Being a renowned hero can be dangerous to your health and prosperity. Fighting against corruption and the evil that lurks within society makes you a target and, even worse, puts your friends and family in danger. For those who must maintain a social persona, being a part of the greater community while secretly fighting against powerful forces within it requires leading a double life.

By day, the vigilante maneuvers through society, dealing with other nobles or influential individuals. By night, he dons a disguise and an utterly different set of goals, taking the fight to his foes and solving problems with a blade when words will not suffice.

Game Masters should consider carefully whether or not a vigilante will make for a good fit with their campaign. The class is one that requires a degree of social aptitude and roleplaying to make full use of its potential.

Campaigns that focus more on wilderness exploration, travel, or dungeon delving and that are lighter on politics, negotiation, and manipulation might require a vigilante player to put in additional effort to make full use of his class features. Alternatively, a vigilante is uniquely suited to make for a powerful villain, hidden by day behind a mask of civility and a terror at night, free to commit terrible acts without risking discovery.

For players, the vigilante offers a unique opportunity to take on the role of a character with a hidden side, and whose life is committed to a secret agenda that he must struggle to advance in a complex world. Not every problem can be solved with a dagger in the dark, and even the most stubborn foe might be become an ally with the proper bribe. For the vigilante, these tasks are both within reach as long as you learn to properly use your dual nature and hidden skills to your fullest advantage.

Life can be unfair. Think of the starving peasants forced to toil for the local baron or the common laborers tasked with building the king’s newest palace for a mere handful of copper pieces each week. There are those who see these injustices and do nothing. There are those who are willing to reap the rewards obtained through the suffering of others.

Then there are those who see inequality and find themselves driven to take action, outside the law if necessary. These vigilantes operate in plain sight, hiding behind respectable personas by day, but donning alternate guises by night to right the wrongs they see all around them.

Not all vigilantes are out to make the world a better place. Some criminals hide behind the pretense of being ordinary folk, only to become terrors in the shadows, stealing and killing to fulfill some dark agenda. In either case, the vigilante is a character of two natures—the face that everyone knows and the mask that inspires fear.

Role: A vigilante can take on many tasks within a group. Most are skilled at negotiating delicate social situations and courtly intrigue, but they can also serve as stealthy spies or even brutish warriors in dangerous environments.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 (average 175 gp).

Class Skills

A vigilante’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobilityerrata) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following are the class features of the vigilante.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Vigilantes are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Dual Identity (Ex)

A vigilante hides his true identity, allowing him to move about social circles and nobility without carrying the stigma of his ruthless actions. In effect, the vigilante has two identities: one is a polite member of society while the other is a skilled and cunning warrior. To keep up this charade, the vigilante usually has two names: his true name, used in polite company, and his vigilante name, used to strike fear in the hearts of those who oppose him. Knowledge checks about one do not reveal information about the other, unless the vigilante’s true identity revealed to the world at large.

The vigilante can start each day in either of his identities, referred to simply as social or vigilante. Changing from one identity to another takes 1 minute and must be done out of sight from other creatures to preserve the vigilante’s secret.

Changing identities is more than just changing outfits and clothing (although that is certainly a part of it); the process often also involves applying make-up, altering his hair, and adjusting other personal effects. Furthermore, the change is as much a state of mind as of body, so items such as a hat of disguise and similar spells and effects that change the user’s appearance do not reduce the time required to change identities. Most social talents require the vigilante to be in his social identity, but a vigilante who uses vigilante talents in his social identity risks exposing his secret.

Despite being a single person, a vigilante’s dual nature allows him to have two alignments, one for each of his identities. When in an identity, he is treated as having that identity’s alignment for all spells, magic items, and abilities that rely on alignment. For the purpose of meeting a qualification for a feat, class, or any ability, he is only eligible if both of his alignments meet the requirements.

A vigilante’s two alignments cannot be more than one step from each other on a single alignment axis. For example, a vigilante with a lawful neutral social identity could have a vigilante identity that is lawful good, lawful neutral, lawful evil, neutral, neutral good, or neutral evil. If a vigilante is the target of an effect that would change his alignment, it changes both of his alignments to the new alignment.

Any attempts to scry or otherwise locate the vigilante work only if the vigilante is currently in the identity the creature is attempting to locate (or if the creature knows that the two identities are the same individual). Otherwise, the spell or effect has no effect, revealing nothing but darkness, as if the target were invalid or did not exist.

Seamless Guise (Ex)

A vigilante knows how to behave in a way that appears perfectly proper and normal for his current identity. Should anyone suspect him of being anything other than what he appears to be while either in his social or vigilante identity, he can attempt a Disguise check with a +20 circumstance bonus to appear as his current identity, and not as his other identity.

