Editing Vigilante (Pathfinder)

The '''Vigilante''' is a base class in the [[Pathfinder]] roleplaying game, unique for its mechanic which allows you to essentially play two different personas at the same time.

You want to play a medieval version of Spiderman, [[Batman]] or the Hulk? This class can do it for you.
You want to build your character like a mild-mannered musician by day but a serial killer by night? This class can do it for you.
You want to secretly worship a god, or conceal your necromantic spellcasting ability? This class can do it for you.

What can this class not do for you? Well, it doesn't really do anything that a more dedicated class could not already do. You ''can'' give yourself some spellcasting ability equivalent to an [[Inquisitor (Pathfinder)|Inquisitor]] or a [[Magus]], but those classes also have class features which make them better at it. 

You have to balance your primary "Vigilante" persona with your "Social" persona, essentially splitting your character progression down two different and often mutually exclusive tracks. This can dilute your experience especially if you are a [[Powergamer]], but makes for some of the most interesting roleplaying opportunities.

==Archetypes & Progression==
For a basic Vigilante, you first have to choose whether you are a '''Stalker''' or an '''Avenger'''; 
*Stalkers get "Hidden Strike" which is similar to Sneak Attack but crapper, only dealing full damage when an opponent is unaware of you and reduces it down to d4s when you flank an opponent. Stalkers also get access to a different variety of talents, including most of the [[Rogue]] talents, which allows them to become sneaky buggers.
*On the other hand, Avengers get a full BAB progression and access to more destructive talents.

Every ''other'' level you get to choose a Social talent, which provides a benefit to your social persona, allowing your character to behave much more like a "[[Party_Archetypes|Face]]" for the group, or makes your character a more effective professional, giving you more renown and better crafting checks, or allows you to disguise yourself and/or change guises more quickly.

To be honest the sheer variety of options available to Vigilantes are staggering. Even without choosing an archetype you can build your character in a huge combination of ways ensuring that your character will be completely unlike anyone else in the group.

When you start considering Archetypes things open up even more:
For the most part, the "basic" class has little to no spellcasting ability beyond the option of choosing to learn a few 0- or 1st level spells. By choosing archetypes such as "Warlock", "Zealot" or "Magical Child" "Cabalist" you can give yourself a partial spell progression equivalent to a Magus, Inquisitor or Summoner. In some cases you can also gain a Familiar who comes with their own social/vigilante persona and changes with you, giving you an animal side-kick. These archetypes also come with some of their own unique class features that are difficult to find anywhere else, such as the Warlock's ability to fling elemental bolts ''at will'' and permanently sheath their vigilante forms in said energy, damaging anyone who comes into contact with you. Or the Cabalist's ability to inflict bleeding damage as part of sneak attacks and jump through shadows like a Shadowdancer.

If you're still looking for something different, then Archetypes such as "Brute" or "Wildsoul" might be down your street. The Vigilante personal for the "Brute" is practically Marvel's Hulk, coming to the surface whenever you get threatened, increasing your size and reducing your ability to perform mental tasks. While the Wildsoul gives you superhero options such as becoming Spiderman ''(complete with webshooters and spider sense)'', or Hawkman ''(gaining wings in your vigilante persona)''.

Coupled with the fact that either persona can be built upon without sacrificing the other half of your progression; whether you're playing a Barbarian or Paladin who wants an advantage in social situations while continuing to gain fighter talents, or a Bard/Rogue who is looking for some more potent spellcasting or combat ability.

Put frankly, the Vigilante class is one of the most unpredictable options available to players whether they only take a "dip" in the class for a few levels or take it all the way to the end, since only a few of the archetypes have "final" class features which require constant investement. 


{{Pathfinder-Classes}}