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So I'm planning on finishing my CoT game next week, and Book #6 is just an extreme "yikes" all around in terms of focus, characters, and story. Although I'm still working on the details about the narrative, I have a much simpler (I hope) problem for y'all.
I was wondering if y'all had any suggestions about turning the Drovenge siblings into an actual threat. Eccardian in particular is.... kind of lame. My players had a VERY tough time with Ilnerik -- and it would be such a let down if the final bosses went down more easily than he did. The fact that neither of them is a spell-caster is a bit... strange ... but at the same time, I suppose that they have a devil for that.
Any tips towards making the final encounter much more memorable? Thanks!
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Digging up my previous suggestions on this topic...
LEVELS AND STATISTICS: While I appreciate the desire to make Eccardian all swash and buckle... he is... well... more of a frustrating foe than a dangerous one, as he focuses almost exclusively on defence (including SR26), and is relying on the bleed damage from his rapier of puncturing and sneak attack to actually pose any threat to the PCs. His sidekick, Melvangian, is actually the much bigger threat (partially because I think his CR is 1-3 points less than it should be), which is a little dissapointing. I'd suggest using the following:
Eccardian Drovenge: Unchained Rogue 3, Magus 11 (hexcrafter, bladebound, kensai). Ditch the rapier of puncturing and instead give him a headband of Int+4 and change the belt to +4 to Dex and Con.
Melvangian: Consider ditching his magic items and raising his CR by 1. He's currently rather obnoxious
Chammady Drovenge: Consider making her a Bard 11, Assassin 3 (with Dervish Dance and Arcane Strike) - of the two, she is intended to be the grace and guile to Eccardian's iron fist... and Ranger really doesn't 'feel' right to me, and makes combat very wonky, as she varies in power dramatically depending on what she's fighting.
As it stands Melvangian is more of a final boss than Eccardian, simply due to the rather horrific amount of things piled on the barbed devil for very little CR boost (gear, class levels, ability score increases).
Eccardian basically needs to go out in a blaze of glory, and that is something the magus class is imminently suited to. If your PCs are punching above their level, feel free to whack on a couple more magus levels to make them work a bit harder, noting that a flying Eccardian using force hook charge with spell combat and the ability to use Dex for attack and damage... is going to really hurt. Especially if his blade is already holding the charge of a touch spell.
Thread rez but I am in the middle of largely rewriting the AP for a small group I am running it for and decided to rebuild Eccardian for sure and possibly Chammady if I get inspired.
I like Raynulf’s idea of making Eccardian a mesmerist but am not comfortable with the class to build a memorable and fitting BBEG to cap off 6 books. With that being said I think I can achieve similar results with a enchanter build with some kind of dip into fighter or rogue to add some melee kick.
I’m going for a Kilgrave from Netflix’s Jessica Jones as a comparison. More about psychological warfare than a hack and slash threat. I feel this matches my vision of a Eccardian as a background manipulator.
Yeah, my party includes a grig jigger and an Inquisitor. They're going to tear Eccardian to shreds. Perhaps Magus is the way to go.
I've decided to attempt a rebuild of Eccardian more specific to my campaign and vision of him as the BBEG. My campaign is probably 75/25 split between roleplay and combat so I was trying to reflect that. We are just about to finish Book 1 and Eccardian (and Vassindio for that matter) are about to make their first on screen appearances before the start of the next book.
