Help: Con Man Build in an Evil Gestalt Campaign

[Genoin]

So, I am starting in an evil gestalt campaign. I would like to play a con man type character, who begins with grifting, progressing through cons on wealthier individuals/nobles, to a couple big long cons (One idea I am toying with is potentially basically faking a extreme threat to a kingdom, such as an invading army, dragon, or other nefarious threat, only to then show up as the hero, barter a defeat of this threat into a princesses hand in marriage. Then, once married, the king meets an unfortunate end, I take over ruling duties, begin to make allies of other key kingdoms, who I will soon betray and take over as well, then proceed to a world domination type plan.

Now, that was a mouthful, but you get an idea of the type of character I am looking for. I was thinking some type of rogue/investigator on one side (for the con related skills, etc) and wizard/sorcerer on the other side (for the high level magic that some of the later plans will appreciate, if not require). Here are the creation details.

Gestalt
Level 5
All Paizo (minus tech and stuff like that)
DSP Psionics allowed
Must be Drow, Tiefling, or something else that fits in an Underdark style campaign. Leaning Munavri because it is allowed.
80 points to spend on stats (not point buy, 1:1 point:stat)

I would appreciate any help/advice, even if it deviates from my initial ideas for how to build the character.

[VoodistMonk]

Brazen Deceiver Bard and...
Urban Bloodrager with the Arcane Bloodline?

Take the Persuasive, Rhetorical Flourish, and Confabulist feats as soon as you can.

[Asmodeus' Advocate]

Investigator/Wizard, brew some cognatagions (sic), profit.

Though I can certainly see the appeal of going Unchained Rogue to eke all the benefit you can out of your +4 DEX, maybe do something with Arcane Trickster?

Re: Stat Generation: how low are you allowed to dump stats?

[Genoin]

I love that Bard Archetype, I am not sure how I have never seen that before, as I love bards.

I am not so sure about the bloodrager, admittedly I have never played with the class, but Im not really seeing how it would help much.

That feat is cool

[Genoin]

Asmodeus' Advocate wrote:

Investigator/Wizard, brew some cognatagions (sic), profit.

Presumably going Empiricist?

Asmodeus' Advocate wrote:

Re: Stat Generation: how low are you allowed to dump stats?

Lets say the minimum normally allowed by point buy, so 7

[VoodistMonk]

Genoin wrote:

I love that Bard Archetype, I am not sure how I have never seen that before, as I love bards.

I am not so sure about the bloodrager, admittedly I have never played with the class, but Im not really seeing how it would help much.

That feat is cool

Bloodrager perfects the Bard's saves, and is full BAB. Oh, and Controlled Bloodrage, there's that.

As an Urban Bloodrager with the Arcane Bloodline, you have access to Bard and Magus spells whilst you Bloodrage.

You get extra access to spells as the Brazen Deceiver Bard, too.

For offense take Arcane Strike and Blooded Arcane Strike and Riving Strike.

[Ryze Kuja]

Rogue or Investigator + Psion (Telepath). Max out your Int so the saves are redorkulous, then use Psionics to cast Mind Control, Memory Modification, Mind Seed, and Read Thoughts on your "marks" :D

[Heather 540]

There's a Rogue archetype that might fit. It's called Phantom Thief. It works with Unchained just fine and you can take the talents Combat Trick and Minor or Major Magic multiple times. You also get every skill except Fly as a class skill and can take a vigilante talent or the Skill Focus feat in place of a regular talent. You do lose sneak attack and trapfinder/trap sense.

Another choice might be the Dashing Thief Swashbuckler. It's similar to Phantom Thief in theme. You do lose the bonus feats though, switching them out for Rogue Talents.

I would not recommend multiclassing these two archetypes as there would be a bit too much overlap.

[PossibleCabbage]

A seeker of enlightenment spiritualist with a lust phantom adds their level (not 1/2 their level like the mesmerist or phantom thief does) to bluff and diplomacy rolls. I think that's the biggest bonus to those skills you can get from a class. Plus "I have a sexy ghost friend" can't be wholly useless to a con artist.

[Cuup]

Vizier Mesmerist/Illusionist Wizard

[Wonderstell]

Genoin wrote:

So, I am starting in an evil gestalt campaign. I would like to play a con man type character, who begins with grifting, progressing through cons on wealthier individuals/nobles, to a couple big long cons (One idea I am toying with is potentially basically faking a extreme threat to a kingdom, such as an invading army, dragon, or other nefarious threat, only to then show up as the hero, barter a defeat of this threat into a princesses hand in marriage. Then, once married, the king meets an unfortunate end, I take over ruling duties, begin to make allies of other key kingdoms, who I will soon betray and take over as well, then proceed to a world domination type plan.

