So, I wanted to give building a Stalker a go, starting at level 1 and going to 5, 10, 15, and 20. I'm going to spoiler each of the levels as character builds can get quite long, followed by my thoughts on the character at that level. So without further ado, meet The Protector:
The protector
Human Vigilante 1
LN/LG
str 10
dex 16
con 14
int 14
wis 10
cha 14
hp 11
ac 17 t13 ff 14
bab 0 cmb +3 cmd 13
init +3
fort +2
ref +5
will +3
speed 30'
skills:
acrobatics r1 +7
stealth r1 +7
climb r1 +4
perception r1 +4
sense motive r1 +4
Bluff r1 +6
Disguise r1 +6/26
knowledge: Local, History r1 +6
UMD r1 +6
Feats:
Fast Learner
Weapon Finesse
Gear:
Chain Shirt
cestus
Cestus: +3 to hit; 1d3+0
Class Features:
Dual Identity, Social Grace (Bluff), Vigilante Specialization (Stalker)
At level 1 he suffers the same problem that a lot of 3/4ths bab classes do: namely, bonus to hit. I went with Fast Learner because it's an awesome feat.
hp 43
ac 20 t13 ff 17
bab 3 cmb +6 cmd 16
init +3
fort +4
ref +8
will +5
speed 30'
skills:
acrobatics r5 +11
stealth r5 +11
climb r5 +8
perception r5 +10
sense motive r5 +8
Bluff r5 +10
Disguise r5 +10/30
knowledge: All r1 +6
UMD r5 +10
Untrained Skills: 2 + stat.
Feats:
Fast Learner
Weapon Finesse
Improved Unarmed Strike
Improvisation
Gear:
+1 Brawling Mithral Chain Shirt (5100 gp)
+1 Cloak of Resistance (1000 gp)
+1 Buckler (1,155 gp)
Handy Haversack (2,000 gp)
Unarmed: +8 to hit; 1d3+2
Class Features:
Dual Identity, Social Grace (Bluff), Vigilante Specialization (Stalker), Renown (Lesser), Startling Appearance, Vigilante Talent: Shadow's Sight, Up Close and Personal
Thoughts: I know that I am currently building subpar by going unarmed strike, but I believe the payoff will be worth it in the long run, plus it meets my vision of a punchy pulp hero.
The protector
Human Vigilante 10
LN/LG
str 10
dex 18/20
con 14/16
int 14/16
wis 10
cha 14/16
hp 103
ac 24 t 15 ff 19
bab 7 cmb +12 cmd 22
init +5
fort +9
ref +15
will +10
speed 30'
skills:
acrobatics r10 +18
stealth r10 +18
climb r10 +13
perception r10 +13
sense motive r10 +13
Bluff r10 +16
Disguise r10 +16/36
knowledge: Geography, History, Nobility r2 +7
knowledge: Planes, Arcana, Nature, Dungeoneering, Religion r3 +8
Knowledge: Engineering, Local r2 +10
UMD r10 +16
Untrained 2 + stat
Feats:
Fast Learner
Weapon Finesse
Improved Unarmed Strike
Improvisation
Dilettante
Toughness
Gear:
+3 Brawling Mithral Chain Shirt (17100 gp)
+3 Cloak of Resistance (9000 gp)
Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (4000 gp)
Ring of Force Shield (8500 gp)
+2 Belt of Physical Might (dex/con) (10,000 gp)
+2 Headband of Mental Prowess (int/cha) (10,000 gp)
Sleeves of Many Garments (200 gp)
+1 Ring of Protection (2000 gp)
1200 gp
Unarmed: +12/7 to hit; 1d3+7
Class Features:
Dual Identity, Social Grace (Bluff, UMD), Vigilante Specialization (Stalker), Renown (Greater), Startling Appearance, Loyal Aid, Many Guises, Vigilante Talent: Shadow's Sight, Up Close and Personal, Pull into Shadows, Perfect Vulnerability, Mighty Ambush
At this point, The Protector has really come into his own: He can snatch people around using a combination of Pull into shadows, perfect vulnerability, and mighty ambush. His social persona can activate wands, which fits with his background (he got thrown out of wizard school for having relations with a teacher). The primary problem I see with him is that he can't deal with flyers. Will have to correct that in his level 15 iteration.
Level 15 and 20 to come...
