Socialite Deluxe (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: The-Marksman (talk) Date Created: Fall 09 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

Unquantifiable

Rate this article Your rating for this article: Favor Like Neutral Dislike Oppose Submit | Cancel Discuss this article

Socialite Deluxe

(This is a mix and heavily adapted combination of the prestige classes 'Agent of the Crown' and 'The Connection' found on pages 154 and 168 respectively of the 3.0 Ultimate Prestige Classes book. This class could also be used in a modern campaign to describe political lobbyists).

Also, a big thank you to Eiji-kun for coming up with the name for this class for me.

During the times when brute strength, and magic just arn't quite good enough, sometimes .. just sometimes it falls to the highly skilled characters whom dedicated themselves to the pursuit of knowledge and skills. The ones that know just what to say, when to say it, and who needs to hear it. Through a combination of resourcefulness and determination bards and rogues use their mundane or semi-magical abilities in the kind of situations that swords and spells just are not fit to deal with. When a problem arises, these are the people that others go to for advice. When someone needs a favor, they are always there to lend a helping hand. These individuals sit at the center of an intricate web of favors, promises, passing acquaintances, reputations and dropped names. These individuals are called the Socialite Deluxe.

Information and favors are the preferred currency for a Socialite Deluxe. This exchange goes both ways, of course. A Socialite Deluxe could arrange a meeting for a wizard friend of his with a buyer of spell books, but the wizard may later have to set him up with a choice scroll or two for the trouble. Doing this day in and day out builds up a nice flow of favors that are owed to the Socialite Deluxe, who never forgets an owed favor, and always knows exactly when to call it in.

The Socialite Deluxe is a master of contacts and connections. He is the ultimate smooth talker who knows just who to talk to when it comes to anything. Whether putting in a good word with the local royalty for someone, or motivating a group of low down scoundrels to want to do his bidding, or even getting into an elite club under an assumed alias, the Socialite Deluxe can do it all. A highly experienced Socialite Deluxe can even exchange favors with celestial outsiders and get advice from their deity.

The Socialite Deluxe may admittedly not be the greatest combatant, and is at minimum "out of his comfort zone" while out in the wilderness or while dungeon delving, but the Socialite Deluxe shines while in his home city or at least in sizable urban area. Its well worth the while of a party to help look out for the Socialite Deluxe on such dungeon crawls in the sure knowledge that their aid will be amply repaid in a city, when it comes time that the party wants to 'call in the favor'.

Becoming a Socialite Deluxe

Characters that consider being a Socialite Deluxe, commonly consider the class because they want to improve their knowledge of the art of persuasion, and in order to become amass a sizable amount of power, in the form of owed favors and in the hopes of becoming someone of importance in the social standing of the town they live in.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any non-chaotic
Skills:	Bluff 8 Ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Gather information 8 ranks, Sense Motive 8 ranks and Knowledge (Either Local or Nobility & Royalty) 4 ranks
Feats:	Negotiator and Skill Focus (in one of Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information or Sense Motive)

Table: The Socialite Deluxe

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Web of Contacts, Smooth Talker +2	0	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Web of Contacts (Fence), Friends in low places	1	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Social Chameleon, Gossip	2	0	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Web of Contacts (Law Enforcement), Smooth Talker +4	3	1	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Man of 1,000 Faces, Protected Interests	4	2	0	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Web of Contacts (Temple), Charming Demeanor	4	3	1	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Faux Pas Fix, Smooth Talker +6	4	4	2	0
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Web of Contacts (Guild), Pulse of the City	4	4	3	1
9th	+6	+3	+6	+6	Professional Courtesy	4	4	4	2
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Master of the Web, Smooth Talker +8	4	4	4	4

Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level.
Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (All, taken separately) (Int), Listen (Wis) Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Socialite Deluxe.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Socialite Deluxe is proficient with all simple weapons as well as hand crossbow, lance, longbow, longsword, rapier, sap, shortbow, shortsword and whip. They are also proficient with light armors and with the buckler.

