Help creating an animal-controlling villain

[The Painted Oryx]

Hi there, I'm trying to create a villain that operate within or near a large urban center and uses animals as both informants and assassins. Now the druid seems to be the most obvious route but I was looking into the witch which could serve a similar function. If the witch took the right hexes, he would be able to mimic many of the abilities needed to use animals in such a way.
Just wondering if anyone can suggest any archtypes, feats or spells that would fit this villain? And whether you would have him be a druid or a witch? I want him to be able to control large numbers of various types of animals, hordes of animals even that may be able to overrun a city or town. He is going to be a worshipper of Anogetz, the daemon harbinger of coups, animal attacks and revolution. As such, he could even be a cleric with the Animal domain. I'm really not sure, so any help would be great!
Cheers!

[Beldhyr]

I've actually run across a druid villain before, it was interesting. In fact, there was one villanous druid and her husband, who didn't know what was going on.

This also reminds me of a running gag in our games...all druids are evil and practice necromancy.

Sorry, back on topic. I don't know if there are any rules to cover controlling such massive hordes. But he's a villain, so he doesn't need to follow all the rules. Give him an item (attuned to the deity, therefore evil, or perhaps with negative soul-corrupting side effects. i.e. Something to prevent the players from picking it up and controlling hordes). Or, allow him to work with the animals via handle animal/diplomacy, due to a corrupting influence of Anogetz in the area (some form of blight/sickness that makes the animals susceptible to aggressive suggestions). When it comes down to the actual game, the animals acting as assassins/spies or as individual combats will be their own CR and not factor in to the villain's CR. If the villain is crafted around controlling animals, those animals need to play a significant role in the final fight, or your villain will be handicapped, since his feats and spells will be expended on animal control.

[Squawk Featherbeak]

what level?

[BigNorseWolf]

Magic Jar. Bunch of caged animals, pop into body, undo the latch, run out, attack the PC's, get "killed" come back to your body, wash rinse repeat.

[Snorter]

Trouble with that, is that if the animal is physically capable of opening their cage from the inside, why haven't they already left?

[The Painted Oryx]

hmm he's going to be around 11-12th level. I've been thinking about making him a vivisectionist alchemist thats anthropomorphizing animals and using them to wreak havoc in the city. I was thinking i would give him a familiar through the Eldritch Bloodline (arcane) feat...I'm not sure though, this might be a different villain..because he doesn't have any way of controlling the animals..i like the idea of an item or property of the location thats allowing him to control hordes of animals..

[BigNorseWolf]

Snorter wrote:

Trouble with that, is that if the animal is physically capable of opening their cage from the inside, why haven't they already left?

You just make it something too complicated for the animal to figure out mentally, like a large key that's left in the cage, a large combination lock, or something you have to hit in sequence.

Just don't try to use raccoons...

[Squawk Featherbeak]

Beastmorph Vivisectionist/Packlord Druid. Take advantage of Packlord+Boon Companion. SOmething like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, but with animals... and world domination.

[Rakshaka]

If you have access to the "Council of Thieves" AP, there's a CR 10 monster called the Vrylolakas in "Mother of Flies" (#29) that isn't used in the AP. Essentially, its a Greek version of the vampire, but it has amongst other things, the ability to Charm Animal and a Rejuvenation ability that essentially Magic Jars a nearby animal when it dies. Could make an interesting lieutenant or partner of your villain in question, if not an advanced version of such monster for the villain itself.