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View Full Version : The Magician (who summons demons) 3.5 Base Class, PEACH



Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 09:59 AM
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The videogame Neverwinter Nights 2 claims that man is of the Warlock class. Obviously this isn't the whole truth, the Warlock can't summon all those fiends. Then what class is he gestalted with?

This is my first homebrew attempt. This is also my attempt to create a base class that mimics the magicians from the Bartimaeus universe, as well as figuring out exactly who Ammon Jerro was, before he became a recruitable companion. After all, his home base had 6 captive demons/devils, and strong ones.
Other classes can summon demons and devils, but have other spells and capabilities. For balance, the fiends you can summon are weak. But what if everything the magician could do was related to summoning?
This is the result.

The Magician

Adventures: Magicians adventure to gain greater personal power and wealth. By doing great deeds, they distinguish themselves above their rivals. Most importantly, magicians investigate fell ruins and crypts to find new rituals of fiendish binding.

Characteristics: A magician can summon fiends. And there are a wide variety of possible minions to choose from, so the magician almost always can fetch some creature that contributes. If they choose, they can also inject fiends directly into their bodies. These magicians often take a more "hands-on" approach to combat.

Alignment: Evil magicians use fiends as tools to exert their will on the world. Neutral magicians don't think they're doing anything particularly wrong- these creatures are obviously condemned by the gods, so why not put them to use as servants? Good magicians do not exist, although Malconvokers are similar to hypothetical "good magicians".

Religion: Many magicians think the most incredible thing in the world is themselves. When they choose to worship a deity, magicians are rather varied in their beliefs. They only really abstain from worshiping good deities, but even that isn't set in stone.

Background: Most magicians were formally tutored by more experienced magicians, as an apprentice. Usually the apprentice would serve as a servant as well as a student. Like sorcerers, some magicians spontaneously manifest their abilities.

Races: Humans may be the most common magicians, if only because their drive to have power without responsibility led them to (most likely) invent the class. Drow deal with demons more casually than any other race, so naturally some are magicians. Tieflings and half-fiends take to being magicians naturally; and occasionally an ogre mage becomes a magician, and subsequently a powerful warlord. The other races only rarely produce magicians.

Other Classes: Warlocks are intensely jealous of a magician's powers, and magicians in turn act superior to them. Rogues dislike having to work with fiends, and barbarians hate it when a magician's "honorless" slave steals his battle-glory. Wizards and sorcerers taunt magicians that they can't do the simplest of utility spells, and magicians taunt them back by having their current minion squash whatever pitiful outsider the wizard has summoned.
Necromancers have something of a friendly rivalry with magicians, and often have "undead vs fiend" competitions to see which is the better kind of minion.
Paladins, good-aligned clerics, fiend-hunting rangers and good aligned characters in general hate magicians and probably attack them on sight.

Role: A magician has practically no role in an adventuring party on their own. Their fiends can have practically any. Scout, sage, sneak-attacker, skillmonkey, front line fighter, charismatic negotiator, ranged blaster-- there's a fiend for everything. If they manifest an Internal Fiend, they often can hold the front line in combat.

Adaptation: Thinking about it. . . .

Magicians have the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma is the key ability for negotiating with fiends, no matter which social skill you use. A high charisma score allows more fiends to be summoned per day, and makes his spell-like abilities harder to resist. Dexterity and Constitution are important because the magician will not always have a slave to take his punches, although Internal Fiend magicians eventually won't need a high Strength, Dexterity or Constitution score.

Starting Age: As sorcerer.

Starting Gold: As sorcerer.

Class Skills
The Magician's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
(4+Int modifier) x 4 skill points at first level,
4+Int modifier skill points at later levels.

Alignment: Any non-good. If you think that summoning tormented souls to do something is more efficient than doing it yourself, you are not purehearted.

Hit dice: d6

Magician
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Abilities & Summon points

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Call Fiend, Special Purpose, 2

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Fiend Feat, 6

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Minor Internal Fiend, 11

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|17

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Fiend Feat, 25

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|35

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Lesser Internal Fiend, 46

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|58

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|72

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Fiend Feat, 88

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Internal Fiend, 106

12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|126

13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|147

14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|170

15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Fiend Feat, Greater Internal Fiend, 195

16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|221

17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|250

18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|280

19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Perilous Internal Fiend, 311

20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Perfect Slave, Fiend Feat, 343[/table]

The magician is proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, and any claw or slam attacks given by their Internal Fiend. If inhabited by an Internal Fiend that usually wields a kind of weapon(s), they become proficient with that weapon(s) when storing that fiend. They are proficient with light armor, and no types of shield.

Summon Points: A magician spends Summon points when they call up any kind of fiend. Unlike with most spellcasters, Summon points are not regained every day. Instead, they are only regained when a magician releases a fiend from service, the fiend dies, or it vanishes after its term of service runs out (usually after a week). The magician needs to meditate for an hour before they can actually spend those Summon points again.

The magician gains bonus Summon points as determined by table 2-1 in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. They use Charisma for determining bonus points.
(They get as many Summon points as a Psion/Wilder gets power points, and as many bonus points as a Psion/Wilder gets bonus power points. I thought it was a good system, okay?)

Call Fiend: Once per hour, a magician can spend 10 minutes drawing two magic circles. After spending another minute concentrating while standing in the first circle, a fiend appears in the second one. The magician must spend Summon points to call the fiend. The only limit towards using Summon points is that you must have enough to call the current target fiend. If the magician doesn't have enough, the attempt is a failure and the points aren't expended.

The called fiend is effectively powerless to affect anything outside the circle. It is also effectively invulnerable and cannot be affected by anything outside the circle. If the fiend cannot speak, it temporarily gains telepathy.

Special Purpose: The magician now spends 3 minutes negotiating with the fiend. Make a Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate check. The DM makes an opposed check, choosing which skill to use, considering the fiend's personality. (You don't need to use the same skill)

Take the magician's roll, and subtract the fiend's roll from it.
That number, be it positive or negative, is a bonus/penalty applied to certain rolls. The magician chooses what to apply the bonus to when they first summon the fiend. The absolute value of the bonus can't exceed the magician's level.

Raging fiend-- gains bonus on attack rolls, grapple checks, bull rush attempts, disarm attempts, trip attacks and the like.

Bloodthirsty fiend-- gains bonus on damage rolls and critical confirmation rolls.

Swift fiend-- gains bonus to initiative, as well as an increased speed for all movement modes (bonus X 5 ft).

Cunning fiend-- gains bonus to caster level.

If a natural 20 is rolled, treat it as a 30 and add the normal bonuses.
Likewise, treat a natural 1 as a -10 and work from there.

Fiend Feat: At second level and every fifth level beyond, the magician gains a bonus magician-related feat from the list below, or a demon or devil-related feat. The magician must still fulfill are the feat's prerequisites. (List of magician feats is in the post after the lists of fiends. Demonic and evilish feats are provided in the Fiendish Codexes I and II.)

Internal Fiend: Some magicians are doing something that would have shocked their predecessors-- forgoing a second summoning circle, and placing a called fiend directly in their body. And they actually manage to overcome the fiend's will, preventing it from possessing them. It might be accurate to say the magician's body is possessing the fiend's spirit.

A magician can choose to place any fiend they summon in their own body. They spend summon points normally and roll the social skill check normally. However, the Special Purpose bonus applies to the magician. The fiend remains for a week like normal, but on the magician's death instantly departs. The magician keeps their own types & subtypes, and gains the subtypes of the fiend. Banishment effects targeting the magician are resolved normally for the fiend. The magician appears perfectly normal, although True Seeing reveals the fiend's form around the magician.
The rules for ordering fiends around don't apply to an Internal Fiend, the fiend is basically giving static abilities to the magician. On the downside, a normal fiend will usually have more combat capabilities than another fiend of the same type, stored in a magician.
If a magician would use a fiend's ability score, but their own ability score is already higher than the fiend's, they instead get a +2 (profane) bonus to the attribute.
The magician is always in control. The fiend never controls the magician's mind, body or actions.

Minor Internal Fiend: The magician's base attack bonus becomes that of a cleric (3/4 level). They gain the Strength score of the fiend they're carrying, as well as the fiend's natural armor and damage reduction. The natural armor and damage reduction can't exceed the magician's level. If the internal fiend has a claw or slam attack, the magician gains a claw or slam attack with the same base damage.
The magician is not prevented from doing anything they would be able to normally. Increased strength, armor and damage reduction are considered bonuses of the profane type.

Lesser Internal Fiend: The magician now also gains the Constitution score of the fiend they're carrying, as well as any spell resistance it has. If the fiend can See Invisibility or See In Darkness (any Baatezu can), the magician can too. They gain darkvison out to 60ft.

Internal Fiend: The magician now gains the Dexterity score of the fiend they're carrying, and can use one of the fiend's spell-like abilities (chosen when first summoned into their body). If it can be used a limited number of times a day, the magician can only use it once/encounter, and only that many times a day. If it can be used at will, the magician can use it once every 5 rounds. In place of the spell-like ability, they can choose to gain one of the Internalized Abilities listed for the fiend. Use the magician's stats and hit-dice to determine saves DC's.

Greater Internal Fiend: The magician now chooses 2 spell-like abilities or Internalized Abilities of the fiend they're carrying, with the same limitations on uses. If the fiend has continuous True Seeing, the magician now does too.

