Possible upcoming campaign that will be largely focused in the capital of a particular nation. Political intrigue will be a big portion of campaign. In this nation the uppercrust ostracizes any who pursue non-noble vocations. So a barbarian or druid will find it very difficult to function as a noble or upper class citizen there. Also, magic in any form is included in those non-noble vocations. The noblemen and many of the upper class have wizards, priests, barbarians in their employ – but are not themselves going to soil themselves with the tasks of commoners. Note: magic is still a bit distrusted even amongst commoners. Noblemen are usually going to be noble NPC class, expert NPC class, rogues, some fighter archtypes, swashbucklers, things like that. Probably even a few gunslingers.
Most of the players are just going to be commoners and be obvious about their powers. Or they are going with noble within the 'approved' professional skills sets. Note: GM hasn't decided if bard inspiration will be on the non-noble list, but I'm pretty sure it will be since if you have the inspiration you have the bard spells which is non-noble.
I want to be a nobleman with secret magic. Feats like still spell, silent spell, and eschew material components will be critically obvious. Won't cast daylight, but might cast low-light vision so I can see better than most. I'm not sure if bull's strength would give you obviously bulging muscles or not. But owl's wisdom will certainly not be obvious. A bloodline power that grows claws would be right out. But one that gives you a luck bonus on saves would be perfect.
I'm thinking something like sorc with the imperious bloodline and careful selection of spells would work. But I was also thinking the investigator's inspiration would be great. But all the extracts might be difficult to explain/hide. Unless they were effects that could be in normal purchased potions, but then what's the point.
If the main class doesn't give it, I would need to multi-class a bit into something else or take some feats so I can appear to be one of the 'approved' classes.
Would almost certainly need high skills in bluff and disguise.
Looking for more ideas. Have you tried something like this? More suggestions or even full builds?
Vigilante seems designed for this.
Occult casters can skip some of those feats. Note that RAW you now need Deceptive & Cunning Caster to hide your spellcasting in addition to generally wanting your spells to be silent etc.
An Occultist can easily claim that the magic is in their implements rather than their own, a Mesmerist is likely to be really good at the required bluff checks, and a Psychic gives you the most possible magic options being a full caster.
There's always Modify Memory in case you mess up.
A Scion of Humanity Aasimar can pass as human, but then use the Aasimar racial SLA's to cast a select few potent spells as SLA's (principally Wandering Star Motes and Sunbeam). Probably not what you're looking for, but definately a way to have a character possess potent magic without being a noticable spellcaster. It also works very well with one level of Dual Cursed Lore Oracle and Sidestep Secret and Misfortune (extra revelation), so that as well as fuelling their magic CHA mysteriously makes them difficult to hit, and they can pull Misfortune as an immediate action to break saves and wreck attacks without actually casting a spell.
Sandman bards get a kind of performance called dramatic subtext. It basically makes it so that if you succeed at a sleight of hand check opposed by perception, people don't know where the magic is coming from.
There's also a handy feat if you're a bard, Spellsong. It's a lot better than Cunning Caster, and I guess the only catch is requiring being a bard. You could be a Court Bard or something appropriate like that. Bardic Performance is Extraordinary so it won't be detected as magic or anything like that.
Just rich with flavor.
My jazz is so smooth, you didn't even notice the charm person.
"Wit" archetype bard with Spellsong feat
Charming Courtesan as a two-level dip (or more) costs you one casting level, but allows you to hide verbal+ somatic enchantment/divination spells under two checks, both of which must be beaten by somebody else for them to detect it. More levels will require a second save for them to notice a failed save.
Foxshape Kitsune Vizier is pretty hard to identify as a caster, especially if you go for Conceal Spell or Cunning Caster
Thanks folks. You've given me a bunch of stuff to consider. i will spend a fair bit of time looking over those ideas.