PF: UMD Batman

[Man on Fire]

Hello my fellow playgrounder, I'm here to ask about help building another npc for my game. This time I want something akin to evil batman, as challenge for party of 6th level wizard, witch, druid, Paladin and Bard. I was thinking of making a guy who cannot use magic himself, but is very skilled in Use Magic Device and Alchemy, and is also very rich, so he can have loads of wands, potions and other alchemical and magical items. there are two options I would consider here - Alchemist (I don't threat it as magic class from purerly fluff standpoint) of Rogue with high Charisma and lot of skills. Rogue sounds fluffier, because you can also use fenits and flanking for sneak attacks, another thig that sounds Batman.

He probably won't be fighting alone, but have some sort of goons at his disposal, at firt's it's probably gonna be team of 2 small cavaliers, barbarian, goblin alchemist and kobold gunslinger all of level 3 (though he may and likely will not participate in that fight) and later aid of two to four Rogues serving as his bodyguards. I may post the stats of both ecounter groups later, when I'll finish doing them, as well as his proposed build, but I would really like to hear your suggestions.

[Man on Fire]

Okay, this is my first attempt - a lot of equipment, but i think that it should work as opponent against party of casters + paladin. After second though he probably won't engage in combat when his goos wil lattempt to stop them, but rather throw his gear at the party through the adventure, setting traps for them and helping his allies. Also, tell me if I did anything wrong here.

Nicodemus Talbot Level 6 Elf Alchemist
Str: 8 Dex:16 Con:9 Int: 18 Wis:10 Cha: 12
Fort: +4 Ref:+8 Will: +2 init: +3 Hp: 54 AC: 17 (+4 armor +3 Dex)
Features: Alchemy, Bomb, 3d6, throw anything, brew potion, mutagen, Poison Resistance +4, poison use, swift alchemy, swift poisoning. Feats: Extra Discovery x3 Discoveries (5): Concentrate Poison, Concussive Bomb, Dispelling Bomb, Frost Bomb, Preserve Organs Racial: Elven magic, Keen Senses, Elven Immunities, Low-Light vision, weapon familiarity
Extracts: level 1 (5): Bomber’s Eye, Cure Light Wounds, Expeditious Retreat, targeted bomb admixture, Resist Elements, Level 2 (4): Alter Self, Blur, Cat’s Grace, invinsibility
Equipment: Boots of Speed, Ring of Counterspells, Alchemist fire x10, Acid x10, Thunderstone x10, Troll Oil, Troll Stryptic, Smokestick x5, Kerostine oil, Pox Bruster x10, antitoxin x5 antiplague x5, Alchemical Grease x5, Brewedeer Reek x5, Elemental breath, Elemental flux x5, Liquid Ice x10, Leaf Armor +1, vicious caltrops, spring-loaded wrist sheath x2, dagger (+7, throwing, 1d4/19-20/x2) x5, light crossbow (+7, 1d8, 19-20/x2), 10 bolts –drow poison, 10 bolts acid (+1d4 acid dmg), 10-bolts fire (+1d4 fire), potions of: mage armor x2, cure lifght wounds x5, reduce person, bear’s endurance, delay poison, misdirection, protection from arrows x2, resist energy x3, spider climb x2, Armor Ointment (-1 to Armor Check penalty)

[ericgrau]

I've done something similar many times before via carrying 50 different scrolls. I... think that's the true count actually, maybe 30-35 not counting duplicates. Then you're ready for everything. You only need 1 or 2 of most scrolls, 4 of anything for the whole party, then you replenish those that get used up as you go. Since most situations are unique, you rarely need something more than once anyway. Every time I've done it it's been pretty amazing; I love it.

In Pathfinder a bard or other cha based class works best for it. You can do it with a cha based rogue, but then he can't do much else. The dangerously curious trait gives anyone UMD as a class skill and a +1, so anyone cha based is fine whether his class gets UMD or not.

A circlet of persuasion is helpful for a +3. At low levels skill focus helps, or in the case of a cha caster like bard or sorc you use scrolls of your own class spells for a while then expand to others as you level.

For 1st level spells you get practically everything even at low level because it's so cheap, often with duplicates. For 2nd level spider climb is my favorite. Pathfinder adds to that gallant inspiration (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/g/gallant-inspiration). My last sorcerer had a "toilet paper roll" scroll with several gallant inspirations. A little known rule is that scrolls can have multiple spells. Every round that mattered I'd pop one as an immediate, and sometimes it would be more effective than my standard action on my turn. Material cost be damned, it's just way too good for me to care. I practically did fighter damage every single turn with 98% success (unlike the fighters whose misses I relied on), on top of my own action. IIRC there's a similar but weaker 1st level bard spell, which you can use until you have the gold for 15-20 gallant inspirations. 15-20 should easily last you until you get a nice treasure pile to resupply. Unlike a bard you can use a scroll 0 times or 7 times as the day requires, though a bard could learn it and scroll it to get the best of both worlds.