Social Talent

Starting at 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, a vigilante gains a social talent. Unless otherwise noted, a talent can be selected only once. Some talents require the vigilante to meet other prerequisites before they can be chosen, such as having another social talent or attaining a minimum vigilante level. Once a talent has been chosen, it cannot be changed.

Vigilante Specialization (Ex)

At 1st level, a vigilante must choose to be either an avenger or a stalker.

An avenger gains a base attack bonus equal to his vigilante level instead of using those listed on Table: The Vigilante. He adds this value to any other base attack bonus gained from other classes or racial Hit Dice as normal.

A stalker gains an ability called hidden strike, which allows him to deal an extra 1d8 points of precision damage on melee attacks (or ranged attacks from within 30 feet) against foes who are unaware of his presence, who consider him an ally, or who are made flat-footed by startling appearance. This extra damage increases by 1d8 at 3rd level and every 2 vigilante levels thereafter. A stalker vigilante can also deal hidden strike damage to a target that he is flanking or that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, but in these cases, the damage dice are reduced to d4s. A stalker can deal hidden strike damage against targets with concealment (but not total concealment).

Once this choice is made, it can’t be changed. While many vigilante talents are usable by both specializations, some are unique to each specialization. A stalker vigilante can apply only one talent marked with an asterisk (*) to a given hidden strike, and only when that hidden strike is dealt against a foe that is unaware of the stalker vigilante’s presence (or who considers him an ally), unless otherwise noted.

Vigilante Talent

Starting at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, a vigilante gains a vigilante talent. Unless otherwise noted, a talent can be selected only once. Some talents require the vigilante to meet prerequisites before they can be chosen, such as possessing another vigilante talent, possessing a particular specialization, or attaining a minimum level. Once a talent has been selected, it can’t be changed.

If the vigilante uses any of these talents while in his social identity, he must succeed at a Disguise check against the Perception checks of all onlookers (without the +20 circumstance bonus from seamless guise) or the onlookers will realize that he is more than his social identity appears to be and perhaps discover the social and vigilante identities are one and the same. If a talent calls for a saving throw, the DC for that save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the vigilante’s level + the vigilante’s Charisma modifier, unless stated otherwise.

Unshakable (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, a vigilante adds his class level to the DC of any attempts to Intimidate him.

Startling Appearance (Ex)

At 5th level, a vigilante learns to use the element of surprise to his advantage, startling foes that are unaware of his presence. Whenever a vigilante with this ability attempts an attack against a foe that is completely unaware of the vigilante’s presence (usually due to Stealth or invisibility), the foe is treated as flat-footed for the rest of the vigilante’s turn (uncanny dodge or a similar ability prevents this effect unless the vigilante is at least 4 levels higher than the foe with uncanny dodge).

The foe also takes a –4 penalty on attacks made against the vigilante until the start of the vigilante’s next turn.

Frightening Appearance (Ex)

At 11th level, whenever a vigilante with this ability makes an attack against a foe that is unaware of the vigilante’s presence (see startling appearance above), the vigilante can, as a free action, attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize the target of his attack and any enemies within 10 feet who can see the attack. This check is attempted before the attack roll against the foe is made and resolved. The vigilante rolls only one Intimidate check and applies the result to all the targets. If the check succeeds against the target of the vigilante’s attack, that foe is also frightened for 1 round, in addition to being shaken as normal, unless the foe succeeds at a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the vigilante’s class level + his Charisma modifier).

Once a creature has been the target of this ability (either as the target of the attack or as a nearby creature, regardless of whether or not it was successful), it is immune to that vigilante’s frightening appearance for 24 hours. This effect is in addition to the bonuses gained from the startling appearance ability. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Stunning Appearance (Ex)

At 17th level, a vigilante can leave his foes unable to respond when he appears. Whenever a vigilante with this ability makes a successful attack against a foe that is unaware of the vigilante’s presence (see startling appearance), the foe must make a successful Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the vigilante’s class level + his Charisma modifier) or be stunned until the end of the vigilante’s next turn. If the creature has more HD than the vigilante’s class level, it receives a +4 circumstance bonus on this save.

