Switching persona: tactics you have actually used in an actual real game to change from Social to Vigilante or vice versa

[djones]

In a regular game or an AP it might be tricky, but doable; in PFS you might despair of ever being able to bust out the spooky voice and the tights.

This thread is all about your interactions between your vigilante and the rest of the party. What are things that you've done?

For myself, so far I have:

1. Spotted something weird before anyone else thanks to a lucky choice of day job and slipped away to change without telling the rest of the group.

2. Announced that the entire job was beneath my dignity and that I was sending a lacky, then flounced off and returned in my alter ego.

3. Foreshadowed my alter ego's appearance as 'an ally' then pretended to gather information and get kidnapped and locked up for my own protection by the vigilante who then covered for me in the group, then gotten 'released' in time to go home.

4. Tried the foreshadowing and kidnap thing again, but this time it was in an arctic wilderness so it was less convincing that the social was in a safe place.

5. Went back to the same town as in 1 and said 'Hey, maybe this guy will help us again!', pretended to get cut off from the party when I sabotaged a tunnel and joined in.

[ShieldLawrence]

I haven't switched personas during a PFS scenario yet. During the mod in which I was within my area of Renown, I remained in Vigilante form at all times. During the scenario in which I was outside of my Renown, I stayed in Social form at all times. I did "mention" an ally during the Social one, in case I had time to establish Renown on our arrival in which case I was planning on leaving a note and switching during the night.

[Trekkie90909]

I let the party know my identity and switched back and forth at the edges of towns.

[Terminalmancer]

After a scenario, I got in my social identity, pissed off the Chelaxians (checking off a box on the Liberty's Edge faction journal card), and then ran off and changed back. My PF colleagues never saw me in my social guise.

[chad gilbreath]

In my scenario I came in as my social telling my party I was here to spread the words of liberation and that if need to fight I already have a "contact" inside the city who will help.
Spent the first few days in social form and then said I have gain an early evacuation and my contact will help with the remainder of the mission.

[pH unbalanced]

First session is Sunday, so I haven't actually done this yet, but I am *planning* on telling the party that my Social identity is afraid of my Vigilante identity (due to threats made in the past), so that if I see him coming I am going to make myself scarce. While also making clear that both identities are working for the Pathfinders.

[Terminalmancer]

Thinking on this more, I'm considering having my PFS vigilante's social identity act as a "fixer" who farms out tasks to others, and occasionally the Vigilante identity.

In a non-PFS game, the thing to do seems to be going warlock, investing heavily in crafting feats, and then appearing to the PCs in your social identity as a vendor and selling them magic items at full price. Never tell them out of character what you're up to and see how long it takes before your GM decides you've gone too far beyond the wealth by level guidelines...

[Alanya]

My first session was spent solely in my Vigilante identity, and my second session was spent solely in my Social identity, so it never came up. My third session, however (before the last battle), my Social identity decided she was going to go "take a peek at the hubbub about [redacted], and [she'd] catch up with the rest of the party at the [next location]". Instead, her Vigilante identity met them, saying she was "told by some other Pathfinder that [her] help was needed, and that she should go to [redacted] to lend [her] support".
My Avenger also played alongside a Stalker, and he changed identities every session. The first time his Social identity had to "just step outside a moment", the second session, his Social identity had to "use the potty", and the third time his Social identity had to "go back and change his wet sweater (it was raining)". Each time, his Vigilante identity returned with some excuse as to why he was there to take the other guy's place.
Eventually, if our characters play together often enough, we'll just assume that they have figured out each other's secret...