Evil Psycho Killer [3.5 Build Help]

[QuintonBeck]

So, I could easily go into plot and story and explanations but I'll cut it down as best I can, the party is tracking down a former Cleric turned psycho murderer due to his being contacted by the "chaos beyond the veil" and his name has become boogyman-ified and he's been exalted as the players as a bbeg (little do they know he's just a pawn for something much worse) but I figured when they do track him down he needs to prove himself a worthy foe to make it fun for them.
The party is Level 6, they may be 7 or 8 by the time they find him depending on their investigatory skills, composed of a Bard/Evangelist buffer with 3 4th level cohorts(rogue, adept, barbarian), Warblade damage dealer, Ranger/Scout skirmish fighter, and Cleric/Ordained Champion melee cleric.
I'm looking to build a good enemy for them to face with somewhat a focus on chaos/madness and other such things. I'm thinking he'll be level 10 and I was wondering what advice the Playground had to offer on a build? Cleric needs to be part of the build because of his history so is there anything that jumps out? I was looking at the Master of Shrouds as a possibility, good idea, bad idea? What's your idea? Let me know and thanks ahead of time!

[Spuddles]

You've got like 10 pcs and one npc. That's a problem. Give him the ability to use hit & run tactics. Incorporeality would be badass.

[Waker]

How about something like Cleric/Entropomancer (CDiv)? The PrC might not be that popular for PCs, but it is interesting for a villain. Got a little shard of darkness that dances about hitting people, can flat out say "No healing" as well as manipulate chance (chaos if you will).

[QuintonBeck]

You've got like 10 pcs and one npc. That's a problem. Give him the ability to use hit & run tactics. Incorporeality would be badass.

Exactly why I thought I'd turn to the playground, I was looking at the Master of Shrouds since it can do summoning, thought that would help occupy some of the PCs. He'll have appropriate wbl, so any items that grant things like incorporeality or the like are open to discussion.


How about something like Cleric/Entropomancer (CDiv)? The PrC might not be that popular for PCs, but it is interesting for a villain. Got a little shard of darkness that dances about hitting people, can flat out say "No healing" as well as manipulate chance (chaos if you will).

I do like the look of the entropomancer both mechanically and in regards to flavor and giving him a sphere of annihilation screams fun.

[Kuulvheysoon]

If you'd be willing to boost him to 12th level, you could grab Shape Soulmeld (Phase Cloak) and Open Lesser Chakra to give him the ability to turn ethereal while moving (as long as he moves more than 5ft).

Everything from Magic of Incarnum.

[QuintonBeck]

If you'd be willing to boost him to 12th level, you could grab Shape Soulmeld (Phase Cloak) and Open Lesser Chakra to give him the ability to turn ethereal while moving (as long as he moves more than 5ft).

Everything from Magic of Incarnum.

I've tried a few times to learn Incarnum but I haven't been given the chance to actually use it so it's something I'm reticent to throw out as a DM since I don't completely understand it.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I've tried a few times to learn Incarnum but I haven't been given the chance to actually use it so it's something I'm reticent to throw out as a DM since I don't completely understand it.

Don't get me wrong, it's one of the hardest subsystems to "get". But the only thing you're after is the Shoulders Bind - you have no essentia to shift around, so Shape Soulmeld is basically a bonus to climbing (+4 competence on Climb, able to Take 10, keep your Dex bonus to AC while climbing) and the Chakra bind is what I already mentioned.

Incarnum via the Shape Soulmeld feats with no essentia is Incarnum Lite.

If you're still uncomfortable, no problem. There's always next time, and the Entropomancer sounds fun.

[Spuddles]

You're the dm. Jus give him
The incorporeal subtype

[herrhauptmann]

The problem with a party that large, is that to challenge it with a single person, per the rules, you need to hit them with something at least 5 levels above them. Otherwise they'll overwhelm in action economy.

But doing that? You guarantee that they'll fail all their saves, not jsut some of them. It will always hit in combat, rather than only most of the time. So I'd sort of recommend some sort of summoner.minionmaster.

You could make him a ghost, driven to madness by X, and anchored there by an item important to him. If he was driven mad by exposure to an object, he might be tied to that object.

Old school rules said that 'killing' a ghost just made it discorporate for a time. It'd reform the next sunset or something. Fortunately, it was generally bound to an area, so if the party had already moved on, they were fine. Unless he was tied to something like his wedding ring (which was also a ring of protection +5) that had been looted by the rogue. The rogue who was off stealing on his own at sunset when the ghost re-manifested again.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Use some tricks from the Fear Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3809.0), against a party so large he's going to need it unless you give him tons of minions.


A Cleric 10 with the Corpsecrafter line of feats in Libris Mortis, especially Destruction Retribution, would work out well. Make him undead (Necropolitan) or give him Tomb-Tainted Soul (LM) and when his undead are destroyed they'll heal him as well as any nearby undead, and damage nearby PCs at the same time. Give him a standard Strand of Prayer Beads with the Bead of Smiting removed, DMG pricing puts it at 9,000 gp. He can use the Bead of Karma for +4 caster level with Animate Dead to control 28 HD of created undead, plus 10 HD of rebuked/commanded undead. He can also use that +4 caster level when casting his daily buffs, such as Magic Vestment twice to get an extra +6 AC.