So... rather than taking a USEFUL feat that might make your Stalker more accurate, have access to better weaponry, or be legitimately bulkier, you choose Fast Learner because... because.
As a Human, you have Skilled, so the setup you have here is +1 HP & +2 SP per level, on a class that already has 6+Int skills every level, for the cost of 1 Feat.
Taking Toughness would have given you +2 HP & +1 SP per level, which is more useful as a d8 HD class, especially when you're already overflowing with Skill Points as-is.
On top of this, you had to purchase Weapon Finesse with your other lv1 Feat in order to focus the class back in on Dex - I understand the reasoning behind doing so, but the fact that you had to buy this is pretty god-awful.
So, in the end, you took a pretty bad feat at lv1, and were taxed another Feat just to become less MAD.
---
At the moment, you have a character that the Pre-Unchained Rogue out-performs in pretty much all regards. You don't have its Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trapfinding, Trap Sense, natural 8+ Skill Points per level, etc.
To say nothing of an Unchained Rogue's Rogue Edges, Finesse Training, Danger Sense, Debilitating Injuries, etc.
This is a fairly wonderful example of the Stormwind Fallacy at work here: NOTHING is preventing you from playing a thematically-identical character with a significantly-better class; you can play a marginally-optimized Unchained Rogue and succeed mechanically at playing your character much better than you could as a Stalker Vigilante; you can still have an "alter-ego" through shear roleplaying and supplemented by the Skill Focus Feat and a Trait in order to replicate the effects of Renown, only better because they wouldn't be limited to a prescribed area that takes 1 week to set up.
You mentioned that the character "came into his own" by lv10.
Level 10 is really late to "come into your own" - the character should probably be very solid as early as lv5, however, and by level 10 he's still significantly underpowered compared to just about any other class that is suited to do what you want him do.
---
Compare this to, say, a half-Elf Unchained Rogue:
Half-Elf Rogue 11
Align: CG | Deity ??? | Init. +6 | Speed 30ft.
Gender F | Size Medium | Height 5’2” | Weight 97lbs
Senses Perception +17, Low-Light Vision
Traits Clever Wordplay (Bluff), Pragmatic Activator
Languages Common, Elf, Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin
XP 235,000 (Next Level: 475,000)
STR 12 / DEX 22 / CON 14 / INT 16 / WIS 12 / CHA 7
HP 86 (11d8+22) | DR -- | Energy Resistance --
AC 28, touch 17, flat-footed 22, (+9 Arm, +7 Dex, +2 Nat)
Fort +8 / Ref +17 / Will +7 | SR -- |
BAB +8 | CMB +14 (+6 Dex) | CMD +25 (+1 Str, +6 Dex)
Melee 2 +1 Short Sword +15/+11 (1d6+1, 19-20/x2, Pierce), 2 +1 Battle Aspergillum +15/+11 (1d6+1, x2, Bludgeon)
Full Attack Short Sword/Battle Aspergillum +13 (1d6+1+Dex), Short Sword/Battle Aspergillum +13 (1d6+1+½ Dex), Short Sword/Battle Aspergillum +8 (1d6+1+Dex), Short Sword/Battle Aspergillum +8 (1d6+1+½ Dex)
Skills Acrobatics +20, Appraise +17, Bluff +23 (+28 to Feint), Climb +15, Disable Device +22, Escape Artist +20, K. Dungeoneering +17, K. Local +17, Perception +17, Stealth +20, Use Magic Device +17
Feats Skill Focus (Bluff) B, Weapon Finesse B, Two-Weapon Fighting, Combat Expertise B, Two-Weapon Feint, Weapon Focus (Short Sword) B, Weapon Focus (Battle Aspergillum), Quick Attack, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Feint
Rogue Talents Combat Trick, Weapon Training, Minor Magic, Major Magic, Improved Evasion
Offensive Abilities Sneak Attack +6d6, Finesse Training – Battle Aspergillum, Finesse Training – Short Sword, Debilitating Injury
Defensive Abilities Improved Uncanny Dodge, Improved Evasion
Immunities Elven Immunities
Spell-Like Abilities
At Will Detect Magic
5/Day Vanish
Combat Gear: Celestial Armor, +1 Short Sword x2, +1 Battle Aspergillum x2, Amulet of Natural Armor +2, Vest of Resistance +3
Other Gear: Treasure Hunter’s Goggles, Traveler’s Outfit, Bandolier (Holds 4 Potions of Cure Light Wounds and 4 vials of Elemental Breath), Belt of Physical Perfection +2, Handy Haversack (Large Pouch contains: Rogue’s Kit with Masterwork Thieves’ Tools, Folding Pole, Compass, Bloodvine Rope (50ft.), Canteen of Water, Fire Ward Gel x5, Frost Ward Gel x5, Alchemical Glue x4, Alchemical Glue Accelerant x4, Alchemical Solvent x4, Shadowcloy x5 and Alkali Flask x5; Small Pouch contains: Defoliant x5, Impact Foam x5, Antitoxin x2, Ambrosia x2, and Vitus Flask x2), Wrist Sheath (Wand of Cure Light Wounds), Wrist Sheath (Wand of Scorching Ray)
---
Taking Counterfeit Mage would make the Wand use even more powerful.
