Warlock BBEG using The Dead Walk (Animate Dead)

[aeauseth]

I'm trying to create a memorable boss encounter. One of my players has complained that warlock magic items are difficult to acquire (which is true in my game). So I decided to create an encounter specifically for him. My plan is to create a warlock foe, give this foe warlock items, so the player can loot these items. I want to make the warlock foe a challenge, perhaps one the party has to run away from and return more prepared.

Party of 4 optimized level 8 players. Warlock foe is level 12.


The Dead Walk: Lesser, 4th; Animate Dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animateDead.htm) as spell, lasts only 1 minute per CL unless you include normal material component.

I'm planning to leverage The Dead Walk invocation and place the encounter on a hill with dead carcass of various creatures scattered all over. I figured the warlock could create an entire army, although only control 48HD or so of the undead army. Leaving most of the undead to wander around the hill and attack any who approach. Holding the 40HD worth back in a cave or other sanctum. I'm assuming the BBEG has unlimited black onyx gems.

The party has an optimized turning cleric, he will greatly enjoy destroying the undead army. I hope that he will run out of turns before he reaches the BBEG and his controlled undead. Most of the undead will be giant skeletons and Roc skeletons (that can fly).

I've not used Animate Dead very much. Do you see any flaws with my use of it? Making a massive uncontrolled army seems legit. Flying Roc skeletons seems legit. But I'm not positive about any of it. Perhaps give BBEG mechanism for Hide from Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hideFromUndead.htm) to make it more realistic as to how he moves about within an uncontrolled undead army.

[Kane0]

That seems a good way to do it. Skeleton Rocs might want to be zombies instead since skeletons have complications when flight is involved.

What items will he have? Chasuble of Fell power? Warlock's Scepter? Rod of Eldritch Might?
All are fine options mind you.

Don't forget that the Warlock could use something like eldritch spear the entire time the party is dealing with the waves of undead, and at level 12 has access to Chilling Tentacles and plenty of UMD options. Make sure he has some nearly-depleted wands to use, especially dispel magic, web/grease/darkness, etc.

If you want him to be tough to kill that will be easy. Invisibility + Dark Ones own Luck + Fell Flight + The Dead Walk + possibly Flee the Scene if he spends his greater or a feat on it.

IIRC a level 12 warlock should have 3 least, 3 lesser and 1 greater invoc to choose from before feats and items, so you should have leeway to go for a theme. The corpsecrafter feats might be a nice touch for flavor too.

Edit: Be careful with unlimited Black Onyx. If he has it, that means your player will likely be looking for it too. Then the player will be the minionmancer.

[Duke Arioch]

I'm trying to create a memorable boss encounter. One of my players has complained that warlock magic items are difficult to acquire (which is true in my game). So I decided to create an encounter specifically for him. My plan is to create a warlock foe, give this foe warlock items, so the player can loot these items. I want to make the warlock foe a challenge, perhaps one the party has to run away from and return more prepared.

Party of 4 optimized level 8 players. Warlock foe is level 12.



I'm planning to leverage The Dead Walk invocation and place the encounter on a hill with dead carcass of various creatures scattered all over. I figured the warlock could create an entire army, although only control 48HD or so of the undead army. Leaving most of the undead to wander around the hill and attack any who approach. Holding the 40HD worth back in a cave or other sanctum. I'm assuming the BBEG has unlimited black onyx gems.

The party has an optimized turning cleric, he will greatly enjoy destroying the undead army. I hope that he will run out of turns before he reaches the BBEG and his controlled undead. Most of the undead will be giant skeletons and Roc skeletons (that can fly).

I've not used Animate Dead very much. Do you see any flaws with my use of it? Making an massive uncontrolled army seems legit. Flying Roc skeletons seems legit. But I'm not positive about any of it. Perhaps give BBEG mechanism for Hide from Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hideFromUndead.htm) to make it more realistic as to how he moves about within an uncontrolled undead army.

IIRC skeletons cannot fly. Zombies can. So you should "zombify" them.
If you want this BBEG to do a bit of blasting too, look at the Motalbane feat. Cheap way to up the EB damage. Also, maybe a wand with one charge of desecrate spell.
Corpsecrafter line of feats is also interesting, although it is not working with SLAs by raw, IIRC; as a DM you can allow it (I always do in my games) but then you have to allow it for the player as well.
On a side not, I didn't ask, which items do you intend to put it in loot for PC warlock? Chausable? Something else?