While I really like Raynulf's idea of a mesmerist I know nothing of the class and feel like I would botch the build even worse than this might be. I'm going for a Kilgrave from Netflix's Jessica Jones feel if anyone has seen that. Anyways any critique/suggestions will not be taken personally but be greatly appreciated. I haven't GM'd in 20+ years and am still trying to get back into it but this build kind of specific to my PC's group. (Summoner, Rogue, Fighter Cleric, Fighter)
XP 38,400
Male devil-spawn tiefling master spy 5/enchanter 10 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Fiends 21, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 270, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
LE Medium outsider (native)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
Aura despair (30 ft., 10 rounds/day)
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Defense
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AC 33, touch 17, flat-footed 31 (+8 armor, +5 deflection, +2 Dex, +5 natural, +3 shield)
hp 107 (15 HD; 10d6+5d8+35)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +13
Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft. (30 ft. in armor)
Melee +2 dagger +10/+5 (1d4+2/19-20)
Ranged +1 light crossbow +11 (1d8+1/19-20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +17)
10/day—dazing touch
Master Spy Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +7)
Constant—nondetection
2/day—magic aura (appear nonmagical only)
Enchanter Spells Prepared (CL 10th; concentration +17)
5th—dominate person (DC 24), feeblemind (DC 24), mind fog (DC 24), summon monster V
4th—apparent treachery (DC 23), confusion (DC 23), control summoned creature[UM] (DC 23), moonstruck[APG] (DC 23), summon monster IV
3rd—dispel magic, fly, hold person (DC 22), slow (DC 20), suggestion (DC 22), summon monster III
2nd—glitterdust (DC 20), hideous laughter (DC 21), hideous laughter (DC 21), invisibility, mirror image, protection from arrows, stone call[APG]
1st—bungle[UM] (DC 20), bungle[UM] (DC 20), charm person (DC 20), grease, obscuring mist, protection from good, reduce person (DC 18)
0 (at will)—acid splash, daze (DC 19), mage hand, resistance
Opposition Schools Evocation, Necromancy
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 24, Wis 13, Cha 14
Base Atk +8; CMB +8; CMD 25
Feats Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Craft Rod, Craft Wondrous Item, Deceitful, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration), Spell Focus (enchantment)
Skills Bluff +28, Diplomacy +21, Disable Device +9, Disguise +26, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Knowledge (planes) +20, Linguistics +15, Perception +19, Sense Motive +21, Sleight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +25, Stealth +12; Racial Modifiers +2 Diplomacy, +2 Sense Motive
Languages Abyssal, Azlanti, Celestial, Common, Daemonic, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Infernal, Osiriani, Shadowtongue, Shae, Thassilonian
SQ arcane bond (ring of protection +5), concealed thoughts, enchanting smile, glib lie, mask alignment, master of disguise, prehensile tail[ARG], quick change, slippery mind, superficial knowledge
Combat Gear lesser quicken metamagic rod, oil of invisibility, potion of cure serious wounds, silent metamagic rod; Other Gear +2 mithral buckler, +1 light crossbow, +2 dagger, amulet of natural armor +5, boots of striding and springing, bracelet of friends, bracers of armor +8, handy haversack, headband of vast intelligence +4, major cloak of displacement, ring of freedom of movement, ring of protection +5, belt pouch, belt pouch, belt pouch, disguise kit, masterwork thieves' tools, noble's outfit, wizard starting spellbook, 330 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Bond (Ring of protection +5) (1/day) (Sp) Use object to cast any spell in your spellbook. Without it, Concentration required to cast spells (DC20 + spell level).
Augment Summoning Summoned creatures have +4 to Strength and Constitution.
Aura of Despair (10 rounds/day) (Su) As a standard action, foes in 30 ft aura take -2 to most checks.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Concealed Thoughts (Su) You decide what surface thoughts detect thoughts reads.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Dazing Touch (10/day) (Sp) As a standard action, touch dazes foe for 1 rd, if HD <= wizard level.
Enchanting Smile (Su) Gain bonuses to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate. Turn enchantment spells.
Enchantment The enchanter uses magic to control and manipulate the minds of his victims.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Energy Resistance, Fire (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Fire attacks.
Evocation You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Evocation school.
Glib Lie (DC 20) (Su) Truth-detecting magic used against you requires a caster level check to succeed.
Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment) +1 to the Save DC of spells from one school.
Mask Alignment (Su) Detect as your choice of alignment (or none) when you wish.
Master of Disguise (Ex) Create disguises in half time, and reduce penalty for gender, race, age, or size by 1.
Necromancy You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Necromancy school.
Prehensile Tail Your tail can retrieve small objects on your person as a swift action.
Quick Change -10 (Ex) Assume a Disguise in 2d4 rds with a -10 penalty.
Slippery Mind (Ex) If you fail a save vs. an Enchantment spell/effect, can re-save next rd.
Sneak Attack +2d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Spell Focus (Enchantment) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Superficial Knowledge +2 (Ex) Can make untrained knowledge/profession checks related to cover identity, with listed bonus