So I have recently started up a new campaign. Therein, our GM presented us with a new and fearsome foe - the Voice of the Master. A warrior possessed by some strange devilish influence, we defeated the foe, only for the devil inhabiting it to pop out and start attacking us. The fight went in our favour, but when, having defeated the Voice, we rolled knowledge (planes) to see what it was, we discovered that he had no answers. After all, there were no stats to explain. Turns out he had just skinned a Hellcat and swapped some abilities around. Which is fine, but I felt inspired to finally try my hand at monster design.
And so, for your viewing pleasure,
Voice of the Master (Vox Imperius Devil) CR 7
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LE Medium Outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Initiative +7; Senses dark-vision 60ft; Perception +10
Aura aura of obedience 10ft, whispers of doubt 10ft
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Defence
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AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+9 natural, +4 dexterity)
hp 86 (9d10+36) regeneration 2 (good, silver)
Fort +10, Reflex +7, Will +8
DR 10/good or silver
Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 18
Weaknesses sound and fury, signifying nothing
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Offence
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Speed 30ft; fly 40ft (good)
Melee 2 claws +14 (1d6+4), bite +13 (1d6+4)
or commanding touch +13 touch (4d6 negative energy + command)
Ranged wicked words +13 touch (2d4+5 sonic) 30ft
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +12)
At will – (DC 16) command, ear-piercing scream, forbid action, interrogation, produce flame
3/day – (DC 17) blistering invective, castigate, whispering wind, scorching ray, quickened command
1/day – fear (DC 19), summon (level 4, summons 2d10 lemures or 1d4 bearded devils)
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 21; BAB +9, CMB +13, CMD 27
Feats Weapon Focus (claws), Dazzling Display (can intimidate all foes within 30ft as a standard action), Improved Initiative, Fearsome (the shaken condition bestows a -3 penalty), Intimidating Gaze (you can demoralize a foe as a swift action if this is the first time you have attempted to demoralize a given opponent in this combat), Mystic Retribution (if your spellcasting/SLA is interrupted by a melee attack and your spell is lost, you may make a touch attack as an attack of opportunity against the attacker. This attack deals 1d6 force damage per level of the spell lost)
Skills Appraise +15 (9+3+3), Bluff +11 (5+3+3), Diplomacy +10 (4+3+3), Fly +16 (9+4+3), Intimidate +17 (9+5+3), Knowledge (planes) +15 (9+3+3), Perception +10 (5+2+3), Spellcraft +15 (9+3+3), Sense Motive +8 (4+2+3), Use Magic Device +17 (9+5+3)
SQ power in the flesh
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal, tongues, telepathy 100ft
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Special Abilities
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Whispers of Doubt (Su) the Voice of the Master is surrounded by a constant whispering that undermines the confidence of all who stand near enough to make out its words. All foes within 10ft suffer a -1 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls and on saves versus charm and fear effects
Aura of Obedience (Ex) the Voice of the Master gains a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks versus foes within 10ft. If it succeeds by 10 or more on an Intimidate checks to demoralize a foe within 10ft, the devil may issue a command, as per the command spell (DC 19 Will negates). A creature cannot be affected by this aura of obedience more than once per day.
Commanding Touch (Su) the Voice of the Master can attempt to exert their control over another creature by corrupting them with negative energy. As a standard action, the devil may make a touch attack dealing 4d6 negative energy damage. Those affected must also make a DC 19 Fort save or be afflicted by a command spell.
Power in the Flesh (Su) as a 10 minute ritual, a Voice of the Master may possess a single willing or helpless humanoid creature during which the Voice dissolves into a roiling black mist a seeps into the new host. Once the ritual is complete, the Voice gains control of the creature’s body (using their physical ability scores, special abilities, spells, etc) losing access to its own defences, abilities and vulnerabilites but retaining use of its own mental ability scores. As well, the Voice’s power corrupts the host so long as it remains possessed: the host’s skin turns scaly and he grow horns, gaining a +2 profane bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +2 natural armour bonus and immunity to fire. Moreover, the Voice’s will to dominate remains regardless of its form, and so it retains use of its Aura of Obedience, the Fearsome feat and either the Intimidating Gaze or the Dazzling Display feat. As well, each day the Voice of the Master can grant its host access to a number of its SLAs. The host gains access to two at-will SLAs, one 3/day SLA and one 1/day SLA.
In addition, by assuming the skin of a mortal, the Voice gains new skill in manipulating other such beings. The Voice gains the fascinate and incite violence abilities of a 9th level Demagogue bard.
The host counts as possessing the lawful and evil subtypes for the purpose of spells and abilities such as detect law or smite evil.
Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing: The Voice of the Master cannot abide voices seeking to countermand its own. It gains sonic vulnerability, and spells with the sonic descriptor automatically bypass its SR. However, what the Voice of the Master fears even more is that its own voice be silenced. A Forced Quiet spell cast on the Voice deals an additional 2d6 points of holy damage and bestows a 20% spell failure upon its SLAs, and a Silence spell cast upon the Voice deals an additional 4d6 holy damage and prevents it from using any SLAs for the duration. A Voice of the Master brought within the radius of a silence spell takes 1d6 holy damage upon entering and an additional 1d6 holy damage each round it remains within said radius.
Devils not of subtle persuasion but of iron-fisted domination, where other Devils seek to sway the soul, the Vox Imperius Devil, also known as the Voice of the Master, seizes control of it. They believe their will, as an extension of the will of their Master, to be absolute, and expect their orders to be followed without question.
I will admit to liberally stealing from the Lord of Darkness anti-paladin archetype.
The Power of the Flesh is somewhat convoluted, and I feel it could be better worded.
Any advice on the various abilities? Anything too strong? Too weak?
Any advice would be appreciated.