And, ironically, would befit your character's theme even more than the Vigilante currently does.
So, the question still stands: WHAT legitimate, mechanical reason is there to take the Vigilante over a whole host of other classes already available?
So... rather than taking a USEFUL feat that might make your Stalker more accurate, have access to better weaponry, or be legitimately bulkier, you choose Fast Learner because... because.
As a Human, you have Skilled, so the setup you have here is +1 HP & +2 SP per level, on a class that already has 6+Int skills every level, for the cost of 1 Feat.
Taking Toughness would have given you +2 HP & +1 SP per level, which is more useful as a d8 HD class, especially when you're already overflowing with Skill Points as-is.
Yes, I have skilled, but I wanted to get ranks in as many knowledge skills as I could, while still maintaining my core skills. Plus, Fast Learner is solid. I could have taken toughness, but that would not have gotten me more skill points. As far as taking a "useful" feat to make me more accurate, what would you recommend? I hope it's not weapon focus, because I couldn't have taken that at first level.
On top of this, you had to purchase Weapon Finesse with your other lv1 Feat in order to focus the class back in on Dex - I understand the reasoning behind doing so, but the fact that you had to buy this is pretty god-awful.So, in the end, you took a pretty bad feat at lv1, and were taxed another Feat just to become less MAD.
So the fact that I had to take weapon finesse, like EVERY OTHER CLASS (besides the unchained rogue and the swashbuckler) makes it a "god-awful" choice?
At the moment, you have a character that the Pre-Unchained Rogue out-performs in pretty much all regards. You don't have its Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trapfinding, Trap Sense, natural 8+ Skill Points per level, etc.To say nothing of an Unchained Rogue's Rogue Edges, Finesse Training, Danger Sense, Debilitating Injuries, etc.
I would like to see your proof of this (that a pre unchained rogue out performs me in every regards), otherwise it's just speculative at best.
This is a fairly wonderful example of the Stormwind Fallacy at work here: NOTHING is preventing you from playing a thematically-identical character with a significantly-better class; you can play a marginally-optimized Unchained Rogue and succeed mechanically at playing your character much better than you could as a Stalker Vigilante; you can still have an "alter-ego" through shear roleplaying and supplemented by the Skill Focus Feat and a Trait in order to replicate the effects of Renown, only better because they wouldn't be limited to a prescribed area that takes 1 week to set up.
Show me the combination of trait and skill focus feat that gives you the following bonuses and I'll concede the point:
immunity to scrying, automatically increasing initial attitude for diplomacy by one step, a scaling bonus of up to +8 to intimidate, and immunity to knowledge skill checks regarding the alternate identity that I am in.Furthermore, I'm not falling into the stormwind fallacy, because I never said that roleplaying prevents optimization or vice verse. As far as there being nothing that prevents me from playing a thematically identical character with a significantly better class, I'm making a character who specializes in mobile combat, one which this specialization of this class does better than either the rogue, ranger, or stalker.
Level 10 is really late to "come into your own"
Tell that to any primary spellcasting class.
And level 10 is this build's golden level, where all his tricks come together to allow him to have a chance at dropping a character a round.
Level 10, btw, being the halfway point of the levelling scheme. It's also about the time in most campaigns that groups will move from dealing with regional level threats to nationwide and beyond. One could certainly argue that around this time renown becomes less useful, but that's just one class feature (it's the same as saying that trapfinding isn't useful in a campaign where you don't do any trapfinding or dungeon crawling).
and by level 10 he's still significantly underpowered compared to just about any other class that is suited to do what you want him do.
