So, I am the GM, and one of the recurring villains is an Evil Trickster Priest (11th level, Trickery domain, Evangelist archetype), a sort of 'evil general' type that casts buffs and otherwise acts as a force multiplier for a large group of minions.
The PCs have run into him before, in a battle that did not go well for either the cleric or the PCs. The PCs have, quite naturally, decided that next time they want to obliterate Mr. High Priest ASAP. Mr. High Priest, quite naturally, would rather this not happen.
Question is, what can be done to help him live a little longer. I'm not looking to make an insane combat monster so much as eke out a couple more rounds of survivability. If he were a wizard, I'd be using Stoneskin, Contingency (Mirror Image), and so forth. For a cleric, I'm not quite sure what to do.
For the record, mostly looking for things to protect against physical damage. The cleric has hefty Spell Resistance and decent resistances/saves. AC, however, is... not impressive, nor is his DR.
Suggestions?
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Ironskin is a solid AC buff, and the Trickery Domain Power certainly helps a little. Grace is a solid spell to let him move out of melee and avoid full attacks.
He can use Contingency from a scroll if he has UMD, and a Contingency'ed Heal when he goes down to low enough HP helps a lot.
Word of Recall also gives him a solid escape plan, which should allow him to fight another day.
Angelic Aspect would be good if they were Good Aligned (it gives DR 5), but you could house-rule a 'Demonic Aspect' Evil version pretty easily.
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Een though he has good defences versus spells, they still represent a significant threat of a quick defeat.
Since he knows the PCs by now, and probably has some sense of their tactics, I would also recommend Spell Immunity keyed to some of the PCs' favorite 1st - 4th level spells (or at least the ones that might lead to a quick defeat).
For mundane damage, Defending Bone is a solid and long-lasting defensive buff, especially if none of your heavy-hitter PCs use a bludgeoning weapon. Ironskin is also a great call.
Using Invisibility off the Domain list alongside some boosted summons might also be a good call, though I'm guessing your PCs might be able to beat invisibility at this point (though perhaps he could counter their counters via Spell Immunity?)
Ring of Invisibility, Determination armor enchant, UMD the scrolls of all the wizard live spells, Deathward, that one heal over time cleric spell from Adv Class(holy path?), magic vestments extended, ring of protection, amulet of natural armor, barkskin, Dimensional Assault feat chain, boots of speed, adamantine full plate, protection from alignment spells, resist/protection from energy, antimagic field, smoke sticks, all the fog spells
If hes evil enough he can use human shields for cover. Preferably innocent people
Hes a recurring villain. Its ok to give him some good defensive items
I was once in a similar situation way back in 1st edition. I had an evil high priest recurring villain that I wanted to have a showdown with the PCs. I had him summon up the best elemental servant as backup (back then it was random what you got) as he revealed himself. He was as buffed as he could be back then. He was not, alas, prepared for what happened.
The PC cleric cast banish on the magnificent earth elemental and it failed its save and went poof. The magic-user cast polymorph other on the high priest and he failed his save and was turned into a tortoise (but kept his mental faculties). The party scooped him up in a burlap sack and kept him as a mascot. They actually named their group the Company of the Tortoise as a result. Occasionally they would "let him escape" from his sack (poor tortoise) only to scoop him up after he got a few feet away.
The point of all this is to say don't go too crazy on your defenses. Do what you think the character would do and see what happens. Good luck!
Anti-Life Shell and undead minions.
For a truly evil bad guy,
Scrolls of unwilling shield and innocent children.
Sure you can try to kill me, but in doing so, you kill these orphans as well.
Cast malediction on the kids as well, for a truly evil conundrum.
Don't forget the simple stuff. Sanctuary means the PCs have to make a Will save to attack him at all, and if he's not directly attacking them, the spell stays up. Good tactics for a trickster priest.
Invisibility isn't broken by, say, summoning spells or minion-buffing spells.
Command to "flee", or use of various fear spells, will drive some of the party away and make coordinated tactics more difficult.
The mundane disguise skill can be used to great effect, as some other posters have noted.
