My upcoming adventure features a female human enchanter, level around 14. I haven't played a caster in a while so I need some help with feats, ability scores, gear, and tactics. She will have double treasure for her level.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
My upcoming adventure features a female human enchanter, level around 14. I haven't played a caster in a while so I need some help with feats, ability scores, gear, and tactics. She will have double treasure for her level.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Final CR? And, just as importantly, group size, actual and effective levels per player character ? (Point buys above 15 increase effective level, higher than "WBL" counts, any acquired templates count unless via prestige class and so on...) Cohorts also count too - action economy and all that.
My upcoming adventure features a female human enchanter, level around 14. I haven't played a caster in a while so I need some help with feats, ability scores, gear, and tactics. She will have double treasure for her level.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Enchanter BBEGs will be very swingy in combat. Throw a Dominate Person at them on round 1 and and the nature of the battle will diverge quickly. If you want to simply beat the party, make a Human Fey sorcerer with (greater) spell focus: enchantment and just toss around persistent dominates every round while being buffed up with some false lifes and other things. If you want to be a little more merciful, then there's things like feeblemind, confusion and hold person. Enchanters are all about maxing those DC's.
Double NPC or Double PC?
I assume that you aren't going for maximum Spell DC threat level so this is a standard Elite Array pseudo-build.
Str-8 Dex-16 (14 +2 Enhance) Con-15 (14 +2 enhance) Int-24 (Base 15 +2 Racial + 3 Level +4 Enhancement) Wis-10 Cha-12
Feats
1 Spell Focus: Enchantment
1BF: Imp Init
3 Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
5 Selective Spell (good for avoiding minions)
7 Combat Casting
9 Toughness
10 Focused Spell
11 Arcane Blast (Good backup Direct Damage blast)
13 Dazing Spell
Note: I'm deliberately avoiding persistent and bouncing as metamagic.
Spells- Focus on Single target spells like dominate person, and area SoL spells that can slow down the entire team.
Key spell items:
Belt of +2 Con and Dex
Headband of +4 Int
Ring of Protection, Amulet of Natural Armor- Kinda pointless but is good treasure for PCs and can help prevent complete power attack /deadly aim domination.
Rod of Metamagic Extend
Rod of Metamagic Quicken (lesser)
Cloak of Resistance +4
Ring of Freedom of Movement (expensive but very necessary)
Pearls of Power
Common defensive buffs
Overland Flight
Protection from Arrows (yeah it's mediocre)
Mirror Image
False Life
Mage Armor
Several minions and bodyguards that are long term victims of dominate/charm.
My upcoming adventure features a female human enchanter, level around 14. I haven't played a caster in a while so I need some help with feats, ability scores, gear, and tactics. She will have double treasure for her level.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
If you have the option I would recommend making this character a sorcerer with the serpentine bloodline. Their bloodline arcana allows you to use powers of compusion to affect animals, magical beasts and monstrous humanoids. They are treated as humanoids who understand your language.
They have other fun stuff too, but the bloodline arcana is awesome for an enchanter types.
With double standard treasure I would have the robe from the APG that adds +4 for the purposes fo sor bloodline powers.
After that just choose feats and gear that increase ability to actually affect others with compulsion. School focus, spell penetration and greater, etc.
My upcoming adventure features a female human enchanter, level around 14. I haven't played a caster in a while so I need some help with feats, ability scores, gear, and tactics. She will have double treasure for her level.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Need to know the average party level (APL) please (:
The one thing an enchanter needs above all, is enchantees. Make sure there are a lot of (preferably innocent) bystanders to ensorcell.
The APL is 11, each PC is built using a 30-pt buy. There are 7 party members. Double wealth is the rule of the day.
I already have some stat-ed out minions (charmed, dominated, along for the ride, etc) with an average level of 9 or 10. The party usually makes short work of single opponents, so I know that I need to get a good sized group going. I'm using the adventure Prism Keep from Dungeon mag #45 and the BBEG is Irinia, for those of you interested in such things. I'm hoping that a couple of the them succumb to the charm/dominate aspect to increase the tension. Personality wise, Irinia is haughty and spoiled. She is used to getting her way, and using her magic when her good looks fail her.
7 PC x 11 APL is going to slaughter a CR 13 Wizard
She needs serious meat shield action or the action economy is going to doom her. A couple of boy-toy bodyguards and a Planar Binding servitor can really equalize the odds. I'd be tempted to make the encounter have a ton of innocent charmed bystanders (maybe have the caster use the 3.5 Mass Charm Person spell).
A lesser quicken rod will help he get up group buffs like Haste and group debuffs like Slow. Mass Hold Person, Insanity and Feeblemind are probably going to be her go to spells. Mass Hold Person + Cohorts can set up CDG opportunities, Insanity can basically take a foe out of the fight, and Feeblemind is great for neutralizing Casters.
Dominate Person is a high risk reward spell as well. If the enchanter can dominate a martial PC then at a minimum casters have to try to neutralize the dominated PC.
7 11ths with +3 steps on the point buy and double gear ...
SooooOOoooo ... that means at "enchantress" 14th the sorry BBEG is dealing with a rough equivalent to an APL 17 group... eexcellent.
I suggest an exemplar irresistible "enchantress" 14th (CR 18, a mild threat for that group) with a pile of 12th level or equivalent cohorts. Not counting the lady's doubled gear, her ability array is - as a sorceress with a suitable bloodline is presumed here - 18 Str, 24 Dex, 22 Con, 23 Int, 20 Wis, 40 Cha - the Cha includes template and level advancement increases from 4th, 8th and 12th levels as well as a +2 racial adjustment/bonus (15 +2 racial +10 exemplar +10 irresistible +3 level advancement).
Two feats for Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment) puts her enchantment spells' save DCs at a respectable 27 plus spell level. (10 +15 Cha +2 greater spell focus). Can we say "DC 34 Will saves" for her 7th level spells ? I thought we could!
^_^
(If you need the benefits of the templates factored in, I recommend the supplement or giving me until next week to work it up.)
Ok, go with the Controler Focused School. Not that it matters too much, but a free dominate monster effect and telepathy with charmed/dominated minions is never bad.
25 point buy for the wizard (Enchanter; barred schools: evocation, illusion)
Stats 8(-2)14(5)12(2)17(13)12(2)14(5)
Str 8
Dex 16 (+2 from belt)
Con 14 (+2 from belt)
Int 28 (+6 from headband)
Wis 12
Cha 14
Feats:
Improved Initiative, Spell Focus: Enchantment, Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment, Extend Spell, Persistant Spell, Craft Wonderous Item, Bouncing Spell, Arcane Defense, Heighten Spell
Traits: Focused Mind(+2 concentration); Reactionary (+2 initiative)
Base Spell DCs 19+spell level
Enchantment DC 21+spell level
Concentration 1d20+29 vs 15+2xspell level means that she cannot fail to cast defensivly.
Spell Level 0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7
Spells/Day 5/8/7/7/7/6/5/4
That means at least 15 dominated minions, 9 of which have been dominated with an extended dominate person. Redominating is made easier by congregating minions in a central area holding a Mind Fog.
Rogues and Fighters are easy to dominate, especially with the DC 26 save required by a dominate person. A heightened Dominate Person is DC 28.
Combat consists of minions, feeblemind, insanity, and or dominates. Use the dirty tricks of bouncing and persistant spell because if you have a group of 7 PCs, that means the wizard is in trouble. Hasted minions and Slowed party members is dangerous. Throw in an Enervation or Bestow Curse, just in case Dominates are not effective(any party that KNOWS it is going against an evil enchanter and doens't have protection from evil or a magic circle deserves to TPK)
Defenses are dominated bodyguards and Arcane Shield gives instant defense. Make using Invisibility cost more resources. If you want this to be a recurring villian, Teleport away if things look bad.
Again, if the party is 11th level and doesn't have mental protection, they deserve to be owned by the wizard. If they do, the wizard's most powerful spells become next to useless.
If the enchantress is from a module, I'm not sure if you are enhancing her or recreating her. I don't know that module so I don't know how much backstory there is for the enchantress.
When I have NPC enchanters they typically are "behind the scenes manipulators" who rarely come out and reveal themselves, working instead through the creatures they have charmed, dominated or otherwise influenced. In any sort of climactic encounter where he/she might have been cornered and revealed, I would expect waves of innocent bystanders used as cannon fodder and some serious meat shielding in place to thwart physical attacks.
When I have NPC enchanters they typically are "behind the scenes manipulators" who rarely come out and reveal themselves, working instead through the creatures they have charmed, dominated or otherwise influenced. In any sort of climactic encounter where he/she might have been cornered and revealed, I would expect waves of innocent bystanders used as cannon fodder and some serious meat shielding in place to thwart physical attacks.
^This. The beauty of enchantment is getting other people to do your dirty work!