Perilous Internal Fiend: The magician now chooses 3 spell-like abilities or Internalized Abilities of the fiend they're carrying, and their base attack bonus becomes that of a fighter (1/level). Their natural armor and damage reduction bonuses can exceed their magician level. If the fiend has regeneration or fast healing, the magician gains regeneration/fast healing 1, subject to the same rules as the fiend.
As an Internalized Ability, they can now choose to emulate a type of fiend, but must pick the type corresponding to the fiend currently inside them:
-All Tanar'ri qualities: Immunity to electricity and poison, resistance 10 to acid, cold and fire and telepathy (100ft).
-All Obyrith qualities: Immunity to poison and mind-affecting spells and abilities, resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity and fire, True Seeing and telepathy (100ft).
-All Baatezu qualities: Immunity to fire and poison, resistance 10 to acid and cold, See In Darkness and telepathy (100ft).
-All Yugoloth qualities: Immunity to acid and poison, resistance 10 to cold, electricty and fire, telepathy (100ft).
-All Slaad qualities: Immunity to sonic, resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricty and fire, telepathy (100ft).

Perfect Slave: At 20th level, the magician's fiends gain an additional bonus to their Special Purpose bonus. This extra bonus is equal to the magician's Charisma modifier. This bonus can make the Special Purpose bonus exceed the magician's level.
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Duration of Summons
Assuming no screw-ups, the fiend remains at the magician's side or inside them until a week has passed. The magician can dismiss the fiend as a standard action any time as long as it is currently serving them, and if they die it is automatically dismissed. When the fiend's time is up, it simply vanishes and returns to its home plane, or its home base if it's already on its home plane.

A magician can have any number of fiends serving them, but must have summoned them an hour apart, and paid the Summon points required (like normal). They can only have 1 fiend stored in their body.

Fiends the magician is controlling aren't considered "Summoned" in the usual sense -- they can freely enter an area of antimagic, and if they die, they don't reform on their native plane.
In most respects, they are considered "Called".
(Summon Monster I-IX's outsiders can't enter antimagic, and reform on their home plane if they "die", for comparison.)
The physical attributes derived from a Internal Fiend function normally in an area of antimagic, although their spell-like abilities don't.

A magician can re-use magic circles they or another magician have drawn.

Ordering minions around (that aren't Internal Fiends)
A magician can command a fiend to do almost anything, but certain things may require another social skill check, usually taking 1 minute.
An obviously suicidal order or an order that strongly violates the fiend's principles need to be negotiated.
(Orders to do Good deeds generally violate fiendish principles. Strongly anarchic deeds violate devilish principles, strongly lawful deeds violate demonic principles.)
Fiends generally ignore the spirit of an order if they can fulfill the letter of it. Some may be the opposite, and some may be generally sensible. The DM determines an individual fiend's personality, although the magician's player is free to pitch in ideas.

The fiend cannot attack its magician.
However, commands to use spells, spell-like abilities or other special abilities mentioned in the fiend's creature description override this. The magician must be careful when they order the fiend to use an area-of-effect or multiple target spell, or a breath weapon.

The fiend has all the weapons and armor mentioned in its stat sheet. It has no other belongings.
If a magician summons and stores an Internal Fiend, the weapons and armor it had appear in the magician's summoning circle. They are automatically re-sized to fit the magician. They disappear when the fiend goes home or dies.
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The Magician's Grimoire
A magician keeps the magic circles, summoning rituals and fiendish knowledge they know in a grimoire. This is about as important to the magician as a spellbook is to a wizard.
A magician knows how to summon one species of fiend at first level: the mane. Every next level in magician, the knowledge of how to summon 2 more species of fiends is learned. Much like a wizard can copy found scrolls to their personal spellbook, the DM may include grimoires as treasure that contain information for summoning other fiend species. These can be copied into the magician's personal grimoire, using the same rules as copying scrolls.
The information for a species of fiend takes up one page for every hit dice it has.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The average fiend's Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores are included for reference below to help determine their personality, and their best social skill bonus is included for convenience in summoning. If the bare creature's stat block has no skill points allocated to Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate, I've given it a bonus that I think is appropriate.
Natural Armor, Physical ability scores, and special attacks/qualities that can be Internalized are included as well. There is some descriptive text as well.

Special Rules: A magician may be immune to specific abilities of a fiend presently summoned. This only applies to THAT PARTICULAR fiend, not any other fiends of the same species that the magician may be fighting.
If an ability is not mentioned, the magician is affected normally. The magician never receives preferential treatment in regards to being affected by spells the fiend uses, so the magician must word his commands carefully so the magician is not targeted. If the fiend can include the magician in a Mass Hold Monster spell, it will.

If a fiend has an ability to Summon fellow Tanar'ri, Baatezu, Slaad or the like, this ability cannot be used. The ability to cast Summon Monster I-IX spells is not impeded, if a fiend has the capability.

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 10:03 AM
Basic Fiends

Mane (Tanar'ri, FC1, 1 HD, CR 1)
1 Summon point
Intelligence 3, Wisdom 3, Charisma 3
Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14
Intimidate +0
+3 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron or good
2 claws 1d3
Weakest and most pathetic of fiends, Manes are freshly arrived souls of evil mortals to the Abyss.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Mane's Acidic Cloud ability.
Internalized Abilities: None


Dretch (Tanar'ri, Monster Manual, 2 HD, CR 2)
4 Summon points
Intelligence 5, Wisdom 11, Charisma 11
Strength 12, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14
Intimidate +5
+5 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron or good
2 claws 1d6
Not the weakest of demons, Dretches still aren't really anything to write home about. They're tougher than your average orc, though.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Nupperibo (Baatezu, FC2, 2 HD, CR 2)
4 Summon points
Intelligence 4, Wisdom 7, Charisma 3
Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14
Intimidate +1
+4 natural armor
2 claws 1d4, fast healing
Baatezu who fail their masters repeatedly risk being demoted to a Nupperibo, practically the weakest of devils.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Nupperibo's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities: Blindsight, Fear Aura


Imp (Baatezu, MM, 3 HD, CR 2)
6 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, Charisma 14
Strength 10, Dexterity 17, Constitution 10
Diplomacy +8
+5 natural armor, DR 5/good or silver
fast healing
Infernal spies and confidantes, imps try to cozy up to people more powerful than they are.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Quasit (Tanar'ri, MM, 3 HD, CR 2)
6 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10
Strength 8, Dexterity 17, Constitution 10
Bluff +6
+3 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron or good
2 claws 1d3, fast healing
The demonic counterpart to imps, quasits manipulate those around them to cause chaos and suffering.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Legion Devil (Baatezu, FC2, 3 HD, CR 3)
9 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Strength 17, Dexterity 17, Constitution 15
Intimidate +6
+2 natural armor, DR 5/magic
Foot soldiers of the Hells, Legion Devils (or Merregons) can work in formation to accomplish incredible tasks.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Legion's Advance


Mephit (Elemental, MM, 3 HD, CR 3)
9 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 11, Charisma 15
Strength, Dexterity and Constitution vary by type
Bluff +8
natural armor varies by type, DR 5/magic
2 claws 1d3, fast healing (requirements for fast healing vary by type)
Elemental tricksters, mephit natures vary by type. They all generally have a streak for mishief.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Breath Weapon


Spined Devil (Baatezu, FC2, 3 HD, CR 4)
12 Summon points
Intelligence 8, Wisdom 13, Charisma 13
Strength 10, Dexterity 25, Constitution 14
Bluff +7
+6 natural armor, DR 5/magic, SR 12
talon 1d3
Spined Devils (or Spinagons) are as common as squirrels in some parts of the Hells. Unlike squirrels, they can shoot spines that become painfully stuck in your body.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Fiery Spines and Talons, Spines (1d3 damage)


Rutterkin (Tanar'ri, FC1, 5 HD, CR 3)
15 Summon points
Intelligence 9, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10
Strength 14, Dexterity 15, Constitution 17
Intimidate +8
+6 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron or good, SR 14
2 claws 1d6
Foot soldiers of the Abyss, Rutterkins relish coming to the Material Plane where they don't have to follow orders from more powerful demons.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Abishai, White (Baatezu, FC2, 4 HD, CR 4)
16 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, Charisma 12
Strength 13, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15
Intimidate +10
+6 natural armor, DR 5/good, SR 15
2 claws 1d3, regeneration (normal from good)
True servitors of Tiamat, White Abishai are meek and subservient until they can turn the tables on others.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Ekolid (Tanar'ri, FC1, 6 HD, CR 4)
24 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 18, Charisma 13
Strength 10, Dexterity 16, Constitution 15
Bluff/Intimidate +10
+3 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron or lawful
fast healing
Although they look like insects, Ekolids are as intelligent as humans. They have an all-encompassing drive to implant eggs in other creatures to breed.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Ekolid's Form of Madness ability.
Internalized Abilities: Quickness


Abishai, Black (Baatezu, FC2, 5 HD, CR 5)
25 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 12, Charisma 13
Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Constitution 25
Intimidate +11
+8 natural armor, DR 5/good, SR 16
2 claws 1d4, regeneration (normal from good)
True servitors of Tiamat, Black Abishai are sarcastic and foul-minded nearly constantly.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 10:04 AM
Intermediate Fiends


Bar-Lgura (Tanar'ri, FC1, 6 HD, CR 5)
30 Summon points
Intelligence 13, Wisdom 14, Charisma 12
Strength 22, Dexterity 19, Constitution 19
Intimidate +10
+8 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 16
2 claws 1d6
Demonic skirmishers and body-thieves, Bar-Lgura don't mind serving magicians if they don't have to interact with non-Bar-Lgura fiends.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Pounce, Abduction, Skills (+4 Hide, +10 Jump)


Bearded Devil (Baatezu, MM, 6 HD, CR 5)
30 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Strength 15, Dexterity 15, Constitution 17
Bluff +9
+7 natural armor, DR 5/good or silver, SR 17
2 claws 1d6
Barbazu aren't exactly elite troops, but they aren't mindless brutes either. Their beards spread disease.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Battle Frenzy