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The BBEG has a bona fide 100% natural lookalike. Or even several who pretend in turn to be him while he stays invisible
Else have the BBEG go down under the first lethal attack whatever its damage. And he stays 100% dead. That should make the PCs properly paranoid for the whole campaign
oooh.... I like this one. I may steal it myself.
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Some very good ideas here, thank you! Some, sadly, won't work due to [mechanical decisions made earlier in the campaign/plot/format of game], but let's see...
<> Ironskin I'd ruled against earlier for the PCs (it wasn't on the allowed books list and seemed a bit too good), so I'd be a bit of a hypocrite to use it now.
<> Grace and Trickery Power I am using and are a large part of why he survived the first fight.
<> Word of Recall is a thing I am keeping an eye on.
<> Angelic Aspect (Demonic Aspect)... ironically the cleric is a half-fiend, so most of this isn't actually helpful, other than better DR (why do Half-Fiends get only DR/Magic... ah wells). But something to consider, since DR 5/Good *is* pretty nice.
<> Spell Immunity I have in mind and will probably be using later on -- so far, the party's spellcasters have not exactly covered themselves in glory.
<> Defending Bone doesn't work if you have DR already (see above re: Half-Fiend), otherwise it'd be just what the doctor ordered.
<> Invisibility... hrm... I will need to check what spells it does and does not work with while casting.
<> Antilife Shell, sadly, too many of the PCs are Outsiders/Constructs/Undead (it's that kind of game).
<> UMD is a good idea, at least in moderation (in other words, the character should remain a cleric, not a UMD-rogue). The evildoers do have a powerful wizard on hand who can scribe a few scrolls.
<> Most of Nosig's ideas - if going by plot stuff, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.
<> Dastis's items - something I'll be looking into, though I don't want to shatter Wealth-by-level too badly.
Dosgamer, yeah, I'm keeping this in mind. This is far from my first DMing rodeo... even if I don't think I was born when 1E was going.
Overall, looking at this... Demonic Aspect/Spell Immunity/Invisibility seem like the best spell choices, along with UMD and possibly a good defensive item (need to check how much adamantine full plate costs...)
Anyone have any other suggestions?
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Let him put on Dust Form (6th level spell from Ultimate Combat), which grants the incorporeal state, and is probably the best defensive spell he can use by himself. Being 50% immune to everything and crits in general should prolong his life a little.
You mention an allowed books list, but didn't post the list, so I am going to assume that UC is OK here.
Spell Immunity is technically good, but useless as defense against a party, as it covers too little possibilities. But it's main use is to immunize yourself to the harmful spells you plan to stand in. If the priest has a sorcerer minion (maybe with leadership as his trusted sidekick), it's going to be fireball (or whatever) every round, with him and the minion unharmed.
If you consider poaching arcane magic, leave invisibility where it is and go for greater invisibility. Or maybe dust of disappearance...that was a favorite in 1E.
The spell Dastis mentioned is Greater Path of Glory, which grants fast healing 5 to those standing on it. It looks better on paper than in practice, I use it only to heal up the group after a fight now. During battles there is way too much movement for it to be of use.
His best defense is probably granting his minions a good offense. Blessing of fervor, prayer and maybe desecrate ground should work well. If he can work with his wizard using Guards & Wards, they can maybe separate or split the group. Just enough to have 1-2 rounds alone with whoever gets separated. Fog is a terrible barrier, as so few abilities can see through it. And what you cannot see you cannot target...requires some work, as the bad guys have the same problem, but can be very nasty.
The best defense for a cleric are personal guards, who he can buff, which is his best magic. No matter what kind of guard - undead, planar allies, summoned monsters, regular guards, constructs - anything buffable with fighter BAB will work.
(Clerics are a weak class in Pathfinder, so you can do only so much.)
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If the PCs are going to be relying on ranged attacks, Fickle Winds is an excellent defensive countermeasure.
If the PCs have a paladin, Unholy Ward might be a good counter to Smite Evil.
Resist Energy/Protection from Energy would obviously be handy against any energy damage the PCs like to rely upon.
