Spheres of Power Wiki

Consigliere

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Source: Polished Leadership

Some masterminds prefer to lead from the front of their organization, surrounding themselves with loyal specialists rather than anonymous contacts, and ultimately being served by a loyal right hand.

Career Connections

Whenever the consigliere would select a skill talent from their mastermind levels, they may instead select a Leadership talent.

Criminal Network

The consigliere must choose the organized crime conspiracy, a conspiracy unique to the consigliere. The organized crime conspiracy is detailed below.

Right Hand to Action (Ex)

At 4th level, the consigliere learns to coordinate their right hand with practiced efficiency. Whenever the consigliere uses expose vulnerability, they may grant their right hand a lesser action based on the action the consigliere spent to use expose vulnerability (full-round action > standard action > move action > swift action > free action or 5-foot step).

This replaces spur action.

Example: The consigliere uses expose vulnerability as a move action and could then grant their right hand a swift action or 5-foot step.

Loyal Network (Ex)

At 10th level, the consigliere gains the call in a specialist logistics specialty, using their consigliere level as their commander level for this purpose. The consigliere gains access to a unique roster of specialists rather than the normal list, detailed below.

At 16th level, the consigliere may have 2 specialists active at one time.

Consigliere Conspiracy: Organized Crime

Sphere: Leadership ((cohort) package)

Key Ability: Intelligence or Charisma

Feature: Right-Hand Man

When the consigliere recruits a cohort, they may designate them as their right hand. The consigliere’s right hand gains one of the roles listed below in addition to their usual abilities as a cohort. The consigliere may only designate a single cohort as their right hand, even if the consigliere could have multiple cohorts. The right hand’s additional abilities are granted based on the consigliere’s level, not the right hand’s cohort level.

  • Goon: The goon serves as the consigliere’s enforcer and bodyguard. When a creature within the goon’s reach attacks the consigliere, as an immediate action, the goon may make a single melee attack against that creature. In addition, the goon can use the aid another action to assist the consigliere whenever the consigliere makes an Intimidate check.

    At consigliere 6th level, the goon gains either the Brute sphere or the Guardian sphere as a bonus sphere, plus 1 additional talent from that sphere at consigliere 12th and 18th level.

  • Fixer: The fixer handles problems quietly and without a trace. Once per day, with 1 hour of work, the fixer can attempt a Disable Device check to perform one of the following: eliminate evidence of a crime (vs. Perception), manufacture a credible alibi for the consigliere or another creature (vs. Sense Motive), or dispose of a body (vs. Survival). Another creature may see through the fixer’s attempt with a relevant skill check opposing the fixer’s Disable Device check.

    At consigliere 6th level, the fixer gains the Infiltration or Subterfuge sphere as a bonus sphere, plus 1 additional talent from that sphere at consigliere 12th and 18th level.

  • Framer: The framer plants false evidence, delivers bribes, and manufactures guilt. Once per day, with 1 hour of work, the framer can attempt a Bluff check to plant evidence on another creature or at a location that implicates a chosen third party. Another creature may see through the planted evidence with a skill check opposing the framer’s Bluff check; the relevant skill check is based on the type of evidence planted, with Sense Motive or Perception for credible but falsely planted evidence (such as a murder weapon) or Linguistics or Perception (for forged evidence).

    At consigliere 6th level, the framer gains the Gladiator or Infiltration sphere as a bonus sphere, plus 1 additional talent from that sphere at consigliere 12th and 18th level.

Web of Secrets

The consigliere can attempt a free Diplomacy check to gather information about any criminal activity or organized crime, including black markets, cults, or resistance movements, as well as about any individual with a notable criminal record or reputation.

If the consigliere arranges a first meeting with any individual identified this way, that creature’s starting attitude toward the consigliere begins 1 step friendlier than normal.

Author’s Note: A meeting arranged this way is assumed to be business-related or peaceful talks. If a consigliere uses these meetings to catch or betray others, they may build a reputation and be unable to arrange further meetings this way (subject to GM discretion).

Put Off-Guard Option: Implicate (Bluff)

The consigliere can attempt a Bluff check to implicate the exposed target (DC 10 + 1/2 the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier). On a success, the target becomes implicated until expose vulnerability ends. Whenever a creature attempts a skill check against the consigliere or one of their allies (such as a Bluff check to feint, a Sense Motive to discern lying, or skill checks made as part of sphere abilities such as analyze or scout), the implicated creature is made the target of the skill check if they are within range for that check unless the creature’s skill check beats the consigliere’s Bluff check result. If multiple creatures are implicated and could have an effect redirected to them this way, the consigliere chooses.

Stratagem Option: Make an Example (Intimidate)

Requirements: The target has witnessed the consigliere or one of their allies attack another creature since the start of the consigliere’s last turn (including combat maneuvers, hostile skill checks or abilities, and so on), or the target is affected by an emotion or fear effect.

Effect: The target must succeed at a Will save or become frightened until the end of its next turn. If the target has fewer Hit Dice than the consigliere’s level, it becomes panicked instead. Whether or not the target succeeds, it cannot willingly move toward the consigliere for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

The Consigliere’s Crew

The consigliere’s network draws from the most savvy of the criminal underworld.

The consigliere has access to the following specialists instead of those normally available through the call in a specialist logistics specialty.

The Doc

Class: Alchemist or Scholar. Services: The doc uses their class features and abilities to treat wounds and remove conditions. The doc must be supplied with any expensive material components or reagents.