Say he used Rebuke Undead to take control of two Shadows, which will emerge from the floor/walls behind the party after the fight starts and attack whatever physically weak characters are trying to stay out of melee. Give him two Dire Bat Zombies (8 HD each) which swoop into the middle of the party, preferably helping the Shadows to flank. Two Blackscale Lizardfolk Skeletons (MM3, 4 HD each) will come at them from the front, and he'll have a Flind Skeleton (MM3, 2 HD) with a Composite Longbow on a balcony taking shots at them. I'd have him open up with Flame Strike or a strong crowd control depending on his domains, and he should drop a Silence centered on a point in space on the party to catch as many spellcasters as possible. Be sure to put him on some sort of stage, with stairs around the side and difficult terrain so it will take several rounds for someone to reach him on foot even if they do nothing but move. The ground can be covered with rubble, sand, and fallen leaves, and the lizardfolk skeletons can be hiding under it waiting to spring out and catch them by surprise, or just put them around corners so they're flanking anyone who rushes in. Don't forget that any of his skeletons or zombies that they destroy will explode and deal negative energy damage in an area around them. Also consider giving those some of the Skeleton and Zombie variants from Libris Mortis (p162 and 173).

If you want to give him tons of crowd controls, the Cold and/or Slime domains (SC) with the Spontaneous Domain Casting ACF in PH2 for either is extremely good. Cold gets Wall of Ice, Ice Storm, Sleet Storm, Chill Metal, and Chill Touch, and he could Rebuke/Command creatures of the cold subtype for even more minions. Slime gets Black Tentacles, Rusting Grasp, Poison, Acid Arrow, and Grease, and allows him to Rebuke/Command slimes for more minions yet. Two Living Spells (MM3) of Icelance (SC) at caster level 5 from the Slime domain would be awesome. They would get +4 to hit per the spell itself, deal an extra 6d6 damage half cold half piercing per hit, and anyone hit would have to make a Fort save or be stunned. Make those based on a Snowcast (FB) version of the spell and he can control them via his Cold domain ability instead. A Living (Extended) Creeping Cold (SC) at caster level 5 would also be extremely dangerous, as anyone hit would take 21d6 cold damage over six rounds.



For a fear build, consider using Divine Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantDivineBard) instead of Cleric. Make him a Desert Half-Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#desertHalfOrcs), use the Half-Humans variant on page 150 of Races of Destiny to be a Humanoid (Human) instead of Humanoid (Orc), thus qualifying for human-only feats rather than orc-only feats. He still qualifies for anything a Half-Orc would normally qualify for.

Divine Bard 10, swap Inspire Courage for Inspire Awe from Dragon Magic, trade Bardic Knowledge for Bardic Knack in PH2, and replace Countersong with Spellbreaker Song from CM, trade the Hypnotism song for Healing Hymn in CC, and swap the Suggestion song for Haunting Melody per ECS. Feats should include Dreadful Wrath (PGtF), Melodic Casting (CM), Fell Frighten Spell (LM), and Imperious Command (DotU). Give him Intimidate as a class skill for story reasons with max ranks in it, along with the Never Outnumbered skill trick in CS. Say he visited the Otyugh Hole detailed in CS to get Menacing Demeanor without spending a feat on it.

His items should include +1 Mithral Breastplate with the Fearsome property (DotU), and a +1 Sudden Stunning (DMG2) melee weapon. He won't have much gold left, but if you want to exceed NPC WBL consider including a Mask of the Matriarch (DotU), Shadow Cloak (DotU), Anklet of Translocation (MIC), Circlet of Rapid Casting (MIC), and an Eternal Wand (MIC) of Hound of Doom (CW).

Inspire Awe + Haunting Melody forces two Will saves vs shaken, each of which escalates an existing fear effect (standard action). He can cast any spell with a swift action casting time to activate Dreadful Wrath, forcing a Will save vs shaken which escalates existing fear effects (swift action). His Fearsome armor allows him to use Intimidate to demoralize as a move action, and he can use Never Outnumbered to affect all opponents in 10 ft., and Imperious Command makes them Cower for one round and be shaken (or escalate their existing fear condition) on the following round (move action). That's four chances to inflict the Shaken condition on the whole party in the first round of combat, fear effects escalate and per Rules Compendium the entire escalated condition lasts until the effect with the longest remaining duration that contributed to it ends.

