The only time I can think of a rogue being the BBEG of a module is basically one where he functioned as a spellcaster (as in, had a lot of scrolls and just burned through them like no tomorrow).
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Before getting down to the final battle, it's easy to handle a rogue as a BBEG.
Rogues have cash; hire goons. Easy.
Rogues are sneaky, especially with the help of thieved (or even purchased) magical equipment; toy with the party under the cover of night.
Get inventive and in-their-heads; I had a rogue as a sub-BBEG once. He noticed (as he stalked the party frequently) that they had a bad habit of shooting first and asking questions later. He hired a few local children to put on dark cloaks and run away from the party as fast as they could as soon as they came into view. A shiny gold coin apiece.
The party (and the town) had a hard time dealing with the fact that they had slaughtered an innocent group of children, who did not have enough HP as level 1 commoners to survive the 1d8+3 or so damage dealt on average by a party with composite bows or the like. Victory, of a kind, for certain.
The final battle would be the roughest part. In my above-cited instance, my rogue hired a trio a little more capable in close combat than himself, and attempted to murder the party's stragglers from cover while they dealt with that threat. Or for a different flavor, in his penultimate engagement with them he was safely encased in a heavy dwarven mining implement (functionally, a tank) and did his darnedest to mow down the party before they could pry him out of it and spank him for his crimes.
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While there are several possible ways to make a Rogue the BBEG, I'd probably go with the sniper design. Stealthy Sniper talent, Sniper Goggles, Hide in Plain Sight, any kind of vision obstruction that the rogue can see through, et cetera.
It is entirely possible to make a Rogue who can snipe and disappear over and over and over again without ever being in danger. Give him a few 'get away' abilities (e.g. dimension door into various properties he owns around the city) in case the party does manage to spot him and you'll have an enemy that can terrorize the party almost with impunity. Forcing them to find places to hide and plan some way to lure him into a trap.
I don't think anyone's mentioned having an opposing player take the role of the Rogue. Give them some prep time (say a year of game time), PC level wealth, access to a liberal set of feats including Leadership, and the Downtime rules from Ultimate Campaign. If this player is slightly munchkinish and spreadsheet-savvy this could be good. You might need specific house rules for hiring higher-level minions.
95% of the time the party and the BBEG/BBNG are apart, so the Rogue player could play-by-post or have separate sessions. Any minion interaction with the party could be managed by a set of standing orders, or specific orders like "rob them in their sleep".
This absolves the DM of most "that's not fair!" accusations - any underhanded actions were carried out by a smart opponent with a spy network, not by a fickle and omniscient DM. If they leave obvious weaknesses in their tactics that the Rogue exposes (and exploits) by talking to spies then it's their fault.
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Like any BBEG, it's a question of WHY he needs to be stopped. What is he doing that makes him so dangerous?
It really doesn't matter if he's a Rogue or Fighter or Wizard.
Has he stolen the head of Mimir? Idun's apples? The Golden Fleece?
Has he stolen the holy artifact that was keeping [insert BBE Outsider here] from entering this world?
Is he seeking to bring down the gods? Overthrow a righteous king?
I have an easier time conceptually with a Mastermind archetype than a Core Rogue, but the story arc would pretty much be the same: He wants Power, and he'll use anyone and anything to get it. The PCs are pawns - as far as the BBEG (or BBNG as DM_Blake suggests) is concerned. And once the PCs catch on, that's when things get interesting! Will they hinder him or ingratiate themselves with him? Thwart him, or seek revenge, or try to wrest his Power away from him?
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These ideas might even work better if we take the "E" out of his title. A rogue who happens to be a BBNG (Big Bad Neutral Guy) might even be able to work with the PCs, hire them from time to time, appear to just be a wealthy noble or businessman, even helpful, all the while he's scheming and plotting - maybe he doesn't even know about the awful demons he's going to unleash; he might just think he's going to be fabulously rich.A lovely suggestion to dodge the 'smiting' and detect problem. Also a nice twist.
Potions of Undetectable Alignment (alchemist 2, antipaladin 2, bard 1, cleric/oracle 2, inquisitor 2, and ironically, paladin 2) are very cheap and last for 24 hours. I think people often forget about those during plot design. Alignment should never be a factor really, and it's also a reason why the Vigilante dual alignment thing is wonky from the get go... it's achieved by a 1st or 2nd level spell really.