See my above comments about skirmishing.
Compare this to, say, a half-Elf Unchained Rogue:
[ROGUE BUILD]
Yes, let's compare your rogue with my vigilante. Your character is horrible as a face character for your group. You might be able to convince the local guard that these goods you're carrying are yours, and you didn't get the paperwork updated because your aunt was sick and yes sir, I'll get it taken care of right away! but you won't be able to convince them to let you talk to the duke, because his life is in danger and you only want to help protect him and prevent a war from breaking out, because you are completely inept at making yourself likeable. Nor will you likely be able to scare him into letting you in, because a Human farmer with a 8 cha is scarier than you.
For that matter, the guard might lie to you and tell you that the duke is not here, and has almost even odds to convince you of the truth.
Now let's compare our combat capabilities:
Defenses:
You have a better AC than I do, by 3 points (I realized that my calculation is one low). That means if we both fight stand up fights, I will take more hits than you. But I don't do stand up fights. I have no desire what-so-ever of staying in combat if I can at all help it.
I have more Hit points than you, and overall better saves than you do. Your CMD is 2 points higher than mine.
Offense:
You have 1 more point to hit than I do with your attacks. You have 1 more point of initiative than I do. Both of our stealth scores are better than the other's perception. your bonus to feint is the same as my defense against it. (btw, I don't see anything in your build that gives you +5 to feint, but I could have missed something). Neither of us has combat reflexes.
Your standard attack chain is (presumably) 1 attack at primary and 2 attacks at secondary with a feint check to begin with. Mine is the 1 primary as a swift action rider on a move action, preceded or followed by a standard action.
If combat were to break out between the two of us, the following would happen if you noticed me (for expediency, we will take 10 or average for all rolls):
You would win initiative and sneak up on me, hitting me with your surprise round attack for 28 points of damage. We would then go to regular initiative and you would feint me, dropping my effective ac to 19, which would let you hit me with your primary attack for another 28 points of damage, and would presumably take the debilitating injury to drop my AC to you by 4. that would make both of your iteratives hit, doing another 50 points of damage. That would drop me.
If combat were to break out between the two of us, the following would happen if I noticed you (for expediency, we will take 10 or average for all rolls):
On my turn, I would attempt to tumble through your square, succeeding, and hit you with a touch attack that deals 26 points of damage and forces a fortitude save (DC 20) which you fail, and are then knocked unconscious for 2 rounds. With my standard action, I draw out rope. Next round you are unconscious and can take no action. Next round on my turn I bind you (which wakes you up) (sticking with my good alignment).
You're on even odds to beat a character a level below yours, and have a 25 point build to my 20 point build.
I'm not sure what to say to that. And as I pointed out, I know that going unarmed is a sub optimal option. I could just as easily went with a mitral breastplate and slid my focus to strength.
Remember that you're only immune to Scrying and Knowledge checks vs your Vigilante Persona only while in your Social Persona, i.e. your NPC mode where you're useless - there's a reason everyone has avoided using the Social Persona for extended lengths of time like the plague.
Playing an Expert just to gain immunity to Scrying for part of the time isn't a very good idea.
---
Pre-Unchained Rogue
Silver-Tongued Focused Study Human / Rogue 10
HP79 / AC25, touch 15, flat-footed 20
Fort +8, Ref +15, Will +8
Str10 / Dex20 / Con14 / Int18 / Wis14 / Cha10
Melee +1 Agile Shortsword +15/+10 (1d6+1, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack +1 Agile Shortsword +13/+8 (1d6+1+5, 19-20/x2), +1 Agile Shortsword +13/+8 (1d6+1+2, 19-20/x2)
Traits Clever Wordplay (Use Magic Device); Student Of Philosophy
FeatsSkill Focus (Bluff), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Shortsword), Dilettante, Extra Ki, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Skill Focus (Use Magic Device), Extra Rogue Talent - Hunter's Surprise*
Rogue Talents Finesser Rogue, Weapon Training, Combat Training, Ki Pool, Vanishing Trick, Hunter's Surprise, Knock-Out Blow
Skills Acrobatics +18, Bluff +28/+24, Climb +14, Disguise +23, Diplomacy +22/+18, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +18, Use Magic Device +26, Knowledge Dungeoneering +17, Knowledge Local +17, Knowledge Religion +14, Knowledge Engineering/Geography/History/Nature +8, Knowledge Nobility/Religion +7
Special Abilities Trapfinding (+5), Trap Sense +3, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Evasion
Combat Gear +1 Agile Shortsword x2, Celestial Armor, Amulet of Natural Armor +2, Vest of Resistance +3
Other Gear Hat of Disguise, Wrist Sheat, Wand of Scorching Ray, Headband of Mental Prowess +2 (Int & Wis), Belt of Physical Might +2 (Dex & Con)
---
The only odd thing about this build is that it is presupposing that you are using a Filler feat at lv9, then at level 10 Retraining to gain Extra Talent to take Hunter's Surprise, which itself is already somewhat redundant to Vanishing Trick.
