So I've been converting most NPCs of this AP for my gaming group, and I came across Master Matajinn. I was at a loss as to what to do with the character since Assassin had changed so much since 3.5, but then Ultimate Combat playtest came out and I felt it would be a perfect opportunity to test out Ninja. So I reworked Matajinn as a 12th level Ninja, and I have to say, unless I've mistaken something, this guy stands a very good chance of outright murdering my players' entire group.
CR 13 (XP 25,600)
Male efreeti-bound ninja 12 (Advanced Bestiary 133)
NE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 18, FF 24 (+6 armor, +2 deflection, +6 Dex)
hp 78 (12d8+24)
Fort +7, Ref +15, Will +4; +2 vs Enchantments
Defensive Abilities Improved Uncanny Dodge; Immune sleep; Resist fire 20
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Zin'Kali +16/+11 (1d6+4/15-20)
Ranged +1 composite shortbow (+3 bonus) +16/+11 (1d6+4/x3)
Special Attacks poison use, sneak attack +6d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th, concentration +13, ranged touch +15)
At will—produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 14), scorching ray
3/day—invisibility, wall of fire (DC 16)
1/day—permanent image (DC 18)
STATISTICS
Str 16 Dex 22 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 9 Cha 14
Base Attack +9 CB +12 CMD 30
Feats Combat Reflexes, Extra Ki, Improved Critical (rapier), Quick Draw, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +27, Climb +3, Disable Device +21, Disguise +7, Escape Artist +21, Linguistics +1, Perception +16, Sense Motive +13, Sleight of Hand +19, Stealth +21, Use Magical Device +17
Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
SQ elven magic, genie-bound, genie empowered, genie magic, Ki pool (10), master tricks (invisible blade, ghost step) ninja tricks (acrobatic master, deadly range x2, vanishing trick), no trace +4
Everything else is unchanged. So basically, what I'm seeing here Matajinn is warned of incoming enemies by his efreeti minions, he casts a permanent image of himself doing something innocuous like reading and uses one of his 3 SLA invises and hides behind a chair in the room, just in case the party has invisibility detection. When the party enters, Matajinn uses Invisible Blade (a supernatural ability, so no verbal or visual cues to give him away) and waits for a spellcaster to get within 50 ft of him. Assuming he isn't spotted, he uses his surprise round to cast scorching ray, dealing a whopping 30d6 fire damage (assuming all 3 rays hit and get sneak attack, which is still a matter of debate in the PF community from the forums), likely obliterating any d6 die hp spellcaster in one round. Even assuming he doesn't get sneak attack to all 3 attacks of a scorching ray, this is still 18d6 fire damage, and he can do this at will, for another 11 rounds while still taking a move action each turn to confound glitterdust, all for 1 measly ki point. If the PCs turn out to find a way around his invis, he can easily just ghost step through a wall and they could spend the rest of their lives trying to find him to no avail. I really just don't see a way for the PCs to kill Matajinn in this incarnation, while he has a very real chance of killing at least 1 PC every time they encounter him.
Any thoughts/comments are welcome. Thanks for your time reading this.
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As I am not familiar with the rules for the Ninja class, I cannot make any comments regarding it. However, if you are concerned about your revamped Master Matajinn being able to kill your entire party, my first reaction is "don't let him." After all, you're the DM, right? You don't have to have the bad guy do anything you don't want him to do. But I can also see how that answer might not be exactly what you're looking for.
So, in regards to the Scorching Ray issue, I will say that I think it likely that your PCs will be running around with Resist Fire up at all times. They're on the Plane of Fire, after all, and to not do so would be rather foolhardy in my opinion. If so, they likely have Resist Fire 20 or perhaps even Resist Fire 30. Since each ray sent out by Scorching Ray is considered a separate attack and maxes out at 24 damage (average 14), the Resist Fire will apply to each attack individually and most likely block all of the damage. Scorching Ray then becomes a completely useless attack.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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So I reworked Matajinn as a 12th level Ninja, and I have to say, unless I've mistaken something, this guy stands a very good chance of outright murdering my players' entire group.
** spoiler omitted **...
The old school gamer in me wants to tell your players to just deal with it, they are ~12th level after all. They have access to resist energy, contingency, glitterdust, invisibility purge, etc. Heck, my LoF group had tremorsense due to a spider familiar until just recently. It's not like they can't raise the dead at this level. A prepared crafty foe should be murderously effective at this level.
That having been said, only you know your group. This NPC could definitely prove troublesome to players who don't think outside the box. My group would probably get shot exactly once then pelt the guy down with DC24+ Will saves. And if he does get nailed with glitterdust he's completely hosed - visible and blind, this guy won't even last a round to get a chnace to run away.
I'd like to thank you both for replying to a thread on such an old (and yet really amazing) AP. Considering both your opinions has eased my trepidations about the encounter. I'm now viewing it as a "are you prepared" check. If they can't find a way to deal with him then they're probably not playing to the best of their ability.
I'd like to thank you both for replying to a thread on such an old (and yet really amazing) AP. Considering both your opinions has eased my trepidations about the encounter. I'm now viewing it as a "are you prepared" check. If they can't find a way to deal with him then they're probably not playing to the best of their ability.
Umm...you do realize that Matajinn's Scorching Ray is maximized don't you? No need to roll for dammage, just declare to poor mage as dead.
(For reason as to why, please see page 10 of the AP)
I'd like to thank you both for replying to a thread on such an old (and yet really amazing) AP. Considering both your opinions has eased my trepidations about the encounter. I'm now viewing it as a "are you prepared" check. If they can't find a way to deal with him then they're probably not playing to the best of their ability.Umm...you do realize that Matajinn's Scorching Ray is maximized don't you? No need to roll for dammage, just declare to poor mage as dead.
(For reason as to why, please see page 10 of the AP)
I had indeed forgotten about the planar effects prevalent in the CoB, thanks for reminding me. That will make this encounter much more interesting.
The Efreeti-bound template says "scorching ray (one ray)." (emphasis added) On that basis, and the likelihood of fire resistance, I think your party is safe from TPK, although actually killing the esteemed Master is another story. Just like Zayifid from HotB - you have to play him as suicidal or stupid if your players (or my players, at any rate) are going to have a chance.
The Efreeti-bound template says "scorching ray (one ray)." (emphasis added) On that basis, and the likelihood of fire resistance, I think your party is safe from TPK, although actually killing the esteemed Master is another story. Just like Zayifid from HotB - you have to play him as suicidal or stupid if your players (or my players, at any rate) are going to have a chance.
Yeah, Matajinn was something of a non-entity in my game. The players had Invisibility Purge up so no hiding for him. That and a failed fort save for Baleful Polymorph and Matajinn was Turtle Soup. No seriously, the damned druid turned him into a desert turtle!