Well, the resources that an evil rogue would have- networks, goons, and a lot of money (which can buy all sorts of black market gear).Traps. Traps. More traps.
Misdirection; Sleight of Hand; Feinting. - (both physically and metaphorically)
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These ideas might even work better if we take the "E" out of his title. A rogue who happens to be a BBNG (Big Bad Neutral Guy) might even be able to work with the PCs, hire them from time to time, appear to just be a wealthy noble or businessman, even helpful, all the while he's scheming and plotting - maybe he doesn't even know about the awful demons he's going to unleash; he might just think he's going to be fabulously rich.
Even with the 'e' - he could easily be 'the lesser of two evils' or 'the devil you know'. (metaphorically - not a literal devil)
Basically - think Marcone from The Dresden Files. He's definitely evil, but he helps the hero against many people/things which are far more evil than he is. He even has an odd sense of honor. (definitely LE - not lawful in that he follows the law, but lawful in that he has a code - most notably that he never allows kids to be hurt)
Which book has this Aelryinth?Dust of Dispelling [...]
Dust of Dispelling is from the old TOme of Madness book from WoTC, the book on Aberrations - one of the best books they put out.
Basically, it is dust made from beholder central eyes. SPrinkle it out, voila, 10'r antimagic shell.
Perfect for trapping an area by dusting it from above and then introducing sneak attackers on both sides to slice up casters.
==Aelryinth
The Tiefling has racial option 67 as well, why take two feats to get it?
Your eyes glow fiendishly and you possess the see in darkness ability as if you were a devil.
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one on one
mano a mano
just you
me
and MYYYYY GUARRRRRRRRRRRRDS
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Assuming you're following the rules insteqd of GM-fiat'ing whatever you think fits the fluff text of the Rogue class... There is basically nothing a Rogue BBEG couldn't do as well or much better as a member of a different class.
Most (probably all) of the mentioned tactics that would make him an actual threat (picking the time and location of the encounter, setting ambushes and traps, fighting dirty, hiring goons, etc) are not limited to any class and Rogues aren't particularly good at any of that)
I don't think he's saying that the ROgue is best...it's that could the ROgue do the job?
Yes, he could.
=Aelryinth
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Assuming you're following the rules insteqd of GM-fiat'ing whatever you think fits the fluff text of the Rogue class... There is basically nothing a Rogue BBEG couldn't do as well or much better as a member of a different class.
I don't think he's saying that the ROgue is best...it's that could the ROgue do the job?
Yes, he could.
=Aelryinth
Any class with social skills could do the same. It's been bugging me how almost all of the suggestions that aren't about the final boss fight could be done by an Expert or an Aristocrat. It's a really weird way to approach designing a BBEG. There is no real reason why a rogue is being used other than some desire to be "novel". Consequently, all the advice is a mess because the ultimate goal is vaguely shaped like the stock scheming man-behind-the-scenes BBEG...but they are a rogue (who isn't particularly suited to that sort of character). Consequently, the BBEG character doesn't really have any...character. Unless some things are included that are distinctively roguish, or even just distinctive full stop, the BBEG is just going to feel to the players like a guy with piles of money and a lot of contacts.
I would seriously advise forgetting the character's stat sheet should look like and decide what the details of the character concept are first. Then pick the best class for it. Or just pick Rogue because you want to, but don't be surprised when you get a subpar BBEG because you didn't pick the mechanics that fit the concept best.
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Make him the King of Thieves.
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A few thoughts:
1 - Rogues shine out of combat
Explore this aspect of your BBEG by using his ability modifiers to set up a series of non-combat encounters (not necessarily traps) that change the conditions where the party finally meets him. Make sure that the final showdown with him gives plenty of options for stealth and traps.
If you are using a charismatic rogue, have him leave false leads to the party which cause them to encounter the BBEG at a place of his choosing, likely riddled with traps and great hiding spots. This could be a series of gather information checks from the party with DC equal to 10 + the BBEG's bluff check.
Also, flanking partners are incredibly useful for a melee type rogue, so a series of social encounters pitting the party's knowledge and charisma against the BBEG's recruitment abilities could be used to modify the number and level of goons he has managed to bring in.
