I was reading through the Enemies of My Enemy adventure (Dungeon #149), when I got to the beginning of the last column of p.69, which reads, "[Malcanthet's] eyes light on the PC with the lowest Charisma and she...drains 2 life energy levels...through a double strength succubus kiss...After she bestows 4 negative levels, she spends an additional round to grant her victim the effects of the Queen's Kiss, so she can observe her new champions from afar."
Now, the Queen's Kiss ability will allow her to use her demand spell-like ability on the PC, if need be, to force the PC to attempt to claim the title of Prince of Demons, as mentioned on p.94 of Dungeon #150, in "Prince of Demons".
Since the check to claim the title of Prince of Demons is modified by Charisma, I think if Malcanthet wished to have a hold on the (potential) new Prince of Demons, she would do well to bestow her Queen's Kiss not on a PC with the lowest Charisma, but on the one with the highest Charisma score.
Just a recommendation for other DMs when they get to this leg of the AP...
Since the check to claim the title of Prince of Demons is modified by Charisma, I think if Malcanthet wished to have a hold on the (potential) new Prince of Demons, she would do well to bestow her Queen's Kiss not on a PC with the lowest Charisma, but on the one with the highest Charisma score.
Malcanthet is not omniscient and does not always do the most optimized response in absolute game terms. I think she does is this way to amuse herself at the cost of the ugliest party member.
Besides in overall game mechanics terms it also gives the PCs a strong fighting chance for the crown themselves against Mancanthet's proxy...
I ran it as written. The player was scrambling for bonuses to make the save DC for the domination and missed it by one. I told the group "close enough, don't worry about it," and we moved on, they forgot about it. <BWHAHAHA>
Now when we reach the end (2 or 3 more sessions now :) I am going to subtly let that player know that at the end that he is to try convince the rest of the players to support his bid for the crown (as the lesser evil) as if it is his own idea. Nice puppet...
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Malcanthet's Chaotic. She's also VERY fond of complex plans that require equal bits of madness and brilliance to comprehend. Some of the things she does may seem random, but there's always a reason being them, even if those reasons sometimes work at cross-purposes.
She chooses the lowest Charisma character in this scene for several reasons...
1) The Min-Maxer Reason: Characters with high charisma scores tend to be paladins and bards, sorcerers, and even clerics. They all have VERY good Will saves. By picking a low-Charisma character, Malcanthet's trying to pick someone with a poor Will save.
2) Charisma is also a game-measurement of "personality" and Leadership. Malcanthet is a dominant character; she is more interested in partners she can boss around, and that sort of thing is kind of controlled by Charisma.
3) She knows she's hot. By picking the "ugly" character, she's taunting the more attractive characters in the group. She enjoys that type of thing. Also, by picking the lowest Charisma score, she messes with the PCs' minds, and by proxy, you're messing with the PLAYERS' minds. She does it as much to put folk off guard and confuse them as much as anything else. Looks like she even managed to confuse READERS! Well done, Malcanthet! Well done!
4) Even if her chosen champion doesn't get the Prince of Demons role... Malcanthet is positioned to cozy up to whoever DOES get it anyway. She's not too worried.
And I assume she's swinging both ways, so she won't mind having a female toy^H^H^Hchampion?
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And if she's doing it with two-headed baboon faced lizard things, she's not fussy about looks either :) Then there's Pazuzu, come on. I can't even say his name without giggling! The woman has no taste! She's shameless, I tell you! (And possibly blind.)
Maybe she's of the school that it's inner beauty that counts. Either that or she's one BIG hypocrite!
And if you look at Arendagrost there's something funny going on - he's got neither his mom's or his dad's good looks. She must be plenty ugly inside, all the way down to the genes...
Malcanthet's Chaotic. She's also VERY fond of complex plans that require equal bits of madness and brilliance to comprehend. Some of the things she does may seem random, but there's always a reason being them, even if those reasons sometimes work at cross-purposes.
She chooses the lowest Charisma character in this scene for several reasons...
1) The Min-Maxer Reason: Characters with high charisma scores tend to be paladins and bards, sorcerers, and even clerics. They all have VERY good Will saves. By picking a low-Charisma character, Malcanthet's trying to pick someone with a poor Will save.
2) Charisma is also a game-measurement of "personality" and Leadership. Malcanthet is a dominant character; she is more interested in partners she can boss around, and that sort of thing is kind of controlled by Charisma.
3) She knows she's hot. By picking the "ugly" character, she's taunting the more attractive characters in the group. She enjoys that type of thing. Also, by picking the lowest Charisma score, she messes with the PCs' minds, and by proxy, you're messing with the PLAYERS' minds. She does it as much to put folk off guard and confuse them as much as anything else. Looks like she even managed to confuse READERS! Well done, Malcanthet! Well done!
4) Even if her chosen champion doesn't get the Prince of Demons role... Malcanthet is positioned to cozy up to whoever DOES get it anyway. She's not too worried.
Well, that does put a different spin on it. Thanks for the contrasting perspective.
It's funny that at 18th level, the party has a CN warlock who has taken up the helm of the Crimson Fleet as it's captain, with no less than a 30 Charisma, as well as a LG Pelorian half-orc crusader--engaged to Liamae of the former Jade Ravens, no less, whom is also his cohort--with only a 5 Charisma. I had anticipated the former would be almost honored with the invite, having seduced nearly every attractive female NPC thus far (keeping Harliss as his cohort). But the jarring choice with the crusader is too rich, now...
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Creative Director
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It's funny that at 18th level, the party has a CN warlock who has taken up the helm of the Crimson Fleet as it's captain, with no less than a 30 Charisma, as well as a LG Pelorian half-orc crusader--engaged to Liamae of the former Jade Ravens, no less, whom is also his cohort--with only a 5 Charisma. I had anticipated the former would be almost honored with the invite, having seduced nearly every attractive female NPC thus far (keeping Harliss as his cohort)....
Exactly. If Malcanthet choosing the half-orc as her buddy makes the warlock jealous and further drives a wedge into party harmony... she's doing her job!
Also, The characters with higher charismas are used to interacting with NPCs. They've generally built their characters around it, and welcome the idea. The low charisma character is surprised and may even say "Me? No, you mean the sorcerer. He's got a much higher charisma."