Had a thought for a character today. I'm gonna lay out the idea that started it, then layout the initial pieces of the character design along with my reasonings. I'd appreciate feedback from people. (Note: Any locations I use are unimportant except to set the scene. Also, in this example, YOU are the this character concept. Makes my life easier as I try to write this out.)
Your adventuring party is walking down the street of Almas when you notice that someone is definitely shadowing your group. Deciding to resolve the problem, you discretely suggest the party turn onto the next street. As you round the corner and fall out of sight of the person stalking the group, you blend in with the crowd (IE: roll stealth with the buildings and crowd as cover). You spot your stalking the group, and he hasn't notice you. Knowing it won't take long for him to realize you're missing, sneak up on him, then grapple him right there in the street. Ignoring the crowd's reactions, your draw your sword, lay it against his throat, glare angrily right in his eyes, and demand to know why he's tailing your friends.
So I tried to ask myself how to create a character that would be likely to do something like this. I immediately scrapped all the arcane casters (including the alchemist), since this was a brute force solution and the arcane classes would have found a more elegant solution. Same thing applies to the druid. I also immediately said no to the paladin because, while the class is technically capable of this, a properly roleplayed paladin would almost never do something like this because of the danger such a move might put others in. Using some combination of both, I ruled out the cleric and oracle. Next, I pitched the cavalier. That one is because I have little interest in the playing the class, and I couldn't quite convince myself that the class would do such an act.
Looking at who's left, we have (in alphabetical order): Barbarian, Fighter, Inquisitor, Monk, Ranger, and Rogue. Now it starts to get intersting. I could make the case for any of these classes pulling such a move, but the real question is would they. In the case of the Rogue, Ranger, and Inquisitor, I'd say not exactly. All of those classes would definitely pull a stealthy disappearance, then sneak up on the stalker and make him talk; however, I believe that those classes would try and pick a better spot than the middle of the street for the confrontation. Additionally, all of them would most likely realize that threatening someone with death in an apparently unprovoked manner might be a bad idea for legal reasons. A monk would also recognize the legal problems that such actions could cause, and might seek a resolution that causes he and his companions less problems.
That brings me to the fighter and barbarian. Now of these two, neither appears equipped for the situation. But it takes one trait and one feat to solve that. The regional trait Highlander adds stealth as a class skill, and the feat Intimidating Prowess lets you add your str mod to intimidate. So stat wise, either class can mechanically meet the need. But of the two classes, the Barbarian is most likely to pull something like this. Plus, it would be interesting to play a barbarian that pulls something like this because he/she either doesn't realize or doesn't care that such an act might be illegal.
So, what do people think?
I'm thinking urban ranger. Definitely a chaotic urban ranger.
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... are you really asking what class you should play depending on a RP situation you thought about ?
The group could be badly damaged from fight and searching for an inn. The wizard, a hot-headed evocator without any spell left, except for this low-level one that could make him disguise into a bulkier and scarier apparence, is the only member still able to withstand a hit. The halfling rogue still accompanies him to hit hard if things turned bad, pretty sure not having been seen by the follower in the human crowd.
The alchemist, a crazy vivisectionist, just takes his mutagen or his last true strike extract, lowers his head to sneak behind the guy and hugs his throat with it's claws, threatening him to cut or eat precise organs the guy didn't even know he had.
The druid uses plant shape and grabs/constricts the dude.
Urban ranger, too.
Hell, even the paladin could be a young guy lacking of self-confidence and anxious about the situation, deciding to look worthy of his group's attention by scaring the guy. He doesn't intend to enter in a fight nor to do him any harm, only to get informations fast enough all the while being the more stealthy possible. Not really wise, but everyone can make mistakes.
In short, play whatever you want the way you want - including paladins. But be ready to face the consequences of your acts, and make your character learn from his experiences and mistakes.
To be efficient though, any full-BAB class or rogue/monk with feats for Grab or intimidation will do the trick for your concept.
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After the crowed starts to notice whats going on. He conjers up a powerfull enchantment. Every one else look like it's a normal day in the market. Pasing buy and thinks nothing of the mad man threathing a person in the milde of the street.
Or
After the crowed starts to notice whats going on. Throw sear force of personality. He convences the crowed he is working for the city guard. And the man is a dangrous murder.
Bard :
1: Spell: Aura of the Unremarkable (How I love this spell.)
2: Skills: Intimadate, Bluff, And Diplomacy
People realy don't give bards enough creadit.
Using 15 point buy for my example.
Human
Bard
Str 10
Dex 17
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 7
Cha 14
Favord Class: Bard : Skill point
Feats: Learging Preformance, Improved Initiative(Found out later it's important for the bard to go first so he can buff. Befor the party takes actions.)
Traits: Reactionary, Vagavond Child(Disable Device)
Skills: Acrobatics, Disable Device, Linguistics, Perception, Preform:Act, Preform:Oratary, Stealth, Use Magic Device, any one knowlage skill.
Spells: 0:Detect Magic, Light, Mend, Prestidigitation,
1: Saving Finale, Cure Light Wounds
Verstal Preformance: 2nd,6th levels are the only ones I realy plan for.
Oratary:Diplomacy,Sense Motive
Act: Bluff,Disquise
I could easily see my female druid doing something like this. She's about as subtle as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. My half-orc ranger has done things like this in the past, including last weekend when he did more or less this exact thing with a dude who turned out to be the head of the secret police of the town. That turned into a major fight with the town police force and the sneaky dude got away in the confusion. we ended up getting ambushed by him and his SWAT team later, but we won that fight but lost one party member.
I don't think this is something that any class except paladin would be too worried about, and even paladins could do this in the right circumstance. Sorcerers would likely use invisibility for this.
Aura of the Unremarkable
O_O How in the bloody blue %^#& did I miss "Circle of Protection: City Guard"
Interesting to see how other people would build a character that would find this acceptable. Thanks for the input. I wonder how other people would make a character that would pull a stunt like this.