Weekly Wonders - Archetypes of Intrigue Volume I - Spies

Knowledge is Power!

Intrigue is a staple of the fantasy genre, and many players and GMs are drawn to the idea of a grand campaign of political intrigue, in which the players face the dangers of scheming politicians, backstabbing assassins, high-society soirees, and similar trials, instead of the usual drudging through moldy old dungeons, killing things and taking their stuff. A proper political drama or heist adventure can be hard to run and even harder to write, but perhaps the hardest is for players to get in the appropriate mindset, and deal with their problems with finesse, rather than a blunt weapon. One thing that can help players get in the mood—and get themselves an edge—when it comes to intrigue is having an archetype that kits their preferred class out a bit more for the type of adventure they’ll be playing. Each installment of Weekly Wonders: Archetypes of Intrigue presents six new archetypes tied to a particular role common in intrigue adventures.

For this book, we focus on spy archetypes. While spies have a role outside of the realm of intrigue, it is here that they really shine, providing the information needed to outmaneuver, scandalize, or blackmail foes. A good spy is able to gather information, and is able to do so without attracting too much suspicion onto herself. Each of these archetypes focuses on gathering information, while at the same time limiting the information that foes can gain about her. This book includes the following archetypes:

The diversionary agent, a bard archetype that draws all the attention to himself to allow his allies to go unnoticed.

The ambush agent, a fighter archetype that specializes in attacking from surprise.

The shadow seeker, an investigator archetype that can shroud itself in darkness and gains better benefits from concealment.

The lotus infiltrator, a monk archetype that dispatches foes silently and is especially hard to detect.

The faceless stalker, a shifter archetype that can take on the appearance of anyone, or become decidedly nondescript.

The arcane deceiver, a wizard archetype the can change its face and aura, and can pry others’ secrets from them with magic.

Whether you're about to embark on a campaign of courtly intrigue (such as one of multiple official Paizo adventure paths), or you just want to play a character with a political bent, this book has lots of tantalizing options to offer. Even GMs can get in on the fun, as several of the archetypes here are perfect for NPCs tied to royal courts as well, and can make for exciting and memorable encounters.