I need help building a human werewolf sorceress. She can dip into other classes if it helps the build, but I need her to have at least 5 levels of sorcerer, and a maximum CR of say... 13. Core Rulebook and Advanced Player’s Guide.
The difficulty for me is in finding the right combination of spells, bloodline selection, magic items, etc to take advantage of the lycanthropy. I see her using her sorcerer spells and abilities to enhance her natural attacks in hybrid form.
Dragon Bloodline, no? But does that mesh well with werewolf? I’ll consider changing the lycanthrope type if it has real synergy with the sorcerer side.
Am I mistaken in thinking she cannot cast in hybrid form? If there is a way around that, I would also add some "keep these six 9th level adventurers off me and my fighter boyfriend"... spells.
I don’t expect you guys to build the entire NPC for me, but I appreciate your suggestions.
I need help building a human werewolf sorceress. She can dip into other classes if it helps the build, but I need her to have at least 5 levels of sorcerer, and a maximum CR of say... 13. Core Rulebook and Advanced Player’s Guide.
The difficulty for me is in finding the right combination of spells, bloodline selection, magic items, etc to take advantage of the lycanthropy. I see her using her sorcerer spells and abilities to enhance her natural attacks in hybrid form.
Dragon Bloodline, no? But does that mesh well with werewolf? I’ll consider changing the lycanthrope type if it has real synergy with the sorcerer side.
Am I mistaken in thinking she cannot cast in hybrid form? If there is a way around that, I would also add some "keep these six 9th level adventurers off me and my fighter boyfriend"... spells.
I don’t expect you guys to build the entire NPC for me, but I appreciate your suggestions.
How does this work exactly?
From Monsters as PC's: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/monstersAsPCs.html
"If you are including a single monster character in a group of standard characters, make sure the group is of a level that is at least as high as the monster's CR. Treat the monster's CR as class levels when determining the monster PC's overall levels. For example, in a group of 6th-level characters, a minotaur (CR 4) would possess 2 levels of a core class, such as barbarian."
But the lycanthrope werewolf entry: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/lycanthrope.html#lycanthrope-we rewolf
has a CR 2 werewolf with 2 fighter class levels. It isn't like 3.5 and the la's for templates.
Plus at the bottom of that page:
"If a player wants to play a lycanthrope, he should play a natural lycanthrope and follow the guidelines for playing a character of a powerful race."
What exactly is a natural lycanthrope?
Also as far as the bloodline goes, I think you should be able to take orc bloodline. Aside from the draconic, aberrant, or one...
This is going to be an encounter for a party of 9th level adventurers. They will encounter the sorceress and her fighter protector in a dungeon.
I get the basic lycanthrope rules, but I am struggling with building the sorcerer levels in a way that uses the lycanthrope side well.
Like a sorcery enhanced werewolf in hybrid form melee combatant.
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...I need help building a human werewolf sorceress. She can dip into other classes if it helps the build, but I need her to have at least 5 levels of sorcerer, and a maximum CR of say... 13. Core Rulebook and Advanced Player’s Guide.
The difficulty for me is in finding the right combination of spells, bloodline selection, magic items, etc to take advantage of the lycanthropy. I see her using her sorcerer spells and abilities to enhance her natural attacks in hybrid form.
Dragon Bloodline, no? But does that mesh well with werewolf? I’ll consider changing the lycanthrope type if it has real synergy with the sorcerer side.
Am I mistaken in thinking she cannot cast in hybrid form? If there is a way around that, I would also add some "keep these six 9th level adventurers off me and my fighter boyfriend"... spells.
I don’t expect you guys to build the entire NPC for me, but I appreciate your suggestions.
How does this work exactly?
From Monsters as PC's: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/monstersAsPCs.html
"If you are including a single monster character in a group of standard characters, make sure the group is of a level that is at least as high as the monster's CR. Treat the monster's CR as class levels when determining the monster PC's overall levels. For example, in a group of 6th-level characters, a minotaur (CR 4) would possess 2 levels of a core class, such as barbarian."
But the lycanthrope werewolf entry: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/lycanthrope.html#lycanthrope-we rewolf
has a CR 2 werewolf with 2 fighter class levels. It isn't like 3.5 and the la's for templates.
Plus at the bottom of that page:
"If a player wants to play a lycanthrope, he should play a natural lycanthrope and follow the guidelines for playing a character of a powerful race."
What exactly is a natural lycanthrope?
Also as far as the bloodline goes, I think you should be able to take orc bloodline. Aside from the draconic,
I find that most of the time it is easier to use the rules for creating a new monster rather than advancing one.
In this case I would make it a minimum CR 10 (six level 9 PCs works out to a CR 10). Create the creature from scratch. Add in werewolf abilities and then work in several spell-like abilities that work X times per day to simulate a Sorcerer. I'd scan through spells and other monsters for abilities that work well with lycanthropy.
