Making Dr. Facilier

[Dr. Cliché]

For a bit of fun, I was wondering about making a character based on this chap:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAY-78zhmw

I know it's not entirely possible, but can still do stuff with Unseen Servant, Animate Dead etc.

Any suggestions for the best class and appropriate spells (or abilities or such)?

[Naanomi]

Seems to be a Warlock of some type (given how his 'friends') turn on him when he fails them... Old One or Undying?

[Bahamut7]

Any character is possible if you put your mind to it. This guy screams Warlock most definitely. The problem is this guy is a social character not a combatant. I would make him an NPC or have a buddy come in occasionally and play him out to entice the party to his charm.

Cantrips: Mage Hand, Friends, Minor Illusion, and Prestidigitation would be his go to Cantrips.
1st Level Spells: Unseen Servant and Charm Person. I would RP his Unseen servant to be his Shadow.

A Fiend Pact seems appropriate, but I could see the Old One being RPed correctly as well (mainly for the added spells it gives).

I have never played a Warlock so this is as far as I can go. I would love to hear how to apply to him to combat.

[Joe the Rat]

Nasty, charismatic, all about cutting deals to feed souls to his friends on the other side to forestall his own demise, access to polymorph... He pretty much screams warlock.

He doesn't strike me as preternaturally resilient, and isn't big on burnination, so not Fiend.
Old one captures the mind bending better. Undying fits Hollywood voodoo (less the zombie making), but that's not the vibe I get.
What about Fey? That throws a little more charm and illusion into the mix.

I want to say chain pact.

[Naanomi]

I want to say chain pact.
Although he doesn't have a book that I recall, he does seem to be a bit of a 'Ritual Caster' kind of guy... I'd go with Tome

Background wise, even though he has real power he also seems to be a bit of a 'scamster'... I'd go with Charlatan background (Deception and Sleight of Hand are both good fits)

[Dr. Cliché]

Thanks for all the help so far, chaps.

Any further suggestions regarding spells?

[Joe the Rat]

Although he doesn't have a book that I recall, he does seem to be a bit of a 'Ritual Caster' kind of guy... I'd go with Tome

Background wise, even though he has real power he also seems to be a bit of a 'scamster'... I'd go with Charlatan background (Deception and Sleight of Hand are both good fits)

Oh, definitely Charlatan. Fake soothsayer, ja?

Hmm... would that star chain pact (I HATE that name) work here? Augury as ritual... though I can't think of anything else there that works well. Tomelock would probably work best. If you were truly recreating the bad doctor, I can see some high-price custom rituals (components: V,S,M(a soul. Yours will do.))

On Spells: He feels like more of a controller or debuffer than anything else. Hypnotic Pattern works in there.
The "shadowy" themes makes me want to load up on Hadar spells, though that's about theme, not demonstrated ability.


Would a Bard multiclass help here? Ignoring the whole "Everyone sings in a Disney movie" and "Keith David's deliciously wonderful voice and delivery," I can see some benefits from a few levels.

[Dr. Cliché]

Hmm... would that star chain pact (I HATE that name) work here?

Sorry, what's the star chain pact?

[Unoriginal]

In my opinion, Doctor Facilier would be more easily represented by a bard who got some Warlock know-how.

[Joe the Rat]

Sorry, what's the star chain pact?

It was in the faith UA - your patron is a seeker of knowledge with a heavy astral theme (essentially Tsololandril for you Greyhawk fans), and there was a patron-specific pact that gives you a that-specific-patron-themed divination item that lets you do augury as a ritual. Which could totally be defluffed as any divination item that you could use in a ritual.

[Bahamut7]

I would also request from your DM a wonderous item to allow his theme song to play for you.