Spellcasting: Begining at 1st level, a Socialite Deluxe gains the ability to cast a number of arcane and divine spells from the Socialite Deluxe spell list (see below). When a Socialite Deluxe gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all of the spells for that level on the Socialite Deluxe spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Essentially the Socialite Deluxes spell list is the same as his spells known list. Every level after first, a Socialite Deluxe may add 1 newly researched spell to his spell list at each level, with a maximum level no higher than his highest level spell known. These spells must be spent at each level and do not roll over to later levels. The spells may be chosen from any other base classes spell list at DM discression.

To cast a spell, a Socialite Deluxe must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell's level, so a Socialite Deluxe with a Charisma of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Socialite Deluxe spells are based on Charisma and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 15 + the spells level + the Socialite Deluxe's Charisma bonus (if any). When the Socialite Deluxe gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance, 1st-level spells for a 1st-level Socialite Deluxe), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. The Socialite Deluxe's spell list appears below.

1st— Alarm, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Detect Secret Doors, Identify, Light, Nystruls Magic Aura, Obscure Object, Read Magic, Restoration (Lesser), Sanctuary, Speak with Animals, Summon Monster I

2nd— Augury, Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Detect Thoughts, Enthrall, Hold Person, Invisibility, Locate Object, Misdirection, See Invisibility, Speak with Plants, Status, Summon Monster II, Tongues, Zone of Truth

3rd— Arcane Sight, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Cure Serious Wounds, Discern Lies, Dispel Magic, Glibness, Invisibility Sphere, Neutralize Poison, Nondetection, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Scrying, Speak with Dead, Suggestion, Summon Monster III

4th— Break Enchantment, Commune, Cure Critical Wounds, Detect Scrying, Divination, Legend Lore, Locate Creature, Mislead, Modify Memory, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Planar Ally Lesser, Restoration, Sending, Summon Monster IV, True Seeing

Web of Contacts (Ex): A Socialite Deluxe is assumed to know someone from every walk of life in his home city. A home city is defined as any city where the Socialite Deluxe has lived in for at least one year continuously (including the town they lived in before the campaign began if nessesary). In his home city, if the Socialite Deluxe needs to talk with someone in any given field of interest, he automatically has the information he needs to set up a meeting. In any other city than his home city, he may still have a contact that can help. When trying to find someone to help outside of his home city the Socialite Deluxe makes a gather information check to find help. The DC's are: 15 for basic services, 20 for complicated needs like a specialty sage, or an alchemist who makes poisons, and 25 for truly exotic subjects like a griffin trainer. Web of contacts does not negotiate the cost of any of these services, but it does make acquiring them much faster and more assured of success. If a charisma check (not a charisma related skill check) is ever required in the pursuit of these matters, the Socialite Deluxe enjoys a bonus of half his prestige class level rounded down to a minimum of +1.

The Web of Contacts ability also grants the Socialite Deluxe contacts for his home city, as shown on table 6-1:Contacts, on page 179 in the Unearthed Arcana. The Socialite Deluxe immediately gains a total number of contacts equal to his current total character level. For example, a 6th level rogue/1st level Socialite Deluxe gains 7 contacts upon becoming a 1st level Socialite Deluxe, and would gain an additional contact every level. Begining at 6th level, with the DM's permission, the Socialite Deluxe may designate that any new contacts gained can be in a higher or more powerful position than normally allowed by the rules for contacts given in the Unearthed Arcana.

These contacts are not slaves, and nor can they be treated as such. The Game Master can rule that any type of mistreatment of a contact will cause the loss of that conact until things are put right again. Lost contacts cannot be replaced if this occurs. There is an inverse relationship between the contact's importance in the ongoing campaign and the amount of help he/she can provide. In other words, if you choose the mayor or the captain of the royal guard as your contact, he/she is sometimes too busy to see you at a moment's notice, but are very helpful when you do get an audience. Alandra the seamstress, on the other hand, practically lives in her shop on Winter Street - making her available night or day - but the ways in which she can aid you are more limited.

