Talents: The Fast-Talk Talent Tree

Unless otherwise marked as "House Rules," the following material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a. The text may have been modified slightly from that of the System Reverence Document (v.3.5) or Modern System Reference Document.

The Charismatic hero has an innate talent for bending the truth and dazzling others with a combination of words, mannerisms, and charm. The Fast-Talk Talent Tree includes three talents which demonstrate these verbal skills: Fast-Talk, Dazzle, and Taunt.

Fast-Talk.
The Charismatic hero has a way with words when attempting to con and deceive. With this talent, he or she applies his or her Charismatic level as a competence bonus on any Bluff, Diplomacy, or Gamble checks the hero makes while attempting to lie, cheat, or otherwise bend the truth.

Dazzle.
(Prerequisite: Fast Talk)

The Charismatic hero has the ability to dazzle a target through sheer force of personality, a winning smile, and fast-talking. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a dazzle attempt, must be within 30 feet of the hero, and must be able to see, hear, and understand the hero.

To dazzle a target, the hero must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his or her Charismatic level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist.

The target resists the dazzle attempt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic hero’s class level + Charismatic hero’s Cha bonus). If the save fails, the target receives a –1 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws for a number of rounds equal to the character’s Charismatic level.
This talent can be selected multiple times, each time worsening the dazzled penalty by –1. This is a Mind-Affecting ability.

Taunt.
(Prerequisite: Fast Talk, Dazzle)

The Charismatic hero has the ability to temporarily rattle a target through the use of insults and goading. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a taunt, must be within 30 feet of the hero, and must be able to hear and understand the hero.

To taunt a target, the hero must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his or her Charismatic level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist.

The target resists the taunt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic hero’s class level + Charismatic hero’s Cha bonus). If the save fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round.

A taunt can be played on an opponent any number of times. This is a Mind-Affecting ability.