PF - Rise of the Runelords - Monster Character Advice

[unseenmage]

Due to some players being unable to attend I am adding a monstrous character NPC to the group to shore up their numbers. To reduce DMPC-syndrome I intend to rotate the NPC out for a new one every story arc. So far I've found three monsters of appropriate CR to intro to the party, who knows which they'll side with and take along with them.
I'm also taking this opportunity to fiddle about with Pathfinders version of Level Adjustment for the first time just to get a feel for it for when I get to play.

Party just hit level 2 and are at the lull in the action right after the first combat of the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition book. The remaining player excels at system mastery and is aiming to play a tier three Alchemist. These monster, heroic NPCs should fall along that power level. PFSRD and PRD both allowed and utilized for this game.
The monsters in question are each CR 2; the Poltergeist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/poltergeist) (Str --,+2 Dex, Con --, -6 Int, +2 Wis, +2 Cha), the Souldbound Doll (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/doll-soulbound) (-4 Str, +4 Dex, Con --, -2 Cha), and the Soulsliver (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/soulsliver) (+4 Str, +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Wis, +2 Cha).

The Poltergeist is supposed to be bound to a singular location. Am planning on releasing it from that limitation and having it instead be bound to a portion of its remains that the party can carry along with them. Ghost Touch weaponry won't likely come into play until it is level appropriate.
Will the Poltergeist be able to hover an object indefinitely with its Telekinesis ability or will the duration end and have to be renewed as with a cast Telekinesis spell?

The Soulsliver's ability scores look really powerful to anyone else? Anything keeping this guy from just carrying a sack of mirrors (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/hunting-camping-survival-gear#TOC-Mirror-small-steel-) everywhere he goes and flinging them all over the bbattlefield before every combat?

Advice on weaving these odd ducks into the fabric of Rise of the Runelords more than welcome also.
Any cool combinations of templates that result in a CR 2/2nd level monster character that's cool also welcome. To my knowledge this means Advanced or Giant CR 1 creatures or Young CR 3 creatures.

[Arc_knight25]

I would save the Poltergeist till after the Nettlewoods. For the next storyline ends in a haunt so having the poltergeist there makes a little more sense as to the beginning of the chapter. Unless you can come up with a good story and introduction for your ghost friend.

The Soulbound Doll would be a good intro for the Catacombs of Wrath. Have it in one of the cells off the private study in the torture room. You could easily fluff a good story for why they are in there.

For the Soulsliver I'm not 100% sure where to bring in this character. I would say just from the stat bonuses mid to late game would be ideal. So maybe some place when they assault the Giant stronghold?

[Oberon Kenobi]

Will the Poltergeist be able to hover an object indefinitely with its Telekinesis ability or will the duration end and have to be renewed as with a cast Telekinesis spell?You're already bending the rules by tying the poltergeist to a different thing; I don't see anything wrong with letting it levitate its sheet like you described in the RAW questions thread on top of that–though, I would rule that you need to treat it like the spell (i.e., it has a set duration and needs to be refreshed when necessary) for combat purposes. Call it a difference in the mental force required. Or just treat the sheet as Ghost Touch cloth armor and don't worry about it. :smalltongue:


The Soulsliver's ability scores look really powerful to anyone else? Anything keeping this guy from just carrying a sack of mirrors (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/hunting-camping-survival-gear#TOC-Mirror-small-steel-) everywhere he goes and flinging them all over the bbattlefield before every combat?If you assume that its highest score (Dex) has a +2 racial modifier like you generally see with PC races, it's a 20 point buy. Not terribly crazy, so far as it goes.

For the second thing, Pathfinder (like 3.5) doesn't have much support for scattering things over a wide area quickly by RAW so far as I know, so they'd need to either set up those mirrors beforehand or else spend a standard action to throw them at a square or something. Also, it takes a standard action to crawl into the mirror world and then they have to wait until their next turn to crawl out–and I believe the intent of that change shape restriction is that they have to take the image of someone currently reflected in the mirror before they can actually do the crawling out part, which limits your options a lot. There's definite utility to be had, but it eats up too many actions to be the crazy battlefield mobility enabler that you seem to be worried about.


Any cool combinations of templates that result in a CR 2/2nd level monster character that's cool also welcome. To my knowledge this means Advanced or Giant CR 1 creatures or Young CR 3 creatures.I have a soft spot for Lantern Archons, but that's just me. :smallcool: