I'd like to make a Lv 5 Bugbear Sorcerer as the main villain for my campaign.
Unfortunately, the rules in the new Bestiary for making monster PCs/NPCs aren't as clear-cut as they were in the 3.5 MM.
I just want to make sure I understand the process:
According to pg 297 of the Bestiary, I take the bugbear's given stats, add the +4, +4, +2, +2, +0 and -2 modifiers to its ability scores and then add 5 class levels of Sorcerer?
Is that correct?
A bugbear is a CR2 creature.
After adding 5 levels of Sorcerer, I estimate the creature to be CR6.
Does that sound about right?
Would a CR6 Bugbear and a few CR2/CR3 minions be an appropriate challenge for a group of three Lv 4 adventurers (Fighter/Rogue/Paladin)?
I want to make sure he won't be too difficult or too easy.
I'd like to make him a recurring villain, so I'd like him to be a bit tougher than the PCs so that he can survive multiple encounters.
Basically, I want to build a "Bogeyman" who lurks in shadows, terrorizes people and is a real psychedelic threat.
The Classic Monsters Revisited book gives Bugbears a cool feat, Slow Terror (CHA based), that can instill fear.
I figured I could expand on this and make him an Abyssal Sorcerer that focuses on fear spells.
Is there another class that might be more appropriate for this concept?
Any suggestions on how to properly build/advance this character would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I'd like to make a Lv 5 Bugbear Sorcerer as the main villain for my campaign.
Unfortunately, the rules in the new Bestiary for making monster PCs/NPCs aren't as clear-cut as they were in the 3.5 MM.I just want to make sure I understand the process:
According to pg 297 of the Bestiary, I take the bugbear's given stats, add the +4, +4, +2, +2, +0 and -2 modifiers to its ability scores and then add 5 class levels of Sorcerer?
Is that correct?
For a main villain, I would take the elite array of stats and then apply the Bugbear's adjustments.
A bugbear is a CR2 creature.
After adding 5 levels of Sorcerer, I estimate the creature to be CR6.
Does that sound about right?
Sounds right, I think the consensus on another thread was it drops 1 CR every 3 levels until half the CR is gone. So the bugbear should be CR 1 / Sorc 5 for a 6.
Would a CR6 Bugbear and a few CR2/CR3 minions be an appropriate challenge for a group of three Lv 4 adventurers (Fighter/Rogue/Paladin)?
I want to make sure he won't be too difficult or too easy.
I'd like to make him a recurring villain, so I'd like him to be a bit tougher than the PCs so that he can survive multiple encounters.
Sadly, there is only one way to find out lol.
Basically, I want to build a "Bogeyman" who lurks in shadows, terrorizes people and is a real psychedelic threat.
The Classic Monsters Revisited book gives Bugbears a cool feat, Slow Terror (CHA based), that can instill fear.
I figured I could expand on this and make him an Abyssal Sorcerer that focuses on fear spells.
Is there another class that might be more appropriate for this concept?Any suggestions on how to properly build/advance this character would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
With the penalty to CHA the bugbear gets, you will definitely want Spell Focus (Enchantment). And possibly the feat Intimidating Prowess to add your STR bonus to your Intimidate skill as well.
QOShea
I would take the elite array of stats and then apply the Bugbear's adjustments.
When you say the "Elite Array" do you mean the ability scores for Heroic NPCs (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) listed on pg 451 of the rulebook?
Our PCs have been using the Epic 25 point buy system (pg 16 in the Rulebook) to determine ability scores and I was thinking about doing the same thing for the Villain NPC.
Would that be too much?
Also, what do you mean by applying the Bugbear's adjustments?
In MM 3.5, the Bugbear had PC ability score adjustments of +4 STR, +2 DEX, +2 CON, -2 CHA.
However, the new Bestiary has done away with those adjustments.
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I played in a campaign run by Scylorian and he made his own version of a bugbear sorcerer called Wyrmlord Koth(originally a statted npc in Red Hand of Doom). I would start with the Red Hand stats and see what Pathfinder can do for them because that slimy bugbear was probably the most memorable recurring villain in that campaign, and we're talking about an adventure that had oodles of monsters and npcs.
I played in a campaign run by Scylorian and he made his own version of a bugbear sorcerer called Wyrmlord Koth(originally a statted npc in Red Hand of Doom). I would start with the Red Hand stats and see what Pathfinder can do for them because that slimy bugbear was probably the most memorable recurring villain in that campaign, and we're talking about an adventure that had oodles of monsters and npcs.
