[3.5] One-time villain help

[aphoticConniver]

Ok so I'm running a one-off campaign in October, and I need some help with a few things.

1. Is a 20th level character and 3 15th level characters an even match for 4 17th level PCs? The campaign is fairly unoptimized, although the level 20 character is required to be a spellcaster of some sort.

2. How would one build a rich, gentlemanly, spellcasting scholar at level 20, a dual handcrossbow wielding con-man, a Crocodile Dundee-style melee fighter, and a spellcasting OR blasting (I was thinking warlock) mistress, all at level 15, with one caveat for all 4: Required race is Warforged, or some form of Warforged.

Any help would really be appreciated.

[dantiesilva]

The sholar is the hardest one i see, but a sorcerer should do. Duel wielding crossbows easily any drow fighter, croc, well for laughs you could make him a werecroc, and your warlock idea sounds fine for the last. Perhaps some mindbender.

[aphoticConniver]

The sholar is the hardest one i see, but a sorcerer should do. Duel wielding crossbows easily any drow fighter, croc, well for laughs you could make him a werecroc, and your warlock idea sounds fine for the last. Perhaps some mindbender.

The problem being is that all four have to be some sort of Warforged. The Warlock flavor seems easy enough to fit in, but it'd be a bit hard to explain a were-croc robot...

[dantiesilva]

believe it or not has been done, perhaps throw in some reforged class levels to make it easier to believe because they basically give up their construct template. But if this is eberron then these are probably people working for the lord of blades. Focus on a kurki and flaying their skin off.

[Gandariel]

The scholar caster may be an Archivist,
the dual crossbow guy.. he needs lots of feats (crossbow sniper, hand crossbow focus, rapid shot, point blank shot, precise shot, twf line) so start with feat rogue 2.
then go with whatever, consider a dip in Swordsage for Assassin's stance and maybe fit 9 levels of Assassin for sneak attack and spells.

The melee Crocodile dundee fighter may be a rogue4/swashbuckler11 with Daring Outlaw

The blaster can be a warlock or a sorcerer with reserve feats.

[dspeyer]

Spellcasting scholar sounds like wizard/loremaster. Just give him lots of knowledge skills. Rich is best shown by surrounding him with status goods. Ironically, all those gold-framed original paintings and expertly-carved hardwood furniture won't actually cost as much as the magic items he wears. Gentlemanly is all in how you play him.

[Urpriest]

For the NPCs: 2xCR 15=CR 17, CR 17+CR 15=CR 18, CR 18+CR 20=CR 21, so you'd be pitting an EL 21 group against your 17th level PCs. Level+4 is roughly where you're supposed to put boss encounters, so that sounds reasonable.

[aphoticConniver]

For the 20th level leader, I'm actually thinking about Artificer. The reason being, his "master plan" is bringing into creation a Warforged Titan, which is a rather tough machine to fight if I remember correctly?

[Drynwyn]

For the 20th level leader, I'm actually thinking about Artificer. The reason being, his "master plan" is bringing into creation a Warforged Titan, which is a rather tough machine to fight if I remember correctly?

Not particularly. Wizard can turn into one with body of war (9th level I think, maybe 8th) and a 20th level character (or four 17th level characters) could kill one without too much fuss.