The final showdown with the story arc's boss is coming up, and I'm trying to think of how to build her. She's a creature made out of a substance that induces euphoria upon touch and has a spell-like ability that functions similar to vomit twin. So naturally, enchanting the party while staying elusive seems like the ideal strategy for her.
The party is level 4 and I'm thinking of making her a level 7 sorcerer with maybe a level or two in something else for flavor. However, I'm not totally familiar with the suite of enchantment spells other than charm person and dominate person.
Any advice on this? Would it be reasonable to say "defend me" be a request that doesn't go against nature for the purpose of charm effects? Perhaps use it on the rogue and ask to position himself defensively, attacking only via AoOs?
If they are a Sorcerer the Fey bloodline grants +2 on the Compulsion Subschool of enchantment which is everything in Enchantment except Charm Person and Charm Monster line of spells.
Charm person just makes you like the caster a whole bunch. It does not make someone a thrall or drone for the caster or behave in a manner against their "nature". For example my barbarian got charmed and then simply laughed as he watched his old friends get into a fight with his new friend, cheering both sides on because it's in his nature to enjoy bloody spectacles. He didn't help or hinder either side.
There are some other enchantment spells. Besties include Sleep/Deep Slumber and Hideous Laughter, plus dominate person.
-Use mind-controlled minions, figure out who the enchanter would pick for their protection
-Enchantment has some good buffs and great debuffs, use these well
-If they're an enchanter wizard they could be a cruel psychologist
Sleep is not a bad idea. They're barely within the 4 HD threshold.
If they are a Sorcerer the Fey bloodline grants +2 on the Compulsion Subschool of enchantment which is everything in Enchantment except Charm Person and Charm Monster line of spells.
Charm person just makes you like the caster a whole bunch. It does not make someone a thrall or drone for the caster or behave in a manner against their "nature". For example my barbarian got charmed and then simply laughed as he watched his old friends get into a fight with his new friend, cheering both sides on because it's in his nature to enjoy bloody spectacles. He didn't help or hinder either side.
Even that is hindering the party because they're down a player. Maybe the boss can convince the rogue that his friends are only hurting themselves by trying to kill her? And perhaps vowing to give him money after the fight. The rogue is known to place money and magic items over ethics.
Even that is hindering the party because they're down a player. Maybe the boss can convince the rogue that his friends are only hurting themselves by trying to kill her? And perhaps vowing to give him money after the fight. The rogue is known to place money and magic items over ethics.
You are the GM so there isn't a maybe about it. You get to decide if that works or not. I'm sure the players will make a case pro or con but you are the final judge and, clearly, know your players better than I.
There are some other enchantment spells. Besties include Sleep/Deep Slumber and Hideous Laughter, plus dominate person.
Hideous Laughter is especially good if you make the affected players actually laugh out loud whenever it's their turn. One fellow at our table played his character like Clint Eastwood's "Man With No Name," and hearing him do an involuntary Eastwood laugh every turn made our night.
David Noonan
DM Rampant
You're probably already taking this into consideration, but you seem to be building a bbeg that is way more powerful than your level 4 PCs can handle? Apologies if I misunderstand the scenario in mind.
A level 7 sorcerer with additional class levels thrown in is at least CR 7-8 (depending on how many added levels you give them) and you have special abilities on top of that. The character concept sounds really cool and all, but it seems like it could be too much.
One of my favorite NPCs was the evil Zulkir of Enchantment from Thay (Forgotten Realms). As part of his writeup there was a line to the effect of "his enemies often slit their own throats with a carefree smile on their face." Classic bbeg enchanter stuff to me. *grin*
You're probably already taking this into consideration, but you seem to be building a bbeg that is way more powerful than your level 4 PCs can handle? Apologies if I misunderstand the scenario in mind.
A level 7 sorcerer with additional class levels thrown in is at least CR 7-8 (depending on how many added levels you give them) and you have special abilities on top of that. The character concept sounds really cool and all, but it seems like it could be too much.
Yeah, I was concerned about that. Maybe I'll make her a 5th level sorcerer instead, with one level in alchemist and one level as an cleric (or ex-cleric).