Canoloth (Yugoloth, MM3, 6 HD, CR 5)
30 Summon points
Intelligence 5, Wisdom 17, Charisma 12
Strength 19, Dexterity 10, Constitution 19
Intimidate +10
+8 natural armor, DR 5/good, SR 18
Scouts and skirmishers for the yugoloths, Canoloths resemble armored, blind wardogs.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Improved Grab, Blindsight


Djinni (Elemental, MM, 7 HD, CR 5)
35 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 15, Charisma 15
Strength 18, Dexterity 19, Constitution 14
Diplomacy +12
+3 natural armor
2 slams 1d8
Elemental beings primarily air-based, djinni despise servitude but have the sense to not antagonize their master.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilites: None


Narzugon (Baatezu, FC2, 7 HD, CR 5)
35 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 13, Charisma 13
Strength 16, Dexterity 12, Constitution 15
Intimidate +11
+2 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 15
Hell's cavalry, Narzugons are curiously honorable combatants. Although they prefer a mount of the fiendish variety, they can use their Mount spell if needs must.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Narzugon's Baleful Gaze ability.
Internalized Abilities: Baleful Gaze


Abishai, Green (Baatezu, FC2, 6 HD, CR 6)
36 Summon points
Intelligence 11, Wisdom 13, Charisma 14
Strength 15, Dexterity 16, Constitution 16
Intimidate +15
+8 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 17
2 claws 1d4, regeneration (normal from good)
True servitors of Tiamat, Green Abishai are silver tongued manipulators.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Babau (Tanar'ri, MM 7 HD, CR 6)
42 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 13, Charisma 16
Strength 21, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20
Bluff/Intimidate +13
+8 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 14
2 claws 1d6
Demonic assassins, babaus don't mind being struck since their slime will melt the attacker's weapons.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Sneak Attack (+2d6), Protective Slime, Skills (+8 Hide, Listen Move Silently and Search)


Succubus (Tanar'ri, MM, 6 HD, CR 7)
42 Summon points
Intelligence 16, Wisdom 14, Charisma 26
Strength 13, Dexterity 13, Constitution 13
Bluff/Intimidate +19
+9 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 18
2 claws 1d6
Succubi relish the chance to drain energy from unsuspecting mortals. If they get the chance, this includes their summoner.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Tongues, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)


Chain Devil (Devil, MM, 8 HD, CR 6)
48 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 10, Charisma 12
Strength 15, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15
Intimidate +12
+8 natural armor, DR 5/silver or good, SR 18
regeneration (normal from silver or good)
Kytons usually have agendas outside Hell's politics.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Chain Devil's Unnerving Gaze ability.
Internalized Abilities: Unnerving gaze


Abishai, Blue (Baatezu, FC2, 7 HD, CR 7)
49 Summon points
Intelligence 11, Wisdom 13, Charisma 15
Strength 16, Dexterity 16, Constitution 16
Intimidate +16
+9 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 18
2 claws 1d4, regeneration (normal from good)
True servitors of Tiamat, Blue Abishai are vain and vanglorious.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Slaad, Red (Slaad, MM, 7 HD, CR 7)
49 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 6, Charisma 8
Strength 21, Dexterity 15, Constitution 17
Intimidate +9
+8 natural armor
2 claws 1d4, fast healing
Weakest of the slaadi, Red Slaad roam the planes causing chaos.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Red Slaad's Stunning Croak ability.
Internalized Abilities: Pounce, Stunning Croak


Orthon (Baatezu, FC2, 7 HD, CR 8)
56 Summon points
Intelligence 8, Wisdom 15, Charisma 11
Strength 22, Dexterity 13, Constitution 26
Intimidate +10
+6 natural amor, DR 5/good or silver, SR 18
Hell's foot soldiers fight well in formation, and have specially modified equipment to combat demons.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Orthon's Maggot Burst ability.
Internalized Abilities: Dimensional Interference, Maggot Burst


Zakya Rakshasa (Native Outsider, ECS, 7 HD, CR 8)
56 Summon points
Intelligence 13, Wisdom 13, Charisma 11
Strength 20, Dexterity 14, Constitution 20
Bluff +14
+9 natural armor, DR 15/good and piercing, SR 22
2 claws 1d4
Warrior rakshasa, Zakyas despise serving mortals but prefer tricking people to straight up killing them. This doesn't mean they are unskilled in killing, though.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Zakya Rakshasa's Detect Thoughts ability.
Internalized Abilities: Detect Thoughts, Skills (+4 Bluff, Disguise, +8 if reading opponent's thoughts)


Mezzoloth (Yugoloth, MM3, 10 HD, CR 6)
60 Summon points
Intelligence 7, Wisdom 10, Charisma 14
Strength 16, Dexterity 12, Constitution 21
Intimidate +15
+8 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 22
Stange insectoid warriors, Mezzoloths fiercely fight in yugoloth armies.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Armanite (Tanar'ri, FC1, 9 HD, CR 7)
63 Summon points
Intelligence 8, Wisdom 12, Wisdom 13
Strength 20, Dexterity 11, Constitution 20
Intimidate +13
+6 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 18
Demonic cavalry, Armanites live to fight and fight to live. If they can slaughter a few fleshbags in a glorious charge, they aren't too intractable.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Air Walk


Abishai, Red (Baatezu, FC2, 8 HD, CR 8)
64 Summon points
Intelligence 12, Wisdom 14, Charisma 16
Strength 17, Dexterity 17, Constitution 17
Intimidate +16
+11 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 19
2 claws 1d4, regeneration (normal from good)
True servitors of Tiamat, Red Abishais are proud and dominating.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Slaad, Blue (Slaad, MM, 8 HD, CR 8)
64 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 6, Charisma 10
Strength 23, Dexterity 15, Constitution 19
Intimidate +11
+9 natural armor
2 claws 1d6, fast healing
Belligerent and unprincipled, Blue Slaad often gather in groups to more effectively wage war on others.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Arrow Demon (Tanar'ri, MM3, 10 HD, CR 7)
70 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 16, Charisma 12
Strength 21, Dexterity 19, Constitution 29
Bluff +14
+5 natural armor, DR 5/cold iron and good, SR 18
2 claws 1d6
If allowed to stand still and shoot, Arrow Demons can mow down huge numbers of conventional opponents.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Proficiency with bows and Close Combat Shot


Rakshasa (Native Outsider, Monster Manual, 7 HD, CR 10)
70 Summon points
Intelligence 13, Wisdom 13, Charisma 17
Strength 12, Dexterity 14, Constitution 16
Bluff +17
+9 natural armor, DR 15/good and piercing, SR 27
2 claws 1d4
Natives to the Material Plane, Rakshasas are the most corrupt baron or king you can imagine, given a resilient hide and sorcerous powers.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Rakshasa's Detect Thoughts ability.
Internalized Abilities: Spells (as 7th level sorcerer), Detect Thoughts, Skills (+4 Bluff, Disguise, +8 if reading opponent's thoughts)


Erinyes (Baatezu, MM, 9 HD, CR 8)
72 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 18, Charisma 20
Strength 21, Dexterity 21, Constitution 21
Bluff/Diplomacy +17
+8 natural armor, DR 5/good, SR 20
True Seeing
The original fallen angels, Erinyes are general purpose servants of infernal lords.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Night Hag (Native Outsider, MM, 8 HD, CR 9)
72 Summon points
Intelligence 11, Wisdom 15, Charisma 12
Strength 19, Dexterity 12, Constitution 18
Intimidate +14
+11 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron and magic, SR 25
Night Hags live on the Material Plane but trade in souls just like devils.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Night Hag's Dream Haunting ability.
Internalized Abilities: Immunity to charm, sleep and fear effects


Efreet (Elemental, MM, 10 HD, CR 8)
80 Summon points
Intelligence 12, Wisdom 15, Charisma 15
Strength 23, Dexterity 17, Constitution 14
Intimidate +17
+6 natural armor
2 slams 1d8
Elemental beings primarily fire-based, efreet are harsh slavers that hate serving others.
Special Rules: The ability of the Efreet to grant 3 wishes a day to a non-Efreet is one of the most commonly abused facts when people are doing complicated things with the Planar Binding spells. If the DM rules that Efreet simply can't do this, I'm fine with that. Granting a wish once a year like a Pit Fiend would work too. The player could simply agree to not ask for wishes, too.
Internalized Abilities: Heat


Slaad, Green (Slaad, MM, 9 HD, CR 9)
81 Summon points
Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 12
Strength 23, Dexterity 13, Constitution 19
Bluff/Diplomacy +13
+13 natural armor
2 claws 1d6, fast healing
Slaad who have gained spellcasting powers, Green Slaad always seek greater magical power.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Bone Devil (Baatezu, MM, 10 HD, CR 9)
90 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14
Strength 21, Dexterity 21, Constitution 21
Intimidate +17
+11 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 21
2 claws 1d4
Osyluths are infernal investigators and informants. All devils fear being caught doing someone unauthorized by them.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Bone Devil's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities: Fear Aura


Bulezau (Tanar'ri, FC1, 10 HD, CR 9)
90 Summon points
Intelligence 6, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10
Strength 22, Dexterity 14, Constitution 24
Intimidate +13
+10 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 20
2 claws 1d6
Heavy infantry from the Abyss, Bulezau crave the chance to loose themselves in combat. They pick fights with any other fiends that aren't obviously more powerful.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Blood Frenzy