Smooth Talker (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe excels at using their personal magnetism, exceptional vocabularies and artistry with words to get their way. A Socialite Deluxe is such a master of wording and communication that he can read into the context of the words others choose and how others speak as well. The Socialite Deluxe receives a +2 competence bonus on all bluff, diplomacy, gather information, and sense motive checks. This bonus inceases by +2 every 3 levels thereafter (+4 at 4th level, +6 at 7th level and finally +8 at 10th level).

Web of Contacts (Fence) (Ex): A Socialite Deluxe knows a vendor who recieves and disposes of stolen goods by selling them for an underworld black market. A Socialite Deluxe may sell any type of goods to this vendor for thier listed price, even unique items or those that normally draw suspicion or would put the fence at some risk. The Socialite Deluxe may also buy any item, even illegal or controlled substances and anything the Socialite Deluxe purchases from this vendor is always at a 10% market discount. Though the DM may always rule that an exceptionally rare or hard to come by item may take an inderminate amount of time for the fence to get his hands on.

Friends in low places (Ex): The Socialite Deluxes travels and missions bring him into contact with all sorts of criminals, from petty crime lords to pickpockets and fences. The Socialite Deluxe can always find someone to sell him illegal goods, such as poison or other controlled items, but if the game master rules that the item is particularly rare he must pay 1d4 times the listed price. Also note that the game master may always rule that an item is simply unavailable in a given city or kingdom.

A Socialite Deluxe may also use the Friends in low places ability to attempt to gather a group of brutes and thugs to help him out. Once per day in any community that is at least a small town or larger, the Socialite Deluxe may make a gather information check to see if there is anyone available to help him. The Socialite Deluxe's gather information check is the total levels of warriors or experts available to the Socialite Deluxe. No single ally may have a higher level than the Socialite Deluxes character level -4. Characters recruited in this manner serve the Socialite Deluxe to the best of their ability for one day, or until the task requested of them is complete, after which time they leave his service. However the Socialite Deluxe may make a diplomacy check (DC equals the highest recruits hit dice and +2 per day they've been with the Socialite Deluxe) to recruit these same followers once again, if on a longer mission. These NPC's are not suicidal, they never agree to initially attack anyone more than two ECL's higher than themselves, but will help defend the Socialite Deluxe and his friends to the best of their abilities against any threat. A recruit reduced to 1/4 their hit points may possibly attempt to flee or surrender.

For example, Draco needs help keeping an eye on the Duchess of Iselaria. He makes a gather information check that totals a 31, yielding 31 total levels of warriors or experts. Draco is an 8th level character, allowing him to find a maximum of a 4th level warrior or expert. He opts to recruit 4 3rd level experts and a 4th level warrior. At 7th level he may use this ability twice per day.

Social Chameleon (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe is extremely likable and adept at seamlessly fitting into almost any situation. Any character the Socialite Deluxe meets whos attitude is not already hostile or helpful, automatically and permanantly improves its attitude one step for the Socialite Deluxe (i.e. from unfriendly to indifferent). The Socialite Deluxe also gains a +4 competence bonus on all bluff or disguise checks made to convince someone that he belongs in a restricted area, is actually a member of a club, organization, or royal court and so on. Furthermore, should his bluff succeed his victim continues to believe the Socialite Deluxe's claims until he is presented with evidence to the contrary. Of course, a superior need only order a guard to hunt down the Socialite Deluxe, not present a case to him for that.

Gossip (Ex): Once per week the Socialite Deluxe may make a diplomacy and a gather information check to represent all of his casual conversations and interactions throughout the week. Both of these rolls are against a DC of 25. If one roll succeeds the Socialite Deluxe learns a valuable secret about someone of importance whether or not he actually knows them. If both rolls succeed, the Socialite Deluxe may learn a second separate, or related secret or may learn just one extremely valuable secret instead. What the Socialite Deluxe does with this knowledge is his decision, but revealing them openly could possibly bring retribution from the embarrassed subject(s).