Careful planning and knowledge of tactics can easily mean the difference between an epic showdown and a anticlimactic disintegrate ray. Consider using social encounters that result in the BBEG learning about the party's tactics so he can prepare against them. Knowing that the wizard has an arcane bond makes it a prime target for a disarm or steal combat maneuver.
2 - Rogues are rich. NPCs aren't.
You may want to consider his wealth distribution. Heroic NPC wealth for a level 20 character is 159k, whereas PC wealth at that level is 880k. I would consider designing him such that his personal wealth on hand (armor, weapons, potions, etc) is 159k, and you use the 721k difference between PC and NPC (heroic) as a pool of money to pay for traps, hiring goons, and additional equipment for goons beyond their normal loadout. This should make it easier to balance the encounter from a CR perspective (include traps and goons in the CR calculations), but keep the flavor of a wealthy rogue intact.
3 - Daggers don't kill, sneak attacks do
It's not too hard to make a rogue build that can blender a PC in the first round of combat (or the surprise round even) with a full attack that includes so many d6s of sneak attack that it makes a Warhammer 40k game look tame. That would not likely be a fun encounter for the PCs though. What may be more fun is to use rogue talents such as Sneaky Maneuvers to perform a full attack of disarm and steal checks before promptly dropping through a prepared trapdoor to a lower level or being teleported by one of his hired goons. This could lead to an incredibly awkward combat on the part of the PCs that could prove to be very memorable.
4 - Rogues can fall flat... spectacularly
Reward the party if they excel in prior social encounters. If the party catches wind that the BBEG is studying their tactics, hiring goons, and rigging the battlefield, and they can find a way to turn the tables, make sure they feel that all of the events leading up to the final showdown are all part of the BBEG. That way when he falls flat on his face from being caught too early, and tries to steal the arcane bond from the wrong guy thanks to a well done disguise, and is promptly abandoned by his goons who are more confident in the party than their boss, rather then feeling that the 1 round combat is anticlimactic, the party will see it as a rewarding culmination of all of their hard work.
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(Replying to Mysterious Stranger)
You can free up a bunch of talents (and I think some feats) by remembering to apply the unchained rogue's skill unlocks. Skill unlock (stealth) gives him a great deal of benefits as do a bunch of other feats.
If you look he already has skill unlocks in bluff, disguise, perception, sense motive, sleight of hand, and stealth.
Bluff gives him the ability to evade people reading his thoughts, detecting his alignment, or being caught lying. It also gives him the ability to use suggestion almost at will.
Disguise allows him to create a disguise as a full round action. Combined with bluff he can be in a crowd and blend in almost at will.
Perception is going to make it almost impossible to surprise. He will notice things while asleep from several football fields away that most people standing next to the person will miss.
Sense motive means he can read thoughts as a standard action. Notice they get no save vs. this just an opposed bluff roll.
Stealth with the feat hellcat stealth means he can disappear right before your very eyes. This will allow him to get sneak attacks very easily.
The feats and talents are designed to allow him to actually make the rolls for some of the skill unlocks. Sense motive has to be extremely high because he is taking a -20 on it. Stealth is also high to overcome some really high perception rolls.
The character can probably be optimized further, but the idea is to show it is possible to make him a threat.
DM_Blake makes a good point that he should have even more wealth than a PC. This is going to make him even more dangerous. Give him a powerful artifact as well. With a high enough use magic device it could even be an artifact that is normally only used by a wizard. Maybe a staff of the Magi?
Assuming you're following the rules insteqd of GM-fiat'ing whatever you think fits the fluff text of the Rogue class... There is basically nothing a Rogue BBEG couldn't do as well or much better as a member of a different class.I don't think he's saying that the ROgue is best...it's that could the ROgue do the job?
Yes, he could.
=Aelryinth
Any class with social skills could do the same. It's been bugging me how almost all of the suggestions that aren't about the final boss fight could be done by an Expert or an Aristocrat. It's a really weird way to approach designing a BBEG. There is no real reason why a rogue is being used other than some desire to be "novel". Consequently, all the advice is a mess because the ultimate goal is vaguely shaped like the stock scheming man-behind-the-scenes BBEG...but they are a rogue (who isn't particularly suited to that sort of character). Consequently, the BBEG character doesn't really have any...character. Unless some things are included that are distinctively roguish, or even just distinctive full stop, the BBEG is just going to feel to the players like a guy with piles of money and a lot of contacts.
