Disclaimer

We support a limited subset of Pathfinder’s rules content. If you would like help with Pathfinder options not covered here, please email me and I may be able to provide additional assistance.

RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks. Also note that many colored items are also links to the Paizo SRD.

  • Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
  • Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
  • Green: Good options. Useful often.
  • Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.

Social Talents

  • Case the Joint (Ex): Situational, but this is the sort of thing which Vigilantes do frequently. It’s also one of very few talents which crosses the border between your identities.
  • Double Time (Ex): Consider vigilantes who exist in popular fiction: How many of them are a middle-class laborer? How many are farmers? Smiths? Coopers? None. Being a prominent merchant or noble presents access, influence, and resources far beyond the reach of artisans and professionals. Taking this talent actually makes your character less powerful. It’s especially odd since you can take this at any point in your career and your character suddenly stops being a noble and starts being a craftsman.

    • In Vogue (Ex): Compared to the amount of money which one needs to stick to the level/gold curve in Pathfinder, the pittance you get from Craft/Profession is a pittance.
  • Gossip Collector (Ex): I’ve never been in a situation where there was a time limit strict enough that this mattered.
  • Many Guises (Ex): You could easily do this with the Disguise skill, but you have limited skill ranks and a talent for a +20 bonus to a common usage of the skill is a decent investment.

    • Everyman (Su): This stretches how much you can justify spending talents to avoid putting ranks into Disguise. I would think that if you were planning to use disguises this much you would put enough resources into it that you don’t need to spend talents.

      • Any Guise (Su): Very situational. With the exception of the scrying component, you could do all of this with a Disguise check. It takes three talents to reach this point, which is far too much cost to avoid spending skill ranks on Disguise.
  • Mockingbird (Ex): Situational, but one of few talents which carries over between identities.
  • Quick Change (Ex): If you need this frequently enough to justify it, you’re not doing a good enough job concealing your identity. Instead of wasting a talent, take the time to create a distraction or find somewhere secluded to change your pants.

    • Immediate Change (Ex): Unless you’re planning to change appearances in combat, you really shouldn’t need this.
  • Renown (Ex): The Renown mechanic fits the theme and mechanics of the Vigilante exceptionally well. The size of the community is a strict limiting factor, but additional talents allow you to quickly expand it. The improved disposition and Intimidate bonus are both very helpful.

    • Celebrity Discount (Ex): If you use a lot of low-cost magic items like potions, scrolls, and wands, this can save you a small fortune over the course of your career.
    • Celebrity Perks (Ex): Pathfinder is a game where a level 2 character frequently has enough gold in their pocket to destabilize the local economy. Even with Incredible Renown, the presence of taxes and bribes would need to be absurdly large to justify wasting a talent on this.
    • Feign Innocence (Ex): You should be able to do this without a talent.

      • Subjective Truth (Ex): You shouldn’t need this enough to spend a talent on it. If Zones of Truth are common enough that you need this your GM is probably being a bit unfair toward your character.
    • Great Renown (Ex): Renown’s population cap is too small to get by in all but the smallest communities.

      • Incredible Renown (Ex): Great Renown is likely sufficient in most games.
      • ():
    • Loyal Aid (Ex): You could accomplish the same thing with some NPC hirelings.
    • Triumphant Return (Ex): Unless you’re travelling a lot you’ll never need this.

      • Instant Recognition (Ex): If you’re traveling enough to justify this you shouldn’t be playing a Vigilante.
  • Safe House (Ex): Very situational. Unless your foes have access to divination magic (a distinct possibility in Pathfinder), this can be handled by mundane means without spending a talent. Even then, you can have a party member cast Nondetection.
  • Social Grace: It certainly beats Skill Focus. I recommend using this to boost your Face skills. Since you get more bonuses at higher levels, there’s no rush to pick this up.