8th Level BBEG who is an Aasimar and a Lycantrope. Ideas?

[Antariuk]

So I am running a weekly Pathfinder hexcrawling game which has been tons of fun so far. The players have Story Feats instead of Traits, and one of them chose Nemesis (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/story-feats/nemesis-story). Which means the bandit king who I envisioned to be the BBEG when the party was 4th or 5th level is now 8th level, and may advance even further before the party finally confronts him. But, unless the party does something completely unexpected and weird (again), they're going to meet him within the next 3 sessions becase things are escalating. So far, so good.

The party consists of a Human Oracle [Life] 6, a Half-Elf UnRogue 6, a Human Fighter [Unbreakable] 2/Ranger 4, and an Aasimar Paladin 2/UnSummoner 4. The beautiful thing about this BBEG is that he his the nemsis of the ranger, but also sort of an anathema to the paladin, so the party has plenty of reasons to go after this guy. What they know about him is that he is an Aasimar and a lycanthrope (specific type is unknown) and that he was some kind of warlord who harrassed a settlement of friendly shifters and lycanthropes but stayed clear of the big city (the starting point of the game). The party has captured and interrogated several of his men over time and found two of his bandit camps, so they know he has some kind of supernatural control over other lycanthropes and he also summons Evil Things™. The most recent things the party learned was that the BEEG brokered a deal with some giant tribes to become part of his troops and now he is looking in the east for an artifact weapon so he can finally begin his war in earnest. So far, so evil.

So, usiing 20PB and the entirety of the d20PFSRD, how would you make this villain? He is charismatic (Aasimar!), ruthless and clever, and he knows that the PCs are after him (some bandits got away from interrogation, and he had someone scry the PCs a few times). He can cast divine spells and he kicks some serious ass in melee combat. Originally, I planned to make him an antipaladin or a cleric, but now I unsure. Warpriest, maybe? Or ditch the divine theme (the PCs don't know for certain that he is in fact a divine caster, so I could reasonably make him arcane at this point) and make him a Magus? Are there any ways to make further use of the lycynthrope template (and, which type of lycanthrope)?

Any help would be greatly apprectiated.

[Harmelyo]

Hello there,
So you have an Aasimar Lycanthrope problem?

I won't offer you a complete build as I am not able to do it but here is a few pointers:
- Determine if your Lycan is afflicted or a true Lycanthrope. this will impact the dynamic of your BBEG as it is harder for an afflicted to draw the power of his curse (more time to shift, lesser goodies, less control)
- Melee can be dealt by selecting the proper were-creature. Any big cat would be nice (Hello POUNCE!). Shifting to hybrid or animal let you get the best stat from both worlds.
- CR is clunky for Lycanthrope and does not work well until you have at least as many class levels than the animal CR.
- Druid would be a good idea for your BBEG as you will keep the divine aspect and enjoying the sweet +4 WIS from the Aasimar + template. There is a lot of archetype that could improve you martial aptitudes. You could even abandon your shapeshifting as Lycanthrope provide you with an alternative. The boosting spells are nice.
- Hat of disguise or its greater version are both great way keep all the goodies of an hybrid form while not turning the local peasants in a pitchforks n' torches mob.
- Amulet of mighty fist is mandatory if you go down the natural attack road with 3 naturals attacks in hybrid form this seems like a good idea.

I hope this help.

[Antariuk]

I think the BBEG is a natural lycantrope, doesn't make sense otherwise in the context of what the PCs have learned so far.

About the specific were-creature: I was looking at a cat type, but that is... I dunno, expected? Since the game takes place in the northern hemisphere, I thought were-bear might be approproate. But Pounce certainly is something cool to have, so maybe I'll go were-cat after all.

Keeping a disguise is not a real concern at this point for the BBEG, especially since he has some giants in his warband now. His plan is to get the artifact weapon (which the PCs are after themselves right now) and then burn everything in the west to the ground because reasons. The only people he is afraid of are far away and everyone else needs to run or fight, and there aren't a lot of real settlements to begin with. Last time the PCs encountered him he was walking around openly because nobody really knows what he looks like, and I am eagerly awating their response when they finally make the connection :)

Good point about using AoMF for natural attacks!

[Antariuk]

Bump. I'd still love to see some ideas, anyone? :smallwink:

[SimonMoon6]

Technically, an aasimar can't be a lycanthrope, since only a humanoid can become a lycanthrope and aasimars aren't humanoid (they're outsiders)... unless of course, you've got the Scion of Humanity alternate racial ability.

But apart from that, I'd probably go with some sort of were-bird, maybe a were-eagle, to mesh with the possibility of the aasimar taking the racial feat that lets them have wings.

[Antariuk]

Well, as a GM I don't feel bound to adhere to RAW when creating encounters, so my monsters tend to have feats and templates and whatnot that 'break the rules'.

But I really, really like your idea of a were-bird, that is just... man, I think you nailed it. I'll see if I can slap together something along those lines, thanks!