No probs. Doable at at character creation.

Charlatan Rogue

Rumormonger:

A rogue with this talent can attempt to spread a rumor through a small town or larger settlement by making a Bluff check. She can do so a number of times per week equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0). The DC is based on the size of the settlement, and it takes a week for the rumor to propagate through the settlement. If the check succeeds, the rumor is practically accepted as fact within the community; succeeding by 5 or more over the DC decreases the time it takes the rumor to propagate by 1d4 days. A failed check means the rumor failed to gain traction, while failing by 5 or more causes the opposite of the rumor or some other competing theory involving the rumor’s subject to take hold.

Community Size - DC
Small town - 18
Large town - 20
Small city - 25
Large City - 30
Metropolis - 35

***

Spitespawn Tiefling (+2 Cha, +2 Dex, -2 Int) with the Beguiling Liar alternate racial trait and Subjective Truth social trait.

Faultspawn Tiefling (+2 Wis, +2 Dex, -2 Int) if you'd rather be a Wis-based caster, by taking the Cunning Liar regional trait. Or Beastbrood Tiefling (+2 Int, +2 Dex, -2 Wis) with the same trait if you want to be int-based.
I'd probably play a cleric for all three strong saves, and the ability to wear armor.

So at level 5, assuming a Skill Focus and spending 2,600 gp on a Cracked Pale Ruby Trillian, a Cracked Magenta Prism, and an Ioun Gauntlet, you'll have the following Bluff bonus.

8 (Ranks+Class) +5 (Casting Stat) +3 (Skill Focus) +2 (Competence) +1 (Enhancement) +4 (Beguiling Liar) +2 (Subjective Truth)
=25

So with a take 10 you can control what any community believes to be the truth, as your rumor is practically accepted as fact. If you say there's an invading army on the march, there is.

[VoodistMonk]

Brazen Deceiver Bard
-AND-
Charlatan Rogue

Charlatan Rogue
-AND-
Seeker of Enlightenment Spiritualist

Either way, those Tiefling suggestions are legit.

[Scott Wilhelm]

Rogue or Ninja, also Arcane Trickster.

I played an Arcane Trickster once, and the thing I found is that it was an AMAZING Rogue! There are lots of things that increase your Skill Checks by +10 that are available for cheap. Disguise Self gives you a +10 on Disguise Checks. Mask of Stony Demeanor gives you a +10 on checks to lie, for example. The Coax Information Rogue Talent let you use Bluff instead of Diplomacy or Intimidate. Honeyed Words let you roll Bluff twice and take the better result. With basically just that, NO ONE will know who you are, and you EVERYONE will believe everything you say!

Vis a vis combat as a Rogue, I really like the idea of dipping 3 levels in Monk, Drunken Master to endlessly replenish your Ki. Then use Ninja Vanishing Trick to turn Invisible as a Swift Action. Then you cast/use wands of Acid Splash or Scorching Ray. Ranged Touch Attacks vs. Flatfooted AC that lock in Sneak Attack Damage! Just try saying that out loud without your face splitting open with a wicked grin! There are ways of gaining a lot of these effects at a lower level cost in terms of levels and Feats.

[Dave Justus]

Rumormonger mentioned above is crazy powerful if used correctly.

The only downside, is that is virtually all you need to be successful at this.

Rumors:
"XXX is the true heir to the throne"
"The king is controlled by evil enemy YYY"
"XXX is the only one the people can trust"
"The king is planning to skip the soldiers pay"
"XXX will make sure the soldiers get paid"

Everyone believes those things to be the truth. You would have to fight to keep them from giving you the throne at that point. Even if significant NPCs don't believe (the king and closest advisers for example) the would have virtually no support and be unable to stop their own soldiers and citizens. It wouldn't be tough to have a character achieve all this in a capital city 3-6 days after they first set foot in it.

In a lot of ways this can 'break' a game. Controlling what is believed by a populace with no real chance of failure and no way for your meddling to be detected is something even a 20th level wizard can't really do. How your GM will handle this, and whether you really want to play in that game (just because it is powerful doesn't mean it is fun) are meta questions that you probably want to think about.

[Temperans]

I think it just falls into GM control territory. The whole thing is a bluff check, so a GM can choose what is far-fetched (that's minimum a -10 penalty). You are dealing with a king, so he should have a couple of people to handle PR (possibly charlatan rogues themselves). The thing takes some time to take effect (max a week) so a King could easily put a price on your head for treason, disturbing the public, and slander.

Not to mention it's only in one settlement. A kingdom can be made of many settlements leading to a civil war depending on what happens.

So yes, the ability while unchecked can be really powerful. With some minimal GM interference and book keeping can change the entire narrative. (I think it would become politics the RPG).