Ambassador

“Unveil the Secrets of Diplomacy: Become the Ultimate Ambassador!”

Author Martin R. Thomas

Series Quintessential Series

Publisher Mongoose Publishing

Publish date 2004

In the game of politics, the ambassador is a necessary and important individual. Combining his powers of negotiation and persuasion with his extensive knowledge of foreign races and cultures, operating on behalf of his sovereign to increase their territory and wealth.

They are found throughout civilized society, and even among some tribal nations of barbarians who seek to join the more modern world. The ambassador is the sovereign’s personal representative among foreign governments and guilds. Many are travelers, venturing far and wide to serve their sovereigns by delivering communiqués, negotiating treaties, and establishing trade routes. Others are stationed at an embassy, and become experts at dealing with a particular race or culture.

Non-Player Character ambassadors are typically seasoned and shrewd politicians, working among a foreign government at an embassy. They will most often have a large staff of skilled lower-level aristocrats and ambassadors working with them to represent the interests of their sovereign.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify as an Ambassador, a character must fulfil the following requirements:

• Skills: Diplomacy 9 Ranks, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) 5 Ranks, Knowledge (local) 5 Ranks, Sense Motive 7 Ranks
• Feats: Aristocratic Favour, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Unusual Associates
• Special: Must be named as an Ambassador to the specific group, race or culture that was chosen for the Unusual Associates feat.

Class Skills

Appraise (Intelligence), Bluff (Charisma), Concentration (Constitution), Diplomacy (Charisma), Gather Information (Charisma), Intimidate (Charisma), Knowledge (Geography) (Intelligence), Knowledge (history) (Intelligence), Knowledge (local) (Intelligence), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Listen (Wisdom), Perform (Wisdom), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Speak Language (Intelligence), Spot (Wisdom)

Skill points at each level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier

The Ambassador
Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Master Diplomat, Diplomatic Immunity
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Bonus Language, Native Son
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Olive Branch of Peace
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Language, Sense the Truth
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Embassy Staff, Captivating Negotiator

Class Features

All the following are class features of this prestige class:

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: He gains no additional proficiencies with weapons, armor or shields.

Master Diplomat (Ex): He has become a skilled representative of his government, mastering the skills of courtly intrigue. She gains a +2 competence bonus on all Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform (oratory) and Sense Motive skill checks.

Being named as an official ambassador also confers a +2 bonus to the character’s Status score.

Diplomatic Immunity: Holding ambassador status gives certain rights to which most civilized nations agree to hold sacred. Among them are the inviolability of the ambassador’s house, important papers and goods from searches and seizure and the exemption of any personal goods from levies or taxation.

He also gains complete immunity from criminal prosecution among his unusual associates (as per the Unusual Associates feat taken as a pre-requisite for this prestige class) as long as he is acting in his official capacity as a diplomat at the time the crime was committed. Being accused of a crime still has serious consequences, which could include expulsion to the their home country. For serious criminal behavior such as murder, the Games Master may rule that the ambassador character loses the benefits of the Unusual Associates feat.

Bonus Language: He earns a free bonus language from another culture or race.

Native Son (Ex): He has worked so closely with his unusual associates that he has developed a special relationship with them that extends beyond mere pleasantries. Among his unusual associates he gains the ability to be treated as a native.

This translates to an additional +2 insight bonus to all Charisma-related skill checks against the members of the group, race or culture he has selected as his unusual associates. This bonus stacks with the abilities granted by the Unusual Associates feat. The Native Son ability also grants the ambassador the special privilege of being counted as a native among his unusual associates, meaning that he can now qualify for prestige classes or feats that require being a member of that particular group, race, or culture.

For example, a human to an elven culture who selected elves for his Unusual Associates feat could qualify to be taught the secrets of the arcane archer prestige class even though the ambassador does not have elven blood.

Olive Branch of Peace (Su): His negotiation skills have grown even more, enabling him to use the power of Diplomacy to negotiate peaceful resolutions in otherwise hostile situations. As a standard action, he can make a Diplomacy check against all opponents within 15 feet. Each opponent is entitled to a Will save versus a DC of the ambassador’s Diplomacy check result.

Opponents who fail their Will save cannot attack the Ambassador for as long as the ambassador concentrates on a peaceful solution by making a Concentration check versus DC 15 each round. While concentrating, he cannot engage in melee or ranged attacks but may move, talk, and cast nonaggressive spells. If he or one of his allies attacks any opponents currently affected by the Olive Branch of Peace ability, the power is instantly broken and the opponents may attack again as normal on their turn in initiative order.

If an opponent makes his Will save, he is immune to this ability from the ambassador for the next 24 hours. If using this supernatural ability against a member of the ambassador’s unusual associates, the ambassador adds +2 to his Diplomacy check.

Sense the Truth (Sp): Through his training and experience, he has gained a special insight into people’s ability to lie or tell the truth. By making a Sense Motive check versus DC 20, he can discern lies as the spell cast by a cleric of the ambassador’s total character level with a DC of 10 + the ambassador’s Charisma modifier + ½ the ambassador’s class level. He may use this spell-like ability once per day per ambassador class level.

Embassy Staff (Ex): He is selected by his government to open an official embassy among his unusual associates. He is granted a small staff to assist him in running the embassy. This extraordinary ability grants him a staff as though he had taken the Followers feat. These staff members belong to the aristocrat, expert and warrior classes. The Games Master should create the details of the embassy, including its location and layout. The actual embassy is the property of the ambassador’s home country and it is not intended for use as a fortification or stronghold.

Captivating Negotiator (Sp): He has become well known as a superior negotiator, and has demonstrated a nearly magical ability to get his way during diplomatic relations. He gains the Aura of Fascination feat for free even if he does not meet the prerequisites. If the he has already taken this feat, he adds +2 to the save DC of this ability. Additionally, if using this ability against a member of the group, race or culture that he selected for the Unusual Associates feat, the ambassador gains another +2 bonus to the save DC of this ability. This bonus stacks with the bonus for having already taken the Aura of Fascination feat.