I would seriously advise forgetting the character's stat sheet should look like and decide what the details of the character concept are first. Then pick the best class for it. Or just pick Rogue because you want to, but don't be surprised when you get a subpar BBEG because you didn't pick the mechanics that fit the concept best.
Experts and artisocrats do not have combat skills. Rogues do.
But the arena Rogues will shine in requires them to remove magic from the equation, forcing the party to 'merely human' levels. Sneak attack is HUGELY dangerous if the other party does not have magical defenses and Con buffs.
And you know, it's exactly what a Commoner, Aritocrat or Noble would want to happen. I can totally see, for instance, the entire Senate building being in an anti-magic shell, JUST to stop caster shenanigans. Military bases and strongpoints, the homes of important people, etc. Magic is dangerous stuff, and keeping out the powers of casters and magical beings is what people would WANT TO DO.
The Rogue would THRIVE in such circumstances. But you'd have to make the world back up the reality of what people would want, instead of something like Golarion.
==Aelryinth
The man-behind-the-scenes IS an effective BBEG. Just look at Prof. Moriarty as one example.
I don't see those anywhere on what you posted - I see the cutting edge but didn't see the other skills listed anywhere. Are you sure they were...(Replying to Mysterious Stranger)
You can free up a bunch of talents (and I think some feats) by remembering to apply the unchained rogue's skill unlocks. Skill unlock (stealth) gives him a great deal of benefits as do a bunch of other feats.
If you look he already has skill unlocks in bluff, disguise, perception, sense motive, sleight of hand, and stealth.
Bluff gives him the ability to evade people reading his thoughts, detecting his alignment, or being caught lying. It also gives him the ability to use suggestion almost at will.
Disguise allows him to create a disguise as a full round action. Combined with bluff he can be in a crowd and blend in almost at will.
Perception is going to make it almost impossible to surprise. He will notice things while asleep from several football fields away that most people standing next to the person will miss.
Sense motive means he can read thoughts as a standard action. Notice they get no save vs. this just an opposed bluff roll.
Stealth with the feat hellcat stealth means he can disappear right before your very eyes. This will allow him to get sneak attacks very easily.
The feats and talents are designed to allow him to actually make the rolls for some of the skill unlocks. Sense motive has to be extremely high because he is taking a -20 on it. Stealth is also high to overcome some really high perception rolls.
The character can probably be optimized further, but the idea is to show it is possible to make him a threat.
DM_Blake makes a good point that he should have even more wealth than a PC. This is going to make him even more dangerous. Give him a powerful artifact as well. With a high enough use magic device it could even be an artifact that is normally only used by a wizard. Maybe a staff of the Magi?
You are right they did not show up. I put together the character quickly and just posted the output without checking it. Sorry for the confusion.
the skill unlocks are what make him stand out. Most of the skill locks can be used an unlimited number of times per day. Being able to read almost any surface thought and make suggestions to most NPC an unlimited number of times per day is something even a full caster is going to be hard pressed to match. The fact he can do so in a antimagic field is even more impressive.
The man-behind-the-scenes IS an effective BBEG. Just look at Prof. Moriarty as one example.
Yes, but I doubt this is about his role throughout the campaign, this is about what happens when the party tries to drag him from behind the scenes and onto center stage. What happens when they get behind his veils of secrecy, subterfuge, escapes, and political defenses.
Essentially, with a man behind the scenes, you are supposed to either reveal his role (there by incriminating him and removing him from power/getting him arrested) or you are waiting until you can get him into arms reach so that you can rearrange his Charisma score into the negatives via plastic surgery performed with a greatsword.
And lets admit it, while we can appreciate the first storywise...the game makes us really appreciate the latter in the cathartic feel of a d20 to his face. And admittedly, you could have the latter immediately after the former (ie, he uses his last lines of defense to kill you since no one is going to take him alive)
Assuming you're following the rules insteqd of GM-fiat'ing whatever you think fits the fluff text of the Rogue class...
Yep, my post was pretty far out there. Using Loki as a minion. I musta been in an altered state of consciousness...
Or...
Maybe this rogue has been level 20 for a hundred years. Or more. The rules don't really cover what happens then. Mythic tiers? Epic Level Handbook? Oh, yeah, not that one; it's obsolete.