Chasme (Tanar'ri, FC1, 9 HD, CR 10)
90 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14
Strength 19, Dexterity 16, Constitution 18
Intimidate +16
+14 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 21
2 claws 1d6
The closest thing that demons have to taskmasters that keep order, Chasmes love to torture and torment other fiends.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Chasme's Drone and Fear Aura abilities.
Internalized Abilities: Drone, Fear Aura, Wounding


Vrock (Tanar'ri, MM, 10 HD, CR 9)
90 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 16, Charisma 16
Strength 23, Dexterity 15, Constitution 25
Intimidate +16
+11 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 17
2 talons 1d6
Vrocks are flying, vulture-like assault troops that are a bit more direct than Chasmes.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Vrock's Dance of Ruin, Spores and Stunning Screech abilities.
Internalized Abilities: Dance of Ruin (with 2 other vrocks or magicians with Internalized vrocks), Spores, Stunning Screech, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 10:06 AM
Advanced Fiends


Slaad, Gray (Slaad, MM, 10 HD, CR 10)
100 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14
Strength 19, Dexterity 17, Constitution 21
Bluff/Diplomacy +15
+11 natural armor, DR 10/lawful
2 claws 2d4, fast healing
The evolved remnants of Green Slaad, Gray Slaad are smaller and less physically imposing. As such, they fight mostly with magic.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: None


Hezrou (Tanar'ri, MM, 10 HD, CR 11)
110 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 18
Strength 21, Dexterity 10, Constitution 29
Intimidate +17
+14 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 19
2 claws 1d8
Hezrous are both demonic sergeants, and front-line fighters. They resemble hulking frog-things.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Hezrou's Stench ability.
Internalized Abilities: Improved Grab, Stench, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)


Bebilith (Tanar'ri, MM, 12 HD, CR 10)
120 Summon points
Intelligence 11, Wisdom 13, Charisma 13
Strength 28, Dexterity 12, Constitution 26
Intimidate +16
+13 natural armor, DR 10/good
2 claws 2d4
Spider-like hunters, Bebiliths stalk and eat other demons. When summoned, they enjoy hunting down targets.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Skills (+8 Hide)


Rakshasa, Naztharune (Yugoloth, MM, 11 HD, CR 11)
121 Summon points
Intelligence 15, Wisdom 11, Charisma 15
Strength 14, Dexterity 20, Constitution 18
Bluff +20
+5 natural armor, DR 15/good and piercing, SR 21
2 claws 1d4
Unlike other kinds of rakshasas, Naztharune Rakshasas don't mind serving powerful beings if they are treated respectfully.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Naztharune Rakshasa's Detect Thoughts ability.
Internalized Abilities: Detect Thoughts, Evasion and Improved Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, Shadow Jump, Sneak Attack (+6d6), Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge, Skills (+4 Bluff, Disguise, +8 if reading opponent's thoughts)


Barbed Devil (Baatezu, MM, 12 HD, CR 11)
132 Summon points
Intelligence 12, Wisdom 14, Charisma 18
Strength 23, Dexterity 23, Constitution 23
Intimidate +19
+13 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 23
2 claws 1d8
Guardians of things and people, Hamatulas impale their enemies on their spiny bodies.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Fear, Impale, Improved Grab


Nycaloth (Yugoloth, MM3, 14 HD, CR 10)
140 Summon points
Intelligence 13, Wisdom 10, Charisma 16
Strength 20, Dexterity 14, Constitution 25
Intimidate +24
+12 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 24
2 claws 1d6
Nycaloths are elite, aerial cavalry in yugoloth armies. They tear into foes with claws that cause a terrible bleeding.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Bleeding Wounds (for claws), Improved Grab


Assassin Devil (Baatezu, FC2, 14 HD, CR 11)
154 Summon points
Intelligence 16, Wisdom 22, Charisma 17
Strength 16, Dexterity 28, Constitution 17
Bluff +20
+8 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 21
When you need someone killed, look no further than the Assassin Devil.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Sneak Attack (+5d6), Assassin's Shadow Step, Shadow Form


Glabrezu (Tanar'ri, MM, 12 HD, CR 13)
156 Summon points
Intelligence 16, Wisdom 16, Charisma 20
Strength 31, Dexterity 10, Constitution 31
Intimidate +24
+19 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 21
2 claws 1d6, True Seeing
Glabrezu offer power and wealth to mortals in exchange for terribly evil acts. If they cannot manipulate something, they try to destroy it.
Special Rules: The Glabrezu can grant a Wish, but can only do so once a month and usually requires a great sacrifice or a great deed in return. I think this is balanced, if the DM works it out sensibly.
Internalized Abilities: Improved Grab, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)


Lilitu (Tanar'ri, FC1, 14 HD, CR 12)
168 Summon points
Intelligence 19, Wisdom 20, Charisma 30
Strength 17, Dexterity 26, Constitution 18
Diplomacy/Intimidate +31
+8 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron or good, SR 23
2 claws 1d6
Masters of trickery and manipulation within churches, Lilitus despise fellow Lilitus and Succubi. They actively try to mislead and kill Succubi.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Item Use, Shroud Alignment


Ice Devil (Baatezu, MM, 14 HD, CR 13)
182 Summon points
Intelligence 22, Wisdom 22, Charisma 20
Strength 23, Dexterity 21, Constitution 23
Intimidate +24
+18 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 25
2 claws 1d10, regeneration (normal from good)
Ice Devils (or Gelugons) are devil commanders, but they don't hesitate to break rank and charge in with the troops. They chill anything they strike.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Ice Devil's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities: Fear Aura


Slaad, Death (Slaad, MM, 15 HD, CR 13)
195 Summon points
Intelligence 18, Wisdom 18, Charisma 18
Strength 21, Dexterity 23, Constitution 21
Intimidate +22
+12 natural armor, DR 10/lawful
2 claws 3d6, fast healing
Lords of chaos, Death Slaadi tinker with the universe in the effort to increase entropy and distress.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Stun (for claw attacks)


Nalfeshnee (Tanar'ri, MM, 14 HD, CR 14)
196 Summon points
Intelligence 22, Wisdom 22, Charisma 20
Strength 25, Dexterity 13, Constitution 27
Diplomacy +26
+18 natural armor, DR 10/good, SR 22
2 claws 1d8, True Seeing
Nalfeshnees torment souls that arrive in the Abyss. On the Material Plane, they torment all the mortals they can, on the off chance they won't end up going to the Abyss after they die.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Nalfeshnee's Smite ability.
Internalized Abilities: Smite, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)


Malebranche (Baatezu, FC2, 16 HD, CR 14)
224 Summon points
Intelligence 8, Wisdom 15, Charisma 10
Strength 30, Dexterity 9, Constitution 25
Intimidate +19
+25 natural armor, DR 15/magic, SR 24
2 claws 1d8, regeneration (normal from good)
Malebranches are dull witted but effective brutes for the infernal Dukes to boss around.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Malebranche's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities:Fear Aura, Improved Grab


Sibriex (Obyrith, FC1, 15 HD, CR 15)
225 Summon points
Intelligence 25, Wisdom 24, Charisma 25
Strength 22, Dexterity 3, Constitution 30
Diplomacy +29
+20 natural armor, DR 15/cold iron and lawful, SR 26
fast healing
Terrifying floating blobs, Sibriexes are forgotten ministers of demons who manipulate everyone they meet. They are masters of flesh-grafting.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Sibriex's Form of Madness ability.
Internalized Abilities: Flight


Xerfilstyx (Baatezu, FC2, 15 HD, CR 15)
225 Summon points
Intelligence 15, Wisdom 9, Charisma 21
Strength 28, Dexterity 12, Constitution 25
Bluff +23
+22 natural armor, DR 10/good or silver, SR 22
2 claws 1d6, fast healing
Insane devils that are part slug, Xerfilstyxes inhabit the river Styx and have adapted to be able to swim in it without harm.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Xerfilstyx's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities: Blood Drain, Breath Weapon (requires Blood Drain), Fear Aura, Improved Grab, Styxborn, Skills (+8 Swim, always take 10)


Ultroloth (Yugoloth, MM3, 18 HD, CR 13)
234 Summon points
Intelligence 16, Wisdom 15, Charisma 19
Strength 13, Dexterity 16, Constitution 21
Intimidate +27
+8 natural armor, DR 15/good, SR 25
Lords and elite officers of the yugoloths, Ultroloths are used to working behind troops. In personal combat, they are something of a coward, but highly cruel to the helpless.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Ultroloth's Hypnotic Gaze ability.
Internalized Abilities: Hypnotic Gaze


Horned Devil (Baatezu, MM, 15 HD, CR 16)
240 Summon points
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 18, Charisma 22
Strength 31, Dexterity 25, Constitution 25
Intimidate +26
+19 natural armor, DR 10/good and silver, SR 28
2 claws 2d6, regeneration (normal from good and silver weapons, good spells)
Elite security operatives, Horned Devils (or Cornugons) don't hate their summoner too much if they actually feel like they're guarding someone or doing a tactical strike of critical importance to the world. They're secretly proud of making history, even if it's not at the orders of a Duke of Hell.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Horned Devil's Fear Aura ability.
Internalized Abilities: Fear Aura


Marilith (Tanar'ri, MM, 16 HD, CR 17)
272 Summon points
Intelligence 18, Wisdom 18, Charisma 24
Strength 29, Dexterity 19, Constitution 29
Diplomacy +30
+16 natural armor, DR 10/good and cold iron, SR 25
2 slams 1d8, True Seeing
Mariliths may hate serving a mortal, but they don't care if they get the chance to duel someone who is actually skilled with a sword, or do something tactically awesome in a war.
Special Rules: none.
Internalized Abilities: Improved Grab, Two Weapon Fighting and the Improved and Greater iterations as bonus feats, Skills (+8 Listen, Spot)

