[3.5] Mini BBEG build help (Marlowe, please do not read).

[Malak'ai]

Hi all folks.

I'm hoping that some of you could help me come up with a build for the BBEG of an adventure in my on going campaign.

Now, this isn't the final BBEG of the campaign, just this part of the adventure.

So to get to the point, the party is level 4, bordering level 5 (and will most likely be level 5 by the time they fight this guy), and consists of a Warblade, Cleric, Factotum and a Barbarian/Warlock.
They have been asked to get behind the lines of a Hobgoblin army, gather info about numbers, movements and the likes. To do this, they have been posing as a Merchant caravan, hiring some extra NPC's to act as extra guards.
This approach has worked brilliantly and they've descovered that the Hobgoblins are being led by a Hill Giant. What they've been able to find out about this Giant is that he's a socal pirior/outcast of his own tribe because he's very sadistic and possibly not all there in the head and that he's been a problem in the area, on and off, for the last 70 years or so.
The thing is though, they wont be facing a Hill Giant. They'll be facing an Elven Wizard who uses Polymorph (through the use of a cursed staff) to take the guise of the Hill Giant, who he has already killed.

Before you start jumping down my throat about throwing a curveball at them unexpectidly, they'll be recieving clues to the fact that it may not be a Hill Giant. They have already found out he's far more intelligent than the normal Giant.

So what I need is a med-op build for a level 7 Wizard focused in Enchantment and barring Evocation and Conjuration.
His stats before Racial Mods are as follows:
Str: 12
Dex: 15
Con: 17
Int: 18
Wis: 10
Cha: 13

Any help with build and spell lists would be great.
Thanks :smallbiggrin:.

EDIT: Thought the title was a bit misleading and a few minor other changes.

EDIT 2: Forgot to mention that all books are available for this.

[Malak'ai]

What? No help? :smallfrown:

[ZamielVanWeber]

Forget the enchanter thing and go for a fire/grey elf generalist. More options and only lose out on a few spells per day (but you get more spells known).
Assuming you don't banning conjuration is bad: your wizard will get crushed near instantly in a solo fight. He needs minions that he can summon before combat starts to help him out

[Dolour]

i agree, conjuration isa must have for any non illusionist wizard...
so, either pick a conjurer, or a generalist.

as for spells:
sculpted grease, color spray, glitterdust or deep slumber are VERY useful and only occupy lowish slots.
unluck ruins a pcs day.
black tentacles are great, since you got lvl4's available.
enervation allso comes to mind, to gimp your clerics spellcasting.
halt, mirror image/greater mi, shield, fly and lesser globe of invulnerability are all decent options on the defensive side.
dont forget dispel magic to shut down buffs, or for eventual counterspelling.
dimension door is a must imo, as well as (some) summons, unless you allready got enough adds.

general thoughts:
lvl7 opens up improved familiars, imps, mephits, all kinds of neat things.
spellfocus in whatever school most of the spells you choose belong to surely wont hurt.
prolly throw in spontaneous quicken or something else to bolster action economy.

[Malak'ai]

He's going to have two Orge bodyguards with him who'll do most of the physical fighting and holding the party up while he debuffs and counters the Clerics spells (which are mostly Buffs), that's why I barred Conjuration, though I was lothe to lose Mage Armour.

I had completely forgotten about Elven Generalist, might go that route and just prepare minimal Conjuration spells (if any at all).

I've seen the Unluck somewhere, though I can't remember where, could someone give me the name of the book it's in?

[sjeshin]

My biggest question for you is, do you want him to die? Do you want the PC's to risk dying? You have a warlock / barb and a warblade in the group, just two ogre buddies isn't going to tie them up for very long if they are optimized at mid level. I feel like you have two options, you can as others have said, have him use a lot of conjuration / control spells (I still recommend summoning more buddies too), or you could have him take advantage of the fact that he's poly'd into a hill giant and wade into battle himself. He can buff himself and his minions and go in. Also, as a wizard, I'd say he stands a good possibility of seeing this attack coming. You can really make the fight memorable by having him use the control spells and summoning more minions because they will feel like they fought a small army to get to him at all, and will probably have a small chance of one of them dying if they are careful. If you have him buff his minions and himself it's more of a 3 on 4 with those 3 being fairly powerful. The closer the individuals are to the PC's in CR / ECL, or in this case the wizard is higher, the closer it becomes who goes first, and the PC's lives are at greater risk.