This ability is in addition to the effects of startling appearance and frightening appearance. Once a creature has been the target of this ability (regardless of whether or not the saving throw is successful), it is immune to that vigilante’s stunning appearance for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Vengeance Strike (Ex)

At 20th level, a vigilante can study a target to strike more viciously. He can spend up to 5 standard actions, which all must be in consecutive rounds. On the following round, he can make a vengeance strike against the studied creature. The target must remain unaware of the vigilante’s presence (or not see him as a threat) until the attack. For each round spent studying the target, the vigilante grants himself one of the following benefits on his vengeance strike: gain a +4 circumstance bonus on the attack roll, deal an additional 3d6 points of precision damage if he hits, or treat the attack roll as if it were 2 higher for the purposes of determining whether the attack hit or threatens a critical hit (to maximum effective roll of 20). Each round of study can be spent in a different way or the same way (they stack with each other), but each round of study must be allocated before the attack roll is made. If the vigilante is an avenger, he automatically confirms any critical hits threatened by his vengeance strike. If the vigilante is a stalker and would normally be able to add a special effect from a vigilante talent with an asterisk (*) to this attack, he can instead add two special effects to his vengeance strike.

Alternative Capstone Ability

Source PPC:CoL

When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. When a character reaches 20th level in this class, the following new ability can be selected instead of the standard 20th level class ability which would normally be gained. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select an alternative capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.

Past Your Limits (Ex)

At 20th level, the vigilante has learned to stretch himself to do what he never thought he could before. The vigilante gains one additional social talent and one additional vigilante talent.

This bonus vigilante talent is not subject to specialization requirements—a stalker can select an avenger-only talent, and vice versa. At the GM’s discretion, the vigilante can instead select an archetype-only vigilante talent, such as the cabalist’s living shadow.

Favored Class Bonuses

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have vigilante as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

Table: Alternate Favored Class Bonuses Race Bonus Source Paizo Core Races Dwarf Increase the bonus from social grace on Craft skills by +1/2. PZO1134 Elf Gain +1/3 on all Acrobatics, Climb, and Stealth checks in forested areas. PZO1134 Gnome Gain +1/2 on Bluff checks when attempting to tell a lie that would be true from the point of view of the vigilante’s current identity. PZO1134 Half-Elf Gain +1/2 on the Disguise bonus from seamless guise. Half-Orc Add 1/2 to the DC increase from unshakable. Halfling Gain 1/6 of a new social talent. Human Gain +1/2 on the Disguise bonus provided by seamless guise. Other Races Goblin Kobold Orc Ratfolk Strix Tengu 3rd Party Publishers Jon Brazer Enterprises Android Catfolk Changeling Dhampir Drow Duergar Fetchling Hobgoblin Tiefling Wayang Rogue Genius Games Asterion Lapith

Archetypes & Alternate Class Features

When a character selects a class, he must choose to use the standard class features found or those listed in one of the archetypes presented here. Each alternate class feature replaces a specific class feature from its parent class. For example, the elemental fist class feature of the monk of the four winds replaces the stunning fist class feature of the monk. When an archetype includes multiple class features, a character must take all of them—often blocking the character from ever gaining certain familiar class features, but replacing them with equally powerful options. All of the other class features found in the core class and not mentioned among the alternate class features remain unchanged and are acquired normally when the character reaches the appropriate level (unless noted otherwise). A character who takes an alternate class feature does not count as having the class feature that was replaced when meeting any requirements or prerequisites.

A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the core class as another alternate class feature. For example, a paladin could not be both a hospitaler and an undead scourge since they both modify the smite evil class feature and both replace the aura of justice class feature. A paladin could, however, be both an undead scourge and a warrior of the holy light, since none of their new class features replace the same core class feature.

Presented below are several classic barbarian archetypes and alternate class features to help you in building your character, each one including a number of suggested rage powers that, while not mandatory, work to flesh out the character concept.

Table: Archetypes / Alternate Class Features Archetype Class Features Changed or Replaced Class Skills Skill Ranks Armor Prof Weapon Prof Saves Dual Identity Seamless Guise Vigilante Specialization Vigilante Talents Social Talents Vigilante Talents Unshakable Startling Appearance Frightening Appearance Stunning Appearance Vengeance Strike 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Agathiel C X X X X X Brute C C C C X C X Cabalist C C C C X C X X X X X X X X Experimenter C C C X X X X X X Faceless Enforcer C C C X X X X Gunmaster C C X C X Hangman C C C X X X X X X Harvester C X X X Magical Child C C C C X X X X X X X X X X Mounted Fury C C X X X X Psychometrist C X X X X X X X Serial Killer C X X X X X X X X X X X Splintersoul C C C X C C C Teisatsu X X C C X Warlock C C C X C X X X X X X Wildsoul X X X X Zealot C C C X C X X X X X 3rd Party Publishers Drop Dead Studios Divine Avenger X X