ExLibrisMortis
2020-10-08, 09:15 AM
I thought I'd share a build I made, because it's doing nobody any good just sitting around. Cheese warning: this build is gestalt and uses LA buyoff, Dragon Magazine content, and every silly bonus feat in the books to squeeze a third-level archivist into Spelldancer for the sweet, sweet Persistent sneak attack-boosting spells--or whatever else Vecna decides you need, because there is no-one who is more utterly devoted to the Maimed Lord than hidden Sliske.
Sliske, cultist of Vecna (ECL 4)
Venerable Vecna-blooded necropolitan changeling
archivist 1
//
changeling rogue 1
archivist 2
//
rogue 2
archivist 3
//
cloistered cleric 1
spelldancer 1
//
changeling rogue 3NE Medium undead
Init −1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +16; darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Abyssal, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Halfling, Infernal
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 8 (+0 clothes, −1 Dex, +1 haste)
hp 31 (4 HD)
Immune ability damage (physical), ability drain, critical hits, death effects, disease, energy drain, fatigue, fortitude saves (unless it affects objects or is harmless), massive damage, mind-affecting (minus fear), nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +12, −6 vs. fear
Speed 60 ft. with haste (30 ft. base)
Melee mwk dagger −2 (1d4−2)
Ranged darkwood long-range great crossbow +11 (2d6/18-20) 2100 ft. range
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Attack +3; Grapple +1
Atk Options sneak attack +5d6+4
Archivist Spells Prepared (CL 3, +5 for Divination, slots 4/4/3)
0th—amanuensis ×2, read magic ×2
1st—guided shot, hawkeye, master’s touch, sniper’s shot
2nd—death knell, hunter’s eye, swift haste
Archivist Spellbook
0th—all cleric
1st—guided shot, hawkeye, master’s touch, sniper’s shot + 8 cleric
2nd—death knell, hunter’s eye, swift haste + 3 cleric
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 0, +5 for Divination, slots 3/2+1)
0th—detect magic ×3
1st—detect secret doorsD, healer’s vision, scholar’s touch
Active Spell Effects all persisted with Spelldancer
guided shot
CL 9
no penalty on ranged attacks from distance, ignore less than total cover
hawkeye
CL 9
+50% range increment, +5 competence Spot
healer’s vision
CL 9
+2 on attack rolls when sneak attacking
hunter’s eye
CL 9
+3d6 sneak attack
master’s touch
CL 9
proficient with one weapon
sniper’s shot
CL 9
unlimited sneak attack range
swift haste
CL 3
+1 attack, AC (dodge), reflex; extra attack on full attackAbilities Str 7, Dex 8, Con —, Int 22, Wis 18, Cha 19
Feats Combat Castingflaw, Cravendepravity, Dodge1, Eldritch Corruptiondepravity, Endurancecleric 1, Extend Spellflaw, Mobilitycorruption, Persistent Spell3, Scribe Scrollarchivist 1, Zen Archerycorruption; Flaws Coward, Noncombatant; Trait Spellgifted (divination)
Skills Bluff +13/7, Concentration +8/4, Decipher Script +13/5, Diplomacy +15/7, