[PF] Gynosphinx + Lamia?

[Crasical]

I'm gearing up to run my PCs through a desert adventure, and while i was compiling a list of interesting monsters to work into encounters, I came up with the Gynosphinx and the Lamia. Both are large, and both have the lower bodies of lions and the upper bodies of human women, but the Gynosphinx has wings. However, the Lamia can Disguise Self at will. I quickly started writing up an encounter where the Gynosphinx that knows the location of the desert tomb that is the PC's eventual goal is waylaid and replaced by a tricky Lamia en route to the village the PCs set up as a meeting spot, leading to a 'spot the fake' situation for the PCs when the gynosphinx shows up and declares herself to be the real one.

Unfortunately, It seems like this isn't going to work out quite so simply. The similarities of the monsters are merely superficial, as the Lamia lacks many of the Gynosphinx's SLAs, and cannot actually use her wings to fly. Of the four PCs, one is an Inquisitor who can detect alignment at will and discern lies for 5 rounds a day, and the other is a cleric who can simply prepare those spells if the need arises. And should she be outed as an imposter, The lamia will have a monster CR2 higher than her and an entire party of PCs, leading to an uninteresting curb-stomp battle on the PCs' part.

Anyway, I really love the idea, but I'm not sure how to salvage this encounter in a way to make it fair and challenging for the PCs. Help?

[Jack_Simth]

Low ceiling, both stuck on opposite sides of an area, and one of a number of effects to prevent Discern Lies?

[killianh]

three words: scrolls of mindblank. serious that's all you need to fix the issue of the party finding out before you want

[Crasical]

Low ceiling, both stuck on opposite sides of an area, and one of a number of effects to prevent Discern Lies?

Would work if the Lamia knew that the Gynosphinx was coming to out her, and only had to fool the party for the duration of the encounter.


three words: scrolls of mindblank. serious that's all you need to fix the issue of the party finding out before you want

I'm a little wary of intruding an 8th level spell into the adventures of a party of 5th level PCs. A scroll of Undetectible Alignment would protect from Aligment detection spells, if not Discern Lies, as Gynosphinx are True Neutral. I'd also have to give the Lamia some method of activating the scroll.

[ThiagoMartell]

Give the lamia some class levels.

[awa]

make it a lamia matriarch that gives it 6 level of sorcerer
take misdirection to fool the detection spells

[Crasical]

Give the lamia some class levels.

Hm. Levels in what? A few levels of bard would get her Undetectable Alignment and 2nd level spells. Two levels of cleric bump her CR up the same amount and get her only 1st level cleric spells, but work off her ridiculous Wisdom score, which also improves her will save.

[Crasical]

make it a lamia matriarch that gives it 6 level of sorcerer
take misdirection to fool the detection spells

Oh. That's an excellent idea. I can't believe I missed that....

Edit: Do you have any suggestions for how she should pull off the physical disguise portion, then? Lamia Matriarchs can no longer cast Disguise Self, which limits them to a single humanoid form.

[Baron Malkar]

6th level Sorcerer casting. Just change some spells known around.

[Crasical]

6th level Sorcerer casting. Just change some spells known around.

What spell, then? Disguise Self only works for 2 hours at a time. I'd like something that does it a little better.

[awa]

hat of disguise