Utilizing minions sounds like the best idea. She has a small town under her charm, but I wasn't sure if she would be able to get the party to fight there.
If she has a town of charmed minions, she's probably living in the middle of them. Why else charm them?
So if the PCs want her, they have to go there after her. Gives you all the minions you want.
One way to make her higher level but no so deadly is to assume that she's already used some of her spell slots for the day -- for instance, on heightened charm person on particularly important minions.
Are the alchemist and cleric levels for backstory purposes? I'm curious as to their inclusion. A level 7 sorcerer is CR 6 or APL +2. Throw in several townsfolk minions with npc levels to make it a CR 7 or APL +3 epic encounter.
A sorcerer with access to spells like Hideous Laughter, Hold Person, Suggestion, and Deep Slumber could be a TPK waiting to happen so be careful there. Good luck with the encounter however you build it!
There is a lot of disinformation spread on these boards about charm. Take it from the horse's mouth. It most certainly does not, "just make them your friend".
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2oupu?FAQ-answers-to-previous-locked-threads#2
The charm answer didn't really clear things up for me; the example of tilling a field is still within the vague range of something a friend might do for you. How about ordering a man to murder his wife and children?
Well, the point here is that it is really up to the GM to decide what is inside and outside a creature's general willingness. Tilling a field might really depend on the creature (I dont think Orcs care much for farming), but killing loved ones is probably always going to require a check, and might not even work (the creature might take its own life instead, its not your puppet after all).
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
If she has a town of charmed minions, she's probably living in the middle of them. Why else charm them?
So if the PCs want her, they have to go there after her. Gives you all the minions you want.
One way to make her higher level but no so deadly is to assume that she's already used some of her spell slots for the day -- for instance, on heightened charm person on particularly important minions.
Good idea! She already used dimension door once or twice during the day and was doing a lot of spy work. If those came from herself instead of a scroll, she'd would definitely be out of 4th level spells by now, maybe a few 3rd levels as well.
Are the alchemist and cleric levels for backstory purposes? I'm curious as to their inclusion. A level 7 sorcerer is CR 6 or APL +2. Throw in several townsfolk minions with npc levels to make it a CR 7 or APL +3 epic encounter.
A sorcerer with access to spells like Hideous Laughter, Hold Person, Suggestion, and Deep Slumber could be a TPK waiting to happen so be careful there. Good luck with the encounter however you build it!
She was a cleric of Pharasma that received a vision of a future calamity beyond her time. Wanting to live long enough to stop the calamity, she became an alchemist and transformed her body into a shapeshifting alchemical ooze. It's questionable whether she's still a cleric because while she's frustrated with Pharasma, she technically hasn't done anything against Pharasmin dogma.
I'll be careful with the spells, but I'm very fuzzy on Suggestion. The text seems very vague. So it basically commands someone to do something as long as it's worded reasonably and not obviously self-destructive? The difference between that and charm seems fuzzy to me.
There is a lot of disinformation spread on these boards about charm. Take it from the horse's mouth. It most certainly does not, "just make them your friend".
...
That's true, but we're dealing with charming PCs here. The conversation mentioned by the designers has more to do with NPCs.
That's true, but we're dealing with charming PCs here. The conversation mentioned by the designers has more to do with NPCs.There is a lot of disinformation spread on these boards about charm. Take it from the horse's mouth. It most certainly does not, "just make them your friend".
...
I have seen nothing to suggest that matters.
I had another idea. What if she was strong, but NPCs fight along side the party, taking most of the abuse from her more deadly spells? I was originally going to have these NPCs disabled but having them contribute might make for a more epic fight.
Better to keep the NPCs off-stage and let the players shine, from a GMing/storytelling perspective.
Trust me, that was my intention. I had the NPCs be taken out of commission only to have the players use up all their cure potions to try to get them back to fighting shape. The one NPC that didn't get crushed is a cleric, but they insisted she save her channels. When I tried to hint that this was their chance to be the big darn heroes, they called "shenanigans" on me for taking the NPCs out of the fight!
That's the only reason I even considered this.