thief level, so long as the mastermind has at least one rank in the chosen skill and they have less ranks than the mastermind in the skill. If the creature has skill ranks in the chosen skill equal to or more than the mastermind's level, they instead gain a competence bonus to the skill equal to half the mastermind's level, so long as the mastermind has at least 1 rank in the skill.
This benefit lasts for 24 hours or until the creature performs a specific task befitting their "role". The task in question can take as long as necessary (whether the task takes 1 minutes or several hours) but must be an action to help achieve a specific goal (such as gaining info on a politician, moving someone to safety, running a performance, or searching for a specific item or landmark). The following roles that can be given are:
- The Infiltrator: A creature with this role gains the benefits when using a Strength or Dexterity-based skill for a task involving the creature's own movement. Such skills include the use of the Escape Artist, Disable Device, Swim or Acrobatics skills in their assigned task. This task can be anything from breaking and entering an establishment, disabling a trap in a dungeon, to helping cause a jailbreak.
- The Getaway: A creature with this role gains the benefits listed above when using the Drive, Ride, and Pilot skills for a task involving the use of vehicles, mounts, or other uses of high-speed movement.
- The Charm: A creature with this role gains the benefits listed above when using a Charisma based skill to interact with other creatures or cause a distraction.
- The Brains: A creature with this role gains the benefits listed above when using Intelligence-based skills for a specific task, such as Linguistics to confirm a secret password, Knowledge skills to recall details on a subject regarding the task, Appraise to verify a mundane item or Spellcraft to decode and decipher magical text or items.
- The Brawn: A creature with this role gains the benefits listed above on initiative checks for encounters and combat. This applies to only 1 initiative check for the duration, and then is discharged.
- The Lifeline: A creature with this role gains the benefits listed above for Wisdom-based skill checks for a specific task. These skills can be Perception to act as a lookout, Survival for navigating a location, Heal incase of an injury or to expect a wounded creature.
The Mastermind can give themselves a role. In doing so, they treat themselves as having the Skill focus feat for the appropriate skill for the task until the duration expires or until the task is performed (or in the case of The Brawn roll, a +4 Competence bonus on initiative checks).
This replaces Trapfinding, and the Social Talent gained at 1st level and the Thief Talent gained at 2nd level.
Mind-game Tactics (Ex):
At 3rd level, a mastermind can read other creatures so well they can use their reactions to gain a tactical advantage. The mastermind treats a number of creatures equal to the mastermind's Intelligence modifier as if they were his allies and possessed the same teamwork feats as he does for the purposes of positioning and threatening when she determines whether he receives a benefit from his teamwork feats. He cannot use this ability to benefit from any teamwork feats that require particular actions from allies, such as Swap Places.
This ability replaces Agility Training.
Mastermind's Edge(Ex):
At 5th level, the creatures that took part in the "planning" of the mastermind gain the benefits of skill unlocks as the mastermind does in accordance with their role. In addition, the benefit of There's Always A Plan extends to multiple skill checks involved regarding the specific task rather than a single skill check. This otherwise functions as thief's edge.
This ability modifies thief's edge.
Inscrutable (Ex):
At 6th level, the mastermind is near unreadable. The DC to gain information or insight into the mastermind with Diplomacy, Knowledge skills, or Sense Motive increases by 5. This applies to both the mastermind’s social identity and his thief identity.
This ability replaces the Thief talent gained at 6th level.
Enigmatic Plans (Ex):
At 10th level, all who know of the mastermind's agenda, are more resistant to interrogation. The mastermind is immune to any mind-affecting effects that would reveal secrets or details about his own plans or the secrets of others if he is unwilling (this applies to effects like charm or effects that would allow a creature to probe the thoughts of the mastermind.). Allied creatures who participate in the mastermind's plans gain a +4 bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects to reveal secrets or details about the mastermind's plans and gain the benefits of his Inscrutable class for as long as they benefit from There's Always A Plan.
This replaces Mug.
Social Talents that complement the mastermind can be the following: black market connections, canny observer, coax information, hard to fool, heist preparation, honeyed words, philologist, rumormonger and social tricks
Thief Talents that complement the mastermind can be the following: acrobatic assist, ambusher, ambush assailant, assault leader, combat feat, combat ruse, fast getaway, and without a trace to name a few.