So what DOES a level 20 rogue do for a century or two AFTER hitting level 20? I don't think there ARE any rules for this, so there is nothing for the OP to "follow". Once he's been 20th level for a few dozen decades, he must have achieved SOMETHING with all those skills and abilities and connections and all that time on his hands.
Oh, and even a human rogue could have been level 20 for hundreds of years. Why, less than 20 years ago, Potions of Longevity were in the core books - maybe he stockpiled a bunch of them before they all disappeared (maybe this BBNG rogue is the reason they all disappeared - hmmmmmmm).
There is basically nothing a Rogue BBEG couldn't do as well or much better as a member of a different class.
Hence the after-twenty RP fluff stuff. Yeah, those other classes could do that too, but they don't all need to; many of them could start their world conquest at or even before the instant they hit level 20. Not so much the rogue.
The man-behind-the-scenes IS an effective BBEG. Just look at Prof. Moriarty as one example.Yes, but I doubt this is about his role throughout the campaign, this is about what happens when the party tries to drag him from behind the scenes and onto center stage. What happens when they get behind his veils of secrecy, subterfuge, escapes, and political defenses.
Essentially, with a man behind the scenes, you are supposed to either reveal his role (there by incriminating him and removing him from power/getting him arrested) or you are waiting until you can get him into arms reach so that you can rearrange his Charisma score into the negatives via plastic surgery performed with a greatsword.
And lets admit it, while we can appreciate the first storywise...the game makes us really appreciate the latter in the cathartic feel of a d20 to his face. And admittedly, you could have the latter immediately after the former (ie, he uses his last lines of defense to kill you since no one is going to take him alive)
Well, even Holmes had his face-to-face with Prof. Moriarty, and it didn't turn out so well for him. So a Moriarty-esque villain can still be a viable threat in the final chapter!
Honestly, I'm not really clear what Malwing is looking for out of this thread. This was just what occurred to me based on a more Rogue type villain. You've got your mafioso. You've got your underworld Boss. I just happen to enjoy the Holmes/Moriarty thing.
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So what DOES a level 20 rogue do for a century or two AFTER hitting level 20? I don't think there ARE any rules for this, so there is nothing for the OP to "follow". Once he's been 20th level for a few dozen decades, he must have achieved SOMETHING with all those skills and abilities and connections and all that time on his hands.
Ever heard of the grandfather of the assassins? he's actually... a ROGUE! [gasp!]
:P
Also, not that it's rogue specific, well kinda (i.e. Godfather anyone?) but the success of a high level rogue is to seer a lot of kids. LOTS. Until such point where you have family everywhere and can legitimize your operations. Who cares about magic when you have the unions working for you? :)
Ever heard of the grandfather of the assassins? he's actually... a ROGUE! [gasp!]
Which came first, the chicken rogue or the egg assassin?
Maybe this rogue has been level 20 for a hundred years. Or more. The rules don't really cover what happens then. Mythic tiers? Epic Level Handbook? Oh, yeah, not that one; it's obsolete.
They do, actually... Since level isn't tied to time. The short answer is that he wouldn't be 20th level anymore.
Your character level isn't just some number that tells you what feats you can have. It's meant to be a reflection of your experience, power, skill set, etc.
Unless this Rogue didn't learn anything new in the last 100 years, he should probably have gained a level or two (maybe he got really lazy after getting so rich and powerful and decided he didn't want to do much work anymore, so he couldn't gather enough xp to level up).
Unless this Rogue didn't learn anything new in the least 100 years, he should probably have gained a level or 2
So he's now a level 22 rogue? Is there a chart for this? What class abilities does he get? Did his BAB and Saves go up?
And why only 1 or 2 levels. Chances are it only took him a year or two to reach level 20. If he was slow about it, maybe a decade. Then he's had many, many more decades to keep "adventuring", so why only a couple levels? Couldn't he be a 75th level rogue by now? Is that on the chart?
Snark aside, I quoted you saying "Assuming you're following the rules insteqd of GM-fiat'ing whatever you think fits the fluff text of the Rogue class..." and then I suggested that after level 20, there's nothing BUT fiat. It seems you agree, since you're suggesting making up new levels for him.