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 10:07 AM
Lords of Darkness that resent being called by mortal worms


Sorrowsworn Demon (Tanar'ri, MM3, 18 HD, CR 17)
306 Summon points
Intelligence 20, Wisdom 22, Charisma 21
Strength 29, Dexterity 17, Constitution 32
Intimidate +28
+16 natural armor, DR 10/cold iron and good, SR 25
2 claws 1d6
As much as demons love to rend limbs, some prefer to watch mortals squirm in emotional anguish. Sorrowsworn Demons feed on the trouble caused by the presence of a magician and his allies.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Sorrowsworn Demon's Aura of Loss, Whispers of Loss and Mind Reading abilities.
Internalized Abilities: Aura of Loss, Mind Reading, Whispers of Loss, Skills (+8 Hide, Move Silently and Survival), Strong Willed


Pit Fiend (Baatezu, MM, 18 HD, CR 20)
360 Summon points
Intelligence 26, Wisdom 26, Charisma 26
Strength 37, Dexterity 27, Constitution 27
Intimidate +31
+23 natural armor, DR 15/good and silver, SR 32
2 claws 2d8, regeneration (normal from good and silver weapons, good spells)
Arch-lords of the Baatezu, Pit Fiends are used to going where they please and subjecting pitiful mortals they meet to the full powers of infernal bureaucracy.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Pit Fiend's Fear Aura.
Seeing as a Pit Fiend only can use its Wish once a year, it's up to the DM if any particular one has it available or not. If the magician can make it use the Wish. . .the DM is encouraged to subvert it as much as possible. After all, it's a Pit Fiend.
Internalized Abilities: Constrict, Fear Aura, Improved Grab


Molydeus (Tanar'ri, FC1, 19 HD, CR 19)
361 Summon points
Intelligence 21, Wisdom 24, Charisma 28
Strength 28, Dexterity 22, Constitution 30
Diplomacy +35
+18 natural armor, DR 15/cold iron and good, SR 30
2 claws 1d6, fast healing, True Seeing
War-heroes of the Abyss, go where they want and answer to no one. Their unique abilities allow them to kick posteriors and take names when others wouldn't be able to.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Piercing Strike


Goristro (Tanar'ri, FC1, 24 HD, CR 16)
384 Summon Points
Intelligence 5, Wisdom 15, Charisma 13
Strength 34, Dexterity 8, Constitution 27
Intimidate +28
+22 natural armor, DR 15/cold iron or good, SR 27
2 slams 3d6, fast healing, See Invisibility
Massive siege-demons, Goristros bulldoze everything they meet on the battlefield.
Special Rules: None.
Internalized Abilities: Powerful Slam


Balor (Tanar'ri, MM, 20 HD, CR 20)
400 Summon points
Intelligence 24, Wisdom 24, Charisma 26
Strength 35, Dexterity 25, Constitution 31
Diplomacy +35
+19 natural armor, DR 15/cold iron and good, SR 28
2 slams 1d10, True Seeing
Furious legionaires of flame and darkness, balors are the pinnacle of summoning demons. It's hard work keeping one on a leash.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Balor's Death Throes ability.
Internalized Abilities: Flaming Body


Daelkyr (ECS, 20 HD, CR 20)
400 Summon points
Intelligence 25, Wisdom 22, Charisma 25
Strength 22, Dexterity 21, Constitution 22
Intimidate +30
+12 natural armor, DR 10/byeshk or good, SR 28
2 slams 1d10, fast healing
Alien scions from another place, Daelkyr seek to corrupt the world and merge it to theirs. Endlessly patient, they are content to wait millenia for this.
Special Rules: The magician is immune to the Daelkyr's Aura of Madness ability.
Internalized Abilities: Aura of Madness, Corrupting Touch, Alien Mind, Daelkyr Immunities (immune disease, poison, ability damage, transmutation and mind-effecting spells and abilities)

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-21, 10:09 AM
Feats, and miscellaneous

Feats:


Don't You Die On Me
Prerequisites: Magician
Your favorite fiend is running low and it's already only noon. If only you could heal them.
Benefit: You gain a pool of healing points equal to your ranks in Knowledge (The Planes) times your Charisma modifier. You can spend a standard action to touch a willing fiend and heal them, spending as many points as you can afford. Every point expended heals 1 damage.
If you are storing an Internal Fiend, you can use this to heal yourself.

I Can't Afford To Lose You
Prerequisites: Magician
Magicians know that losing a fiend can spell death, so they spend some of their life energy keeping them around.
Benefits: When one of your fiends (including an Internal Fiend) is subjected to a banishment effect, you can negate that effect. In return, you take 2 points of Constitution damage. The fiend has no protection on subsequent rounds if affected by the same banishment effect again, or by a different banishment effect on the same round; unless you spend more Constitution to protect them again.
If your are immune to Constitution damage, you take 2 damage per magician level.

I Really Can't Afford To Lose You
Prerequisites: I Can't Afford To Lose You, Magician level 3
It really bites when a cleric is just slinging Dismissal after Dismissal at your brute. Now, it's less of a problem.
Benefits: You only take 1 point of Constitution damage when you're negating a particular banishment effect.
If you are immune to Constitution damage, you take 1 damage per magician level.

I'm NOT Losing You
Prerequisites: I Really Can't Afford To Lose You, Magician level 6
Ha! Banishment? What's that?
Benefits: All your fiends, including Internal ones, are immune to Dismissal, Banishment, and any similar effects that would push them back to their native plane, or another place if they're already on their home plane.

Get Back Here, I Need You
Prerequisites: Magician
Sometimes your fiend is doing an important errand, but you need them at your side. What to do?
Benefit: When you would normally be able to summon a fiend (once per hour), you can instead recall any fiend currently in your service to your present location. You draw the summoning circles and concentrate like normal, and the fiend appears in the second as if it has cast Word of Recall, with the "sanctuary" being the second circle. No matter what the fiend is, this costs 1 Summon point.

Tell Me What's Happening
Prerequisite: Magician level 10
To be on top of your game as a magician, you need to know what's happening right now to your minions, and to issue orders in response.
Benefit: You gain a telepathic link to all your fiends. This doesn't function at all if you are in an antimagic field, or for a particular fiend if it is in an antimagic field.

Truly Evil Fiends
Prerequisites: Magician
You summon fiends from the blackest parts of the nether planes, and they are touched by undeath itself.
Benefit: Your Summoned fiends are healed by negative energy, as if they were undead or had the feat Tomb-Tainted Soul. They are still healed by positive energy.
If you are storing an Internal Fiend, you gain this benefit too.

Fiend Encouragement Feats
When a magician first gains a Fiend Encouragement feat, they can use it to talk for 1 round a day, per level. Every next feat gives an additional +2 rounds per day, to be used on any of the Encouragement types. "Talking" takes the full round to do. A magician can use most types of Encouragement on himself, if he has an Internal Fiend.


Hasty Commander
Prerequisites: any Fiend Encouragement feat
A magician of few words, your battlefield speeches are short, clipped, and to the point.
Benefit: Whenever you spend a round talking to create an Encouragement effect, the actual talking only takes a standard action, not a full-round action You can then use your move action normally.

Snap Out Of It!
Prerequisites: Magician
A magician's strident commands can counter harmful magical effects effecting their fiends that depend on sound (not necessarily spells that simply have verbal components).
Benefit: Each round the magician spends talking, they make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check. Any fiend within 30 feet of them (including the magician himself, if they're storing an Internal Fiend) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the magician's Diplomacy/Intimidate check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Diplomacy/Intimidate check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the magician is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the magician, but it must use the magician's Diplomacy/Intimidate check result for the save. Snap Out Of It! has no effect against effects that don’t allow saves.

Let's Do This Thing!
Prerequisites: Magician
A magician's gentle encouragement can inspire courage in his fiendish minions (and himself, if he's storing an Internal Fiend), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities.
Benefit: For this to work, an fiend must be able to hear the magician talk. The effect lasts for as many rounds as the magician talks, and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected fiend receives a +3 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +3 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six magician levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+4 at 8th, +5 at 14th, and +6 at 20th). Let's Do This Thing! is a mind-affecting ability.

I Know You Have It In You!
Prerequisites: Magician level 5
A knowledgeable magician can gently wheedle a fiend near them to help them succeed at a task.
Benefit: The fiend must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the magician, who must be able to see the fiend. A magician storing an Internal Fiend can't use it on himself. After the magician spends 1 round talking, the fiend gets a +5 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill for 1 minute. Certain uses of this ability (like Move Silently) are infeasible. I Know You Have It In You! is a mind-affecting ability.

Chaaarge!
Prerequisites: Magician level 10
A magician can remind fiends of historical triumphs to inspire greatness in himself (if they have an Internal Fiend) or a single fiend within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability.
Benefit: For every three levels a magician attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional fiend with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To do this, a magician must orate and a fiend must hear him talk. The effect lasts for as many rounds as the magician spends talking and the fiend hears him, and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 4 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +4 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Chaaarge! is a mind-affecting ability.

Nothing Will Stop Us!
Prerequisites: Magician level 10
A skilled magician can orate with such skill that harmful magic targeted at his minions will simply wither and fail.
Benefits: A magician can create an effect equivalent to the break enchantment spell (caster level equals the character’s magician level). Using this ability requires 1 round of talking and 4 subsequent full rounds of uninterrupted concentration, and it functions on a single target within 30 feet. A magician storing an Internal Fiend can’t use it on himself.

