Incarnation of Evil in Pathfinder


Advice


I'm starting a new campaign on the evil-side ^-^ (Evil Party).

Some informations:
- Alignment: LE or NE
- 20 PB, 1st level, we're currently dead (we could have been a powerful 20th level mage or whatever in our life, but we did something so evil that we deserved to go to hell, and reborn there as Evil Outsiders [gaining the type and immunity to fire, speak Infernal aswell]
- 2 traits
- We can use all Paizo stuff

Now i'm stuck on what to play (i think we have already an Antipaladin in group), but especially on what could i've done to go to hell? any thoughs?


Kitty In A Fishbowl wrote:

I'm starting a new campaign on the evil-side ^-^ (Evil Party).

Some informations:
- Alignment: LE or NE
- 20 PB, 1st level, we're currently dead (we could have been a powerful 20th level mage or whatever in our life, but we did something so evil that we deserved to go to hell, and reborn there as Evil Outsiders [gaining the type and immunity to fire, speak Infernal aswell]
- 2 traits
- We can use all Paizo stuff

Now i'm stuck on what to play (i think we have already an Antipaladin in group), but especially on what could i've done to go to hell? any thoughs?

Go with a nice Asmodean Cleric.

You'll be the face, a blaster, and a healer, not to mention a familiar.


fire kineticist 10 + anti-paladin 10 + conductive weapon = I am become death destroyer of worlds.


Thanks for your thoughs.
I want to remind that the character is starting anyway at level 1 despiting who she was.

It would be awesome knowing how i deserve to go to hell ^-^, here i've the most trouble.


Fernn wrote:
You'll be the face, a blaster, and a healer, not to mention a familiar.

Why would you want to be a familiar?

To the OP, an evil party is just like a good party or neutral party. So play what YOU like to play. Probably not a paladin, but just about everything else works perfectly in an evil group just like any other group.

A couple thoughts.

Evil clerics (etc.) won't channel healing energy.
Necromancy is more acceptable in an evil group.
Assassins and their tools (e.g. poison) are more acceptable.
Since you're whole group is immune to fire, being a guy who does AOE fire damage might be cool - this might be the only group where you could easily use Fireball (etc.) in a melee brawl.

And finally, you and everybody else should be very careful to not make childish Darth Vader jerks who kill and backstab everybody around them (especially other PCs) for no better reason than "because evil". Unless everybody is on board with that, in which case, go for it, but don't expect a long and interesting campaign. If you want the long campaign, then all you evil hellions should have very good reasons to work together and not kill each other.


Master Summoner.
Pure Evil.

Orrrrrrr....
You could play a third-world summoner.
Not quite optimal, but pouring pugwampis everywhere is rather entertaining.
Also suitably malicious to warrant a trip to Hell.


My advice is don't unless you are really ready for this. I have ran two evil themed campaigns and it is a lot of work. Pumping up PCs even at first level is not a great idea to start. At about fifteenth level writing adventures for a party like this becomes a huge amount of hassle. The party at eighteenth level killed a Demon Lord with a CR of 24. The fight wasn't even that challenging for them.
Now onto the other fun part of having an evil party. Alignment and motivation. For me we were all except our Rogue loyal Asmodeus worshippers in some way. That was easy on me since a Devil would appear and say go adventure and the PCs would. Now the rogue had in some cases said no which made it difficult for him to want to adventure. He wasn't loyal wanting reward which at higher levels became difficult to provide. Now you add a Chaotic Evil in the group. Picture Joker in your group he'd kill the party for a chuckle. So my advice set ground rules about PCs killing PCs.
Another problem is motivation. Telling a bunch of evil PCs to go face a dragon to save a town just won't work. You have to consider evil needs a different motivation to do everything a good party would willingly do.
The last problem I had was evil like to kill. I spent more time designing NPCs then my adventure since my evil party was devastating to a town. I've seen them burn down bars, kill shopkeepers to steal everything in it and far, far worse.
If you insist on doing this make them all part of a cult or something a reason to stay and work together. Have an NPC Codex handy. Expect them to do a lot of nasty things. Expect them to say no to adventures a lot unless properly motivated. Gold power or something of that nature.

Sovereign Court

If you're all immune to fire - basing a character around tons of AOE fire evocations could be fun since you wouldn't need to worry about avoiding your allies. I think in the fluff Pit Fiends chuck fireballs into melees since the devils are all immune.


I agree with the notion that 'we are all evil' isn't enough for a coherent party. Either the GM or the players needs to supply a unifying theme and motivation or this will probably all end in tears. There are many things that could do this, but it has to provide a common goal, a reason to work together and at least have a modicum of trust for each other.