So he's now a level 22 rogue? Is there a chart for this? What class abilities does he get? Did his BAB and Saves go up?
I suppose it could work that way... Or you could simply say that he reached 18th level 100 years or so in the past, and spent the last century reaching 20th level...
If you really want to get him to 20th level, I'd increase whatever bonuses he would get following the progression of the Rogue class (sneak attack, rogue talent, trap finding, whatever), poor BAB progression and good progression to all saves startin g at 21st level (so in this case, +1 to BAB and all saves).
It's still simpler to say he got to 20th level in the last century, though...
this isn't even my final form
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After some reflection, I believe that perhaps the most effective way to handle the final encounter would be to have the rogue immediately surrender and request a fair trial for his crimes. I'd say not handling a prisoner fairly would be a severe tick against a Good alignment, so provided the party is at least partly good, that ensures the rogue gets a trial.
Of course, if he's spent his gold wisely and utilized his social skills as well as can, he'd be immediately acquitted. Turn a combat Final Encounter (something a rogue could be effective in, but that would likely minimize player enjoyment) into an ethical and social dilemma Final Encounter. Eh?
Why can't a wizard have a network of evil goons and wealth from stealing things
Note: wizard bbeg have networks of evil goons and are rich, often from stealing
Because there are several avenues that a wizard can take, so they might not use that particular one.
They could, for instance, build a lair entirely out of their own power, and fill it with bound creatures and the like.
They can play it as "I CAN BEND THE VERY FABRIC OF REALITY TO MY WHIM! I CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED BY THE LIKES OF MERE MEN"...and thn he gets a greatsword to the face, cause it is the classic overconfidence story.
Even as a man behind the scenes, he might use various enchantment spells to bind people of political power to his will (if he doesn't bully some shape shifter to replace the person entirely).
A thief HAS to play with subversive methods. They are all about backstabbings, ganging up on a person, and other underhanded methods. A wizard CAN be just as submersive, but he doesn't HAVE to be. And that often translates to a larger willingness to take the problem into his own hands, even when he is trying to play it sneaky.
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After some reflection, I believe that perhaps the most effective way to handle the final encounter would be to have the rogue immediately surrender and request a fair trial for his crimes. I'd say not handling a prisoner fairly would be a severe tick against a Good alignment, so provided the party is at least partly good, that ensures the rogue gets a trial.
Of course, if he's spent his gold wisely and utilized his social skills as well as can, he'd be immediately acquitted. Turn a combat Final Encounter (something a rogue could be effective in, but that would likely minimize player enjoyment) into an ethical and social dilemma Final Encounter. Eh?
well done sir. I like this
well done sir. I like thisAfter some reflection, I believe that perhaps the most effective way to handle the final encounter would be to have the rogue immediately surrender and request a fair trial for his crimes. I'd say not handling a prisoner fairly would be a severe tick against a Good alignment, so provided the party is at least partly good, that ensures the rogue gets a trial.
Of course, if he's spent his gold wisely and utilized his social skills as well as can, he'd be immediately acquitted. Turn a combat Final Encounter (something a rogue could be effective in, but that would likely minimize player enjoyment) into an ethical and social dilemma Final Encounter. Eh?
Well, obviously that would happen at least once. But then it wouldn't be a final encounter, since if he gets off then he is going to continue whatever master plan he has cooking.
No, the real challenge there is that he tries his best to make a double, and that was never him. He also obtained a recording device. He wants the players to kill him, because then he turns that over to the proper authorities (ie- the ones that are in his back pocket) to show that they executed a prisoner without trial, thereby incriminating the party.
Of course, if he is 'taken in', then he just lays low so the party feels it won, while he is really doing other things. Maybe set up fake attempts at jail break which purposefully fail.
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The fact a mage 'can' play like a Rogue is no reason to not play a rogue like a rogue.
The big thing is going to be the prevalence of anti-magic. ThE rogue thrives in no magic environments. So make sure you address that point. It doesn't mean that magic is illegal, or even fewer spellcasters around. It means that anti-magic defenses will quite reasonably be EVERYWHERE, and the players should be prepared for it. Casters are going to be shut down the way that melee and ranged attackers are, and frequently. If they don't have alternatives...sucks to be them!
Here is how you do it:
Citywide defenses against flight that is not 'natural': Prevents flyovers by magical creatures and wizards and bombing the city.