Great suggestion, I just downloaded it.
I'll try to work out the conversions tonight.That's almost exactly what I'm looking for.
Thanks for pointing that out.
If anybody else has any cool ideas or input, I'd love to hear your comments.
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I played in a campaign run by Scylorian and he made his own version of a bugbear sorcerer called Wyrmlord Koth(originally a statted npc in Red Hand of Doom). I would start with the Red Hand stats and see what Pathfinder can do for them because that slimy bugbear was probably the most memorable recurring villain in that campaign, and we're talking about an adventure that had oodles of monsters and npcs.Great suggestion, I just downloaded it.
I'll try to work out the conversions tonight.
That's almost exactly what I'm looking for.
Thanks for pointing that out.If anybody else has any cool ideas or input, I'd love to hear your comments.
If you decide to go with the draconic bloodline, definitely give the Dragon Disciple prestige class a look. The Pathfinder version is a lot more sorcerer-friendly.
If you decide to go with the draconic bloodline, definitely give the Dragon Disciple prestige class a look. The Pathfinder version is a lot more sorcerer-friendly.
I thought about going with Abyssal bloodline because of the claws and because it fits pretty well with the nightmarish theme of the bogeyman. The dragon bloodline also has claws, so I might take a look at that.
A Dragon Disciple Bugbear would be quite ugly!
I played in a campaign run by Scylorian and he made his own version of a bugbear sorcerer called Wyrmlord Koth(originally a statted npc in Red Hand of Doom). I would start with the Red Hand stats and see what Pathfinder can do for them because that slimy bugbear was probably the most memorable recurring villain in that campaign, and we're talking about an adventure that had oodles of monsters and npcs.
Man, I suck at converting 3.5 monsters to Pathfinder.
The main problem I'm having is with the ability scores.I can't figure out how to convert them using the rules in the new bestiary.
If I can figure out how to get accurate ability scores, I should be able to figure everything else out from there.
Can somebody help me convert this pre-statted 3.5 character to Pathfinder?
Wyrmlord Koth CR 7
Male bugbear sorcerer 6
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +6
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13
HP 59 (9 HD)
Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +8
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee: mwk morningstar +9 (1d8+3)
Base Atk +5; Grp +8
Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 15
I would also consider using a variant bugbear (from the Classic Monsters Revised book), but it starts at CR 6 without class levels.
Koblak
Some bugbears are stillborn, , but suddenly wheeze in a sharp intake of breath and return to life a full hour after their dead birth. These are the worst bugbears of all. Forever half-dead, these things have eyes even larger than their kin and see through walls and over hills. In addition, these abominations can terrorize victims after death and even learn their victims' secrets. Koblaks can also scare victims to death and take great delight in doing so. Koblaks live half in our world, half in the next, and even time does not claim them easily. Many live for centuries. Weapons do not hurt them as they would other bugbears, unless they are sprinkled in grave dirt first.
Koblak:
8 HD bugbear
immune to fear and mind-affecting effects
DR 10/grave dirt
Spell-like abilities: at will - clairaudience/clairvoyance, speak with dead / 1/day - phantasmal killer
CR 6 Monster
I would also consider using a variant bugbear (from the Classic Monsters Revised book), but it starts at CR 6 without class levels.
Koblak
Some bugbears are stillborn, , but suddenly wheeze in a sharp intake of breath and return to life a full hour after their dead birth. These are the worst bugbears of all. Forever half-dead, these things have eyes even larger than their kin and see through walls and over hills. In addition, these abominations can terrorize victims after death and even learn their victims' secrets. Koblaks can also scare victims to death and take great delight in doing so. Koblaks live half in our world, half in the next, and even time does not claim them easily. Many live for centuries. Weapons do not hurt them as they would other bugbears, unless they are sprinkled in grave dirt first.
Koblak:
8 HD bugbear
immune to fear and mind-affecting effects
DR 10/grave dirt
Spell-like abilities: at will - clairaudience/clairvoyance, speak with dead / 1/day - phantasmal killer
CR 6 Monster
That's a very interesting idea. I thought about making a Sorcerer that focused on fear spells, but this Koblak is more along the lines of undead/necromancy, which is pretty spooky. It could work. If I added sorcerer levels to this, it would skyrocket the CR.