Demonic Pacts

[Elric VIII]

I'm building a character to replace an old one in a current campaign and I have all but the finishing touches.


The Character:
I am a Magic-Blooded Lesser Tiefling Wizard 5/Malconvoker 8/Sacred Exorcist 7.

My character is a child of nobility that happened to represent the culmination of two very dilute fiendish bloodlines. This resulted in him being born with fiendish features and his parents choosing to hide him from the world, in order to protect their power and position.

At the time where I will begin playing him he will have escaped his confinement and have unwisely made a pact with a devil. In spite of his becoming good, the pact is still a burden upon him.


I need some way to link him to his demonic ancestry in an unfavorable way, as a dark cloud hanging over his head. What I'm looking for is something similar to the Pact Insidious from FCII that smells less of cheese.

Otherwise I think I'll make the pact part of my backstory and just take some suboptimal feats that are a flavorful representation of my character. Perhaps Fiendsign and/or a skill bonus.

[kardar233]

There's the Abyssal Heritor feats in FC1. They're advantages on the whole, but they give some interesting roleplaying opportunities.

If you want something strictly disadvantaging, I don't know.

[Elric VIII]

There's the Abyssal Heritor feats in FC1. They're advantages on the whole, but they give some interesting roleplaying opportunities.

If you want something strictly disadvantaging, I don't know.

I want something that works like the UA Traits, a boost + a drawback. The drawback of "tear up your character sheet if you die because you can't be resurrected" is a little too all or nothing, considering that if my DM doesn't want to end my character's existence, then I've essentially gotten free stuff.

[true_shinken]

I want something that works like the UA Traits, a boost + a drawback. The drawback of "tear up your character sheet if you die because you can't be resurrected" is a little too all or nothing, considering that if my DM doesn't want to end my character's existence, then I've essentially gotten free stuff.

Then Abyssal Heritor feats are exactly what you want. Have a look.

[Elric VIII]

Then Abyssal Heritor feats are exactly what you want. Have a look.

Those are pretty nice, I had thought that they were the Devil-Touched feats that Hellbred get. However, they seem to me rather like the Shifter feats. You need a lot of them to be useful and they don't do too much.

I only have one free slot (which is why I considered the Pact Insidious) and I would probobly use that on Fiendsign, since it would help my Planar Binding at later levels.

Thank you for the suggestion.

[Grendus]

You could take Improved Familiar and choose an imp. Granted, it's almost entirely positive boosts (Detect Good, Detect Magic, and Invisibility at will, two Alternate Forms, Suggestion 1/day and Commune 1/week) but it would show some demonic bargaining without the "you lose your soul if you took this" drawback. Have the imp always be trying to make deals with party members, gathering favors or trying to soften them up for a pact. For more backstory fun, have the imp be sent by his fiendish ancestry to try to win him back to the side of evil. It's bound to serve him, but will suggest evil at every opportunity.

You would need to OK it with your DM though, by RAW you have to be within one alignment step of your familiar to bind it. You don't, however, have to remain within one step, so you could have bound it before you converted to good.

[Elric VIII]

You could take Improved Familiar and choose an imp. Granted, it's almost entirely positive boosts (Detect Good, Detect Magic, and Invisibility at will, two Alternate Forms, Suggestion 1/day and Commune 1/week) but it would show some demonic bargaining without the "you lose your soul if you took this" drawback. Have the imp always be trying to make deals with party members, gathering favors or trying to soften them up for a pact. For more backstory fun, have the imp be sent by his fiendish ancestry to try to win him back to the side of evil. It's bound to serve him, but will suggest evil at every opportunity.

You would need to OK it with your DM though, by RAW you have to be within one alignment step of your familiar to bind it. You don't, however, have to remain within one step, so you could have bound it before you converted to good.

This is an awesome idea that I want to use. Alas, I have opted for the Rapid Summoning ACF and that prohibits ever acquiring a familiar. This will definately be put in my "build this character" archive.

[Shadowleaf]

Well, the Demon could just be messing with you;
Tomb Tainted Soul; positive energy hurts you, while negative energy heals you. Why? Because the Demon thought it would be damn funny.

