hello--
i present for your consideration, General Molgh, a half orc blackguard half fiend. i have a group of 5 PCs around 9th APL and made up this guy for our current campaign to use in the next session. 3 of the players are former or current DMs with a lot of rules lawyer in them so they know the capabilities of the average bad guys and i also want to be fair.
so, i'm putting this out there for all you math types who know the rules and optimize your characters. here's the bad guy. any tweaks would be appreciated.
General Molgh, Reborn
Chaotic Evil ½ -orc/ ½ -fiend Ftr 8/Blackguard 2
CR12
Movement 30, fly 60’
AC: 23
HP: 100
Abilities: S: 24, D: 15; C: 19; I: 16; W: 15; Ch: 15
Attack Bonus: +20/+15
Damage: 2d6+11, Smite 2d6+21, Smite + Pwr Attk (5): 2d6+26
Feats: Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Spec (g-sword), Thrall of Fraz-Urb-Lu, Power Attk, Cleave, Imp. Sunder, Imp Disarm, Combat Expertise, Leadership
Saves: F: +15; R: +6; W: +5
Special Defenses: Immunity to poison, fire 10, lightning 10, cold 10, acid 10. SR 20; DR 5/Magic.
Darkvision 60’
Smite Good 1/day
Unholy Blight
Contagion
Poison
Spells: Curse Weapon (2)
Magic items: +2 Full plate (spiked), +2 Unholy Greatsword, Potion of cure moderate wounds, and others purchased later.
here's a map of the dungeon he's going to be defending: he's in room 14.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f127/terrainmonkey/bahamutdefiled.jpg?t=1 163777915
Mmmm,
I think your damage is off:
Str 24 = +7
two handed weapon 7 x 1,5 = 10
+2 greatsword
= 12
weapon spec. = +2
Thus it should be 2d6+14
with a 5 point power attack you get another 10 points of damage => 2d6+24
The smite attack should up that some more
Based upon the map I am thinking your tactic is flying around and destroying your pc's favorite weapons right?
Don't forget about the 3/day darkness spell, it can provide some concealment for you.
I ran something similiar to your build when my player's weren't quite ready for it, it got messy real quick, just open up with the unholy blight to get the do-gooders and then smash their weapons.
Don't Blackguards require at least +1d6 Sneak Attack? Your rules lawyer DM's would expect that, it would also be a nasty way to start of the combat, hidden and sneak attack them from hiding... If he knows they are coming, you can easily take 20 on a hide check before they get there and even in your armor, you more than likely won't be seen. Just a thought.
I know it's situational, but I'm guessing the party is good-aligned? It would be easier, then, to go ahead and add in the 2d6 from the unholy sword, rather than trying to remember it each round. Even if you've got one or two neutrals, it will most likely be easier to remember to leave that off than it will be to add it in for the goody-goodies.
I found out a while ago that a ranger makes a good basis for a blackguard, as a ranger fulfills some of the prerequisites. An evil ranger with special enemy humans (or whatever your group happens to be), letting loose with an additional melee attack each round is a nasty build.
Stefan
Don't Blackguards require at least +1d6 Sneak Attack?
Nope, the Blackguard only requires an evil character with +6 base attack bonus, 5 ranks in Hide and 2 in Knowledge (religion), and the feats Cleave, Improved Sunder, and Power Attack. Oh, and that pesky role-playing component about peaceful contact with an evil outsider ;-)
As Stefan has noted, pure ranger levels are the way to go for quick access to blackguard. One of these days I plan on running a "Final Fantasy" D&D game, with Garland being a Ranger 6/Blackguard 2. First level characters, those impertinent fools, will not knock HIM down!
Perhaps I am getting my editions mixed up, was it the 3ed one that had that as a requirement? Heck, I could just be crazy and not know what I am talking about. LOL
Perhaps I am getting my editions mixed up, was it the 3ed one that had that as a requirement? Heck, I could just be crazy and not know what I am talking about. LOL
I guess you´re getting that mixed up: A Blackguard _gains_ Sneak Attacks, +1d6 each on level 4,7 and 10, but they are no prerequisite for the class.
