Gear & feats for an Ogre Mage

[Gwendol]

Statting an Ogre Mage for a fight (against a duo of casters). The Ogre Mage monster HD gives it 2 feats. It carries gear worth double the normal treasure (which means around 6500 gp worth).

So far I have him in a +1 mithral chain shirt, using a greatclub and oil of shillelagh. Healing belt probably and maybe an amber amulet of vermin (wasp)

[Gavinfoxx]

Shillelagh doesn't work on greatclubs without a house rule.

[Gwendol]

Why? I thought it worked on wooden weapons.

[Helldog]

Club or quarterstaff.

[limejuicepowder]

I think you should capitalize on the cunning, intelligent aspects of an ogre mage: How much are hats of disguise? Especially against spell casters, if the mage can disguise himself as something else and cause the players to cast the wrong spell, that would be awesome.

I'm AFB right now but I think you should make it a less ordinary encounter then "initiative, etc etc."

[Gwendol]

Well, they can assume the form of any small-large humanoid or giant. I was thinking about ways to use the cone of cold: maximise SLA is out (not enough caster levels) but maybe empower SLA, or is there a way to change the energy type?

[Riverdance]

Invisibility potions if you can't cast it. The idea of a massive ogre with a club appearing out of nowhere and attacking sounds really awesome to me (even if it does come almost directly from fallout).

[nyarlathotep]

Sadly ogre mages are very much over CRed and quite fragile for their CR. I would recommend giving it some extra HitDice.

[Gwendol]

Yes, which is why I asked the playground for suggestions. Adding HD and levels of sorcerer is obvious, but I am looking at giving the base monster a boost: the MM gives him Combat Expertise and Imp initiative, which isn't bad, but hardly optimal.

Right now I'm looking at empowered SLA and Power Attack, but really would like to know if there is a feat for changing either the energy type of an SLA or increasing the CL of an SLA? I imagine Resistance to Energy (cold) will be used.

Ogre Mages have invisibility at will, so that's definitely in play; however Glitterdust is a 2nd level spell, and the opposition also have See invisibility, so not terribly useful I'm afraid. Good for protection against summons though.

Any suggestions for gear? Other than already listed?

[Gotterdammerung]

It is meant to be a resource drain monster. You fly above them invisible. Cone of cold straight down. Catch the whole party. Everyone gets damaged. The weaker guys almost die. Then he gets glitterdusted or faerie fired or watever. Everyone is all panicked from the recent damage, so they don't hold back. Resources are wasted. Out of combat, healing resources are wasted. They ask you for a rest. You remind them it is dangerous to rest here. They press on.

Every combat does not have to be a killer death combat. However if you are courting the idea of making an Ogre Magi the BBEG, I suggest scrapping the thing and redesigning it from the ground up.

[Gwendol]

I actually anticipate aeral combat: both have access to alter self and tend to favor forms with wings.

Perhaps the old tanglefoot bag trick will do? Entangled, winged creature can't keep flying, right?

[Runestar]

Don't bother with belt of healing; healing during combat is practically a waste of actions anyways unless you are spamming heals. Likewise, with its crap bab, hitting anything is going to be hard, so you needn't fret too much over its weapons.

I cannot for one think of feats that would complement an ogre mage's abilities. There's always flyby attack to go with his flight though.

[Gwendol]

Good point. Flyby attack and power dive perhaps?

[ericgrau]

They're supposedly under CRed and yet every magic item trick people are bringing up is already an SLA for ogre mages. The key is to use their tricks and then they do well.

Try going in disguised and invisible, then sneak up on the foes. Grapple one if you can get him alone, otherwise focus on faster damage like cone of cold to get them both. Try a disguise that makes the casters pick the wrong spells as mentioned, or try tricking them in more RP ways. Go invisible to escape and if possible have a new disguise in case they see invis. Heck if they're in a dungeon, pretend the PCs saved you so you can heal up and back stab them a second time later. Bonus points if you convince the PCs to heal you.

[Gwendol]

Thanks for the suggestions, will see what I can do.

[Gwendol]

Update: Settled on Travel Devotion and PA. Travel devotion is strictly better for the Ogre Mage what with its rather slow fly speed.
So far so good: opposition has tried locking him down with Buzzing Bee (Ogre Mage voluntarily went deaf using a Thunderstone), Black Tentacles, and Web. Ogre Mage is now in gaseous form, and still unharmed.