So the Ravener is Paizo's version of the dracolich, and I've been thinking of using it as a possible villain. The thing is, I can't get past these mechanics:
Soul Ward (Su)
An intangible field of siphoned soul energy protects a ravener from destruction. This ward has a maximum number of hit points equal to twice the ravener’s Hit Dice, but starts at half this amount. Whenever a ravener would be reduced below 1 hit point, all damage in excess of that which would reduce it to 1 hit point is instead dealt to its soul ward. If this damage reduces the soul ward to fewer than 0 hit points, the ravener is destroyed.
Soul Magic (Sp)
A ravener retains the base creature’s spellcasting capability, adding three levels to the base creature’s caster level. This increases the number of spells known by the ravener, but the ravener loses all spell slots. Instead, whenever the ravener wishes to cast any one of its spells known, it consumes a number of hit points from its soul ward equal to the spell slot level necessary to cast the spell (including increased levels for metamagic feats and so on). If the soul ward has insufficient hit points, the ravener cannot cast that spell. Casting a spell that reduces its soul ward to exactly 0 hit points does not harm the ravener (though most are not comfortable without this buffer of soul-energy and try to replenish it quickly).
So, a great wyrm red ravener, when encountered, has a starting soul ward of 29. Meaning a great wyrm red ravener can cast fewer levels worth of spells than a 7th level wizard. Even at full soul ward, it can only cast almost as many levels of spells as a 9th level wizard. Before the ravener template, it was a 19th level sorcerer.
Despite the other abilities the ravener template gives, I can't see how this is anything other than a massive, massive nerf. The only thing I can see that this mechanic does is allow the ravener to stack metamagic on spells to make them higher than 9th level (since it doesn't have spell slots anymore), but I'm not 100% sure that's legal. (And even that's not exceptionally unique because any spellcaster can do the same with metamagic rods.) The template gives a +2 CR adjustment, but that really justified considering the massive nerf to its spellcasting?
Just change the mechanics to what you want. You're the GM.
What it means is that the Ravener can only hold so much energy at one time. It also means it can play yoyo with it's Soul Energy level to cast FAR MORE than other casters in a day.
A fully charged Ravener NPC will probably have more than enough energy for any combat it will be in. But it also means that a powerful ravener with a steady supply of victims can potentially cast FAR FAR MORE than any caster in the world can in the course of a day.
Kill a few high HD cheap animals near the Ravener and they recharge up pretty fast. If that ravener controls any kind of society or cult who will 'feed it' a steady supply of bought slaves or kidnapped victims it is set.
A SMART ravener would even probably have cages of victims near it in it's lair so that it could cast powerful magics at the start of a battle and then use it's breath weapon to attack the party AND kill the victims to replenish it's soul energy. These caged victims would of course be in cages covered with illusions so no one could see them and they would be perma silenced so no one would hear them.
Bugbear slaves would be especially good for this being plentiful, cheap and providing a decent amount of soul energy per kill.
Remember that as an undead, the Ravener has not just the immunities of a Dragon, but also those of an Undead creature.
You can always buff the effects of Soul Ward and Soul Magic up a bit so it can cast as well as it did while alive if you are the GM.
What it means is that the Ravener can only hold so much energy at one time. It also means it can play yoyo with it's Soul Energy level to cast FAR MORE than other casters in a day.
A fully charged Ravener NPC will probably have more than enough energy for any combat it will be in. But it also means that a powerful ravener with a steady supply of victims can potentially cast FAR FAR MORE than any caster in the world can in the course of a day.
Kill a few high HD cheap animals near the Ravener and they recharge up pretty fast. If that ravener controls any kind of society or cult who will 'feed it' a steady supply of bought slaves or kidnapped victims it is set.
A SMART ravener would even probably have cages of victims near it in it's lair so that it could cast powerful magics at the start of a battle and then use it's breath weapon to attack the party AND kill the victims to replenish it's soul energy. These caged victims would of course be in cages covered with illusions so no one could see them and they would be perma silenced so no one would hear them.
Bugbear slaves would be especially good for this being plentiful, cheap and providing a decent amount of soul energy per kill.
These are all good ideas, unfortunately I don't really want to use the ravener in this fashion - I have an image in my head of how the encounter will begin. The thing I'm curious about is why the description says that the ravener starts with only half of its soul ward full - that seems to preclude the idea of the ravener pre-buffing like any other spellcaster would.
I think I'm probably just going to have to come up with my own modifications to the template.