Beyond that, an evil party doesn't need any different roles for characters than a good party does, and you will want to have all of those filled. Your unifying theme will be pretty critical to your individual character motivations, so you probably need that first.


I think almost nobody read my first post :c
We're all evil, but allignment is restricted LE or NE. There will be no CE in the group.

Now about what Derek Dalton is writing: i'm almost prepared to play this way, i've just asked help for ideas but especially i'm trying to figure how much and which evil act have i committed to deserve to go Hell; this is the part more troubling for me, because i want to create a PC with a solid background and nice customization.

I like the idea to go with the Fire-route ^-^!


Kitty In A Fishbowl wrote:

I think almost nobody read my first post :c

We're all evil, but allignment is restricted LE or NE. There will be no CE in the group.

CE are not the only disruptive bad guys. In many cases NE are just as bad. And even LE, while they're not as random, can often get that "I have made up my mind and you can't make me change it" mentality which, along with being evil, can disrupt entire campaigns.

Don't think for a minute that only one type of evil is disruptive.


Yeah, i understand your point, but my group is made about players who knows how to play evil character and surely want to play this campaign without destroying it.

We should work together on backgrounds if this help out "staying alive a little more", no problem about that.

Sovereign Court

I think that the most important aspect of an interesting character background is probably to remember "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.".


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To build off of the whole "immune to fire so you should be a blaster" thing, maybe in life you were a red dragon.

Now you're a devil with levels in red dragon-blooded sorcerer.


Very nice idea Master of the Dark Triad, i like it *-*!

Well, first i need to solve my problem (which evil act brings me to hell)before to decide which class/race/build to play.


If you were a dragon, probably burning down a village and devouring still-living children.

Silver Crusade

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One thing to keep in mind is that, generally, it takes more than one action to damn a person to an evil plane for all eternity. As one of the earlier posters said: "the road to hell is paved with good intentions," which actually leads into my next point:

A person usually sees themselves as the hero of their story. So I wouldn't think your character would have just woken up one day and said, "I feel like burning down the town today." Perhaps it started because your character was upset with the perceived despot that was in power as the mayor/governor/king. Perhaps they helped organize the populace against this ruler, but things got out of hand and the heads of a few innocent bureaucrats rolled. Perhaps your character accepted the new role of leadership, and was afraid of sympathizers of the old regime taking back over, so imposed laws that were more despotic than the old ruler on a "temporary" basis, just so you could get yourself in a safe place to rule. Perhaps they forgot about those laws and new problems arose, such as war or famine, and things kept leading down a darker path until you, one day, found yourself on the business end of a successful revolution against you, and wondered why as the axe came down on your head, and were terrified (initially) when Pharasma ordained that your soul was damned to hell.

A good example is Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2. He repeatedly refers to himself as the hero, despite the atrocious things that he did in the name of ridding Pandora of bandits. To him, even though he did things that hurt or killed people, it was justified under the banner of making Pandora safe. Now, all of this is sort of undercut when he does things like gleefully talk about how a man stumbled about after Jack dug his eye out with a spoon, but the point still stands :-P

Just my 2cp :-)


My suggestion of a cult or all worshippers of an evil god work because then a leader can give them assignments for which they would want to go complete.
The issue also I faced was stomaching what some PCs did on their own time. One player had a taste for the young and it was a bit unsettling. That is something to consider as well.


@Phylotus: very nice point *-*!!! It's a good idea i think, i have to adjust it to base my background on.
very nice though, helping a lot!

Liberty's Edge

No Chaotic Evil, but you have an anti-pally in the group?


Yes CN_Minus, but the anti-paladin will be LE (Houserule or taken by Way of the Wicked i suppose).

The Exchange

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Thrallherd from 3.5/dreamscared press pathfinder: make every mortal npc a puppet
Cleric of an evil god, i like ghlaunder or henspur
Mantis assassin (cause evil games dont happen often)
Mesmerist
Wizard demon binder

Hell is a specific place in pathfinder. So a LE reason to be there, probably dealing with devils and selling your soul. Could also be due to your belief system in life, you dont need to be baby eating evil tomget there.


My evil campaign started off with us being neutral sliding to evil surprisingly quick. One player the fighter of all people proclaimed to be a worshipper of Asmodeus. From there my adventures started using that element another player becoming the leader since she chose to be a cleric of Asmodeus.
While you don't have to have all the PCs affiliated with a religion or group it does help keep making the why they are adventuring a lot easier.


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I ran way of the Wicked last year and had three evil PCs in the party.

A female witch : A peasant girl who had a relationship with the local lord abandoned her when he found out she was pregnant and she lost the baby in despair. When the Lord returned a year later married with a child she kidnapped the lords baby and gave it over to an avatar of Asmodeus in exchange for patronage of witchcraft. (The child came back to trouble her as a half fiend later on)

A docks gang leader who led a brutal and fearsome gang using extortion, murder and canibalism to enforce his authority.

An antipaladin (lawful evil variant from WotW) who turned because her twin sister had everything easy, including falling in love and getting married. She drugged her sister and took her place in the marriage bed, before killing the groom when he found out. The groom was later resurrected and was the Richard Havelyn NPC.

All three felt they had been betrayed/taken care of number one. They worked well right up to the end of book four when the witch started feeling guilty. They then spent book five plotting behind each other's back and at the end of the book we had a showdown and the party spectacularly ripped itself apart - judgement was served - and evil had its just deserts!


Maybe the your character in life established a fascist regime of some kind and coldly subjugated and killed thousands or more of people to maintain power and order.


I always thought really evil characters would be people who took advantage of those in their charge.

Prison/asylum wardens/guards who terrorise/experiment on prisoners
Healers who enjoy inflicting pain
Teachers who brainwash/unduly influence their pupils


My party worked for ASmodues because he was giving them Half fiend template as reward and could always take it away if they were too defiant.


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There are many kinds of evils and multiple ways to get to Hell in the PF setting.
Much like a non-evil campaign, I'd focus more on what you want to play and then work on the backstory, especially given the restrictions you will face (especially when it comes to healing) when playing with an all-evil group.

That said, here are some random thoughts for you...

For love of (lawful) evil:

The oath-bound healer - Life Oracle, Blackened / Legalistic (or Dual-Cursed for both). In life you were always at the hand of your leader, ready to ensure that your goals were met. Necessity brought many decisions that you both regretted you had to make, but in order to achieve your goals and your vision sacrifices had to be made. In the end, perhaps that included you.

The archivist - bard, wizard or other int-skill based character. In life you were an archivist and researcher for the Blood Mistress and were responsible for maintaining the Sarzari Library. Your actions facilitated murder for decades and your damnation was the just reward you knew you had coming.

The poisoned pen - bard, oracle or other cha-based character. In life you were a "poisoned pen", one who destroyed reputations, facilitated conflict and ruined relationships all for either a price or your purpose. You proved that who and what you are is far less important than what others think of you, especially if they are driven to murder and riot. Your most personal revenge was perhaps more ... extensive than even you intended and the deaths and mayhem you caused damned you to hell.

The right hand of tyranny - Ranger (Witchguard) or other bodyguard based character. You found your path to evil early in life, but also learned that discipline and power were the only way to keep yourself the victimizer rather than the victim. Learning your paths to power and strength, you learned that by accepting the risk of protecting one with even greater power than yourself, you lessened the chances of betrayal and increased your odds of survival or return. This was not your first death, but for some reason this time you were not returned to life in service to your master / mistress. Distressing on many levels, but perhaps they too were damned to hell with you.

The dark smith - Wizard or Cleric with item crafting focus. In life you cared nothing for those who lived and served, only for those things which you crafted - honing your art to heights which were unknown to those with simpler tastes and lesser talents. At first it was difficult, but an agreement and an acceptable sacrfice brought you great progress. Thereafter each masterpiece you created was greater than the last, each commission unlocking greater wealth and power to continue to explore the potential of magic. At the end, you died surrounded by constructs and sentient items you had crafted to aid your various endeavors - all unknowing as age and neglect ended you and the long-forgotten contract came due damning you to Hell.

The undeserving damnation - any background. In life you did nothing to deserve being damned. Your death, however, was by Hellfire with your allies all unaware. Now you must do what you must to escape from Hell, perhaps damning yourself in truth along the way.


Thanks for all the thoughs, i appreciate very much ^-^!

Now, on the fire-route, there's a big issue: staying in hell we will have to deal with demons and devils, who have the best fire resistance ever ^-^.

Now i'm thinking to go for a necromancer, any idea on which class fits better for this role_?

Sovereign Court

Kitty In A Fishbowl wrote:
Now, on the fire-route, there's a big issue: staying in hell we will have to deal with demons and devils, who have the best fire resistance ever ^-^.

Most demons aren't actually immune to fire. They're immune to electricity. They have resistance to fire, but they have resistance to cold & acid too.

Devils are though.

Though really - other than that extra 1pt per die for a specific bloodline, arcane blasters can switch between different elements without issue.

Of course - it depends how much you want to powergame it. Possibly the best blaster build is a 1 level dip into crossblooded sorcerer (orc/draconic) and then into evocator wizard. Total gets them an extra +3 damage per die for their draconic element and +2 on everything else, though their spell-casting is a level behind.