Web of Contacts (Law Enforcement) (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe has several friends in the local legal system, local guards, judges, magistrates, captain of the guards, allowing him to easily skirt the law. The Socialite Deluxe does not need to pay any fine less than 100 gold and never serves jail time for any crimes short of rape or public murder. The majority of the local guard that are not in the Socialte Deluxes pocket will still bring him into custody if they catch him, but after 3d8 -2 hours after he was detained, the Socialite Deluxes contacts arrange for his release.

The Socialite Deluxe can also use these contacts to vouch for any other character he wishes in order to help them skirt small crimes. Once per week, if the Socialite Deluxe makes a DC 25 Diplomacy check against his contact and succeeds, the contact allows a friend of the Socialite Deluxe to avoid needing to pay a fine less then 50 gold, and/or avoid jail time for a misdemanor type of crime, but this ability never works for a felony preformed by an ally. If the character being assisted is a repeat offender for this type of crime, this increases the DC of the Diplomacy check by 4, and if the Socialite Deluxe has gotten the offender off of the hook for this type of crime before, this increases the DC of the Diplomacy check by an addition 10 per time they've recieved this benefit in that city.

Man of 1,000 Faces (Ex): At 4th level the Socialite Deluxe manages to establish and propagate several aliases. When traveling, he can opt to take on an alias, allowing him to disguise himself with ease. In game terms the Socialite Deluxe’s player must create 4 aliases, describing their names, jobs, personality, quirks, and brief histories for the game master. At any time the Socialite Deluxe may spend 1 hour getting into character. He is then considered to pass all disguise checks when masquerading as one of his aliases. He may even use his Socialite Deluxe and other class abilities while in disguise, utilizing his aliases friends, contacts and reputed abilities rather then his own. The only people who have a chance of piercing the disguise are close, personal friends, rivals, and relatives of the Socialite Deluxe, against whom the Socialite Deluxe must make a disguise check as normal with a +8 circumstance bonus. One alias may be of the opposite sex, while another may be of another race, though the aliases race must be of the same size as the Socialite Deluxe's. Thus a human Socialite Deluxe could not use one of his aliases to pose as an ogre, or as any race with the powerful build ability.

Should a Socialite Deluxe wish to "retire" one of his aliases and develop a new one, he must spend one week rigorously practicing subtle vocal intonations and body language before he gains the benefits provided by this class feature. Aliases in and of themselves do not provide the Socialite Deluxe with any skills, proficiencies, or class features that others might expect of the professions pretended. Thus, a Socialite Deluxe must be careful to choose identities that can withstand ordinary scrutiny. To allay suspicion, and to better maintain an alias a Socialite Deluxe may choose to have one or more of the aliases they pose as, be the class(es) in which they started their career.

Protected Interests (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe gains a virtual leadership feat. This virtual leadership feat allows him to easily recruit up to 3d4 cohorts. The cohorts recruited through this ability can each have a total level no higher than the Socialite Deluxes character level -2, but can only take levels in NPC classes. These NPC's are 'mercenaries' that the Socialite Deluxe can use as bodyguards, henchmen, or for any other task he sees fit. Unlike traditional cohorts, these cohorts are temporary and stay with the PC only until the task requested of them is complete. Also, they do not gain experience (and therefore levels), or shares of the party loot. Unlike friends in low places, these people are fiercely loyal and unlikely to leave the Socialite Deluxes service except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. The Socialite Deluxe must pay each cohort 3sp per level, per day they are with him with a minimum of 1 days pay just for the time of arriving, and he must also provide for their upkeep of course. Also unlike Friends in low places ability, a Socialite Deluxe may only use this ability twice per week.

