Secret police character (3.5)

[Tajerio]

I'm trying to build a secret policeman antagonist of about 10th level for the next step in the campaign I'm running, in which the PCs are going to infiltrate and investigate a hostile city under despotic rule. What I'm not sure of is what build would be best suited to the task. I figure I need a good chunk of skill points, Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, and Spot at least as class skills, divination magic, and a reasonable level of combat competence. I'd prefer that the divination magic come with the class(es), and not rely on UMD.

Any suggestions?

[16bearswutIdo]

Highly recommend the Spymaster class for a couple levels. It progresses sneak attack (slowly), 8+int skill points, gets bonuses to all of the skills you mentioned, bonuses to divination resistance, and gets the ability to operate with a "cover identity." It doesn't progress spellcasting at all, so you'd have to find divination spells elsewhere. I played a Spymaster PC once, and found it really enjoyable as long as you're a strong roleplayer.

[Nifft]

Cabinet Trickster (Races of Eberron) is pretty great.

After 5 levels of that class, consider Mindspy (Complete Warrior) to further leverage the detect thoughts ability.

[Tajerio]

Thanks for the suggestions--Spymaster and Mindspy both look great. Cabinet Trickster looks like good stuff too, but I don't think I want this guy to be a changeling.

[DeTess]

Thanks for the suggestions--Spymaster and Mindspy both look great. Cabinet Trickster looks like good stuff too, but I don't think I want this guy to be a changeling.

Are you certain you want this to be one guy, rather than a small squad? Having 2-3 distinct characters will make it easier to cover all bases and will make a final showdown easier to balance. It will also allow for more personal connections if you've got one antagonist per PC and create these antagonists to in some way be an antitheses of the PC's. That doesn't have to be as blatantly obvious as the linear guild's evil opposites theme, but if you've got antagonists to challenge your PC's in ways personally related to their character, it could make for a more fun campaign.

[liquidformat]

Are you certain you want this to be one guy, rather than a small squad? Having 2-3 distinct characters will make it easier to cover all bases and will make a final showdown easier to balance. It will also allow for more personal connections if you've got one antagonist per PC and create these antagonists to in some way be an antitheses of the PC's. That doesn't have to be as blatantly obvious as the linear guild's evil opposites theme, but if you've got antagonists to challenge your PC's in ways personally related to their character, it could make for a more fun campaign.

I would agree with this, maybe a paladin of tyranny, a spymaster, and a beguiler or something like that?

[Tajerio]

Are you certain you want this to be one guy, rather than a small squad? Having 2-3 distinct characters will make it easier to cover all bases and will make a final showdown easier to balance. It will also allow for more personal connections if you've got one antagonist per PC and create these antagonists to in some way be an antitheses of the PC's. That doesn't have to be as blatantly obvious as the linear guild's evil opposites theme, but if you've got antagonists to challenge your PC's in ways personally related to their character, it could make for a more fun campaign.

He's actually already part of a group of antagonists, so I've got that angle covered. But I do agree with you!

[ExLibrisMortis]

Unseen Seer on an Intelligence-based spellcaster will give you plenty of skill points. Enter as rogue1/wizard 5 with Spontaneous Divination, and you're all set (Able Learner helps). Perhaps throw in Sun and Moon wizard, repurposed to provide different prepared spells for two different identities?

[Telonius]

The "Master Manipulator" feat (from PHB2) seems like it would be very thematic to this kind of character.

[Particle_Man]

This may sound odd, given the comic associated with this board, but what about Bard? Assuming that you have more of a Nale than an Elan as the person running it, you might get somewhere.

[DeTess]

Have you considered going into Chameleon (races of destiny)? Its ability to switch around class features will make disguises really easy ('This guy can't be the same guy as last time, as this guy's a wizard and that guy cast divine spells'), while it also allows the character to tailor himself to whatever needs to be on that day.