When designing an enchanter BBEG, strongly consider the Controller focused arcane school in the APG. Also, spells of the conjuration and illusion schools can be extremely useful; because most of your school spells are blocked or supressed by protection from evil and magic circle against evil, being able to cast battlefield control spells (keep your enemies away/make them ineffective) that don't rely on charm or compulsion effects and summoning spells (more creatures under my command, muwahahaha) can really help you survive (Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Augment Summoning are good feats in addition to the normal metamagic and Spell Focus (Enchantment) feats).
Also, minions (dominated or summoned) are essential in keeping the PCs from being able to concentrate all of their attention on you. With a seven person party, you'll need all the help you can get. A 14th level enchanter with 4-6 dominated 8th-10th level minions and a variety of summoned creatures can still be a tough nut to crack for a group of seven 11th level characters.
7 PC x 11 APL is going to slaughter a CR 13 Wizard
Amen!
Going above 4-5 PCs = +1 APL
Using huge point buys = ~+1 APL (guesstimate)
So your party's true APL is 13. A CR 13 encounter is an "average" encounter -- not even a challenging one.
Additionally, a single NPC versus a 7 player party is going to get demolished. You probably need to add in some additional CR just for minions (as Vuron pointed out).
If this is a "big" fight, I'd be hesitant to go below CR 16.
I'd keep her CR at around CR 14 and up the encounter to a CR 16 with minions. 4 CR 10 (2 level 11 trip-oriented reach weapon + Combat Reflexes fighters, 1 level 11 archery-oriented, buffing bard, 1 level 11 ranged ranger focusing on interrupting spellcasters. . . probably starting combat invisible and at a significant distance) meat shield minions and one level 15 wizard or witch should be good enough. Make sure the meat shields are buffed with things like heroism, protection from energy, etc.
That should be a pretty good encounter. . .
Enchanter BBEGs will be very swingy in combat. Throw a Dominate Person at them on round 1 and and the nature of the battle will diverge quickly. If you want to simply beat the party, make a Human Fey sorcerer with (greater) spell focus: enchantment and just toss around persistent dominates every round while being buffed up with some false lifes and other things. If you want to be a little more merciful, then there's things like feeblemind, confusion and hold person. Enchanters are all about maxing those DC's.
It depends how smart the PCs are. If they know the BBEG is evil, precast protection from evil will smash this build. The NPC must spam dispel magic to remove protection from evil effect -- which can be stacked from multiple sources (multiple circles against evil, multiple protection from evil spells cast). At that point, the NPC is most likely dead.
Some solutions with this build are:
A) Do not let the PCs know the alignment of the bad guy (or make the bad guy a neutral alignment).
B) Surprise the PCs without any knowledge of an enchanter and hope they've prepared a crappy spell selection.
C) Split the party up and have the enchanter fight 1-2 PCs at a time.
D) If you're really mean, all of the above!
Thanks for the help, folks! I've taken your suggestions to heart and here is what I have so far:
Wiz 18
Ability score: 12, 18, 15, 34, 24, 28
Feats: Impr Initiative, Combat Casting, Spell Focus (enchant), Great Spell focus (enchant), Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Craft Wondrous Item, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Bouncing Spell, Persistant Spell, Spell perfection (domination), Persuasive
Gear: greater rod of metamagic, persistant spell, tome of clear thought +5, tome of leadership +5, tome of understanding +5, belt of physical perfection +4, robe of eyes, mantle of spell resistance, boots of speed, gloves of arrow snaring, helm of teleportation, headband od metnal superiority +6, amulet of the planes, ring of prot +5, ring of wizardry IV, cloak of resistance +5, bracers of armor +8
Concentration: 1d20 + 36
Spells/day: 4 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 12 / 7 / 7 / 6 / 6 / 4
DC: 22 + spell level, +2 for enchantment spells, +2 more for dominate person
tactics:
1. Time stop (casts greater invis, repulsion, globe of invulnerability, stoneskin)
2. cast mind fog (Heightened?, Extended?) Use persistance metamagic rod.
3. Spell perfection: dominate (heightened to 8th level with free bouncing) DC 34
4. cast more heightened spells (insanity, power word kill, feeblemind, irresistable dance). With 6 8th level spell slots, most of her spells will be heightened to 8th level to increase the DC. 2 of these can be persistant.
Plus I will be adding "minions" (if you can call ~10th level NPCs "minions")
8 CR 10 mini-onions is only a CR 16, total CR of encounter for that wizard is, what, an 18 or 19 at that point? CRB page 398 has a lovely chart for solving this dilemma.
CR 17 Wizard with 6 CR 10 mini-onions is a CR 18 - right at the "APL +3" sweet spot for your group. :)