We Are Untouchable!
Prerequisites: Magician level 15
A legendary magician can shout a war-chant in Abyssal/Infernal to inspire tremendous heroism in himself (if they have an Internal Fiend) or a single willing fiend within 30 feet.
Benefits: For every three magician levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can affect one additional creature. To inspire heroism, a magician must talk for a round and an fiend must hear them. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as many rounds as the fiend hears the magician talk and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. We Are Untouchable! is a mind-affecting ability.



Errata'd rules that don't belong somewhere else.

Also, record of changes and edits:
EDIT1: Benly had some good points. Added 4 feats for extra adaptability, and changed a few core mechanics. Fiends no longer depart for a solid week on a natural 20. There is still a 5% of the fiend attacking you, though.
You now learn how to summon 2 new fiends every level up, not 1.
Protection from banishment got changed to a feat. Now on a natural 20, the fiend is guaranteed to not misinterpret your orders (arguably a better benefit.)
EDIT2: Adding more feats, added info about re-using summoning circles.
EDIT3: Some fiends had devoted no skill points to Bluff/Diplo/Intim in their stat blocks, meaning summoning them would be ridiculously easy. I gave them appropriate bonuses.
EDIT4: I thought that having to re-summon your favorite batch of fiends every day would be too much bookkeeping. Now, fiends last for a week. The magician only regains Summon points when the fiend is no longer serving him and he's rested for a day.
EDIT5: Major system revision. Now, there is 0% chance of being attacked. The only reason you and the DM roll off is to see how big of a bonus your minion gets. Also, bonus feats, and a lvl20 capstone.
EDIT6: Added the Internal Fiend abilities, and a lot of feats that mimic bard powers, but they only work on fiends and the magician.

All the fiends are in. I'll try to flesh out their entries with some more fluff as time goes on.

Responses?

Elfstone
2011-03-21, 05:49 PM
You sir, are a genius.

Love the class, I would say it needs more abilities, save the fact its trying to be the magicians from the Bartimaeus universe. So they are weak, and its an accurate representation. However, its not exactly playable, or difficult to play as a class because it basicly is a one trick pony.

Milo v3
2011-03-21, 08:41 PM
I noticed the same thing and made a class as well.

It's called the Binder (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Binder_(Keran)).

I haven't play NWN2 in a while though so I might be missing some of the essence of Ammo Jerro.

Benly
2011-03-22, 01:26 AM
My big concern is that a level 1 Magician has a 5% chance each day of losing his class abilities for a week. Even at higher levels, it's a problem since your lower summons won't keep up well with matched-level enemies - if you can't summon your level-appropriate bruiser for a week, you're going to have some Problems.

You also have limited resources with no real way to conserve them - your low-level summons don't scale up well against matched-CR enemies, so you're basically forced to spend as much as you can manage at once if you want to contribute. If your big bruiser for the day gets hit with a Dismissal, good luck managing on what you can afford with the leftovers.

In general, I would like to see some kind of "safety net" for the scaling problem. One that comes to mind, although I don't know how practical it is, would be to have a "reserve limit" determined by your Magician level and allow fiends up to your reserve limit cost to be summoned without expending points when you don't have any other fiends summoned.That way, you're never forced to spend the rest of the day without anything remotely useful.

It would also probably help to have more fiends known, or allow lower-level fiends to be traded out for better options as you level up.

tzaan
2011-03-22, 03:45 AM
as a near irrelevant point, Ammon Jerro gets his funky powers from his Sanctuary. Hence the fire abilities, lightning strikes and demon summoning. After it's destruction, he loses all the gained power from the bound demons

Basically it's a plot cop out so you don't get an army of demons to fight your battles for you...although that would make the battle for the keep more interesting

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-23, 06:22 PM
BUMP.
I think the mechanics are better now. Thoughts? Any idea what tier the magician might be?

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-25, 05:43 PM
Well, the magician now kinda feels like an actual class.
New capabilities at every level? Check.
Bonus feats? Check.
Capstone that is useful? Check.

So, It'd be nice if some people could critique it. Perhaps give an idea of what tier it's on. Compare it to the Malconvoker? Just tell me what you think of it.

STOP TELLING ME AMMON JERRO COULD SUMMON DEMONS BECAUSE OF [special plot-related reason]. I don't care about him, he was a convenient example of what an epic level Magician would be like.
Critique the actual class, please.

Epsilon Rose
2011-03-25, 07:59 PM
Does it say something that I knew this was related to Bartimaeus just by reading the title?

That said, it's a little disappointing that this doesn't use any of the true name stuff that the story uses and also seems to lack the ability to summon a particular fiend, work out long term relationships with them (You gain little to no advantage from being an evil mage who sends them on well thought out missions that benefit them over a would be paladin who sends them on near suicidal missions regularly) and the ability to stuff them into items.
That last one might be a good way to manage resources better than just straight up summons (perhaps demons in an object only take up a fraction of their normal points while they're bound to the object?) but might be better as a prc.

Also, three things about the summoning it self. It sort of bugs me that the demon can't do any thing since in both standard myth and the series they where still able to use illusions to trip up the summoner or trick them into breaking the circle. Which brings me to the second thing, there don't seem to be any consequences for breaking/stepping out of the circle. And lastly in the books Jhon is shown to be able to hurt Bartimaeus in the circle, in fact that's his main way of negotiating with him.

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-26, 09:32 PM
The magician uses fiends the way a man wears clothes. He doesn't pay them too much attention, mends them when they're broken, and lives and easy existence. Now that's fine for a generic fantasy setting.

If you have more of a steampunk/gritty/horror setting, or just want to be more like a Bartimaeus-style magician, what to do?

Perhaps a prestige class would be in order.


Legendary Binders don't summon just any fiends-- they summon 5,000 year old fiends that have deeds in their name and experience under their belt. The strain of dominating such entities shortens their life-spans, and occasionally they slip up and are subsequently devoured.
However, they wouldn't give it up for the world.

Prerequisites: Bluff OR Diplomacy OR Intimidate 13 ranks
Knowledge (The Planes) 13 ranks
Knowledge (History) 8 ranks
Languages known: Celestial, Infernal, Abyssal, Auran, Ignan, Giant, Draconic

Skills: Same as Magician.

d6 Hit Dice

Legendary Binder
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Summon points, fiends known

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Famous Fiend, Fiendish Leader|+1 level of existing fiend-summoning class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Stressed Life, Legendary Trick|+1 level of existing fiend-summoning class

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Precise Circle, Heroic Fiend|+1 level of existing fiend-summoning class

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Stressed Life, Legendary Trick|+1 level of existing fiend-summoning class

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Exacting Circle, Paragon Fiend|+1 level of existing fiend-summoning class[/table]

At every level, the Legendary Binder gains extra Summon points and fiends known (in his Grimoire) as if they had gained a level in their normal fiend-summoning class.

Famous Fiend At 1st level, the Legendary Binder can opt to summon a particular fiend of note when summoning a minion. The player is encouraged to write up a short biography or history of the fiend. However, summoning noteworthy fiends is more demanding than calling up "average joe" fiends. To begin with, their Summon point cost is 1.1 times that of the original kind of fiend.
A Famous Fiend can be bound to be an Internal Fiend, but this is not generally advised. The special powers a Famous Fiend acquires are inaccessible as an Internal Fiend, so the magician gets no benefit from expanding more time and energy than on a normal fiend.

When the DM and player roll their social skill rolls, the following conditions apply, and supersede the normal rules when necessary:
When the binder rolls a natural 1 when negotiating, it signifies that they forgot, mispronounced or otherwise altered an essential part of the summoning incantation. As such, the Famous Fiend is free to attack them. The fiend departs to its home location after a number of rounds equal to its hit-dice have passed.
When the Famous Fiend rolls a natural 20, it signifies that the binder's beckons were not powerful enough to compel it. It departs at once.
If both happen, the fiend chooses whether it wants to attack or depart immediately.

A Famous Fiend can only be commanded to carry out a single task, enumerated right after the social skill check. The fiend is free to depart once the task is completed and it has reported back to its master, or 3 days have passed, whichever comes first.

Once a binder has spent the Summon points to conjure a Famous Fiend, they may not summon another for a week.

Fiendish Leader At 1st level, a binder can call fiendish officers and commanders of legions. A Famous Fiend regains the ability to Summon Baatezu/Tanar'ri/Slaad or the like. (Normally your fiends can't do this.) The Summoned allies have an 100% chance to appear, rather than the chance given in the creature's stat information. However, they only last 1 minute per the Famous Fiend's hit-dice. They themselves cannot use Summon abilities they may have. They obey the Famous Fiend without question.

Stressed Life At 2nd and 4th level, the stress in the Legendary Binder's life gets to them. Fiend lords visit them in their nightmares and laugh. Fumbled summons release vicious terrors that are only banished in the nick of time. Colleagues are not so lucky, and some die at the hands of fiends. Not to mention that many Binders are so competitive, they routinely send fiends to harass or kill their fellows. It's not surprising that many suffer nervous breakdowns. They just can't take it anymore.
They lose 1 point of Constitution from tension and world-weariness, which can never be regained. They can raise their Constitution by the normal means (+1 every 4th level, up to +5 inherent with Wishes, etc)

Legendary Trick At 2nd and 4th level, you can add a Legendary Trick to the abilities of a Famous Fiend you summon.

Precise Circle At 3rd level, a Legendary Binder has to use more stringent summoning procedures to keep up with the powerful individuals they can call up.
In addition to the opposed social skill roll, a Legendary Binder must make a Knowledge (The Planes) check when they draw their summoning circle.
The DM makes the roll for them secretly, because they would not know the result until they actually used the circle.
On a normal roll, the circle is adequate.
On a natural one, the Famous Fiend is free to attack, because they forgot a crucial rune in the magic circle.
On a natural 20, you get a +4 bonus on the social skill roll, due to the powerful circle you drew.
Precise Circles cannot be re-used, attempting to re-use them results in a dud summons, nothing happens.

