I've been going through ultimate intrigue these past few weeks, and I'm really curious about some of these class archetypes. I find the practicality of it is really preplexing to understand.
Personally, I find the Vigilante abilities such as having multiple identities and social value and social feats, etc. to be quite dominating in an RPG, because you are shaping the path of the campaign. But only if you have the GM also understands the virtues of a story driven world.
...I've always liked that notion of using mundane practices to reach overshadowed properties that are indistinguishable by magical abilities, but are somehow detected by skills. Such as the Cipher's Inattention Blindness, mimicking a form of invisibility by tricking the perception, rather than transforming your state of being.
I'm really not sure if there is a hidden message in the Cipher that I might be missing, that somehow correlates the line between perception and reality in a role playing setting by using profound logic as a type of tool that could cut through a "golden path" to your objectives. That perhaps actions are the best way to resolve your goals instead of direct confrontation. I'd really like to believe that is the case, but I also don't want to venture off into a crazy delusional mindstate as well.
Think of it this way, if your entire party was playing the Cipher archetype, including yourself, could you not plan together to walk through pretty much anywhere without conflict to meet your goals?
Has anyone else felt this way about this?
I mean, your question is a lot like what if you had a party full of people who can cast Invisibility and no one with abilities that specifically defeat Invisibility?
The Cipher's Inattention Blindness is both weaker and stronger than standard invisibility in a lot of ways.
I don't feel like this ability does anything to shake up the game world than regular Invisibility spell does.
I really like Inattention Blindness to emulate supernatural sneakiness without overt magic. It has a lot of built in limitations to prevent outright abuse, particularly the limit on number of creatures and the maximum range.
Against an unprepared enemy force and with some good tactics, a party of ciphers an waltz in to all sorts of places. But isn't that the point of the archetype? Even then it isn't foolproof (much like invisibility is great until the first true seeing or see invisibility user spots you).
The DC on inattention blindness is not high. It's cool, but unless you utterly outclass your opposition, not reliable.
The DC is 10 + Intelligence + level, there's a lot magic items and tomes of learning to increase your intelligence. I think it's a pretty high DC, if you ask me.
Inattention Blindness is more of a passive ability that has to do more with the oppositions perception, disguised as an undeliberate attempt of invisibility. As Cellion stated, it's to emulate sneakiness, covering your true intentions.
That being said, with the help of Hide in Plain Sight, you can stealth anywhere, so now the opposition has to make two perception checks, one for your stealth, and one for inattention blindness.
Conceal Scent feat to hide scent.
Fly extarct to conceal tremors.
Investigator talent > Rogue Talent > Trap Spotter.
You can also use disguise while stealthed and I.B. to perhaps drink one of your extracts of Illusion of Calm, Vocal Alteration, Alter Self.
Imagine that group...
Lil Wayne said it best, "Real G's move in silence like lasagna"
So if you want to be a gangsta, play a Cipher.
Or it might be a double entendre, and be both a class name and a cipher. Hahaha. I love that idea. I'm gonna stick to that notion. :)