Shadowknight12
2012-03-16, 09:09 PM
All right, I need the playground's help to optimise an NPC and potential encounter. Any and all help will be appreciated.
The NPC in question is a Shadow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/shadow.htm), using the Savage Species progression modified thus:
Does not gain the ability to create spawn.
Levels equal CR, so the entire progression is reduced to 3 levels.
Gains the Sunlight Powerlessness of a Spectre (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/spectre.htm) at first level.
The basic build is Shadow 3/Shadowcaster 2/Shadow of a Murder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798304&postcount=10) X.
Tentative stats: Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 16.
That is as far as I go before I find myself somewhat stumped by my dreadful lack of experience with shadow magic. What feats would this NPC take (Besides Darkstalker)? What fundamentals and mysteries would be best suited for him? What interesting tactics could I take advantage of? What synergies am I missing? Any suggestions on how to improve it?
Backstory-wise, this NPC was a shadowcaster and the victim of a hired assassin who used not shadows, but dazzling light, to catch their victims unaware. The entire subplot is that the shadowcaster was investigating some murders and got silenced the hard way, leaving the murders unsolved and buried in the past. The NPC's shadow lingered, fuelled by his desire to see justice served. But this happened in a holy place with lots of priests, angels and positive energy about, so the shadow lingered impotently, gaining experience from observing the world but unable to act, until he was unearthed recently. This coincides with a reappearance of the hired assassin (or at least someone copying his M.O.) and thus the beginning of the NPC's progression throughout the Shadow of a Murder PrC as he becomes a scornful vigilante in the cathedral-castle the story takes place.
Some houserules I'm enforcing relevant to this NPC is the fact that undead retain the alignment they had in life (LG, in this case) and that they're not immune to mind-affecting effects.
If it helps, the player is playing a pixie rogue/beguiler heading for arcane trickster (no LA whatsoever, basically just pile up all the pixie's goodies on the rogue/beguiler chassis). He's not very good at optimising, but he's learning fast and he's very intelligent and resourceful, so I fully expect him to surprise me whenever I throw an encounter his way.
The NPC in question is a Shadow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/shadow.htm), using the Savage Species progression modified thus:
Does not gain the ability to create spawn.
Levels equal CR, so the entire progression is reduced to 3 levels.
Gains the Sunlight Powerlessness of a Spectre (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/spectre.htm) at first level.
The basic build is Shadow 3/Shadowcaster 2/Shadow of a Murder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798304&postcount=10) X.
Tentative stats: Str -, Dex 14, Con -, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 16.
That is as far as I go before I find myself somewhat stumped by my dreadful lack of experience with shadow magic. What feats would this NPC take (Besides Darkstalker)? What fundamentals and mysteries would be best suited for him? What interesting tactics could I take advantage of? What synergies am I missing? Any suggestions on how to improve it?
Backstory-wise, this NPC was a shadowcaster and the victim of a hired assassin who used not shadows, but dazzling light, to catch their victims unaware. The entire subplot is that the shadowcaster was investigating some murders and got silenced the hard way, leaving the murders unsolved and buried in the past. The NPC's shadow lingered, fuelled by his desire to see justice served. But this happened in a holy place with lots of priests, angels and positive energy about, so the shadow lingered impotently, gaining experience from observing the world but unable to act, until he was unearthed recently. This coincides with a reappearance of the hired assassin (or at least someone copying his M.O.) and thus the beginning of the NPC's progression throughout the Shadow of a Murder PrC as he becomes a scornful vigilante in the cathedral-castle the story takes place.
Some houserules I'm enforcing relevant to this NPC is the fact that undead retain the alignment they had in life (LG, in this case) and that they're not immune to mind-affecting effects.
If it helps, the player is playing a pixie rogue/beguiler heading for arcane trickster (no LA whatsoever, basically just pile up all the pixie's goodies on the rogue/beguiler chassis). He's not very good at optimising, but he's learning fast and he's very intelligent and resourceful, so I fully expect him to surprise me whenever I throw an encounter his way.