However, a binder can now command a Famous Fiend to carry out a task that lasts up to one week. After the task is completed or the week is up, it departs.

Heroic Fiend At 3rd level, a Legendary Binder can call powerful fiends that put their normal minions to shame.
A Famous Fiend you summon now gets elite ability score bonuses. Normally, the elite ability score bonuses are +4,+4,+2,+2,+0,-2. However, there is a caveat. Famous Fiends are always willful and imperious, so one of the +4 bonuses must be applied to Charisma. The +4,+2,+2,+0,-2 can be applied to Str, Dex, Con, Int and Wis any way the binder's player chooses.

Exacting Circle At 5th level, a Legendary Binder can call upon the fundamental powers of the multiverse. These beings laugh when a puny man tries to bind them to his will, on his convenience.
In addition to the rules for Precise Circle, your summoning circle must overcome any spell resistance your Famous Fiend has. Roll with your Knowledge (The Planes) total bonus rather than your caster level.
If you fail to beat the Famous Fiend's spell resistance, it can choose at any time during the proceedings to depart home.

A Legendary Binder can now order a Famous Fiend around like a normal minion, it no longer is a "one job" fiend. The Famous Fiend remains until the binder dismisses it or it dies. However, they can have only one Famous Fiend serving them at a time.

Paragon Fiend A 5th level Legendary Binder can call up the heroic, sage, crafty and thieving fiends of which epics are still sung.
The binder's player can now choose which feats a Famous Fiend has chosen and what skills it has invested skill points in. There are a few caveats, though.
The DM is to make sure that the Famous Fiend has at least one social skill (Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate) invested to the maximum of hit-dice + 3 ranks. If the base fiend apparently has all social skill as non-class skills, it spends skill points until it reaches the cross-class skill rank limit for at least one of the social skills.
The DM has the ultimate say on which rulebooks you can pick feats out of. A good baseline would be the Player's Handbook and the rulebook in which the base fiend species came from. Feats from Fiendish Codex I & II would be fitting for many evil fiends. (and most fiends are evil) At the DM's option, the Complete series, the Races Of series and the Frostburn/Stormwrack/Sandstorm series have plenty of material. And of course the Eberron/Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, if apropriate.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got all that? It's complex, I know. The magician used to be like that, but I figured a base class should be fun and simple. But if you want to summon 5,000 year old entities with fully customized skills and feat trees, you gotta jumps through a few mechanics.

In review:
A Binder can summon a Famous Fiend. It costs 1.1 times as much as a normal fiend of that type.
The summoning can only be attempted once a week. The FF serves 3 days, then 1 week, then indefinitely. You can only have 1 FF at a time.

The FF can Summon [Outsider Subtype] if it says so in the Monster Manual.
Later it gets elite ability score arrays.
Later it learns a few iconic tricks, which are usually 1/day, unique things.
Later you can customize its feats and skills.
NO giving it 0 ranks in social skills for huge Special Purpose bonuses.
NO using a ton of splatbooks for the feats, unless DM says it's OK.

In return for these benefits, you gotta:
NOT roll a natural 1 on social skills (it attacks!)
NOT have it get a natural 20 on same (it flees)
Later, NOT get a natural 1 on your knowledge check (or it attacks!)
Later, NOT roll low on your knowledge check (or it flees)
And you lose 2 Constitution from the general tension.

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-26, 09:44 PM
Legendary Tricks

"Listen, son... what's your name?"
"Nubbin, sir."
"Nubbin. Well, don't go believing everything you hear, Nubbin. The British army's strong, sure. In fact, I've rarely seen stronger. But let's say it is. Let's say it's got marids, whole legions of afrits, and horlas by the bucket-load. Let's say they're all going to come pouring at us tonight, right here at the Strahov Gate. Well, let them come. We've got tricks to send them packing."
"Such as what, sir?"
"Tricks that'll blow those afrits and marids right out of the air. Tricks we've all learned in the heat of a dozen battles. Tricks that mean one sweet word: survival."


I'll Be Back
Once per day, your Famous Fiend can reverse a banishment effect, depending on what feats you have.
If you have the I'm NOT Losing You feat, you can choose to let your FF be banished when hit with a banishment effect. If you do, your FF reappears where it was 1 round later, immediately can take a move action, then a full round's worth of actions. Enemies are considered surprised and flat-footed.

If you only have the I Can't Afford To Lose You feat or the improved version, you can spend Constitution to negate a banishment effect that hits your FF. Or, you can let it be banished. 1 Round later, it reappears and can take a full round of actions. Enemies are considered surprised and flat-footed

If you don't have any of those feats, your FF has no special protection from banishment. When it's banished, it reappears 1 round later. It reappears slowly enough that it doesn't surprise enemies.


Hasta La Vista, Ba-Be
Your Famous Fiend can administer a Coup de Grace as a free action which provokes no attacks of opportunity. Your FF also receives the benefit of a Deathknell spell having done so, lasting a number of rounds equal to the victim's hit-dice, which doesn't stack.


. . . Clever Girl
Once per day, your Famous Fiend can spend a full round concentrating. It gains the knowledge of all beings within 1000ft, can spend another full round Teleporting Without Error to any spot within 1000ft, and gains a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently for 1 minute.


I'm Going To Make This Pencil Disappear
Once per day, your Famous Fiend can spend a full round talking to lull opponents into a false sense of safety. During the next round, all opponents that could see or hear your FF are treated as flat-footed against its attacks.


I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
Once per day when your Famous Fiend is engaged in a conversation with someone they despise, they can spend a minute concentrating. During that minute, the other person is being semi-choked to an invisible hand. Neckless beings are immune to this. Treat the person as being grappled. If the conversation is resumed afterward, your FF gets a +6 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks made during the conversation.


Does The Walker Choose The Path, Or The Path Choose The Walker?
Once per day, your Famous Fiend can render itself immune to everything that undead are immune to. It does not gain any undead vulnerabilities. If you have the Truly Evil Fiends feat, you FF actually gains bonus hit points when it has a negative level (like undead), and gains a bonus to its ability scores when exposed to an ability damaging/draining effect.
Every negative level gives 5 bonus HP, any points of ability damage or drain become enhancement bonuses to the same ability score.
All these benefits last for 10 minutes before fading.


I Was A Humble Messenger Imp On All But The Seventh Plane
Your Famous Fiend can use Alter Self at will, and True Seeing spells only work on your FF's guises and illusions when they're being used by a fiend with more hit-dice than your FF. Non-fiends can't benefit from True Seeing in regards to your FF.

jiriku
2011-03-27, 05:08 PM
This is tough to rate, and I think the magician would find it challenging to fit into a typical adventuring party.

On the one hand, the magician is essentially a sitting duck in combat, with no defensive abilities, mediocre-to-poor hit points, and pathetic hand-to-hand combat capabilities. If i played a magician I'd probably put on a suit of full plate armor just to try to stay alive. I'm not proficient, but who cares? I don't have any reason to make attack rolls anyhow.

On the other hand, the magician can have an arbitrarily large number of fiends under his control, his only real limit being how fast he can get his hands on the summon points needed to call and bind them. In fact, at 10th level, I'd probably just take Tell Me What's Happening and stop going on adventures altogether. Why risk my neck personally when I can just send fiends in my stead and stay in touch with them via telepathy? My time is better spent summoning up more fiends anyhow, and I can send reinforcements instantaneously if I summon fiends that have an at-will greater teleport (as many do).

Even if the magician does travel along with his party (perhaps because he doesn't trust his fiends to execute his will without direct supervision), he's hard to fit in. He's constantly surrounded by a crowd of demons and has no abilities that would allow him to hide or conceal them, so the common folk (or, indeed, any sane creatures) are going to run for the hills when they see his pack of fiends, and in most game worlds the king's knights (or a pack of good-aligned adventuring parties) will be coming along to purge the fiendish menace soon enough. Even if the locals don't cause problems, he utterly breaks the action economy by taking a full round's actions for every single fiend under his control on each of his turns (A.K.A. DNS, or Dread Necromancer Syndrome).

All in all, it's a class that will face many obstacles when joining the typical adventuring party.

Benly
2011-03-27, 05:28 PM
In fact, at 10th level, I'd probably just take Tell Me What's Happening and stop going on adventures altogether. Why risk my neck personally when I can just send fiends in my stead and stay in touch with them via telepathy?

Because an eleventh-level character can cast Antimagic Field. One shot of that turns your remote-control fiend into an evil NPC who is now free to interpret your last orders as loosely as he wants to because he's no longer in communication with his "master". This is likely to be a Bad Scene for the rest of the party.


Even if the magician does travel along with his party (perhaps because he doesn't trust his fiends to execute his will without direct supervision), he's hard to fit in. He's constantly surrounded by a crowd of demons and has no abilities that would allow him to hide or conceal them, so the common folk (or, indeed, any sane creatures) are going to run for the hills when they see his pack of fiends, and in most game worlds the king's knights (or a pack of good-aligned adventuring parties) will be coming along to purge the fiendish menace soon enough.

This is a legitimate concern (although perma-Wild Shape druids seem to get the benefit of the doubt on it often enough). Maybe a feat that lets you put your fiends into a pocket-dimension "storage" and call them back out with a full-round action would be suitable?

(Marilith, I choose you!)


Even if the locals don't cause problems, he utterly breaks the action economy by taking a full round's actions for every single fiend under his control on each of his turns (A.K.A. DNS, or Dread Necromancer Syndrome).

