Sigil Tout

Enzo Sarlas's picture
Maybe you want access to a particular high-up in Sigil's Hall of Speakers. Or maybe you want to find a merchant who sells that rare spell component you've run out of. Perhaps you're a merchant yourself and you'd like a few more customers steered your way. Or maybe you're new to Sigil and you're looking for the best time you've ever had. Whatever you need, there's guaranteed to be a dozen touts who'll say they know just how to get it for you for a few stingers. Most of these ‘touts’ are little more than gleaming pips and urchins trying to eke out a living on the streets of the Cage. Make sure you’re dealing with the real thing, ‘cause not all touts are created equal. Look for the official guild mark – three concentric blue circles tattooed or painted on the tout’s forehead – that distinguish guild touts from the peelers.       The most famous and talented tout in the Cage is a tiefling named Kylie. Before the Faction War, Kylie ran a loose but extensive network of touts and runners spanning the city and extending as far as the Gate Towns. Kylie’s now the official guild master of the Escorts and Tout’s Guild, but she runs her ‘crowd’ as she’s always done and she’s still picky about who she’ll admit. Guild members may cost you more than most of the peelers you'll encounter, suren, but they're trustworthy and you can be sure they've got the connections you need. Sound like a career you'd be interested in? Hold up a minute, basher. Kylie the Tout doesn't accept new guild members lightly. Her reputation's at stake, so if you want to run with her ‘crowd’, you'd better be well-lanned, fleet-footed and sharp as a tack.       This prestige class is best suited to rogues and bards, especially those with high Charisma. However, characters of other classes may benefit from the unique talents learned as a tout.
Hit Dice: d6
Requirements: Kylie'll offer you guild membership… if you've got the right stuff. To qualify, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.Faction: Free League or none (Factioneers need not apply!)Base Attack Bonus: +4Skills: 6 ranks of either Knowledge-Sigil or Knowledge-The Planes, and 6 ranks in at least two of the following -- Gather Information, Diplomacy, Bluff or Sense Motive.Languages: Must be fluent in two languages spoken on the Planes and be able to read and write. Special: The character must demonstrate, directly or by reliable testimonials, exceptional initiative and resourcefulness.
Skill List: The Sigil Tout's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are; Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge-The Planes, or Sigil (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession-Tout (Wis), Read Lips (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill points per level: 6 + Int
Armor and Weapon Profieciencies: Sigil touts are proficient with all weapons and armor normally permitted to the rogue class.
Level BaB Fort Refl Will Special Abilities
1 0 0 2 2 Kylie's Cant, Well-Lanned
2 1 0 3 3 Analyze Portal; Peel the Berk
3 2 1 3 3 Bonus Lang., Uncanny Dodge (Dex Bonus to AC)
4 3 1 4 4
5 3 1 4 4 Give 'em the Laugh, Canny Culler
6 4 2 5 5 Bonus Lang., Uncanny Dodge (can't be flanked)
7 5 2 5 5 Street Smart, Lady's Grace
8 6 2 6 6
9 6 3 6 6 Bonus Lang., Uncanny Dodge (+1 vs. traps)
10 7 3 7 7 Cage-Rattler
Class Features:

All of the following are features of the Sigil Tout prestige class.       Kylie's Cant (Ex): Most touts in Sigil pass messages to each other by code phrases, hand signals or graffiti. It allows them to communicate with other touts in mixed company without revealing anything to those who might be listening or watching. Kylie's "cant" is more extensive than most. In fact, for all intents and purposes it is a completely separate language. For those fluent in Kylie's Cant, sending or receiving messages requires no skill or ability checks. However, if another listener rolls a successful Innuendo skill check against DC 20, he or she will become aware that the character is engaged in a secret conversation in an unknown language. Messages can be left in plain sight as well, scratched in the dirt or scrawled on a wall. These messages will not be recognized as such by passers-by unless a successful Spot or Search check (DC 20) is made. Even once recognized as a message, it will not be readable unless a successful Decipher Script check (DC 20) is made. This special cant is a closely guarded secret among Kylie's crowd.       Well-Lanned (Ex): A lot of information passes through a tout's hands, so it's no surprise that they're well-lanned about all things Sigilian. The tout has the equivalent of Bardic Knowledge for all subjects directly concerning Sigil and its portals. The tout may make a special check with a bonus equal to his Tout level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information. Each Bard level obtained adds +1 synergy bonus to the check roll. A tout may not "take 10" or "take 20" on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. See Bardic Knowledge in the Player's Handbook to determine the Difficulty Class of the check. Furthermore, the tout always recognizes faction symbols and badges and knows the correct use and meaning of all new Sigil cant.       Analyze Portal (Sp): At 2nd level, the tout gains the ability to use Analyze Portal as a spell-like ability. The tout can use this ability once per day for every two Tout levels earned. (Once per day at 2nd level, twice per day at 4th level and so on.) This ability otherwise functions as the spell cast by a sorcerer of the Tout's combined character level.       Peel the Berk (Ex): A tout is quick to take advantage of the clueless and the leather-headed. The tout gains a +2 insight bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, and Sense Motive skill rolls. This bonus is stackable.       Bonus Language: Touts deal daily with beings from throughout the Planes and have many opportunities to pick up new languages. The tout gains a bonus language at 3rd, 6th and 9th levels.       Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, the tout gains the extraordinary ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. At 6th level and above, he retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.) At 6th level, the tout can no longer be flanked; he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defence denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack him. The exception to this defence is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the tout can flank him (and thus sneak attack him). At 9th level, the tout gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him a +1 bonus to Reflex saves made to avoid traps. If the tout has another class that grants the uncanny dodge ability, add together all the class levels of the classes that grant the ability and determine the character's uncanny dodge ability on that basis.       Canny Culler (Ex): Constantly on the lookout for new chant to sell or trade, touts gain a +2 competence bonus on all Decipher Script, Gather Information, Innuendo, Listen, Read Lips, Search, and Spot skill rolls. This bonus is stackable.        Give 'em the Laugh (Su): The tout has mastered the art of making himself scarce. The tout gains +10' base speed and can move completely unhampered through crowded streets and junk-strewn alleys. Additionally, the character can use the Hide skill to vanish in any crowd of 10 or more people even while being observed. This is a supernatural ability.       Street Smart (Sp): The tout knows the back streets (and portals) of Sigil like the back of his hand. He always knows the direction to common landmarks in Sigil merely by observing the surroundings. Once per day, the tout can use Find the Path as a spell-like ability. This ability functions as the spell cast by a priest of the Tout's combined character level.       Lady's Grace (Su): "Lady's Grace, cutter!" It's a friendly blessing offered every day at parting by friends in the City of Doors. Maybe there's something to it, or maybe not. At 7th level, the tout applies his Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus to all saving throws.       Cage-Rattler (Ex): Sometimes what you know isn't as important as who you know. The tout has established an extensive network of contacts and associations throughout Sigil, which he can occasionally call upon for a special Favor. The tout can call in a Favor once per week, but only after the tout has failed to achieve the particular goal by his usual means (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidation, etc.). Typical Favors include: admission to a private or exclusive establishment; a discount on purchased goods or services; getting a patrolman or guard to turn a blind eye to an infraction; and bypassing line-ups or waiting periods to meet with high-level faction officials. Favors are normally granted automatically, however the DM may impose a Charisma check in the case of exceptionally large or extravagant Favors. The DM may require the tout to occasionally carry out tasks for various NPCs free of charge in order to maintain the tout's associations.

Krypter's picture
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Joined: 2004-05-11
infernal cony-catchers

Nice work, me ol' china. Clever names for all those special feats. Good for a Sigil-only campaign.

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