That said, it seems you want more build specific things. I recommend the conjurer or transmutation specialist variants from unearthed arcana. If you want him to fight in melee all buffed up, go transmutation, conjurer for control and summoning. Take improved initiative if you go the control route without a doubt. Feats would probably include some or all of improved initiative, sculpt spell, spell focus conj / transmutation, and maybe augment summoning. Stick with just base classes / avoid prestige and it will be easy to stay mid optimization without him being a wet noodle.

[Malak'ai]

My biggest question for you is, do you want him to die? Do you want the PC's to risk dying? You have a warlock / barb and a warblade in the group, just two ogre buddies isn't going to tie them up for very long if they are optimized at mid level. I feel like you have two options, you can as others have said, have him use a lot of conjuration / control spells (I still recommend summoning more buddies too), or you could have him take advantage of the fact that he's poly'd into a hill giant and wade into battle himself. He can buff himself and his minions and go in. Also, as a wizard, I'd say he stands a good possibility of seeing this attack coming. You can really make the fight memorable by having him use the control spells and summoning more minions because they will feel like they fought a small army to get to him at all, and will probably have a small chance of one of them dying if they are careful. If you have him buff his minions and himself it's more of a 3 on 4 with those 3 being fairly powerful. The closer the individuals are to the PC's in CR / ECL, or in this case the wizard is higher, the closer it becomes who goes first, and the PC's lives are at greater risk.

That said, it seems you want more build specific things. I recommend the conjurer or transmutation specialist variants from unearthed arcana. If you want him to fight in melee all buffed up, go transmutation, conjurer for control and summoning. Take improved initiative if you go the control route without a doubt. Feats would probably include some or all of improved initiative, sculpt spell, spell focus conj / transmutation, and maybe augment summoning. Stick with just base classes / avoid prestige and it will be easy to stay mid optimization without him being a wet noodle.

The only member of the party that's reasonably optimized is the Warblade (who just happens to be Marlowe's character). The Cleric is played by a failed munchkin and the Barbarian/Warlock and Factotum players are still pretty new to the game.
The Barbarian/Warlock is spec'ed to blasting, not a Clawlock or Glaivelock, only entering melee when he feels he'll be able to finish the enemy off in one blow.
The Cleric is archery based. And the Factotum is more of a Rogue styled character than anything else.

As I have said, this is a Mini-BBEG, so I want it to be very challanging, but I expect that (at least some of) them to make it past him.

I know Conjuration is one of the stronger schools of magic, but I want to stay away from it. With the party still on the lowish side (4, going on 5) I'm going to go all out God Wizard on them.

I was planning on having the Wizard throw out a couple of buffs, maybe a debuff or two, then wade into combat as well.

[sjeshin]

The only member of the party that's reasonably optimized is the Warblade (who just happens to be Marlowe's character). The Cleric is played by a failed munchkin and the Barbarian/Warlock and Factotum players are still pretty new to the game.
The Barbarian/Warlock is spec'ed to blasting, not a Clawlock or Glaivelock, only entering melee when he feels he'll be able to finish the enemy off in one blow.
The Cleric is archery based. And the Factotum is more of a Rogue styled character than anything else.

As I have said, this is a Mini-BBEG, so I want it to be very challanging, but I expect that (at least some of) them to make it past him.

I know Conjuration is one of the stronger schools of magic, but I want to stay away from it. With the party still on the lowish side (4, going on 5) I'm going to go all out God Wizard on them.

I was planning on having the Wizard throw out a couple of buffs, maybe a debuff or two, then wade into combat as well.

I think it will be hard to go god wizard on them without conjuration, but, the next best way is specializing in transmutation then. Just powerful buffs and maybe even polymorph out of the hill giant into something nastier or more memorable if he is found out.