Ideally the counterbalance would be that you don't have enough summon points at once to control a significant number of reasonable-CR creatures at a given time. If you're getting multiple actions out of your fiends at all, they're going to be very weak fiends relative to your current level.

That said, you will be always getting actions for both your fiends and your magician. On the other hand, your magician has no class features with which to take actions of significance, so unless you're abusing the heck out of Use Magic Device this isn't likely to be a big issue.



As a wording note, the "fiends aren't considered 'summoned' in the usual sense" text with its details and caveats can be handled by including somewhere the statement that bound fiends are considered called rather than summoned creatures.

NosferatuZodd
2011-03-27, 07:33 PM
I'm pretty sure Jerro was just a warlock, he had unique powers because he made infernal and abyssal pacts and binded fiends to gain extra power. I'm pretty sure.

Otherwise, this looks like an interesting class.

Shark Uppercut
2011-03-30, 07:45 PM
My attempt to acknowledge criticisms.

On the one hand, the magician is essentially a sitting duck in combat, with no defensive abilities, mediocre-to-poor hit points, and pathetic hand-to-hand combat capabilities. If i played a magician I'd probably put on a suit of full plate armor just to try to stay alive. I'm not proficient, but who cares? I don't have any reason to make attack rolls anyhow.
So it's a base class like a sorcerer-based malconvoker, only armor imposes no real penalties on class abilities.

On the other hand, the magician can have an arbitrarily large number of fiends under his control, his only real limit being how fast he can get his hands on the summon points needed to call and bind them. In fact, at 10th level, I'd probably just take Tell Me What's Happening and stop going on adventures altogether. Why risk my neck personally when I can just send fiends in my stead and stay in touch with them via telepathy? My time is better spent summoning up more fiends anyhow, and I can send reinforcements instantaneously if I summon fiends that have an at-will greater teleport (as many do).
First, you can only really have an "arbitrarily large number" of manes, imps, and maybe bearded devils at high levels. The bookkeeping would (and should) discourage you from having more than a brute or two, and maybe an imp attendant/spy.
Second, giving fiends time and opportunity to re-interpret your orders, where you can't see them, is a bad idea.
Third, reinforcements would take an hour (regain summon points) and a few minutes more (summoning, negotiating) to send.

Even if the magician does travel along with his party (perhaps because he doesn't trust his fiends to execute his will without direct supervision), he's hard to fit in. He's constantly surrounded by a crowd of demons and has no abilities that would allow him to hide or conceal them, so the common folk (or, indeed, any sane creatures) are going to run for the hills when they see his pack of fiends, and in most game worlds the king's knights (or a pack of good-aligned adventuring parties) will be coming along to purge the fiendish menace soon enough. Even if the locals don't cause problems, he utterly breaks the action economy by taking a full round's actions for every single fiend under his control on each of his turns (A.K.A. DNS, or Dread Necromancer Syndrome).
Dread Necros manage okay hiding their minions, which are mostly mindless. Fiends are intelligent and can think for themselves. They have a sense of self-preservation, and drawing paladin attention doesn't help them at all, since they 'truely' die when slain. Besides, an imp with invisibility can be told to cast it continuously on your retinue.
And as I've said before, a DreadNecro/fiend summoner is doing themselves no favors by having scads of low HD minons rather than a few useful (powerful) ones.

Responses bolded.

Moose Man
2011-03-30, 09:05 PM
The dread necro has minions, but is also gets spellcasting. Their spell list, while narrow, had mostly de-buffs and buffs for his minions. This class, as is, has the minions, yes, but doesn't have the extra oomph needed to get it to go the extra mile (expression, plz don't be offended). A dread necro's minions are mindless and thus obey your orders, but the magician has no such luxury. When up against an evil DM, you have to have airtight instructions, or the letter and the letter only will be followed (my motto, always prepare for the worst). This is seen when Barty did when ordering an imp it fetch his coffee. Not only do some struggle with properly wording their commands, but it is an inconvenience when forced to make orders in the spot. While others may be able to properly suggest ways to boost this class from now to a glorious finished project. What this is currently is a good idea, but more of an outline than a finished product. My suggestion for possibly powering up the class with invocations, flavored more towards imprisoning imps/foliots/djinni/afrits/marids in items, like the ring of Solomon or that creepy afrit who was imprisoned in Gladstone's bones by Gladstone, who used the staff that... You get the idea. Just my 2 cp (man, that guy ripped me off! I reviewed his class and gave a review, and he made ME pay 2 copper pieces!!:smallbiggrin:)

Benly
2011-03-30, 11:53 PM
The dread necro has minions, but is also gets spellcasting. Their spell list, while narrow, had mostly de-buffs and buffs for his minions. This class, as is, has the minions, yes, but doesn't have the extra oomph needed to get it to go the extra mile (expression, plz don't be offended).

I would go a step further than that. This is not just a "minion class". When you play a Magician, you are, for all mechanical purposes, playing a (whatever the highest-level outsider you can currently summon is). The only thing you can really do with the magician himself is crossbow plink and use skills. (Speaking of which, I think this guy could use 4 skill points/level given that there are at least two effectively-mandatory skills for the class: a social skill to bind fiends with, plus Knowledge: Planes to actually know what your fiends can do and what fiends exist to be bound.)

Shark Uppercut
2011-04-01, 07:45 PM
I would go a step further than that. This is not just a "minion class". When you play a Magician, you are, for all mechanical purposes, playing a (whatever the highest-level outsider you can currently summon is).

That is painfully true. Added an option to store some fiendish power within yourself, if you're feeling like you wanna melee, or if a fiend bodyguard wasn't working.

The only thing you can really do with the magician himself is crossbow plink and use skills.

Again, quite true. I've added some bard-esque feats. Stay within 30ft of your dudes and spend a full round talking, and they get a pretty nifty bonus. (Also stacks with Special Purpose, which is an untyped bonus)

(Speaking of which, I think this guy could use 4 skill points/level given that there are at least two effectively-mandatory skills for the class: a social skill to bind fiends with, plus Knowledge: Planes to actually know what your fiends can do and what fiends exist to be bound.)

Done. Oh, and they can wear light armor now. :smallcool:


Lots of people have commented on my humble magician. He's changed . . tremendously. You may be getting sick of me, but I'm asking for one more round of critiques of my most recent changes. Thank you.

EDITed to respond to Benly below.
1) Buffed the feats. Since they are fairly limited in scope, I don't mind adding a few pluses.
2) For fiends with stats lower than your own- fixed.
3) The magician on his own won't be any Hercules (at least until he has an Internal Balor or Pit Fiend), so I don't mind high AC. Keeps him safe.
4) Reduced number of SLAs, added options for other qualities the fiend has. Still working on complete list of abilities/qualities. Also, adding (slowly) relevant data to the fiends' entries to minimize guesswork about abilities/qualities.

Benly
2011-04-01, 08:14 PM
I probably wouldn't bother with Fiend Encouragement feats, to be honest. The higher-level ones are decent but getting enough uses to be worthwhile is a pretty serious feat sink. I don't know, I could see someone making a build that makes it work but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Internal Fiend, on the other hand, I can definitely see getting some mileage out of, not least because it actually gives you something useful to do with lower-level fiends. I'm not inclined to dig through for specific examples, but a fiend with decent stats that just has too few hit dice to keep contributing at the current level would retain some use as an Internal Fiend. (Shame about the d6 HD, but hey, you can't have it all - at least you can tank up on natural armor.) A few things to note about it, though.

First: As written, there is no option not to take on a physical attribute of the Internal Fiend. For example, a low-level Magician might want to carry a Mane for its DR, NA and claw attacks (at 1 summon point, it's a pretty decent deal at low levels.) Since the Mane has a Strength of only 10, it's entirely possible for this to reduce an above-average Magician's strength. This should probably not be the case.

Second: As written, the natural armor bonus stacks with things like an Amulet of Natural Armor, being a profane bonus to natural armor rather than a natural armor bonus to AC. This isn't necessarily a problem, but it means the Magician can get a higher AC bonus than you may be expecting at mid-to-high levels.

Third: It would be good to have, at some point, the ability to get skill bonuses and/or non-(Sp) special attacks of the demons you have internalized. It seems logical that Internalizing, say, an assassin devil should give sneak attack and Hide bonuses instead of a pick off its (kind of random) spell-like list. One obvious option would be to brute-force it, giving each fiend an Internalize bonus you can pick instead of its spell-likes if appropriate, but that would obviously be a lot of work.

SilverStar101
2012-12-31, 07:38 PM
I have looked through this and found a few things that could be added or tweaked.

1: A "joint" summoning technique would be useful. Two magicians could combine their summon points to summon together a more powerful entity then they could alone. The joint summoned fiend* would be able to take orders from both magicians but only taking one order at a time.

2: Some punishment spells and such for the fiends* would be useful, things like the stipples, convulsions and the shrivelling fire(or dismal flame depending on the time period), all useful for punishing a disobedient slave. Not sure exactly how it would work but you can decide that bit. :smallwink:

3: A way to be able to summon more than one fiend* per hour.

4: Books. A.k.a.: Other magical books like mentioned in the Bartimaus series. containing some kind of magic info.

Those are the 4 things saw that could be added or tweaked a little.


*Off note I much prefer "spirit" than fiend. But I suppose...


P.S.: I hope you do not mind if I use some of these ideas for my own post. I suddenly had an idea to do this type of thing and searched around to see if anyone else had the same idea and I found this. So I will be using some things from here(that I had not thought of) but most of it will be my own ideas.

P.P.S.: Cancel the P.S. I now have my own idea for a few more things.

LordofBones
2013-01-02, 04:18 PM
Slaad? What do the slaadi have to do with fiends? Almost all of them are CN.