Charlatan

People call you a con artist, but you’re really an entertainer. You make people happy—the separation of fools and villains from their money is purely a pleasant side effect. 

What is your most common con? Selling fake magic items? Speaking to ghosts? Posing as a long-lost relative? Or do you let dishonest people think they’re cheating you?

Ability Score Increases: +1 to Charisma and one other ability score.

Skill Proficiencies:Deception, and either Culture, Insight, or Sleight of Hand.

Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, forgery kit.

Suggested Equipment (Cost 41 gold): Common clothes, disguise kit, forgery kit.

Feature: Many Identities. You have a bundle of forged papers of all kinds—property deeds, identification papers, love letters, arrest warrants, and letters of recommendation—all needing only a few signatures and flourishes to meet the current need. When you encounter a new document or letter, you can add a forged and modified copy to your bundle. If your bundle is lost, you can recreate it with a forgery kit and a day’s work. 

Adventures and Advancement. If you pull off a long-standing impersonation or false identity with exceptional success, you may eventually legally become that person. If you’re impersonating a real person, they might be considered the impostor. You gain any property and servants associated with your identity.

Charlatan Connections

1. A relentless pursuer: an inspector who you once made a fool of.
2. A relentless pursuer: a mark you once cheated.
3. A relentless pursuer: a former partner just out of jail who blames you for everything.
4. A former partner now gone straight who couldn’t possibly be coaxed out of retirement.
5. A respected priest or tavernkeeper who tips you off about rich potential marks.
6. The elusive former partner who ratted you out and sent you to jail.
7. A famous noble or politician who through sheer luck happens to bear a striking resemblance to you.
8. The crook who taught you everything and just can’t stay out of trouble.
9. A gullible noble who knows you by one of your former aliases, and who always seems to pop up at inconvenient times.
10. A prominent noble who knows you only under your assumed name and who trusts you as their spiritual advisor, tutor, long-lost relative, or the like.

Charlatan Mementos

1. A die that always comes up 6.
2. A dozen brightly-colored “potions”.
3. A magical staff that emits a harmless shower of sparks when vigorously thumped.
4. A set of fine clothes suitable for nobility.
5. A genuine document allowing its holder one free release from prison for a non-capital crime.
6. A genuine deed to a valuable property that is, unfortunately, quite haunted.
7. An ornate harlequin mask.
8. Counterfeit gold coins or costume jewelry apparently worth 100 gold (DC 15 Investigation check to notice they’re fake).
9. A sword that appears more magical than it really is (its blade is enchanted with continual flame and it is a mundane weapon).
10. A nonmagical crystal ball.