[Malak'ai]

I think it will be hard to go god wizard on them without conjuration, but, the next best way is specializing in transmutation then. Just powerful buffs and maybe even polymorph out of the hill giant into something nastier or more memorable if he is found out.

This is what happens when I write a post just after waking up and I don't proof read it before hitting the submit button. That was supposed to say "I know Conjuration is one of the stronger schools of magic, but I want to stay away from it. With the party still on the lowish side (4, going on 5) I'm not going to go all out God Wizard on them."

[Lerondiel]

I'm guessing between the lines, the BBEG has to maintain his pretense of being a hill giant in front of his minions?

Is that a way of curbing the TPK options?

[Malak'ai]

I'm guessing between the lines, the BBEG has to maintain his pretense of being a hill giant in front of his minions?

Is that a way of curbing the TPK options?

The Hobgoblin's army he's gathered don't know he's an Elf, the Orge's though (due to the cursed staff) have had their minds altered so they only see a Giant, but essentually, yes.

[Lerondiel]

There's the chance then to finesse the encounter. It's not a 9th level wizard for the fun of Friend to Foe/Incite Riot enchantments, and the chance of a failed Charm save on the Barb/Warlock to go and fetch it a beer could be hilarious....but old faithfuls like Glitterdust always make PCs earn their xp, Mirror Image should extend combat for more casting...it really comes down to whether there's time for buffing.

And it might feel like an evocation but the transmutation Flame Whips are great if youve cast Heroics to get some combat reflexes. It takes out your somantic spell casting but 2 x 6d6 fire touch attacks per round plus AoO out to 15ft?

[Malak'ai]

There's the chance then to finesse the encounter. It's not a 9th level wizard for the fun of Friend to Foe/Incite Riot enchantments, and the chance of a failed Charm save on the Barb/Warlock to go and fetch it a beer could be hilarious....but old faithfuls like Glitterdust always make PCs earn their xp, Mirror Image should extend combat for more casting...it really comes down to whether there's time for buffing.

And it might feel like an evocation but the transmutation Flame Whips are great if youve cast Heroics to get some combat reflexes. It takes out your somantic spell casting but 2 x 6d6 fire touch attacks per round plus AoO out to 15ft?

Hmmm... Might be a bit too powerful for them just at this stage, but what book is this spell in? I don't think I've seen it before (thought I might have and just not rememebered it... Happens a lot to me unfortunately :smallfrown:).

[Lerondiel]

Hmmm... Might be a bit too powerful for them just at this stage, but what book is this spell in? I don't think I've seen it before (thought I might have and just not rememebered it... Happens a lot to me unfortunately :smallfrown:).

Flame Whips from Spell Compendium: Just another way for Wizards to giggle at another class (warlocks)

[Marlowe]

Well, now it's over I've gone and read it, and I can only imagine the bunfight you're risking by describing Sigrun (a longsword-and-buckler Warblade with light armour and no Cleave) as even moderately optimized. But never mind, the fight is done. A little report.

We sneaked our way into the castle by means on a drain into what turned out to be the dungeon, and discovered there the well-decomposed corpse of a Hill Giant; a Medusa with her eyes gouged out, a Nymph with a mutilated face, a Troll with its extremities lopped off and cauterised with acid, and a couple of Rust Monsters missing their antennae. This didn't quite give the game away, but it did hint to us that we were dealing with something a little more perverse than the average Hill Giant.

In company with our NPC employees, we moved quietly up into the castle, discovering and destroying a small group of Hobgoblin Guards with embarrassing ease. As we moved further up we discovered most of the Hobgoblin garrison was keeping to their barracks, probably so not to risk annoying their notoriously fickle boss. Most of us had reasonable DEX and none of us were sporting a major armour check penalty so we all made it up into the upper levels of the castle without incident.

