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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

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PFS LimitedCharlatan

Charlatans use pretense and misdirection to swindle money and other valuables from the credulous and confused. Selling snake oil (literally or figuratively), distracting marks to pick their pockets, or faking mediumship are classic grifts.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 18
Unspecific Lore: DC 16
Specific Lore: DC 13

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

CharlatanCreature 3

Legacy Content

NE Medium Human Humanoid 
Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 209
Perception +3
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +8, Diplomacy +6, Occultism +4, Performance +8, Society +4, Stealth +5, Thievery +5, Underworld Lore +6
Str +0, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +4
Versatile Performance The charlatan can use Performance instead of Diplomacy to Make an Impression and instead of Intimidation to Demoralize. They can also use an acting Performance instead of Deception to Impersonate.
Items lute, disguise kit, sap, shortsword, thieves' tools
AC 15; Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +7
HP 40
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] shortsword +7 [+3/-1] (agile, versatile S), Damage 1d6+2 piercingMelee [one-action] sap +4 [+0/-4] (agile, nonlethal), Damage 1d6+2 bludgeoningOccult Spontaneous Spells DC 17, attack +7; 2nd charm, illusory disguise, invisibility (2 slots); 1st illusory disguise, magic aura, unseen servant, ventriloquism (3 slots); Cantrips (2nd) daze, ghost sound, mage hand, message, prestidigitation
Bard Composition Spells DC 16, 1 Focus Point; 1st counter performance; Cantrips (1st) inspire courage
Sneak Attack The charlatan deals an extra 1d6 precision damage to flat-footed creatures.

All Monsters in "Criminals"

NameLevel
Assassin8
Bandit2
Burglar4
Charlatan3
Fence5
Grave Robber1
Ruffian2

Criminals

Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 208
Some criminals are the desperate who have no option but to break the law to survive, while others choose a life of crime for thrills, forming gangs or underworld guilds that specialize in certain illegal ventures.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Criminal Scams

Common scams criminals run include sending fake collectors for nonexistent charities to seek donations for the diseased and downtrodden; rigged games of chance at local fairs offering worthless prizes, and flashy sideshows concealing the work of pickpockets in the audience; and plants who offer to help travelers find accommodations but lead them to inns with exorbitant prices.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fantasy Crimes

While many crimes in Pathfinder are similar to crimes in the real world, certain crimes are possible only in a world of magic. These include using magic to win a wager, malicious uses of curses, violating autonomy with enchantment magic, falsifying divinations, violating privacy with divinations, or trespassing via teleportation.

Sidebar - Additional Lore More Scams

  • Fraudsters sell fake alchemical items, medicines, charms, talismans, or other minor magics.
  • Unscrupulous moneylenders take advantage of lax business regulations to employ predatory repayment terms.
  • Phony fortune-tellers and mediums use cold-reading techniques to lull gullible marks.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Protection Money

Criminal organizations often find it easier to demand protection money from locals than go to the trouble of stealing it. “Protection” includes an implicit assumption that those who pay up are safe from those criminals, and some also promise retribution against other criminals.