By virtue of maximizing Diplomacy, especially for making characters more friendly towards you, you effectively ENSURE that they are going to be at least 1 step closer to Friendly; better yet, this isn't limited to just a small neighborhood or section of just one City and only people who aren't already hostile towards you - this is everyone, everywhere, and affects even those normally hostile towards you.
If Drawbacks are permitted, then Bruising Intellect can also be taken to apply Intelligence to Intimidate, thus also granting a substantial bonus over time to Intimidate ANYONE in the entire world, not just in a small section of a city.
For the Loyal Aids, that ability can be replicated entirely with the Fame rules by spending Prestige. The rules for Fame also can affect your standing just like Renown does (making Renown basically redundant with established rules, especially in PFS).
A Ki Pool and Vanishing Trick with the base Rogue is much more effective than the various tricks needed to TRY and trigger a Flat-Footed setup with the Stalker.
---
This Rogue build was also gimping itself in taking Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, and having a low-enough Wisdom that Extra Ki was necessary; had it focused on Strength, its Attacks would have been higher, it could attack with a two-handed Weapon (thus dealing more non-Sneak damage), and it could have taken Improved Drag, which is just about as effective as Pull Into Shadows.
Then again, with Vanishing Trick, you don't even need to TAKE Improved Drag - rather, because your target is Flat-Footed against you, they cannot take an Attack of Opportunity AND they don't add their Dex to their CMD, meaning you naturally incur a roundabout "bonus" to drag them into darkness.
Low-Light and Darkvision are almost inconsequential since many races grant both, and they can be obtained through magical eyewear.
---
As I said, JUST the base Pre-Unchained Rogue meets or beats your values on pretty much every one of your skills, attacks, etc. The only place it loses out is HP, which is a consequence of taking the +1/6 Rogue Talent Favored Class Bonus instead of the HP bonus.
If we were to then take into account Archetypes being attached to even the Pre-Unchained Rogue, which trade away the more dungeon-crawly class skills like Trapfinding and Trap Sense, the Rogue could become even MORE adept at Social interactions.
And if the Ninja were to be taken into the equation, the whole mess goes right out the door - gaining the Wakizashi and Katana as built-in proficiencies, a built-in Ki Pool, etc., means that the Ninja is much-more effective than the Pre-Unchained Rogue in almost every way, especially considering that all the options I chose are also usable with the Ninja.
The ability to disguise one's self is replicated and beaten substantially by a very-inexpensive an common magic item that can be purchased many levels before you gain a similar effect of the class.
Oh, and changing "out" of that disguise takes a Standard Action to turn off or on - much, much less time than the 50 Combat rounds the Vigilante prescribes currently.
---
Right now, there is really no reason to pursue a Stalker Vigilante - it has some interesting Talents, but none which can't basically be replicated and then-some with other abilities (the Up Close & Personal Talent, for instance, is basically an odd version of the Skirmish ability of the Scout Rogue)
I think/know you're better off just playing a Cleaner Slayer / Master Spy or an Unchained Rogue Master Spy than taking a Stalker Vigilante.
You will gain extremely-similar effects, in a better body with more-useful abilities, and be a better all-around socialite-spy as a result.
Remember that you're only immune to Scrying and Knowledge checks vs your Vigilante Persona only while in your Social Persona, i.e. your NPC mode where you're useless - there's a reason everyone has avoided using the Social Persona for extended lengths of time like the plague.
Playing an Expert just to gain immunity to Scrying for part of the time isn't a very good idea.