Stefan
okay, i forgot sneak attack. i was kind of in a hurry this morning, and since the game isn't until the middle of december i have a chance to go in and play with some tacticals.
the final room is quite huge, the ceiling is 50' high in the are abefore the stairs and 40' after that. i also forgot about the two handed damage being 1.5 so thanks for that.
i built the dungeon using the brand new WOTC dungeon tile boards, so the entire map is geared for use with them.
i drew the map out after placing the tiles, then went into corel draw and enhanced it to clean up the sketch on graph paper. this is the way i normally create my maps, a rough sketch then scanning it into corel to enhance. while no where near as good as a christopher west map, i feel it gets the job done while looking good artistically.
anyway, thanks for the help on the bad guy. if you'd like i can give the stats out for his minions, a group of fiendish half dragon gargoyles.
and yes, i'm an evil DM. :)
terrainmonkey, he does not get sneak attack until 4th level of blackguard. OTOH, he has to have hide anyway, so why don´t make use of it ? If you make him at least 4th level and have him sneak attack the leading fighter of your group with all the boosts he can get, this will make for a nasty opening move...
If I were feeling really nasty, I would build a Blackguard based on ranger with a few levels of rogue for good measure, perhaps taking some variant classes from UA.
Stefan
Make sure you store and share your build... perhaps using Lilith's Stat block bank.
I hope he has some minions to back him up, because with only 100 hp he won't last very long against a party of 9th level PCs. If you send him in on his own be prepared to see him drop in 1-2 rounds
If I were you I'd back him up with a some grunts to slow down the fighters, and try to give him some potions that he drinks before battle, some Bull's strength, endurance heroism and such. The support him with a spell caster who can buff him with some stoneskin (possibly from a scroll) before the fight and maybe some spell immunities or a globe of invulnerablitly.
Once the PCs see this guy fighting they will know him to be a fighter class and thus have a poor will save. I would suggest keeping either imp sunder or imp disarm and adding iron will in place of the other. Your 9th level PCs will have access to 5th level spells and I would say at least a +3 ability mod so a spell will have a DC of 18. That leaves him needing a 13+ on his save, or only a 40% chance to make his save. A 3rd level spell, of which the group should have plenty, offers a 50/50 chance to save.
But the 20 SR gives him an edge. However, he won't likely use both imp. sunder and disarm, so I'd go with one or the other as well. I think Imp. Disarm is easier, as you don't have to track damage of equipment. I don't use improved sunder too much. I did have luck with a fighter that had improved disarm. Actually his stat block is handy:
Kull (10th level human, fighter, NE) hp 110 (10d10+30),
AC 22 (+7 Breast plate, +3 heavy steel shield, +2 Dex), Initiative: +5, Speed: 30’
Melee Atks: +16/+11 (+1 acidic burst flail),
Damage: 1d8+7+1d6 acid (+1d10 acid on a crit, Crit 19-20)
SA: +23 on disarm attempts/ +10 on trip attempts.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +3,
Abilities: Str. 18, Dex. 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 10.
SQ: Immunity to disease
Feats: Weapon Focus (flail), Improved Initiative, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Critical flail, Weapon Specialization (flail), Blind fight, Power Attack, Dodge, Improved Trip.
Gear: +1 acidic burst heavy flail, +2 Breast plate, +1 heavy steel shield, MW dagger, MW shortsword, potion of bull’s strength, potion of cure moderate wounds, bone holy symbol of Talona, pouch with 30 gp.
Tactics: In battle Kull attempts to take full advantage of his flail to do trip and disarm attempts, using his trip and disarm feats. If he uses his Bull’s Strength potion before battle, he will take +2 power attacks (same hit, +11 damage instead of +7).
Once the PCs see this guy fighting they will know him to be a fighter class and thus have a poor will save. I would suggest keeping either imp sunder or imp disarm and adding iron will in place of the other. Your 9th level PCs will have access to 5th level spells and I would say at least a +3 ability mod so a spell will have a DC of 18. That leaves him needing a 13+ on his save, or only a 40% chance to make his save. A 3rd level spell, of which the group should have plenty, offers a 50/50 chance to save.
I hope he has some minions to back him up, because with only 100 hp he won't last very long against a party of 9th level PCs. If you send him in on his own be prepared to see him drop in 1-2 rounds
That was my first thought as well. 23 AC - your PCs can't miss and with only 100 hps ... my PCs would take this guy down round 1, he'd be lucky to get even a single attack. That said I was way to generous with my point buy so my players are overpowered – plus they never saw a twinky they didn't like. Next campaign I run I'm being stingy as Scrooge with the point buy and things will play better.
This guy does have descent saves, except his lousy will save. The PCs might find their spells working sub-optimally. Maybe some potions to buff him up a little for that final fight?
okay, i understand the comments so here's my party, and why i think he's overpowered a little.
1 fighter 8, tooled up for halberd specialization with trips and reach
1 paladin 2/cleric 2/combat medic 4
1 rogue 4/swashbuckler 3
1 noble 2/fighter 4 (this is an NPC i no longer need and i'm planning on killing her off here. she's the swashbuckler's girlfreind and it might be fun to see what he does when i murder her with General Molgh first thing.)