[KillianHawkeye]

Edit: Be careful with unlimited Black Onyx. If he has it, that means your player will likely be looking for it too. Then the player will be the minionmancer.

These were my thoughts exactly. If the BBEG has even a large supply of onyx on hand for permanent minons, that is something that should continue to exist after he is defeated. And it probably has to be nearby, so your players WILL find it.


IIRC skeletons cannot fly. Zombies can. So you should "zombify" them.

I also agree on the flying zombies, not skeletons issue.

[aeauseth]

IIRC skeletons cannot fly. Zombies can. So you should "zombify" them.

Your right Winged skeletons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/skeleton.htm) can’t use their wings to fly. But Zombies can only be 10 HD, so the Roc is out. That is unfortunate. So I need a new 10HD base creature for my flyers.

[aeauseth]

What items will he have? Chasuble of Fell power? Warlock's Scepter? Rod of Eldritch Might?
All are fine options mind you.

I'm planning on the Chasuble of Fell power + Warlock Scepter as the only warlock items. I do plan to have the BBEG attack with his Eldritch blast or Glaive, depending on party tactics.



Be careful with unlimited Black Onyx. If he has it, that means your player will likely be looking for it too. Then the player will be the minionmancer.

I hadn't considered this. The player has enough gold to make is own 32 HD army if he really wanted to. He wouldn't be allowed in town with such an army, so it does have some limitations. Perhaps assume he only has 20 or so left (that's only 20 x 25g = 500 gp of treasure. Anything more than 32 HD will be uncontrolled and likely attack the party. Would the player have to be EVIL to use "The Dead Walk"?

[Duke Arioch]

I'm planning on the Chasuble of Fell power + Warlock Scepter as the only warlock items. I do plan to have the BBEG attack with his Eldritch blast or Glaive, depending on party tactics.



I hadn't considered this. The player has enough gold to make is own 32 HD army if he really wanted to. He wouldn't be allowed in town with such an army, so it does have some limitations. Perhaps assume he only has 20 or so left (that's only 20 x 25g = 500 gp of treasure. Anything more than 32 HD will be uncontrolled and likely attack the party. Would the player have to be EVIL to use "The Dead Walk"?

The spell has evil descriptor, so it is inherently evil to use. However, as a DM, I consider it in spirit of "you are what you do", so I turn a blind eye.

In short, desecrating corpses=evil, ofc. But if player doesn't use his unholy army to sack orphanages, you can let it fly.

[KillianHawkeye]

Your right Winged skeletons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/skeleton.htm) can’t use their wings to fly. But Zombies can only be 10 HD, so the Roc is out. That is unfortunate. So I need a new 10HD base creature for my flyers.

The only one I could find on the SRD is the criosphinx (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/sphinx.htm#criosphinx), although there is a pretty broad selection at 7 HD including griffons, wyverns, and harpies.


Would the player have to be EVIL to use "The Dead Walk"?

He doesn't have to be Evil, but using it a lot should probably effect his alignment if he doesn't do good deeds to balance it out.

[Squark]

Depends a lot on why you think a spell merits the "evil" descriptor. If animating a corpse as undead affects a soul, than it's definately a serious issue. If, on the other hand, it's just a bunch of unused flesh, that depends on what you're animating.

I'd say that if there's no effect on the soul, animating non-sapient creatures is probably not unethical assuming the animals are killed and prepared for animation humanely. Sapient beings who donate their corpses to furthering necromancy in some way are also probably fine. Animating dead enemies is... well, that depends on your attitudes towards how much consideration we should show for dead bodies.

[Garktz]

It might be a little over the top and im not actually sure that your warlock could actually control them but, what are your thoughts about swaping the skeleton rocs with something more scary? lets say Very young (or bigger, but i think you want numbers better than 1 big scary monster) black dracoliches (forgotten realms campaign setting)?

I mean, this undead warlock (make him necropolitan) goes around stealing wyrmlings/very young dragons and making them undead via dracolich? add some necropolitan lizardfolks (who worship the warlock because he made this dracoliches) and skeleton lizardfolks (dead lizardfolks who failed the Ritual of Crucimigration) and you have a nice adventure with this warlock acting as a "god", the really small dracoliches as "bosses" and all the lizardfolks (necropolitans and skeletons) as small fries

Necropolitan ones use the skeletons as workers, so the party goes to "Undead Lizardfolk Town" on the rumors of this warlock fascinated with undead dragons to find and small and hidden society formed around all this stuff.