So, for example, Draco has found out that the Duchess of Iselaria has been kidnapped and wants to go after her, but he'll need some more reliable help. So Draco uses this ability and rolls 3d4, and he gets 7. This allows Draco the choice of hiring up to 7 cohorts. Being a 5th level Rogue/5th level Socialite Deluxe, each of the potential cohorts can be up to 8th level in any NPC class, and Draco may choose which class each is. Draco opts to get four 8th level warriors one 6th level adept, and one 5th level expert, giving him 6 cohorts. Feeling those 6 to be enough, Draco choses not to hire a 7th cohort to save money. Because of their levels, Draco must pay each of the warriors 24 silver per day, the adept 18 silver per day and the expert 15 silver per day upon returning the Duchess of Iselaria to her home.

Web of Contacts (Temple) (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe in some time in his career is assumed to have either done jobs for, or given favors to high ranking members of the local priesthood. Once per week, the Socialite Deluxe can get a member of the church to cast a 3rd level or lower spell for free, and once per month they will cast either a dismissal, break enchantment, atonement, raise dead, regenerate, greater restoration, resurrection, or true ressurection with a 50% discount. All other spell casts and scrolls are always sold to the Socialte Deluxe at a 10% discount of normal price. These members of the church never adventure with the Socialite Deluxe, leave the confines of the city, or venture anywhere dangerous, such as dungeons.

Charming Demeanor (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe is a master of manipulation. He may make a diplomacy or bluff check opposed by his targets sense motive check. If the Socialite Deluxe beats the opponents roll by 10 or more, his target becomes dazzled by the Socialite Deluxe and comes to trust him. The target acts as if successfully targeted by a charm person spell cast by the Socialite Deluxe for a period of 3d10 minutes, after which time they return to the same attitude they had before about the Socialite Deluxe. The Socialite Deluxe may only use this ability against creatures vulnerable to a charm person spell. A Socialite Deluxe must claim he is using this ability before making the roll, thus a failed roll ruins the attempt. If the Socialite Deluxe fails to beat the opposed roll by 10 or more, the results of the diplomacy or bluff check go as normal. The Socialite Deluxe may only use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + his charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Faux Pas Fix (Ex): If a Socialte Deluxes Diplomacy check to influence an NPC's attitude fails, he can spend another full round talking to the NPC, then make a bluff check with a -10 penalty. Use this check in place of the Diplomacy check result, except that it cannot improve the NPC's attitude by more than one step. Once the Socialite Deluxe uses this ability (successful or not), he cannot use it against the same target again for 24 hours.

Web of Contacts (Guild) (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe also is friends with the leadership of the local wizards guild or arcane academy. Once per week the Socialite Deluxe can get a have them cast a 3rd level or lower spell for free, and once per month, the Socialite Deluxe can get them to cast one of; analyze dweomer, discern location, dismissal, greater dispel magic, greater scrying, mind blank, plane shift, stone to flesh, teleport, teleport (greater), or vision with a 50% discount. All other spells, scrolls, potions and weapon/armor enchants are sold to the Socialte Deluxe and his traveling companions on his behalf, at a 10% discount.

Pulse of the City (Ex): The contacts of a Socialite Deluxe at 8th level have grown so wide spread and operate so deeply in the info structure of his home city that he learns of anything of importance almost as soon as it happens. He is kept up to date on all major thefts, purchases, arrests, social engagements, and political occurrences at all times. In game terms the Socialite Deluxe is considered to be taking 10 on gather information checks at all times, and the Socialite Deluxe can make a re-roll on the check the same evening without any risk of informing people of his interests.

Professional Courtesy (Ex): Most Socialite Deluxes hope this ability never comes into play, but they are grateful when it does. At 9th level the Socialite Deluxe has practically become an institution in his home city, and has an excellent reputation wherever he goes. Whenever anyone orders an assassination, arrest or other 'official' sanction against the Socialite Deluxe or his friends, his contacts arrange for him to learn about it ahead of time. If the sanction can be avoided monetarily (whether it be paying a fine/fee or bribing a hitman or public offical) the Socialite Deluxe always gets a chance to do so. Even if it cannot be bought off or avoided, the Socialite Deluxe always gets at least 1d4 full hours warning before anything occurs.