As we entered what we surmised to be the Bosses private chambers we discovered a lot of very Elvish-looking decoration, a fair few books, Giant-sized furniture stacked high with cushions to make it usable for a medium creature, and for those of us with Scent a smell of Elf underpinning the Ogre/Hobgoblin reek. At this point we probably wouldn't have bet money on "No Giant. Just an Elf spellcaster playing silly buggers"; but we definitely knew there was an Elf involved, and probably in a key position.

Finding a doorway with non-Hobgoblin voices behind it, we barricaded the way we'd come and adopted our standard procedure of "Factotum checks door, quietly eases it open, Warblade tumbles through. Warblade knows this is probably going to get her killed at some point but can't think of a quieter way of doing things". Warblade discovers two Ogres and a very nuts looking Elf on the other side, leading to the following conversation;

OGRE1: 'Ere, 'oo are you?
Warblade: I'm the new chambermaid. Seems somebody ate the last one (BLUFF 21)
OGRE2: Yer not a Hobgoblin!
Warblade: What? You really wanted to see a Hobgoblin dressed like this?
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11173412_10153306041100970_5703815179017588618_n.j pg?oh=3d3429183667eeca79f8d9f9d68a2da0&oe=55CC2ED2&__gda__=1439805380_7bdbb68fd55d4bcbef4475ea1304e20 9
Elf: You're not one of my servants!
Warblade: Maybe not. But I am going to take out the trash. (CHUGS POTION OF HASTE)

Initiative was rolled. Cleric threw an Ice Slick that put an Ogre and the Elf off their feet. Warblade used Burning Blade and Emerald Razor with a full power attack on the Elf, but rolled a bit low for damage and only did 29 hp (would have been a crit, but apparently Elf was immune). Duskblade whiffed against the prone Elf in spite of a fairly good roll. Other PCs engaged the standing Ogre. Elf threw a Hideous Laughter at the Bard, who promptly aced the save.

Cleric throws a Spiritual Weapon at the elf, doing a bit of damage. Warblade rolled badly against the Ogre now standing between her and the Elf, doing a bit of damage. Duskblade, unable to close because of the Ice Slick and lacking the Warblades Balance and Tumble ranks, gave up on rolling to hit and threw a Burning Hands that managed to do close on maximum damage to both Elf and Ogre. Rest of party chipped away at other Ogre.

Elf manages, through come combination of Expeditious Retreat and movement buffs, to get clear of the ice slick and ran for his bedroom, changing into a Giant with a tap of his staff. Warblade ripped apart Ogre in front of her. NPC Ranger ate a nasty AoO from second Ogre getting the bedroom door open so we wouldn't lose sight of the quarry (Rangers don't have Tumble? what.) Bard gets line of sight and Greases floor underneath Elf/Giant, putting him off his feet again. Warlock discovers that Elf has Spell Resistance and rolls a 1 for his spell penetration test.

Next round, Ranger goes down (very down. -13 hp). Remaining Ogre goes down. Warlock digs out wand of web and promptly webs prone Elf/Giant. Elf/Giant DDoors (or something similar) out.

Hobos are now banging on the doors we've barricaded, but we do a quick search (Frustrated Warblade Mountain Hammering a door open that was being bolshy), and discover a secret passage leading out. Working on the assumption that Elf-Giant-King whatever probably doesn't want to be seen by his Hobgoblin lackeys in a beaten-up state and has probably taken it to freshen up, we follow it and emerge in the woods outside the castle.

Elf leaves a easy trail of blood, shreds of red robe, and his staff. Warlock picks up the staff and promptly hears a scary voice in his head:

"COLTAN!!!{Warlock's name} Good to meet you at last! I can give you power!"

Warlock responds with: "Thank you my friend. We shall speak later". [Shoves staff into bag of holding without ceremony] Factotum and Warblade players crack up laughing.

A few minutes later we catch on on the naked Elf stumbling bloodied and weeping through the woods. Cleric Entangles him. We have a prisoner. Political fallout from all this still going on, but seems to be a net win for team Us.

I (as a Warblade) was a little annoyed we didn't get to kill the "Giant". Killing a Giant looks good on any Warblades resume. But taking him prisoner makes the situation a lot clearer. A fun session and our best clear victory as a party for a while.