Character concept: An imp with bard levels. He used to work for a powerful devil -- a pit fiend, maybe. He was used partly for research and running errands, partly to perch on his boss's shoulder like a parrot and Inspire Courage in his minions. But then something happened, some fluke of internal politics, and Skaranckx was turned loose, masterless, on the Prime Material Plane.
Offense and Defense:
Skaranckx
Imp Bard 5
LE Tiny outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect good, detect magic, see in darkness; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 18, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 44 (3d10+5d8+5); fast healing 2
Fort +2, Ref +12, Will +9
DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Melee sting +13 (1d4 plus poison)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
-- These include adjustments for bard levels and better stats, but don't include spells or items.
Statistics:
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 21, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 18
-- A monster with PC classes gets +4 on two stats, +2 on two stats, and +0 / -2 on the last two. I cheated a little and put the -2 on Int, because an imp starts with Int 13, so he'd claw back the bonus at 4th level. (Perhaps his ex-boss didn't want him thinking too much.) Otherwise, the +4s on Dex and Cha, the lesser bonuses on Con and Wis, and Str stays pat.
Sting—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus.
-- DC goes up 1 from his improved Con.
So, some work still to do. I think he's CR 6, which is 3,450 gp of gear. For spells, Summon Instrument for sure. Unnatural Lust just for grins. For the second level spells, go with standbys like Hold Person and Mirror Image, or something more interesting? Thoughts?
I can see a couple of ways to use this guy. One is as a small boss. Put him together with a tribe of hobgoblins or something, and his combination of IT (crazy high skill rolls, Augury, Commune) and Inspires should help them punch far above their weight -- they'll see enemies coming far in advance, and be uncannily well equipped to deal with them. Second possibility would be as a solo monster looking to hook up with a party. He might try to convince a good-aligned party that he's not evil any more. Of course, in point of fact he's as evil as ever... it's just slick, high-Cha, charming evil. Any relationship with a party of PCs is likely to be exploitative at best.
As to roleplaying him, I see two possibilities. One, he's a self-described maestro: has a little pointy mustache and a monocle, and plays a violin. This version is an arrogant, condescending know-it all. (But with exquisite taste!) Two, alternate version, he's a hipster. Freedom has gone to his head a bit! Now he's roaming the world with his very small guitar, singing melancholy songs about the dues he has to pay. This version is still an obnoxious know-it-all, but it's more in sorrow than in anger, you know? The hipster will be less obviously evil and condescending than the maestro, but in the long run may be even more toxic.
To that note, if you have an int caster he could be a PC familar to your parties wizard. You would get some stat bumps (modified as it would be over powered to have familar and pc stats) and have a fun time trying to either help out or make life difficult for your master. Years ago while playing 2nd ed we had someone do this with a psuedo dragon and it was great. Awesome roleplaying and an excellent addition to the party. The DM has to be on board and so does the player as you would be a completely independent familar with pc levels. It was also a complete supprise to the wizard player and pc. The look on the players face was priceless.
I dislike the WBL and magic shop as does my group so we never use it as it cheapens the loot picked up by adventuring. To that I would say what ever the DM fits you with. Spells would be situational. Are you using just Pathfinder or mash up of 3.x? Is Moon Lust a 3.5 spell? That is a pretty well used one with the group I play with.