Master of the Web (Ex): The Socialite Deluxe essentially knows everyone of importance in his home city, and has an excellent grasp on the power players in other cities of importance. The Socialite Deluxe can use his knowledge and status to 'take 10' on any bluff, diplomacy, gather information, intimidate, and sense motive checks made in a city he knows well.

In addition, the Socialite Deluxe gains one last contact for Web of Contacts, political position. If thier identities have not already been established in the campaign, then thier names, ages, genders, races and personality quirks may be designated by the Socialite Deluxe's player with DM approval and discression:

Political Position: A Socialte Deluxe is even friends with the people who are the highest on the food chain in his home city. Most commonly this encompasses the king or queen of the city/country, the local governor, mayor, and a nobleman/aristocrat land owner. Having this contact allows the Socialite Deluxe to always be able to get an audience with the various leaders of his home city at a moments notice, but if the leader in question is particularly busy, it may take upto 1d4 - 1 hours for him to be seen. When the Socialite Deluxe does get seen, he has the contacts full attention and this contacts attitude is always concidered to be friendly and the contact will do anything reasonable, and sometimes questionable things within thier power to assist the Socialite Deluxe.

In addition, for the rest of his career, the Socialite Deluxe continues to gain 1 contact per level, even when he gains levels in new classes. This ability replaces (and does not stack with), the normal alotment of contacts given on table 6-1:Contacts on page 179 of the Unearthed Arcana.

Campaign Information

Playing a Socialite Deluxe

Combat: In combat the Socialite Deluxe acts as a support caster and provides minor combat aid in the form of making an ambush ally invisible, placing a sanctuary spell on an extremely injured ally, or even use calm emotions on a raging enemy. A Socialite Deluxe would likely also top off allies hit points with thier cure spells, dispelling poisons, diseases curses or ability damage after fights, and on harder battles a Socialite Deluxe might lend a prayer, summoned monster or both to the parties efforts. All the while getting into the battle some themselves and also relying to a degree on the career they had before becoming a Socialite Deluxe as well.

Advancement: Depending on the campaign type being played, a player with a Socialite Deluxe may want to further increase the combat ability of the Socialite Deluxe, or the political power of the Socialite Deluxe. To further enhance the combat prowess of the Socialite Deluxe most would find it beneficial to take levels of paladin since they gain good base attack bonus and combat prowess. The paladins spells also compliment the spell list gained by the Socialite Deluxes, even tho they have to be kept separate. The paladin also gains abilities that use charisma to power them and take advantage of the Socialite Deluxes already high charisma score. in order to further enhance the Socialite Deluxe as a party speaker or political power it may be beneficial to take levels in bard or in any other prestige class that involves subterfuge or political prowess such as Shadowmind, Spymaster or Vigilante from complete adventurer, or possibly Lore Master from the DMG, or if rules from the Complete Scoundrel are being used, some might consider taking both the Fortune's Friend and Uncanny Trickster classes while using feats from previous levels to load up on luck feats for luck rerolls such as Lucky Start, Make Your Own Luck, Survivors Luck or Unbelievable Luck.

Resources: Characters of this class do not feel any special affiliation or attachment to one another based solely on being members of this class. As such, there are not any gathering of members of this class, and for there to be any such gathering, there would need to be a very large and ominous and serious threat that was targeting them as a class, not just the particular people of a given city. If one Socialite Deluxe required assistance from another Socialite Deluxe, it would fall under all normal socially expected standards, interactions and reactions.

Socialite Deluxes in the World

“	You look dazzling your highness .. but, about that .. "favor" we discussed?	”
—Kist, High Elf Socialite Deluxe, As overheard by the royal guards

The Socialite Deluxes of the world are often characters who started their careers as either Bards, Rogues or Aristocrats. They generally do a job of importance in the community they live in, and may even own their own business. They attend high class parties and balls, and are often heavily involved in politics as well. Most Socialite Deluxe characters are more at home in a city than the wilderness, but can also be some what adventurous people who enjoy searches for lost artifacts or treasures as trophies for thier homes, even if it means a few weeks expedition into a dungeon.