Once per week, the doc can interrogate a captive creature over 1d4 hours. At the end of this time, the Doc is treated as taking 20 on a Diplomacy check to gather information from the captive, as though the Doc had spent 1d4 days gathering information normally, but limited to information the captive personally knows.

The Fingers

Class: Agent or Rogue. Services: The fingers may use any class features or abilities that assist in breaking and entering or theft. The fingers may accompany the consigliere as a noncombatant into dangerous locations but avoids combat (defending themselves only if necessary).

In addition, the fingers may be sent to either scout a location or “scout” an item:

  • Scout a Location: Given a target location and 1d4 days, the fingers produces a detailed report including guard rotations, entry points, locks, traps, and persons or items of note within. Any creature that reviews this report for 10 minutes may assume an approach allowing them to roll twice and take the better result on any Bluff, Disable Device, or Stealth check made while at that location.
  • “Scout” an Item: Given a specific target item and 1d4 days, the fingers attempts to steal it. This theft’s success is determined by the fingers’ Disable Device and Stealth checks, with DCs set by the item’s security (generally, DC 15 Low Security, DC 25 Mid Security, DC 35 High Security, with unique or priceless items having a DC set by the GM). The fingers keeps the item unless the consigliere pays the fingers 90% of that item’s base price.

The Ghost

Class: Investigator or Troubadour. Services: Unlike other specialists, the ghost always leaves the consigliere to either embed in an organization or shadow a target. While performing one of these tasks, a ghost may send 1 communication each day (usually a letter). The DC to detect the ghost sending letters this way is equal to 20 + the ghost’s choice of their Disguise or Stealth bonus.

  • Embed in an Organization: The ghost infiltrates a designated organization, criminal group, or faction, disguising as an ordinary member of their ranks. After 2d4 days, the ghost is embedded and begins passively feeding the consigliere information, including membership, hierarchy, current operations, and planned activities. The ghost remains embedded until recalled or a member of the organization succeeds on a Perception check beating the ghost’s Disguise check by 5 or more.

    The ghost may embed themselves in an organization they were previously infiltrating. If the ghost was recalled quietly or has an undiscovered disguise in the organization, it takes half the usual time.

    If the consigliere would attack an organization the ghost is embedded in, the ghost may accompany the consigliere into combat against that organization (such as raiding their headquarters, fighting at a key location, and so on). Assisting the consigliere this way foils the ghost’s current disguise.

  • Shadow a Target: The ghost follows a designated creature, observing their movements, contacts, daily routine, and notable abilities. The ghost continues to shadow their target unless the target succeeds on a Perception check beating the ghost’s Stealth by 5 or more.

The Muscle

Class: Barbarian or Brawler. Services: The muscle is a feared enforcer whose specialty is causing havoc. Unlike other specialists, the muscle may accompany the consigliere into combat.

Once per week, the muscle can be directed to seize control of a situation in a settlement, such as by breaking a prisoner out of custody, clearing a building, or inciting a disturbance large enough to disrupt normal activity (subject to GM discretion). After 1d4 days of preparation, the muscle executes the task. In addition to the consequences of the muscle’s actions, creatures other than the consigliere and their allies that are aware of the muscle’s actions become uncertain for 1 hour per consigliere level.

The Smile

Class: Bard or Envoy. Services: The smile is a silver-tongued negotiator who accompanies the consigliere in social situations. The smile may use any abilities they possess to influence another creature’s attitude, entertain a crowd, or provide hospitality for others.

The smile accompanies the consigliere but avoids combat (defending themselves only as necessary). While accompanying the consigliere, the smile may use the aid another action to assist the consigliere for any social check as a nonaction (including Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive, and other appropriate checks subject to GM discretion). In addition, the smile is always implicated, as though the consigliere used the implicate put off-guard option, with a bluff check result equal to the smile’s Bluff modifier + 10. Alternatively, the smile may engage in social activities as the consigliere’s tongue. When acting as the consigliere’s tongue, the smile may use the consigliere’s skill bonuses for any social check in place of their own (if higher).

Once per week, the smile can attempt a long-term social operation to cultivate a new contact or create a reputation for the consigliere in a settlement. After 1d4 days, the smile takes 20 on a Bluff or Diplomacy check (as relevant) to gather information for a new contact or spread a new rumor in a settlement of the consigliere’s reputation.

Consigliere Mastermind Tricks

The consigliere has unique and exclusive access to the following mastermind tricks:

Endless Roster (Ex)

The consigliere never operates without a right hand. If the consigliere’s right hand dies, a new right hand is automatically recruited and arrives at the consigliere’s location within 24 hours, minus 2 hours per consigliere level (if this would be reduced to less than 1 hour, the new cohort arrives the next time the consigliere can rest undisturbed for 15 minutes).

Note: If using the optional rule Associated Skill Checks to Recruit Cohorts, the death of a consigliere’s cohorts or followers does not penalize the consigliere’s reputation or impose penalties when recruiting.

Eyes and Ears (Ex) (requires consigliere 5th level)

The consigliere and their right hand know each other all too well. While within medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft. per consigliere level) of each other, the consigliere and their right hand know the relative direction and distance of one another, and are aware of one another’s general condition (as though each under a constant status effect).

In addition, the consigliere and right hand may communicate in coded language. This coded language may be both a spoken and sign language, and is unique between the consigliere and right hand. Other creatures cannot understand the coded language unless that creature could understand all speech.

Talented Conspirators (Ex)

The consigliere collects the best of the best to aid their day to day operations. The consigliere gains 2 bonus Leadership sphere (follower) talents.