You have a way of making people trust you. And why shouldn't they? You would never lie to them, would you? Whether you are a debt collector, a travelling salesperson, or the long-lost relative they've haven't seen since you were a baby, you can insert yourself into anyone's affairs, and come out with more than a bit of coin for your troubles. Then move on to the next town, the next mark, and the next payday.
- Skill Proficiencies: You are proficient in Deception, Sleight of Hand and one more of your choice from the following:
- Stealth
- Persuasion
- Insight
- Perception
- Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, Forgery kit, Thieves tools
- Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a disguise kit, tools of the con of your choice (ten stoppered bottles filled with colored liquid, a set of weighted dice, a deck of marked cards, or a signet ring of an imaginary duke), and a pouch containing 15 gp
Every confidence artist has an angle he or she uses in preference to other cons. Choose a favorite scam or roll on the table below.
| d6 | Favourite Cons |
|---|---|
| 1 | I cheat at games of chance. |
| 2 | I shave coins or forge documents. |
| 3 | I insinuate myself into people’s lives to prey on their weakness and secure their fortunes. |
| 4 | I put on new identities like clothes. |
| 5 | I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. |
| 6 | I convince people that worthless junk is worth their hard-earned money. |
You have created multiple identities that include documentation, established acquaintances, and disguises that allow you to assume that persona. Additionally, you can forge documents including official papers and personal letters, as long as you have seen an example of the kind of document or the handwriting you are trying to copy.
Suggested Characteristics
Confidence Artists are people who spend so much time being someone else, they sometimes forget who they truly are. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe, and how they see the world. But their true selves are sometimes plagued by an uneasy conscience, an old enemy, or deep-seated trust issues.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I never set out to harm anyone. It's just an unfortunate byproduct of what I do. |
| 2 | I have a joke for every occasion, especially occasions where humor is inappropriate. |
| 3 | Flattery is my preferred trick for getting what I want. |
| 4 | I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. |
| 5 | I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. |
| 6 | Sarcasm and insults are my weapons of choice. |
| 7 | I lie so often, I assume everyone else does, too. |
| 8 | I only swindle enough coin to survive. The con is more about the thrill than the riches. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Independence. I am a free spirit—no one tells me what to do. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Fairness. I never target people who can’t afford to lose a few coins. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people who really need it. (Good) |
| 4 | Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Friendship. Material goods come and go. Bonds of friendship last forever. (Good) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I’m determined to make something of myself. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | There’s a secret criminal underground I want to join, and I need to make myself known. |
| 2 | I owe everything to my mentor—a horrible person who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere. |
| 3 | I want to travel and see the world, the con artist job just helps pay expenses. |
| 4 | I have a massive debt I need to pay off, and this was one of the easiest ways to make money. |
| 5 | I need to collect money for a dream that I have. |
| 6 | I swindled and ruined a person who didn’t deserve it. I seek to atone for my misdeeds but might never be able to forgive myself. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I can’t resist a pretty face. |
| 2 | The truth can be painful to deal with, so I lie in attempts to smooth everything over easily. |
| 3 | I’m convinced that no one could ever fool me the way I fool others. |
| 4 | My job gives me connections to a lot of people, which can be unbearable in certain circumstances. |
| 5 | I can’t resist swindling people who are more powerful than me. |
| 6 | I don’t do research on the person I intend to scam, so I may scam the wrong person one day. |
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