1 druid 3/wizard 3/arcane heirophant 2 (i think. there's a class in races of the wild that allows spell levels in druid and mage levels.)
none of them have access to higher than 3rd level spells. there's also going to be a gauntlet of fiendish orcs getting to this room, a 9th level orc evoker, a large fiendish half dragon gargoyle and 2 medium fiendish half dragon gargoyles. so i think this will be a fair fight and will amke for a fun evening. we'll see.
about his saving throws, i didn't really consider that because of the 20 spell resistance might make it tough for the casters. they seem to want the prestige classes and are not optimizing builds for combat. the battle priest is still only cranking out an average of 12 hp / hit, and the fighter is doing around 40 if he does it right.
I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but sometimes in situations like this I give the BBEG some cool minions to back him up like your fiendish half dragon gargoyles and they end up stealing the show. I remember I had this nasty green dragon once and it had a pack of halfgreen dragon troll barbarians. My minions ended up being worse than the dragon.
okay, i understand the comments so here's my party, and why i think he's overpowered a little.
1 fighter 8, tooled up for halberd specialization with trips and reach
1 paladin 2/cleric 2/combat medic 4
1 rogue 4/swashbuckler 3
1 noble 2/fighter 4 (this is an NPC i no longer need and i'm planning on killing her off here. she's the swashbuckler's girlfreind and it might be fun to see what he does when i murder her with General Molgh first thing.)
1 druid 3/wizard 3/arcane heirophant 2 (i think. there's a class in races of the wild that allows spell levels in druid and mage levels.)none of them have access to higher than 3rd level spells. there's also going to be a gauntlet of fiendish orcs getting to this room, a 9th level orc evoker, a large fiendish half dragon gargoyle and 2 medium fiendish half dragon gargoyles. so i think this will be a fair fight and will amke for a fun evening. we'll see.
about his saving throws, i didn't really consider that because of the 20 spell resistance might make it tough for the casters. they seem to want the prestige classes and are not optimizing builds for combat. the battle priest is still only cranking out an average of 12 hp / hit, and the fighter is doing around 40 if he does it right.
I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but sometimes in situations like this I give the BBEG some cool minions to back him up like your fiendish half dragon gargoyles and they end up stealing the show. I remember I had this nasty green dragon once and it had a pack of halfgreen dragon troll barbarians. My minions ended up being worse than the dragon.
Hill giants and brown bears.
Hill giants and brown bears.
so, i'm putting this out there for all you math types who know the rules and optimize your characters. here's the bad guy. any tweaks would be appreciated.
swap a feat, any feat for Fly By Attack.
That will help vs your polearm PC as well.-c
|
General Molgh, Reborn
Chaotic Evil ½ -orc/ ½ -fiend Ftr 8/Blackguard 2
CR12
Movement 30, fly 60’
AC: 23
HP: 100
Abilities: S: 24, D: 15; C: 19; I: 16; W: 15; Ch: 15Attack Bonus: +20/+15
Damage: 2d6+11, Smite 2d6+21, Smite + Pwr Attk (5): 2d6+26Feats: Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Spec (g-sword), Thrall of Fraz-Urb-Lu, Power Attk, Cleave, Imp. Sunder, Imp Disarm, Combat Expertise, Leadership
Saves: F: +15; R: +6; W: +5
Special Defenses: Immunity to poison, fire 10, lightning 10, cold 10, acid 10. SR 20; DR 5/Magic.
Darkvision 60’
Smite Good 1/day
Unholy Blight
Contagion
PoisonSpells: Curse Weapon (2)
Magic items: +2 Full plate (spiked), +2 Unholy Greatsword, Potion of cure moderate wounds, and others purchased later.
Hmmmmm... For optimising tweaks, drop 2 points off his Intelligence, and add 1 to Wisdom and Charisma - he seems to have no skills anyway, and this adds +2 to his Will save (+1 Wis, +1 Cha through Dark Blessing, along with +1 Fort and Reflex). Drop Improved Disarm, and add Iron Will for another +2 bonus. Give him a Cloak of protection +2 - inexpensive (4000 gp) and very useful. This changes the saves to Fort +18, Reflex +9, Will +11. I'd be tempted to lose Combat Expertise as well, replacing it with Fly-by Attack - use it to do fly-by castings of Poison on characters that look like low-Fort types. Finally, consider getting Improved Initiative instead of the Thrall feat - being a Thrall is a fantastic flavour feat, but Improved Initiative means you'll get things done rather than being butchered in the first round.
Add an invisibility potion to beef up the initial sneak attack. Make it a +2 unholy adamantine greatsword to help with sundering