Is Ultimate Intrigue vital for a smuggler campaign?

[Nohwear]

I am working on a smuggler campaign that will likely be set in a 3PP pirate city. Do you think that Ultimate Intrigue will be vital for such a game? Are there any other books that you think that I should definitely read first?

[Cole Deschain]

Vital? Dunno, but it'd be really, really helpful.

[Mark Seifter]

I'm with Cole. I bet you could run that kind of game without it, but Intrigue is sure going to both make your prep easier and enrich the campaign!

[Bellona]

I'd consider looking at both Ultimate Intrigue and Black Markets (in the Golarion-based Player Companion line) for helpful/interesting ideas.

There are two other Golarion sourcebooks coming out soon-ish: Inner Sea Intrigue in May (Campaign Setting line) and Spymaster's Handbook in June (Player Companion line). Granted, the last two are currently an unknown quality and might also be more vigilante/intrigue based than a smuggling campaign needs.

[Ascalaphus]

So far, I'm not wildly enthused about the player options in Ultimate Intrigue. But the GM advice on intrigue topics, handling "plot-breaking" spells and mechanics for various "minigames" are extremely useful.

[DungeonmasterCal]

As expressed earlier, not vital, but helpful. I just got my copy today and have only skimmed through it, but certain sections will be a boon to such a campaign.

[KingOfAnything]

There are a few class archetypes which fit a smuggler theme. The Transporter Ranger archetype has a Smuggler's Bond ability that replaces Hunter's Bond.

[Evan Tarlton]

For a DM: Yes! For a player: if the campaign puts a decent emphasis on sneaking, then also yes.

[Manly-man teapot]

4th level spells, at the latest, blow mundane smuggling completely out of the water.