PDA

View Full Version : Need Help W/Slightly Bizarre BBEG



Dullyanna
2007-09-05, 04:02 PM
Whilst messing around with a random npc generator, I got this little gem:

Ra-Catraah

Gnoll Wizard, NE, Female, 7'4", 293 Lbs.

STR: 11
DEX: 13
CON: 16
INT: 16
WIS: 12
CHA: 12

Pretty good mental stats for such an ugly and stupid race, eh? Unfortunately, the skills and feats given for her were complete garbage i.e. 3 ranks in Perform (Comedy), 2 ranks in Perform (Percussion) and power attack, bah!

I've never been that handy with arcane casters, so I need some help developing this one, up to level 10 or so. I think I'll make her a diviner, but beyond that I haven't a bloody clue.

P.S. It'd be great if you could keep it core, but that isn't a requirement

goat
2007-09-05, 04:11 PM
Do you want this built like a PC? Or can we be a bit more free and easy with requirements?

For a start, Level 10 Class level, or level 10 ECL?

Gnolls are a +1 LA and 2HD AFAIK.

Dullyanna
2007-09-05, 06:06 PM
ECL 11, and I'd like to ignore that racial hit die garbage. There aren't any requirements, but I would prefer a batman wizard. After I'm done with her, I'll begin work on some henchmen.

Yeril
2007-09-05, 06:10 PM
If you want ECL 10 then Id go for Level 8 wizard, 2 Racial HD and the +1 LA

Dullyanna
2007-09-05, 07:45 PM
On second thought, I'd like her to have 11 levels in wizard, so she has access to sixth level spells, for fun stuff like disintegration, guards n' wards, and mass suggestion.

blackout
2007-09-05, 07:48 PM
What good would mass suggestion be? I mean, the PCs would trust each-other to the point where they wouldn't fight each-other, right? :smallconfused:

Ivius
2007-09-05, 08:10 PM
What good would mass suggestion be? I mean, the PCs would trust each-other to the point where they wouldn't fight each-other, right? :smallconfused:

A sudden realization that starting a tomato farm far away from the nice wizard would be more profitable :smallamused:.

Dullyanna
2007-09-05, 11:20 PM
What good would mass suggestion be? I mean, the PCs would trust each-other to the point where they wouldn't fight each-other, right? :smallconfused:

Actually, that one's a fluff thing more than anything else. I'd think it's easier to order stupid, incompetent minions around this way, instead of trying to yell out orders to them:smalltongue: . I'm also contemplating making her an amusing npc and quest giver rather than a one-time source of XP. Or maybe not...

starwoof
2007-09-05, 11:27 PM
What good would mass suggestion be? I mean, the PCs would trust each-other to the point where they wouldn't fight each-other, right? :smallconfused:

I suggest that you go sit in the corner with your eyes closed singing for the duration of the spell.

Coup de grace! Coup de grace!

Kurald Galain
2007-09-06, 02:17 AM
I suggest that you read through the last month or so of this webcomic (http://yafgc.shipsinker.com), as it features a gnoll city lately.

AKA_Bait
2007-09-06, 07:47 AM
Well, if you are thinking of making liberal use of suggestion and other enchantment effects (which seems like a good idea to me) you might want to give her Spell Focus: Enchantment as well as some other spells like charm person and whatnot. Alterself and disguise self seem like things she would make liberal use of if she needed to pass herself off in a civilized town as well.

She has I think 4 feats to play with so if you like the divination thing you can also go with Spell Focus: Divination as well. Good for reading the minds of her poor ignorant underlings.

For wizards, particularly if they are going to be around for a while, Spell Mastery is a must.

Really though, it's most important for you to decide what role in your campagin this NPC will be playing, what her personal motivations and goals are, and then look for how to tweak the build. At that point many of your choices will become pretty obvious.

Dullyanna
2007-09-06, 09:40 AM
@AKA_Bait:Those two spell focus feats were what I had in mind, and I completely forgot the existence of Spell Mastery. Definitely going to take those. Also, instead of making her a big, bad, (Neutral) evil gnoll, I'm changing her goal to that of social acceptance for herself among more "civilized" races. That, and her own silverymoonish little city nation. Also, this is all stuff I;m going to file for some other time, as there's nobody else who plays DnD where I live right now.

GimliFett
2007-09-06, 09:49 AM
You might consider Collegiate Wizard from Complete Arcane, p181. If you can manage the backstory for how a gnoll gained acceptance into a Wizard's College, that is.

AKA_Bait
2007-09-06, 10:06 AM
@AKA_Bait:Those two spell focus feats were what I had in mind, and I completely forgot the existence of Spell Mastery. Definitely going to take those. Also, instead of making her a big, bad, (Neutral) evil gnoll, I'm changing her goal to that of social acceptance for herself among more "civilized" races. That, and her own silverymoonish little city nation. Also, this is all stuff I;m going to file for some other time, as there's nobody else who plays DnD where I live right now.

Sounds neat. Glad I could help. Sorry to hear that our Gnoll wizard won't see play for a while. Were you in the NY area I'd invite you to my game. Seems to be a sad fact for quite a few people on the boards that no one plays near them.

Dullyanna
2007-09-06, 11:48 AM
You might consider Collegiate Wizard from Complete Arcane, p181. If you can manage the backstory for how a gnoll gained acceptance into a Wizard's College, that is.

Unfortunately, I'm kind of lacking in the supplement department right now (I can't get a job, so I'm poor). If you could give me a description of that feat, that would be awesome.

@AKA_Bait: It's even worse than that. Nobody over here even plays fighting games i.e. Street Fighter. All my hobbies work best with other people to join in:smallfrown: ...

AKA_Bait
2007-09-06, 12:02 PM
You might want to try joining one of the play by post games. I can't take the pace of those myself but it's better than nothing.

Dullyanna
2007-09-06, 09:00 PM
Better than nothing, yes. But I don't have reliable 24/7 access to a computer, and the slow pace would probably drive me insane.

Anyway, I could use a spot of help with metamagic feats. I can't make up my mind on which ones would suit a Diviner/Enchantress well. Also, I've begun work on some henchmonsters, and I ran into a bit of a fluffy problem. I got a gnoll bard, who managed to roll an 18 for charisma, and has positive modifiers for all the other stats. The thing is, I haven't a bloody clue as to what he/ she should perform with. Bipedal hyenas don't have pleasant singing voices, after all.

F.H. Zebedee
2007-09-06, 09:36 PM
Perform: Yap?
Perform: Tapdance?
Perform: Backup Singer in a Disney Film?