Citywide ward against charms: Charmed people glow pink, instantly betraying the fact their will has been subverted.
Magic glows at entry points: A physical reaction, so guards can see magic coming into and out of places. Stops a lot of smuggling, and people girt head to toe in magic are noted with alertness.
Citywide Interdiction against dimensional magic: This prevents gating, teleporting, summoning, dimension dooring, mage's mansions, bags of holding and suchlike. Stops many invasion plans, unregulated travel, a great deal of easy smuggling, and bringing in foul monsters to terrorize innocents, while making strategic and tactical control of positions of importance in the city still important. It also keeps property values pointedly high and current.
Anti-Magic Shells in important areas to politicians/rulership/command: Completely shuts down ANY magical threat from most magical sources in those areas.
Undead glow black: Faerie fire coats all undead in black flames. Can't have them hiding among the living!
True Sight Seekers: The city regularly has a special secret corps that walks the streets with True Sight, looking for disguised and shapechanged beings trying to infiltrate society. Keeps the dopplegangers in check. This is combined with Urban Rangers with FE: Human and FT: Urban, who are experts in determining that things are NOT Human (or whatever the native/dominant race required is), and fighting and tracking such, effectively a double specialization of alertness.
"White Zones": Set up in Spell Engine areas. All spellcasting from beings is sucked away and neutralized, including spell like and supernatural abilities. Devices can still be used, however, and buffs in existence are not dispelled. Typically used to cover areas of commerce and industry. Wands are often back-up weapons here.
"Duty statues": City guards entering shifts pay respects to these statues of patrons of the city, and get a Greater Magic weapon and Greater Magic Vestment cast on them that lasts ten hours, long enough to cover their shift, and give them a significant magical bump.
Divination protection: Cheap and plentiful. A standard Non-Detection Amulet works as if the wearer were the caster, making it MUCH harder to bypass. Wards against divination magic will be present on most wealthier homes and on any place of political importance. This will be extended to illusion magic for places of worth, making infiltration even harder.
Laws against casting: Spellcasting is the same as any other deadly weapon, the caster is held responsible for deaths and property destruction caused by any magic they wield, up to and including raising the dead by stiff fees and penalties, surrender of magic items, geased service, etc. Those who abuse magical powers can be expected to be petrified with a variant that ages them as they stay in stone, stored away for years, and then released with major chunks of their life gone, or simply out and out killed if unable to control their dangerous powers. There might be a ceremony or Ritual to completely strip people of magical ability for punishing people abusing magic.
You have to set up the world like this, where people want protection from what they cannot control. If they can't have magic, they don't want to be threatened by magic, and will do what they can/have to to make sure of it. This is NOT a mindset that Paizo reflects, and frankly ignores. An Anti-Magic Zone is the magical equivalent of "I check my gun at the door" and should be the default for any zone that you want any level of security in.
In such an environment, there's no way a wizard is going to compare to what a Rogue can do. Away from the cities where security is enforced, a spellcaster can possibly do whatever he can get away with. But in the city, the ROgue will rule.
==Aelryinth
Well, obviously that would happen at least once. But then it wouldn't be a final encounter, since if he gets off then he is going to continue whatever master plan he has cooking.
No, the real challenge there is that he tries his best to make a double, and that was never him. He also obtained a recording device. He wants the players to kill him, because then he turns that over to the proper authorities (ie- the ones that are in his back pocket) to show that they executed a prisoner without trial, thereby incriminating the party.
Of course, if he is 'taken in', then he just lays low so the party feels it won, while he is really doing other things. Maybe set up fake attempts at jail break which purposefully fail.
My intent was on figuring out how to deal with a criminal of great stature who has been legally absolved of all responsibility and gives no means to be hunted again.
Alternatively, I suppose, a clever rogue could both get himself off the hook and get the party incriminated. Make it look as if he's been framed by this group of murderous, pillaging lunatics that have scoured the countryside to thwart him for unknown reasons. In my experience, the average PC group is questionable enough in actions that a court of law wouldn't find this unreasonable. It also maintains the rogue's status as BBEG, but again dodges a combat finale in favor of a "how do we get ourselves out of this one?" sort.
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The key is climax, but the climax a rogue would engineer, which is likely never to be "I'll fight them."