What's the feat from Tome of Magic? Practiced Binding? It gives you a small bonus (and a physical sign) depending on the vestige you pick (ram horns, for instance). Make the feat free but the physical sign mandatory.

[Elric VIII]

Well, the Demon could just be messing with you;
Tomb Tainted Soul; positive energy hurts you, while negative energy heals you. Why? Because the Demon thought it would be damn funny.

This is perfect, since the evil outsiders that I will be summoning are likely to be able to inflict. Thanks.

[Dusk Eclipse]

FWIW there are rules for Faustian Pacts in Fiendish Codex II.

Also do the rapid summoning really bars you from getting the Obtain Familiar feat?:smallconfused:

[Grendus]

He only has one feat slot open, so obtaining it via a feat is a no go.

I have an imp on a Dread Necromancer atm, they're great. Invisibility lets them deliver touch based spells fairly safely, and with high AC and some DR they're durable enough to take a hit. Not so much of a good Malconvoker familiar, but if you're playing a class with a ridiculous number of touch based spells they're very useful.

[Dusk Eclipse]

He only has one feat slot open, so obtaining it via a feat is a no go.

I have an imp on a Dread Necromancer atm, they're great. Invisibility lets them deliver touch based spells fairly safely, and with high AC and some DR they're durable enough to take a hit. Not so much of a good Malconvoker familiar, but if you're playing a class with a ridiculous number of touch based spells they're very useful.

Faustian Pact for an extra feat :smalltongue:

[Elric VIII]

FWIW there are rules for Faustian Pacts in Fiendish Codex II.

That's the Pact Insidious of which I was speaking (AKA the good version of Faustian Pact).


Also do the rapid summoning really bars you from getting the Obtain Familiar feat?:smallconfused:

The wording is "a conjurer using this variant permanently gives up the ability to obtain a familiar." As far as the simple RAW questions thread is concerned, that's what it means. Altogether, not that big of a problem.

[Dusk Eclipse]

That's the Pact Insidious of which I was speaking (AKA the good version of Faustian Pact).



The wording is "a conjurer using this variant permanently gives up the ability to obtain a familiar." As far as the simple RAW questions thread is concerned, that's what it means. Altogether, not that big of a problem.

Well that is a pitty, Imp familiar are awesome.

[Elric VIII]

Well that is a pitty, Imp familiar are awesome.

I already said I'm going to find an excuse to use that on another character. I've always wanted to try out improved familiar, but this idea would have some cool RP implications as well.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I already said I'm going to find an excuse to use that on another character. I've always wanted to try out improved familiar, but this idea would have some cool RP implications as well.

Hey, if you have already decided, no problem it is your character not mine:smallsmile:

But picture this, the malconvoker casting planar binding, with his (not)trusted Imp familiar watching the ritual from the wizard, then as a the smoke starts to disperse revealing the form of an Osyluth.. this exchange occurs

Osyluth:"which mortal dares to summon me (or another cliché devil statement)
Imp: Hey, I know you... you still owe me a couple souls from that bet.
Osylith: :blinks: Err...no you must be mistaken...
Imp: Nah, I am sure you are that guy, so hey pay up.
(Imp and Osyluth continue to bicker)
Malconvoker :smallsigh:

(and this kind of exchanges occurs every time the Malconvoker binds a powerful demon, or even mid-combat)

[Elric VIII]

Hey, if you have already decided, no problem it is your character not mine:smallsmile:

But picture this, the malconvoker casting planar binding, with his (not)trusted Imp familiar watching the ritual from the wizard, then as a the smoke starts to disperse revealing the form of an Osyluth.. this exchange occurs

Osyluth:"which mortal dares to summon me (or another cliché devil statement)
Imp: Hey, I know you... you still owe me a couple souls from that bet.
Osylith: :blinks: Err...no you must be mistaken...
Imp: Nah, I am sure you are that guy, so hey pay up.
(Imp and Osyluth continue to bicker)
Malconvoker :smallsigh:

(and this kind of exchanges occurs every time the Malconvoker binds a powerful demon, or even mid-combat)

Nicely done.