Pathfinder 1e Archetype Investigator

Mastermind

Although some investigators use their honed senses and cunning insight for personal gain, no one excels at such endeavors like the mastermind.

Class: Investigator
Kind: Archetype
Granted Spells: —
Choices: 26 investigator talent slots replaced (mastermind)

Although some investigators use their honed senses and cunning insight for personal gain, no one excels at such endeavors like the mastermind. Typically, these investigators dwell at the centers of complex networks of lies, minions, or simply precious information, from which they dispense commands, threats, and rumors, all carefully crafted to increase the power of their peculiar empires. While masterminds often act as the heads of illicit organizations like criminal families, thieves' guilds, or corruption-riddled bureaucracies, they aren't always evil.

Replaces

Swift AlchemyTrap SenseTrapfinding

Archetype Features

Mastermind's Inspiration Level 1

A mastermind can use inspiration on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks without expending a use of inspiration, but can't do so for Linguistics or Spellcraft checks. A mastermind can use inspiration on any Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge, or skill checks without spending a use of inspiration. This ability alters inspiration.

A Quiet Word Level 1

A mastermind's reputation precedes him. At 1st level, once per day a mastermind can spend 10 minutes preparing an ally to make a single Diplomacy or Intimidate check (mastermind's choice when preparing the ally) within the next 24-hour period at the mastermind's behest. This skill check uses the mastermind's skill ranks instead of the ally's. The mastermind's affected ally still uses its own ability bonus for the check. Furthermore, when a mastermind uses this ability, he can expend one use of inspiration to give the ally use of the inspiration die when making the check. At 3rd level, a mastermind can use this ability an additional time each day, and the number of times he can use this ability per day increases by 1 for every third level thereafter. Multiple uses of this ability on the same ally grant that ally the benefit on additional Diplomacy or Intimidate checks. At 12th level, a mastermind can use this ability to bestow on his ally the use of his skill ranks, similar to the 1st-level effects of this ability but with a wider range of skills to choose from. The mastermind can only bestow this for a skill check that he can use inspiration on without expending uses of inspiration. For instance, a mastermind with the underworld inspiration talent can bolster his ally's Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, or Sleight of Hand skill checks, selecting a single skill for each use of the ability. This ability replaces trapfinding and trap sense.

Mastermind Defense Level 4

At 4th level, a mastermind can, as an immediate action, expend two uses of inspiration to make an inspired defense. He rolls his inspiration die and applies the result as a penalty on an attack roll made against him. If the mastermind has the combat inspiration talent, he can expend one use of inspiration instead of two. This ability replaces swift alchemy.

Impregnable Mind Level 9

At 9th level, a mastermind's secrecy, obscurity, and mental conditioning reach superhuman levels. He becomes immune to any divination spell, spell-like ability, or effect that allows a saving throw (though he can still allow a divination effect to affect him if he wishes). Even divination effects that do not allow a saving throw have difficulty piercing a mastermind's barriers, as a mastermind can now choose to think in any language he speaks. Unless the opponent reading a mastermind's thoughts speaks all of the mastermind's languages, attempts at thought reading automatically fail. This ability replaces the investigator talent gained at 9th level.

Investigator talent slots replaced (Mastermind)

Chosen as you gain archetype choices — 26 options.

Alchemist Discovery You can select one alchemist discovery as an investigator talent.

Blinding Strike When the investigator deals damage with studied strike, the opponent must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC [see source formula]) or be permanently bli...

Confusing Strike When the investigator deals damage with studied strike, the opponent must succeed at a DC [see source formula] Fortitude saving throw or become confused for ...

Deafening Strike When an investigator deals damage with studied strike, the opponent must succeed at a DC [see source formula] Fortitude saving throw or be permanently deafened.

Device Talent The investigator can use the Use Magic Device skill even if not trained in that skill.

Effortless Aid The investigator can use an aid another action as a move action instead of as a standard action.

Eidetic Recollection An investigator can always choose to take 10 on any of his Knowledge checks, even if he's in immediate danger or distracted.

Empathy When attempting a Sense Motive check, the investigator makes two d20 rolls and takes the higher result.

Expanded Inspiration An investigator can use his inspiration ability when attempting Diplomacy, Heal, Perception, Profession, and Sense Motive checks without expending uses of in...

Hidden Agendas An investigator learns to obscure his thoughts and endeavors from prying eyes and even intrusive magic.

Inspirational Expertise When an investigator succeeds at a Knowledge check to identify a monster's special powers or vulnerabilities, he can expend one use of inspiration as a swift...

Inspired Alertness Whenever the investigator becomes flat-footed, he can expend one use of inspiration to ignore that condition.

Inspired Intelligence An investigator can add his inspiration die to all Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft checks without expending a use of inspiration, even those he's not t...

Inspired Intimidator When the investigator succeeds at an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent, he can expend one use of inspiration to automatically increase the result of...

Item Lore An investigator can use Spellcraft to identify the properties and command words of magic items without the use of detect magic or similar spells.

Perceptive Tracking The investigator can use Perception instead of Survival to both find and follow tracks, using the same DCs listed under the Survival skill (Core Rulebook 107).

Quick Study An investigator can use his studied combat ability as swift action instead of a move action.

Repositioning Strike When the investigator deals damage with studied strike, he can perform a reposition combat maneuver as a free action against the creature damaged by studied ...

Rogue Talent You can select one of the following rogue talents in place of an investigator talent: assault leader, black market connections, camouflage, canny observer, c...

Sapping Offensive When the investigator damages a studied target, that creature cannot make attacks of opportunity for 1 round.

Sickening Offensive When the investigator damages a studied target, that creature is also sickened for 1 round.

Stealing Strike When the investigator deals damage with studied strike, he can perform a steal combat maneuver as a free action against the creature damaged by studied strike.

Tenacious Inspiration When an investigator rolls his inspiration die, he can roll an additional inspiration die and take the higher result.

Toppling Strike When the investigator deals damage with studied strike, he can perform a trip combat maneuver as a free action against the creature damaged by studied strike.

Unconventional Inspiration An investigator with this talent can pick any one skill.

Underworld Inspiration An investigator can use his inspiration on Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Intimidate, or Sleight of Hand checks without expending uses of inspiration, prov...