Minions for a Vivisectionist villain

[GenericFighter]

I am looking at pitching a Vivisectionist against my group as a villain

What sort of goes might both
- accompany him
- be in the “dungeon” (university)

in any such build up to this encounter? The group would probably be level 9 at a minimum

The school is a place for plants and animals so all kinds of weird things could be in there but they all seem more level appropriate for a lower level group

Necrocrafts and most notably flesh golems fit the theme but I was noting that flesh golems are too easy to significantly hinder for a group of that level (the slow under fire and cold)

There is an AP book where there are both class levelled flesh golems and weird unique ones but I couldn’t seem to find any construction rules for them

What about any associated grave diggers? Would there be a particular class that works well for them?

Thanks for any help

[VoodistMonk]

He can use Baleful Polymorph to make pretty much anything into a Small or smaller Animal.

He can then use Anthropomorphic Animal to change it humanoid hybrid of the aforementioned Small or smaller Animal.

Finally, he can use Awaken on the humanoid hybrid of the Small or smaller Animal. On second thought, he can't use Awaken... the hybrid form will have an Intelligence of 3. Might have to do some ability drain shenanigans to Awaken them.

Velociraptor hybrids with class levels would be my choice, probably.

[Firebug]

Redcaps would probably be thematic for additional lab assistants. Give them cleavers (great axes) or other themed weapons (like oversized scalpels, bone saws, etc) instead of Scythes.

Throw in an ooze as a garbage disposal/trap.

A ghost/shadow or two.

Some templates: Alchemically Quickened, Alchemically Invisible, Rogue Class Template, Fleshwarped, Fey Animal, and Blighted Fey.

[Xenocrat]

Pickled Punks.

[Kifaru]

This isn't exactly rules perfect, but in my campaign an NPC vivisectionist got his hands on the mastodon mount of a high level anti-paladin the party had taken out.

I think it was considered a 12th level animal companion at the time. The vivasectionist used anthropomorphic animal on it and then awaken. In the end, the vivasectionist had a size huge anthropamorphic elephant-like-thing that was smarter than many of the party members.

In truth it wasn't that tough, but it has always made the party uneasy.

[I am Nemesis]

GenericFighter wrote:

I am looking at pitching a Vivisectionist against my group as a villain

What sort of goes might both
- accompany him
- be in the “dungeon” (university)
in any such build up to this encounter? The group would probably be level 9 at a minimum
The school is a place for plants and animals so all kinds of weird things could be in there but they all seem more level appropriate for a lower level group
Necrocrafts and most notably flesh golems fit the theme but I was noting that flesh golems are too easy to significantly hinder for a group of that level (the slow under fire and cold)
There is an AP book where there are both class levelled flesh golems and weird unique ones but I couldn’t seem to find any construction rules for them
What about any associated grave diggers? Would there be a particular class that works well for them?
Thanks for any help

well, i like the idea of the redcaps as underlings, problem is tailoring the encounter to the PC's CR. the biggest issue is 10/cold iron DR of redcaps. too many "assistants" could TPK the players.

So how many players, what classes/races?
whats the level of the vivsectionist?
will he be a factor in the encounter?
does he answer to another?

if you have competent players that walk through encounters, give the redcaps 3 levels of vivsectionist and flank or invisiblity potion away.

for extra surprise, as the combat takes a turn for the players, have a huge treant reach through the window of the lab, grapple and yank a PC (caster) out the window. for added horror, have hangmen nooses hang from the tree with a body or two.

more horror? have a several bodies in the lab sit up and attack. let the players think their undead zombies. but nooo, these guys are your flesh golems being made by the main villain and the redcaps!

am i making this a big complicated fight? YES. put a scare into the players, have your vivesectionist escape and become a recurring Nemesis.