When you say playing an expert, did you mean playing a character who has all his skills, feats, and at least half his class features all the time? If so, I would hate to meet the experts in your game.
Pre-Unchained Rogue
Silver-Tongued Focused Study Human / Rogue 10HP79 / AC25, touch 15, flat-footed 20
Fort +8, Ref +15, Will +8Str10 / Dex20 / Con14 / Int18 / Wis14 / Cha10
Melee +1 Agile Shortsword +15/+10 (1d6+1, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack +1 Agile Shortsword +13/+8 (1d6+1+5, 19-20/x2), +1 Agile Shortsword +13/+8 (1d6+1+2, 19-20/x2)Traits Clever Wordplay (Use Magic Device); Student Of Philosophy
FeatsSkill Focus (Bluff), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Shortsword), Dilettante, Extra Ki, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Skill Focus (Use Magic Device), Extra Rogue Talent - Hunter's Surprise*
Rogue Talents Finesser Rogue, Weapon Training, Combat Training, Ki Pool, Vanishing Trick, Hunter's Surprise, Knock-Out Blow
Skills Acrobatics +18, Bluff +28/+24, Climb +14, Disguise +23, Diplomacy +22/+18, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +18, Use Magic Device +26, Knowledge Dungeoneering +17, Knowledge Local +17, Knowledge Religion +14, Knowledge Engineering/Geography/History/Nature +8, Knowledge Nobility/Religion +7
Special Abilities Trapfinding (+5), Trap Sense +3, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Evasion
Combat Gear +1 Agile Shortsword x2, Celestial Armor, Amulet of Natural Armor +2, Vest of Resistance +3
Other Gear Hat of Disguise, Wrist Sheat, Wand of Scorching Ray, Headband of Mental Prowess +2 (Int & Wis), Belt of Physical Might +2 (Dex & Con)
Your entire example character needs to be rebuilt. you have almost a third more than the character wealth by level, you have over 120 skill points and several of your bonuses are incorrect, and you have an extra feat.
By virtue of maximizing Diplomacy, especially for making characters more friendly towards you, you effectively ENSURE that they are going to be at least 1 step closer to Friendly; better yet, this isn't limited to just a small neighborhood or section of just one City and only people who aren't already hostile towards you - this is everyone, everywhere, and affects even those normally hostile towards you.
I will grant you that my renown bonus to diplomacy is not as high as having maximized diplomacy. the intimidate bonus from renown (+6 at level 10) is more than enough to get a good sized city like Absalom.
If we were to then take into account Archetypes being attached to even the Pre-Unchained Rogue, which trade away the more dungeon-crawly class skills like Trapfinding and Trap Sense, the Rogue could become even MORE adept at Social interactions.
99% of rogue archetypes are not well made.
And if the Ninja were to be taken into the equation, the whole mess goes right out the door - gaining the Wakizashi and Katana as built-in proficiencies, a built-in Ki Pool, etc., means that the Ninja is much-more effective than the Pre-Unchained Rogue in almost every way, especially considering that all the options I chose are also usable with the Ninja.
The ninja is an interesting character class, don't get me wrong, but they don't skirmish like the stalker vigilante does. Unless they have a move or swift action attack that I don't know about.
The ability to disguise one's self is replicated and beaten substantially by a very-inexpensive an common magic item that can be purchased many levels before you gain a similar effect of the class.
That's one heck of an item that makes you immune to scrying and grants a +21 or higher bonus to disguise as an extraordinary ability.
Oh, and changing "out" of that disguise takes a Standard Action to turn off or on - much, much less time than the 50 Combat rounds the Vigilante prescribes currently.
Why are you getting into combat in your social persona? I don't understand where you see combat on a day-to-day basis walking to and from your place of business in the town you are well known and well respected in. The vigilante should know his city well enough to know who's doing what when and violence should only begin on his terms, not the other way around.
Furthermore, a stalker vigilante can fight reasonably well in his social persona, given that he can still hidden strike for d6s/d4s, put on medium armor, grab a shield and weapon, and go into combat.
If Drawbacks are permitted, then Bruising Intellect can also be taken to apply Intelligence to Intimidate, thus also granting a substantial bonus over time to Intimidate ANYONE in the entire world, not just in a small section of a city.
The bonus to intimidate is a mile/level in radius.
