A discussion on the Social persona.

[Vrog Skyreaver]

So I've been thinking about the vigilante, and I realized that you can make a pretty interesting character who only uses the social persona, and keeps the vigilante side in reserve for when your social persona is wanted by the guards, or has developed a particular fanatic enemy.

What would playing a social vigilante in a dungeon setting do for me? Why not just play an expert class?

Good question. What are the benefits that I would get for the most part with sticking with my social identity? Looking at the class features (broken down by specialty for ease), you would have the following:

Avenger:
Full bab, 6+ skills, light and medium armor proficiency, shield proficiency, simple and martial weapon proficiency. Avenger is actually one of the easiest specializations to play in social mode, because they can get a bevy of feats and can operate as both the front line character and the face character. This type of character could be best represented as a mercenary, or perhaps a city guard/militiaman.

Warlock:
3/4ths bab, first level casting (minimum), light and medium armor proficiency, shield proficiency, simple and martial weapons.

Focusing either on casting, or away from mystic bolt would leave you with the following talents: social simulacrum, tattoo chamber, bombs, educated defense, elemental battle armor, arcane striker, bond of blood, concealed casting, and signature spell. This type of character would be well represented as a "eldritch knight" or perhaps battlemage type of character (i.e. someone who casts some spells, but in armor). Alternately, you could represent yourself as an alchemist.

Stalker:
3/4ths bab, hidden strike, light and medium armor proficiency, shield proficiency, simple and martial weapons.

Much like the avenger, the stalker does fairly well just sticking to the social persona. Hidden strike scales regardless of persona, and you could easily make a case for most of the stalker talents being "lucky rolls" or hitting distracted opponents. This type of character would be well represented as a member of the thieve's guild who is good at hit and run tactics, or a professional wilderness/military scout.

Zealot:
3/4ths bab, first level casting (minimum), light and medium armor proficiency, shield proficiency, simple and martial weapons.

You could work most abilities from the zealot into your social persona (especially if you claimed to be a lay priest or gifted follower). Focusing on the powers of your divine source would give you a character who could claim distant relation to one of the gods, or the elder fey of the first world.

As to why you would want to do so, I would say that this character could make a good change of pace character, one who has hidden depths of power that he only draws on when things are truly desperate.

Social talents that would work well with this setup:
Social Grace: This talent is pretty good. For about half the level span, you get a free skill focus feat with a a few different skills, as long as they are mental skills. Feign innocence and subjective truth are great for dealing with magical truth detection, and safehouse gives you a great place to rest in your vigilante persona, away from prying eyes and inquisitive minds.

I am aware that several of these talents require renown.

Would this even be viable?
I certainly think it could be. You get good weapon and armor choices, and have the potential to leverage your skills to great effect. splashing casting or hidden strike gives you something a bit different to throw at your opponents, and the startling/frightening/stunning appearance can be fairly devastating if you take the time to set them up.

[Zwordsman]

I've made (but not yet played, hoping to soon but that game fell through)

It's a warlock.
His social persona is a gentle soft spoken Librarian. He's picked up some magic tricks and some skills. He knows how to use a sword decently, enough for self defense. With the new wording (using skills in social persona can use a disguise check to avoid associations) he'll use most of his skills without the check, not caring that people know he can use a sword, and cast some spels (low level). but he doesn't show all his moves. He'll still go out searching for new books for his library and old texts in dungeons. but most of the time with close friends. Specific abilities i'll roll disguise to cover up as something less exciting though.

Generally reserves his vigilante persona for specific things and problems. THough as i haven't played i'm unsure how often that might come up. Though in past games i've played I can think of a few times.

I still am set to use a few social talents, though some won't come into play that often (such as that startling one, since i'm not in vigilante as much, except for specific times) but its great that it's an option. and the social skills are darn useful for mainting the librarian self without too much trouble.
Plus I get to fluff (when I get it) my everyman digsuises as characters from books and legends.

This character gets a lot of play out of tatoo storage too.. his costume for one (if I think i'll need it, otherwise it's in pieces scatter around the home, none of it looks particularly suspicious apart) and wands (spell trigger are usuable without puling them out right?) In a recent thread I just realized that Staffs are a thing. so I need to look them up and see if they are suited for using via tattoo chamber, and how they recharge.. it would be a great way to get a few extra castings per day, without having to buy a wand a week or something. Plus I can use wands etc while in armour.. As currently I want tattoo chamber more than armour casting. and as I play I guess I'll decide if I have space to pick up armour casting later. for a long time I'll only have tattoo chamber, mystic bolt and spell lv 2. Just not sure which order on the last two

Some effects can be disguise rolled to looking like I'm using alchemical reagents I suppose as fluff. Mix in some Alchemical items on my person, and crafting skills.

Was this the idea you sorta were talking about?