Maleficent

[blelliot]

So the idea is to use the main antagonist from sleeping beauty as the main antagonist for a campaign. My girlfriend and I are running the game (she directs the story, I direct the encounters). She has been talking about this for weeks and I was wondering how does this idea sound, make maleficent an Unseelie Fey Drow Sorcerer 20. This world is going to come together slowly over the nnext few months and we will be posting different ideas both here and in the world building forum. And while we are at it, her biggest ally Of convienience) is The Horned King, whom we have imagined as a Death Knight Human ex paladin 9/blackguard 10. Just so everyone knows, this is going to be a core only game, since it is her first game she has ever run. Any thoughts/opinions/suggestions are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[Yora]

Does it really have to go all the way up to 20th level?

Maybe a game world in which PCs and NPCs are capped at 10th level would be completely sufficient. Which makes everything a huge deal easier. Especially for new GMs.

[blelliot]

Well the idea is that Maleficent's signature spell is shapechange. So my gf wants to make her high level.

[Ruethgar]

Core is boring. My mind just went on a tangent to make her a dragon that shapeshifts into a humanoid. It is much easier to do in my opinion.

[DarkSonic1337]

Well the idea is that Maleficent's signature spell is shapechange. So my gf wants to make her high level.

Bronze, Silver, and Gold Dragons have the Alternate Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm) ability that lets them switch back and forth between humanoid forms and their dragon form (they can only switch 3 times per day, but there's no time limit on how long they stay in either form).

Throw that on your black dragon. Shapechange is a lot stronger than anything Maleficent ever did.

[Yora]

And if it absolutely has to be shapechange, you could still go with a custom artifact that grants it as a spell-like ability.

[Valwyn]

I once tried to make Maleficent. I didn't get far, but here are some ideas:

1- Make her a green hag. That makes her fey (and green! :smallbiggrin:) and gives her a bonus to most stats, including Cha. Just refluff her green hag into vanilla evil fairy and remove some abilities she didn't have.
2- Give her the Plant domain (there's an alternative class feature that gives sorcerers a domain in exchange for a 2nd and 1st level spells known) to get her Wall of Thorns (not very impressive, but fits her). Alternatively, have her research it into her list.
3- Give her the Leadership feat. Her minions might be orcs, or some other monster you think might fit. Probably better if they are Small, rather than Medium.
4- Give her (Greater) Bestow Curse, Greater Teleport, Charm Person/Fascinate, and some illusions. Possibly Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning, unless you want to put them in a staff.
5- Optional: give her ranks in Perform (Poetry/Oratory), because all Disney villains are cultured like that. :smallwink:

[pwykersotz]

Does it really have to go all the way up to 20th level?

Maybe a game world in which PCs and NPCs are capped at 10th level would be completely sufficient. Which makes everything a huge deal easier. Especially for new GMs.

She's got to be pretty high level. That was a lot of 10' cubes of thorns in the movie.

[Xervous]

She's got to be pretty high level. That was a lot of 10' cubes of thorns in the movie.

Caster level boosting is rather simple if one knows where to look, and then there's widen spell.

EDIT: and you even have a link to caster level boosting resources in your sig XD

[pwykersotz]

Caster level boosting is rather simple if one knows where to look, and then there's widen spell.

EDIT: and you even have a link to caster level boosting resources in your sig XD

Oh definitely. Still, she didn't wear a lot of items, and there's a limit to the feats you can have, unless you think Maleficent uses the Dark Chaos Shuffle and other such shenanigans. Or levels in Incantatrix to cheapen metamagic. Hmm...maybe that DOES sound like her...

[hamishspence]

Throw that on your black dragon. Shapechange is a lot stronger than anything Maleficent ever did.

Aside from the scale colour (and wing length) Maleficent looks very much like a red dragon (horns, ears, etc) - and she breaths fire, albeit green fire.

Spell thematics may be in play here.

The Dragonshape spell in PHB2 allows one to turn into a Mature Adult Red Dragon- though it's 9th level and only lasts 1 round per level.

[Talya]

didn't we have this thread a few weeks ago?

Anyway, Maleficent is a fey sorceress. She can't be anything else other than fey. She's not a dragon, she's an unseelie fairy that turns into one by magic. She requires the shapechange spell, and pretty much everything she does shows up somewhere on the sorcerer list.

[blelliot]

Thank you all for your responses so far! My gf and I have been knocking ideas around and here are some more we would like to throw out and get feedback :
Classes: Barbarian, Bard, Favored Soul, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Scout, Sorcerer
Spells: PH1, PH2, Spell Compendium
Feats: PH1, PH2, Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Adventurer, Complete Warrior, Dragon Magazine Compendium
Prestige Classes: DMG only
Religion: Monotheistic
Story: The world is in a dark period. The land is barren, the people are impoverished, and the rulers of the world are busy waging their own petty wars for control.
Villains: As of right now, these are all rough drafts
Inique (the maleficent-esque villain): Female Unseelie Fey Drow Sorcerer 18
Roicornu (the one based off of the Horned King): Male Human Death Knight Favored Soul 11/Blackguard 2
Jager Von Hers (an evil version of the Huntsman): Male Half Fiend Ranger 6/Assassin 9
"Archpriest" D'argent (based off of Frollo) Male Human Bard 15

[Dalebert]

Uhm... Isn't the grand hex eternal slumber quite possibly inspired directly by her? You could argue she's a witch. I know she's an evil fey, but couldn't a fairy also make a pact with some dark forces to gain more power? Sorcerer may still be a better fit overall. I just felt like that needed to be mentioned for consideration.

Also, I've only known her to turn into a dragon. The idea of her as a dragon who can assume human form seems to fit also depending on what source you're using for inspiration. That seems to fit her in Once Upon a Time. Of course that doesn't really fit with her being an evil fairy as she was in Sleeping Beauty.

[Talya]

Uhm... Isn't the grand hex eternal slumber quite possibly inspired directly by her? You could argue she's a witch. I know she's an evil fey, but couldn't a fairy also make a pact with some dark forces to gain more power? Sorcerer may still be a better fit overall. I just felt like that needed to be mentioned for consideration.

Also, I've only known her to turn into a dragon. The idea of her as a dragon who can assume human form seems to fit also depending on what source you're using for inspiration. That seems to fit her in Once Upon a Time. Of course that doesn't really fit with her being an evil fairy as she was in Sleeping Beauty.
I ignore pathfinder sources unless the op specifies pathfinder, but yes, if you can find another way for her to shift into a dragon, witch fits fine. I'm actually playing in a pathfinder game right now where the DM has clearly taken inspiration from various Disney witches for his NPCs. (edit: I'm playing a winter witch in the campaign, and recently had am opportunity to answer someone with"The cold never bothered me anyway." Quite satisfying.)

[Snowbluff]

Anyway, Maleficent is a fey sorceress. She can't be anything else other than fey. She's not a dragon, she's an unseelie fairy that turns into one by magic. She requires the shapechange spell, and pretty much everything she does shows up somewhere on the sorcerer list.

Shapechange required? Assume (Su), more like. Or the Draconic Polymorph and a breath weapon spell. Or a Druid with Draconic Wildshape and spell access.