For the Loyal Aids, that ability can be replicated entirely with the Fame rules by spending Prestige. The rules for Fame also can affect your standing just like Renown does (making Renown basically redundant with established rules, especially in PFS).
Fame is not a good system for tracking how well liked you are, especially when it connects to the amount of money that you can spend (in pfs it makes sense, but in a normal campaign that is something that is best regulated by a GM).
A Ki Pool and Vanishing Trick with the base Rogue is much more effective than the various tricks needed to TRY and trigger a Flat-Footed setup with the Stalker.
Things that beat invisibility: Tremorsense, Blindsight, See Invisibility, True Sight (we'll throw potentially weird gm rulings here, as detecting invisibility can get some table variance).
Things that beat someone attempting to tumble into your square: killing them with an attack of opportunity.
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Vrog, notice that you can't use hidden strike on a chained rogue due to uncanny dodge/improved uncanny dodge -- this negates mighty ambush (along with basically everything in the base vigilante kit). Note that a potion of blur will negate his sneak attacks, thus putting the discussion back on an even keel.
Actually, read Hidden strike and up close and personal again:
Hidden Strike (Ex): Starting at 1st level, the stalker vigilante
gains the ability to deal 1d6 extra precision damage on
melee attacks (or ranged attacks from within 30 feet) against
foes who are unaware of his presence (or who consider him
an ally).
She cannot be caught flat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible.
Up Close and Personal (Ex): When the stalker vigilante
attempts an Acrobatics check to move through an opponent’s
space during a move action, he can make a single melee
attack against that opponent as a swift action. This attack
applies the stalker vigilante’s hidden strike damage as if the
foe was unaware of the stalker vigilante.
Nothing in there mentions a target must be denied his dex to AC for hidden strike to work. As a matter of fact, hidden strike specifically calls out an opponent losing dex to ac as being different from the conditions that trigger hidden strike. Hidden strike cares about two primary things (unaware or consider an ally) with a secondary thing (lose dex to ac).
Up close and personal says that you get to apply hidden strike as if the target was unaware of you. uncanny dodge says you're not flatfooted. Nothing I can find says that the two have to be mutually exclusive.
I'm gonna post up my 15th and 20th level builds this morning at work, and then kick the zealot around the block. Given time, I'd like to do one of these for each of the four specializations, just so I can wrap my headspace around how I would play them in combat.
The protector
Human Vigilante 15
LN/LG
str 10/14
dex 19/23
con 14/18
int 14/18
wis 10/14
cha 14/18
hp 158
ac 30 t 22 ff 24
bab 11 cmb +17 cmd 35
init +12
fort +13
ref +19
will +15
speed 30'
Traits: Fate's Favored,
skills:
acrobatics r15 +26/41 jump
stealth r15 +31
climb r15 +22
perception r15 +22
sense motive r15 +22
Bluff r15 +24
Disguise r15 +24/44
knowledge: Geography, History, Nobility, Planes, Arcana, Nature, Dungeoneering, Religion r3 +11
Knowledge: Engineering, Local r3 +14
UMD r15 +24
(Diplomacy r15 +24)
(Intimidate r15 +24)
Untrained 6 + stat
Feats:
Fast Learner
Weapon Finesse
Improved Unarmed Strike
Improvisation
Dilettante
Toughness
Improved Initiative
Surprising Combatant
Improved Improvisation
Gear:
+5 Brawling Shadow Silken Ceremonial Armor (39,930 gp)
+4 Belt of Physical Perfection (64,000 gp)
+4 Headband of of Mental Superiority (64,000 gp) (Intimidate, Diplomacy)
Ring of Force Shield (8500 gp)
+2 cloak of Resistance (4000 gp)
+3 Ring of Protection (18,000 gp)
Luckstone (20,000 gp)
Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone (5000 gp)
Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier (5000 gp)
Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (4000 gp)
7570 gp
Unarmed: +19/14/9 to hit; 1d3+8
Class Features:
Dual Identity, Social Grace (Bluff, UMD, Sense Motive, Perception), Vigilante Specialization (Stalker), Renown (True), Startling Appearance, Loyal Aid, Many Guises, Frightening Appearance, Quick Change, Vigilante Talent: Shadow's Sight, Up Close and Personal, Strike the Unseen, Hide in Plain Sight, Mighty Ambush, Leave an opening, Rogue Talent (Expert Leaper)