The reason I do that is I often find that just adding class levels leaves me with a rather weakened monster. Essentially this werewolf would be nothing more than a Sorcerer level 7-8ish with werewolf tacked on. That Sorcerer would be lucky to live two rounds against six 9th level characters.
WoTC updated White Plume Mountain to 3.5, you know! :)
Just in case that will make anything easier for you.
Just chiming in to say I like the idea of your NPC :)
I'm a little disappointed that the APG didn't include an "animal" bloodline. There's they added the Serpentine bloodline and more elemental-ish bloodlines, but not a generic "mystical beast" bloodline.
An idea might be to take the Boreal bloodline and play it like Snarla's an descended from a Arctic Wolf spirit. Or you could just alter the Starborn bloodline for your needs.
If you're concerned with casting while in Hyrbrid form, you could Homebrew an Arcane version of Natural Spell.
When all else fails, stick with the Arcane bloodline, I hear. The familiar can definitely be handy for Snarla, especially if she has Improved Familiar.
Eldritch Claws and Eldritch Fangs might be a good investment, giving her natural weapons more bite. Aspect of the Beast (claws) might be good at level 1, so that you're armed even when you have not transformed.
I don't believe you'll have any problems casting in hybrid form. Assuming she is a natural lycanthrope, she can speak just fine and gesticulate the somatic components with her claws, since they are hand-like.
Yeah, I always default to the arcane bloodline whenever building something odd with sorcerer levels. It's just the most universal for the purpose. On the fluff side, though a familiar would be fun, a werewolf with a bonded object sounds kind of classy and cool.
WoTC updated White Plume Mountain to 3.5, you know! :)
Just in case that will make anything easier for you.
I was wondering when someone was going to recognize Snarla from White Plume Mountain. :-)
I actually have the original, and the updated version from WOTC. I am using stuff from both, but I think I like the classic version better.
When all else fails, stick with the Arcane bloodline, I hear. The familiar can definitely be handy for Snarla, especially if she has Improved Familiar.
Eldritch Claws and Eldritch Fangs might be a good investment, giving her natural weapons more bite. Aspect of the Beast (claws) might be good at level 1, so that you're armed even when you have not transformed.
I don't believe you'll have any problems casting in hybrid form. Assuming she is a natural lycanthrope, she can speak just fine and gesticulate the somatic components with her claws, since they are hand-like.
I am going to make her a natural lycanthrope - although with Snarla's backstory it makes more sense that she is not. Thanks for the suggestions, I am going to check them out.
Just chiming in to say I like the idea of your NPC :)
I'm a little disappointed that the APG didn't include an "animal" bloodline. There's they added the Serpentine bloodline and more elemental-ish bloodlines, but not a generic "mystical beast" bloodline.
An idea might be to take the Boreal bloodline and play it like Snarla's an descended from a Arctic Wolf spirit. Or you could just alter the Starborn bloodline for your needs.
If you're concerned with casting while in Hyrbrid form, you could Homebrew an Arcane version of Natural Spell.
Thanks, I am looking forward to running this encounter.
An animal bloodline would have been very helpful. Isn't there a lycanthrope bloodline in a PF-compatible product?
I had been considering the "artic wolf" idea as you suggest.
Hm, a little oversight on my part. "Eldritch Fangs" is not an existent feat. It's mentioned under the Natural Weapon Ranger's combat style feats, but I think that it's supposed to be Eldritch Claws. Shame.
There's a bestial bloodline in 4Winds The Book of Arcane Magic that might be useful. Claws, increases to DEX and FORT saves, ending up with a frightening howl and DR. There's also a lycanthropic bloodline, but that wouldn't give Snarla anything she didn't already have for being an actual lycanthrope. The book has some good stuff in it, but you'd want to comb through it for game balance before generally permitting it in your game.
There's a bestial bloodline in 4Winds The Book of Arcane Magic that might be useful. Claws, increases to DEX and FORT saves, ending up with a frightening howl and DR. There's also a lycanthropic bloodline, but that wouldn't give Snarla anything she didn't already have for being an actual lycanthrope. The book has some good stuff in it, but you'd want to comb through it for game balance before generally permitting it in your game.
Yes, the Book of Arcane Magic - that was the book I was thinking of that has the lycanthrope bloodline. Bummer that it is only useful if you are not actually a lycanthrope.
Make her a were direwolf. Otherwise, being a lycanthrope will just increase her CR while granting her little else.
Dump her human Strength and Constitution to get high Charisma and Dexterity. If her physical stats are lower than the ones of the animal they might as well be 7.
Yeah I totally agree. A lycanthrope is only as good the animal it is based on. For a while I had decided to make her a Were-Dire-Tiger. Then I was thinking Dragon Bloodline with a reptilian lycantrope, then I took a look at the dinosaurs, then my head started to hurt so I came here to ask for help.
Her stats will be good. I was generous with the PC's stats, so my encounters/NPCs tend to have good stats too. I don't see her having anything less than a 10 in any score - and that 10 will probably go into Int or Wis. Mostly likely Int because I think she will need a good Will save more than she needs skill points.