Freedom of Movement is essential if the party likes to use grapple or any movement-restricting spells or abilities.
A personal favorite tactic is having Spell-Storing armor containing something like Stricken Heart, to be used at the beginning of a PC's full attack routine to make them auto-staggered, and disrupt the full attack. Also combines extremely well with Bestow Curse if the DC is reasonably high (I like the one where the target only gets to act, at all, 50% of the time -- real day-ruiner).
I think that in the end, I'll use some of Vatras's suggestions -- the best defense is a good offense. Freedom of Movement and Spell Immunity to be relatively safe from spells, Blessing of Fervor to get both some AC boost for himself, and also to buff the minions.
Likewise, one of the other major villains, a melee type who unlike the cleric makes the PCs twitch everytime he shows up, will be picking up Bodyguard and In Harm's Way. If anyone wants to maul the cleric, they can go toe-to-toe with the seven-foot-tall guy wearing spiky black armor. Leaves them a bit vulnerable to spells, but they both have SR, energy resistance, and I think Communal Spell Immunity/Protection from Energy/Energy Resistance will lower most of the risk of that.
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I had an idea a while ago for a BBEG (or trusted lieutenant) who was actually a team of Vigilantes who all had the same social identity.
The fun practically creates itself.
Most evil caster baddies can be made all the scarier with the Lich template. Just saying.
Another trick that works well, and without the risk of boosting PC wealth too much is equipping the BBEG with a Lesser Talisman of Healing Power and/or Life's Breath.
Link is here: LINK
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The trickery domain gives you mislead and copy cat both of those are good options.
You have heal, and probably a few scrolls of heal as well.
Since you are an evangelist how about adding glamour to your armour and buckler and making it appear as robes and a Holy book. you can get pretty high acs... considering you have lower lv priests at your command.
Since he has faced the pcs before ... I believe it is fair game to have counters for the things the party does well.
and of course he should have a few acolyte clerics .. warpriests, inquisitors antipaladins as bodyguards.
if you want to mess with the party .. you could send a lower level priest to cast a few Persistent or bouncing suggestions that ... that pregnant woman/ barmaid/ noble's son is reaching for a knife and really an assassin.
persistent or bouncing murderous command can also be pretty evil if their nearest ally is a loved one or noble.
A Simulacrum is only 13th level, so could be a great *fake* BBEG. It even has spells and such.
Minions can Aid Another for AC on the BBEG.
An Aegis of Recovery is a great survival option.
/cevah
Magic Jar or Possession is a great spell. As long as the host body has a holy symbol, the BBEG should be able to do all his inspiration/spellcasting tricks from inside a much more powerful body.
As long as BBEG's actual body is safe, when the host body dies, the BBEG gets away scot free.
Magic Jar or Possession is a great spell. As long as the host body has a holy symbol, the BBEG should be able to do all his inspiration/spellcasting tricks from inside a much more powerful body.
As long as BBEG's actual body is safe, when the host body dies, the BBEG gets away scot free.
If you're going that route, then use Possession, as even the books recommend swapping Magic Jar for the Possession spell line. Your reasoning is partially why I recommended the Lich template, since it means that even if that particular enemy gets ripped apart, they can still come back as a recurring villain, and it gives the party something to watch out for (the lich's phylactery).
I've already recommended in another thread that someone use an Egregore or Egregore Master to make their baddies more burly. Theirs were a mirror-match party of big bads, but the OP here said the high priest guy was supporting a bunch of underlings, so this still sounds like a good match. It will provide him with extra backup and take a lot of the strain of maintaining basic support off of him so that he can cast the scarier stuff that really emphasizes that he's the big bad. The only issue is that, if the party kills off a whole lot of cult mind minions, the Egregore has to make a Will save or get Confused for a bit whenever another one dies after a certain point.
I should note that the High Priest is sort of a buff/debuff type. Usual plan is to cast buffs the surprise/first round (Blessing of Fervor + Quickened Bless, Prayer), then switch to debuffs (Confusion, Greater Command, Blade Barrier), with a Harm or Bestow Curse. So Sanctuary or Invisibility (regular version) isn't ideal.
As a GM, I'm also fairly stingy when it comes to pre-battle buffs. Hour-long or 10 min/level buffs, sure, no problem. But PCs need to be pretty on the ball to get a chance to cast min/level buffs, and round/level buffs require *extreme* extenuating circumstances. I try to apply the same standard to the antagonists, so most of the very short-duration spells here would come out of the High Priest's combat actions -- so, something like Entropic Shield is proooobably not worth casting, though Blessing of Fervor or Dust Form very well may be.
You mention an allowed books list, but didn't post the list, so I am going to assume that UC is OK here.
Oh, sorry I missed this. Short version is that all the 'main line' books are allowed (UC, UM, Horror Adventures, etc). Everything else (other Paizo, 3.5 stuff, 3rd Party material) requires Permission. I'm reasonably free with allowing things, I just want to install something of a brake.
For the purposes of this discussion, assume that most anything that isn't *heinously* overpowered will be allowed (no Sacred Geometry), especially since it's for a NPC.
Most evil caster baddies can be made all the scarier with the Lich template. Just saying.
That is definitely true. But I've already set this guy as a Half-Fiend, so making a Lich-Half-Fiend (+5 CR) seems a bit... excessive. Plus the wizard is a lich.
Another trick that works well, and without the risk of boosting PC wealth too much is equipping the BBEG with a Lesser Talisman of Healing Power and/or Life's Breath.
Oooh. That is going on the list.
Since he has faced the pcs before ... I believe it is fair game to have counters for the things the party does well.
That is explicitly something he's doing, yes (and I've told the PCs as much). I'm being a bit evasive as to fine details since I suspect some of my players may read this forum, but overall, so far the martials have been a much bigger threat than the casters. Hence my particular attention to raising his AC and DR.
You can still "stack" DR in a sense. If something manages to get through one of the EHP's sources of DR, it still has to bypass his other sources of DR. For instance, if his only sources of DR are his half-fiend template and Defending Bone, a magic weapon will get through his DR/Magic, but it will still do 5 less damage unless it's a magic weapon that deals bludgeoning damage.
Defending Bone seems to have a specific clause banning it if the target has DR otherwise? I confess I found it odd.
Old low-level favorites...
Visualization of the Body, for more hit points
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/v/visualization-of-the-body
All *excellent* suggestions, but the Visualization spells in particular. I think I may go with the Dex one, actually, since bumping AC by 4, especially after investing in Mithril armor and Blessing of Fervor, will raise his AC to a pretty high level.
Magic Jar or Possession is a great spell. As long as the host body has a holy symbol, the BBEG should be able to do all his inspiration/spellcasting tricks from inside a much more powerful body.
As long as BBEG's actual body is safe, when the host body dies, the BBEG gets away scot free.
Iiiiiinteresting. I might try this.
I've already recommended in another thread that someone use an Egregore or Egregore Master to make their baddies more burly. Theirs were a mirror-match party of big bads, but the OP here said the high priest guy was supporting a bunch of underlings, so this still sounds like a good match. It will provide him with extra backup and take a lot of the strain of maintaining basic support off of him so that he can cast the scarier stuff that really emphasizes that he's the big bad. The only issue is that, if the party kills off a whole lot of cult mind minions, the Egregore has to make a Will save or get Confused for a bit whenever another one dies after a certain point.
Those things are freaky. My biggest concern would be CR budget. If the PCs are 11th level, the High Priest is CR 13, the Other Name Villain is also CR 13, and I use a bunch of minor minions (I use 4E-type minions), then even with a fairly large party, not a ton of room to stick another buff-monster in.
Could make a neat miniboss, though. I will keep an eye out, because it is very much in-theme.
The thing is, the Egregore doesn't even need to be in the same room, or even the same building. The enemies could just be mysteriously regenerating swaths of health during the fight and the party doesn't know why. Perhaps have the Egregore be in a hidden room (along with a couple guards protecting it, of course) that can be accessed on the way to the fight, and if they come across it and kill it before they get to the main event, then no Egregore. If they don't find the room, then the big fight is more difficult.