The citizens just bother them but wont attack since their "Warlock God" will deal with them, Pc´s attack BBEG, he retreats and commands the lizardfolks with a couple of wyrmling dracoliches to deal with them, bad guys gets killed, Pc´s go forward to meet again BBEG, then here comes the very young ones with Bodyguard lizardfolks (i could suggest Tomb warden Prc from libir mortis for those bodyguards) and then, BBEG with his 2 most trusted dracoliches....


I know you said 1 encounter, but i just let it go and this came out :smallfrown:

[KillianHawkeye]

^ I'm pretty sure the warlock can't use The Dead Walk to make a dracolich.

[Garktz]

^ I'm pretty sure the warlock can't use The Dead Walk to make a dracolich.

He makes the dracoliches out of dead offsprings (killed by their parents, i believe black dragons sometimes do that kind of things) so they are loyal to him, for giving them a chance to get revenge and use The Dead Walk to make the bodyguards :smallbiggrin:

[Kane0]

I hadn't considered this. The player has enough gold to make is own 32 HD army if he really wanted to. He wouldn't be allowed in town with such an army, so it does have some limitations. Perhaps assume he only has 20 or so left (that's only 20 x 25g = 500 gp of treasure. Anything more than 32 HD will be uncontrolled and likely attack the party. Would the player have to be EVIL to use "The Dead Walk"?

All Warlocks are nongood and nonlawful, so there should be no issue in using it. How he uses it is a different issue. A warlock is a prime candidate for unbalancing gameplay after the big tier 1/2 casters if he gets his hands on the right combination of invocations and UMD items.
Not being allowed to bring his faithful minions somewhere will likely not stop him from finding a way or simply ignoring outright, but thats outside of the scope of this situation.

Edit: Also at level 12 you should be looking into Hellfire Warlock. Being undead means you can't use hellfire, so choose wisely.

Edit2:

I'm planning on the Chasuble of Fell power + Warlock Scepter as the only warlock items. I do plan to have the BBEG attack with his Eldritch blast or Glaive, depending on party tactics.
Don't forget the Codex Advocare (Expedition to Castle Ravenloft) that can grant an additional least invocation known.
If he's a minionmancer i'd say make him a blastlock. Use eldritch spear or chain instead of glaive and let the undead to the grunt work, leaving him safe in the back line to laugh maniacally as a proper BBEG should.

The warlock handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265455) may be of use to you.

[KillianHawkeye]

He makes the dracoliches out of dead offsprings (killed by their parents, i believe black dragons sometimes do that kind of things) so they are loyal to him, for giving them a chance to get revenge and use The Dead Walk to make the bodyguards :smallbiggrin:

Say what? :smallconfused:

You still haven't explained where this warlock is gaining the ability to make dracoliches. I'm pretty sure you can't make a lich out of something that is already dead in any case. Dying is part of the process.

[Kane0]

Dragon Skeletons, on the other hand, are a thing. Libris Mortis, IIRC? Or was it The Draconomicon?

[Karnith]

Dragon Skeletons, on the other hand, are a thing. Libris Mortis, IIRC? Or was it The Draconomicon?
Draconomicon. Zombie Dragons are also pretty good, even despite their Slow special quality.

[lunar2]

Say what? :smallconfused:

You still haven't explained where this warlock is gaining the ability to make dracoliches. I'm pretty sure you can't make a lich out of something that is already dead in any case. Dying is part of the process.

the exact spell(s) needed to create a phylactery are never stated. since any caster of 11th level or higher can do it, it may not need a specific spell at all. in which case, a 12th level warlock could create dracoliches.

[Kane0]

No wonder liches are such common undead BBEGs. Why would a dread necro have to wait till level 20 in that case?

[lunar2]

No wonder liches are such common undead BBEGs. Why would a dread necro have to wait till level 20 in that case?

i think the assumption was that they wouldn't have to take the LA, just like a dragon disciple doesn't pay the half dragon LA. of course, that was never stated, leaving some confusion.

[sjeshin]

the exact spell(s) needed to create a phylactery are never stated. since any caster of 11th level or higher can do it, it may not need a specific spell at all. in which case, a 12th level warlock could create dracoliches.

The rules for creating a lich do not say any caster of 11th level. They say anyone able to cast spells, and caster lvl 11th. Warlock does not meet this requirement.