NPC Reactions: Since most all Socialite Deluxe characters are extremely charismatic and outgoing people, they are generally well liked by anyone that they meet. Most characters meeting a Socialite Deluxe will see some aspect of the Socialite Deluxes personality and be drawn to it to a lesser or greater extent. Any character that is drawn to or impressed with nobles, aristocrats, or members of the upper class of society especially like the Socialite Deluxe and treat them with the awe and jealousy that accompany celebrity, as he exudes an aura of confidence in all he does.

Socialite Deluxe Lore

Characters with ranks in gather information can research Socialite Deluxes to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Gather Information

DC	Result
10	Socialite Deluxes are charming, smooth talking individuals that seem to know just about everyone around town, from the pickpockets and fences over in the slums of town, all the way up to the queens chamber maids and everyone in between, and they all are willing to help out the Socialite Deluxe at seemingly a moments notice.
15	When hes in trouble, the Socialite Deluxe knows just who to talk to to get a group of people together that are willing to help him in his cause, or just the right person to point him in the direction of a group of people willing to be hired out and work for the Socialite Deluxe who would do whatever he asks of them.
20	A Socialite Deluxe is also always 'in the know' about all of the little things that go on in his home town and that even includes finding out before hand when any official sanctions are leveled against him and those close to him. A Socialite Deluxe even reportedly has several aliases that he has created and can masquerade as one of them on very short notice.
25	The Socialite Deluxe has been around ever since the times that nobles, aristocracy and monarchies began, always being someone who could put in a word with the king, or who just happened to seem to know all of the right people. The most famous Socialite Deluxe ever known is Tyben Price, a son of a noble aristocrat and a nymph. He helped to bring down a tyrannical archduke who had been planning to assassinate the local king. Thanks to the forewarning by one of his contacts and his ability to weed out a lying accomplice, he was able to foil the plot and expose the archduke.

Socialite Deluxes in the Game

As an NPC, a Socialite Deluxe is likely to appear as an important person (maybe a noble or aristocrat) in a particular town or city, who generally wont have any political office of his own, but seems to have close relationships with all of the people who do. Hes likely to be wealthy and attends all of the major social functions in his home city and huge events in most all large cities that are nearby to his home city. He may be a character that the NPC's are directed to if they are looking to take advantage of one of his class features, such as if they're looking to speak with a specific type of person from a specific field of interest that they cant seem to find, which the Socialite Deluxe could find with their web of contacts ability, or if they are desperately trying to get an audience with the local high priest or the queen whom the Socialite Deluxe might just happen to know.

As a PC, a Socialite Deluxe is generally the party speaker or party leader. They use thier spells to keep the party healthy and will likely spend some small amount of time socializing and getting to know people better, especially anyone in any kind of political power or in any kind of position to come across important or useful information, such as a bartender, a chamber maid of the queen and so fowarth. To a Socialite Deluxe, "There is no knowledge, that is not power."

Adaptation: The Socialite Deluxe is obviously most appropriate for campaigns that involve going on urban adventures and that are filled with social encounters. In campaigns involving large combats, exploration or dungeon delving, the Socialite Deluxe can be somewhat out of place with barely adequate combat abilities and a trivial amount of support spells to cast. In such settings a Socialite Deluxes time to shine would be when encountering intelligent humanoid enemies, against whom the Socialite Deluxe has a hope of communicating and possibly fooling or charming.

This class could also be used in normal campaigns or even d20 Modern campaigns to represent characters who are political lobbyists who donate to getting an official elected or selected, or chosen for a position, and later expect favors in return.

Sample Encounter: The PC's are sitting around at the local tavern/bar/personal hangout, etc when they're approached by a fairly tall, extremely polite charismatic gentleman with long blonde hair, in very nicely fitted, somewhat expensive white noblemans clothes. He introduces himself as Tyben Price, and claims that a friend of a friend directed him to the PC's. He has need of one of the PC's for something they can do. Most likely he would address a PC who either has levels in a prestige class, or is a specialized wizard/caster, or has high ranks in a craft/knowledge/profession skill or the skill focus feat, or something else that sets them apart from the average adventurer. He asks for their help in a task that would require all the PC's, but utilize that one particular persons skills.

For example, he may hear that one of the PC's is a loremaster and is in need of assistance in researching a magic item and then afterwards asks the PC's to go and help him retrieve it, Or alternatively, one of the PC's is a skilled armor or weapon smith and he wants them to make him a piece of armor or a weapon out of a special rare metal, but first the PC's must accompany him into a dungeon cave to retrieve some samples of the ore for the PC to use to make the armor or weapon.

EL 19:

Tyben Price
Male Half-Nymph Aristocrat 1/Urban Ranger 3/Half-Nymph Paragon 3/Human Paragon3/Socialite Deluxe 9
Medium Humanoid (Nymph) Hit Dice: 10d8 (45) + 9d6 (31) + (38 con) = (114 hp average or 172 hp max)
Initiative: 2
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: Normal 31 ( Armor +5, Dex +2, Natural +1, Deflection +11, Shield +2), Touch 23, Flat Foot 29
Base Attack / Grapple: +14 / +17
Full Attack: +19/+16/+9 1d8 + 16 17-20 X2
Space / Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Abilities: Favored Enemy: Humanoid (Human), Wild Empathy, Divided Ancestry, Unearthly Grace, Persuasion, Adaptability, Web of Contacts, Smooth Talker, Friends in low places 2/week, Confident Strike, Social Chameleon, Gossip, Man of 1,000 Faces, Protected Interests, Charming Demeanor, Pulse of the City, Professional Courtesy
Saves: Fort 22, Ref 27, Will 31
Skills: Appraise 14, Bluff 33, Decipher Script 14, Diplomacy 37, Disable Device 9, Gather Information 40, Hide 8, Intimidate 21, Knowledge (History) 6, Knowledge (Religion) 6, Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) 10, Knowledge (Local) 10, Listen 14, Move Silently 8, Open Locks 7, Search 12, Sense Motive 33, Spot 14, Use Magic Device 15
Feats: Negotiator, Urban Tracking, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Endurance, Contacts (Law Enforcement), Master Manipulator, Investigator, Skill Focus (Gather Information), Contacts (Temple), Contacts (Guild), Contacts (Fence)
Abilities: Str: 16, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 19, Wis 18, Cha 32
CR: 19
Treasure: +5 Bracers of Armor, +2 keen Longsword, Ring of Force Shield, Ring of Mind Shielding, +2 Hand crossbow, Cloak of Charisma +6, Amulet of natural armor +1, Gloves of dexterity +2, Boots of speed, Portable hole filled with 2,500 gold of general goods from the PHB such as tents, bedrolls, silk rope, grappling hooks, masterwork manacles, cooking pots, waterskins, pitons, rations, sunrods and torches, ink, ink pens, paper, smoke sticks, acid, holy water, crowbar, shovels and the such, 22,000 gp
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

The Socialite Deluxe and its Balance Point

The balance point of the Socialite Deluxe is directly proportionate to the level of social interatctions and wilderness time in the campaign. Because the majority of the Socialite Deluxes abilities rely on talking to his friends and calling in favors from contacts and hiring groups of thugs to help him, most of these abilities become moot or at least not realistically or feazably usable while in the middle of a dungeon crawl. But inversely, in a campaign that takes place either completely in the city, or at least very close by to the city, the Socialite Deluxe has more opportunities to showcase his talents. This makes pinpointing a specific general balance point nearly impossible. The Socialite Deluxe could possibly even Monk level balance or lower in a completely wilderness and dungeon crawling campaign. It may be either Fighter or Rogue for normal or moderate wilderness time campaigns where his divination spells and class abilities would pass by most all non-combat challenges, and is anywhere between Rogue or Wizard balance depending on the optimization of the given character in a heavy social setting or political intrigue campaigns.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Prestige Classes