Charon's Little Helper wrote:
Kitty In A Fishbowl wrote:
Now, on the fire-route, there's a big issue: staying in hell we will have to deal with demons and devils, who have the best fire resistance ever ^-^.

Most demons aren't actually immune to fire. They're immune to electricity. They have resistance to fire, but they have resistance to cold & acid too.

Devils are though.

Though really - other than that extra 1pt per die for a specific bloodline, arcane blasters can switch between different elements without issue.

Of course - it depends how much you want to powergame it. Possibly the best blaster build is a 1 level dip into crossblooded sorcerer (orc/draconic) and then into evocator wizard. Total gets them an extra +3 damage per die for their draconic element and +2 on everything else, though their spell-casting is a level behind.

Devils are the bane of fire kineticists. They can't even begin to do anything against them damage wise, since they don't even have the fire subtype. They can only blind with smoke or dispel their SLAs.


For a Lawful Evil type. I once played a Fallen Knight who fell due to love of King and country.

His homeland was being torn apart by intrigue and people were growing increasingly paranoid, stealing from each other and participating in witch hunts. So he vowed to become the evil people would fear so they would stop preying on each other.

This culminated in him brutally murdering the king at a banquet to make himself a target and gaining levels in Antipaladin (previously was a Fighter).

So he started from a good place and well, things just kind of spiraled out of control from there.

Basically all he wanted to do was unite his people, and if kindness wouldn't do it, a looming threat would.


Devils are the bane of fire kineticists. They can't even begin to do anything against them damage wise, since they don't even have the fire subtype. They can only blind with smoke or dispel their SLA.
Wrong a Fire Kineticist at mid level gains a few abilities that destroys their resistances to fire. So you can hurt them very, very badly. You take another talent and then they catch on fire. A Fire Kineticist is a damage dealer and they did include several abilities that will make them dangerous to certain fire immune creatures.


Derek Dalton wrote:

Devils are the bane of fire kineticists. They can't even begin to do anything against them damage wise, since they don't even have the fire subtype. They can only blind with smoke or dispel their SLA.

Wrong a Fire Kineticist at mid level gains a few abilities that destroys their resistances to fire. So you can hurt them very, very badly. You take another talent and then they catch on fire. A Fire Kineticist is a damage dealer and they did include several abilities that will make them dangerous to certain fire immune creatures.

Wrong.

Devils at all levels have fire IMMUNITY. Everything that the fire kinetictist has deals with either resistance, or fire subtype. Devils have neither.

Burning infusion deals fire damage, so it does nothing directly. Searing, which works off of burning, lowers fire resistance- infinity minus 1d6 per round is infinity. Neither help. Burning infusion does turn the devil into an open source of flame for the smoke storm infusion though (which reduces vision and can sicken those caught in it).

There is a reason why Draining infusion exists- it helps mono blast kinectists deal with creatures of the same energy subtype. The creatures with the subtype are usually the ones with immunity. But pyros suffer especially, since devils are the ones to break that little pattern.

IMPS are tough opponents for a pure pyro. Mostly because we all know you wouldn't bother getting, or being good, at a weapon other than the blast. The best you can do is grab a dagger, club, or crossbow and plink. Or use UMD- it might be wise to have some wands designed to deal with fire subtype creatures, or maybe some holy water to throw at devils.


Well for what i read, i should avoid a blaster in this campaign, and focus on something else; this is because i don't wanna abuse Knowledge Arcana to know everytime monsters resistances and so switching my type of damage, i don't care to spend my time at the table like this.

I could go for a necromancer here, or any other thoughs?


Yes. Necromancers are a nice character idea but make sure you read about Desecrate and Undead Master thoroughly. Neither is as useful as first thought. My suggestion which so far looks good is Undead Lord Cleric with Occultist. The Undead lord starts off with a minion that gets stronger as you level up. You get Command Undead as a bonus feat. The downside is you get one Domain Death or Undead sub domain is it.
Occultist have Necromancy school which if points are pumped into it allow a character to control 4 Hd worth of undead per class level beyond Animate Dead. That alone makes them a nice class. The other schools offer nice abilities. The disadvantage of an Occultist is limited spell selection which is offset by being a Cleric. Another combination which also seems okay on paper is Necromancer Wizard specialist and Occultist. You spell selection is more limited but the specialist gets the ability to command Undead and it allows you to concentrate on two stats Int and Chr. Chr for the command undead Int for both the Necromancer and Occultist.

Silver Crusade

I'd also like to add that the Occultist has a specific archetype that is undead themed: The Necrocultist.

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