[Waker]

Others have pointed out the issues of the action economy. I would suggest the simple usage of Lesser Planar Binding or if you bump the levels a bit higher, Planar Binding to provide some backup to this guy. I propose that he summons two minions with it, one bruiser and one skirmisher.
The party might see the Cleric and resort to the usual combat tactics (though adjust this plan if they demonstrate different approaches in earlier battles). The warriors charge, while the others provide support from the back. Once the front-liners meet the Cleric, his Bruiser who had been around a corner/invisible/whatever comes out to attack. Meanwhile the skirmisher begins to harry the ranged players with his attacks. If you get time before or during the fight, consider having the Cleric use a Summon Monster spell to dot the battlefield with a group of smaller, weaker enemies to pester them with AoOs and provide flanking bonuses.
The plan is relatively simple and fairly likely to work, since that is the most common battle strategy for a game. You would provide a fair challenge without simply adding to his level.

[QuintonBeck]

Hmm, I like the ideas suggested. The entropomancer really calls to me as being a fitting class for this guy thematically but I also definitely see the need for him to have lots of minions between him and the PCs due to their numbers.

Kuulvheysoon, Looking at it going the feat direction does make it seem more doable but I may be feat hungry as it is with all these other ideas to balance out. Perhaps another day I'll solve the riddle of incarnum haha but thanks for the suggestion :smallsmile:

Biffoniacus_Furiou, I really like the idea of the corpsecrafter line of feats you pointed out and using tons of undead minions. Looks like I'll be focusing there as far as spells and what to do with his rebukes.
I'd go fear but the bard and the cleric have invested quite a bit in anti-fear magic since I told them it was going to be a horror campaign so I don't want that to be his focus since it'll be easier to negate. Maybe some fear effects could be fun though.

Waker, undead and planar creatures, joy joy joy!

Alright, thanks everyone for your suggestions and assistance I'm going to go try build a suitable character to challenge the small army of PCs I have coming my way. This should be fun :D

[Spuddles]

Hmm, I like the ideas suggested. The entropomancer really calls to me as being a fitting class for this guy thematically but I also definitely see the need for him to have lots of minions between him and the PCs due to their numbers.

Kuulvheysoon, Looking at it going the feat direction does make it seem more doable but I may be feat hungry as it is with all these other ideas to balance out. Perhaps another day I'll solve the riddle of incarnum haha but thanks for the suggestion :smallsmile:

Biffoniacus_Furiou, I really like the idea of the corpsecrafter line of feats you pointed out and using tons of undead minions. Looks like I'll be focusing there as far as spells and what to do with his rebukes.
I'd go fear but the bard and the cleric have invested quite a bit in anti-fear magic since I told them it was going to be a horror campaign so I don't want that to be his focus since it'll be easier to negate. Maybe some fear effects could be fun though.

Waker, undead and planar creatures, joy joy joy!

Alright, thanks everyone for your suggestions and assistance I'm going to go try build a suitable character to challenge the small army of PCs I have coming my way. This should be fun :D

Just because the PCs have invested in being resistant to fear doesn't mean you shouldn't use fear effects!

Here's how I would run this:

players track killer to his lair- sewers, a manufactorium, a massive, labyrinthine manor house, a mausoleum- whatever. Something out of a horror movie with lots of hiding places and corridors.

The party enters and fear effects and illusions go off (traps)- ideally the party scatters. If they don't, that's no big deal. Have traps that isolate the party- pits, doors that lock behind them, getting grappled from behind and pulled through a Passwall, etc.

You want the party to feel hunted.

As they make their way deeper, things get creepier- the scenery changes. It's twisted and defiled- maybe bloody bits of sacrifices hang like ornaments, or they find used torture tools, rooms look more like charnel houses and abattoirs than studies or kitchens. Maybe that's too heavy handed, too gory- they could find bloodstains and claw marks, warped pieces of furniture that look like Baron Harkonnen would sit in it, strange seals and sigils. Rooms that are bigger inside than they are outside.

And traps, lots of traps. Things that maim or cause fear. Illusions. Every now and then, have an illusion that isn't an illusion. An actual morhg attacks, and they get some level drains. A shadow or other incorporeal undead strength drains. Wisdom drain on the cleric will be brutal- I think a wraith or a spectre does that. Wraith does con drain, I think.

Meanwhile, the killer incorporeally stalks the party, watching them and how they fight. If the feat effects don't function, he just watches and makes mental notes. If the fear effects an illusions do work, and party members get scattered, then he attacks lone characters. Not to the death, but hit and run, maybe summoning a couple minions or switching a trap. He doesn't intend to lose, he wants to draw them farther into his trap.

As the party descends to the level where undead are doing hell to their ability scores and inflicting things like mummy rot and blood drain, they may try and retreat. Don't let them. The killer abducts them, if he can. Maybe he isolates one and just uses illusions to trick them into following him deeper.

Anyone that drops that the killer can get his hands on gets taken to his lair in the deepest part of the dungeon. He'll just hold onto them to kill later. This gives the PCs an additional chance to escape as well as give the uncaptured PCs incentive to pursue.

By the time the party corners the killer in his lair, they should be fairly drained of resources after being hit with level drains and ability damage/drain, and hopefully several characters have already been incapacitated and get stuck trying to escape their shackles/gibbet/whatever.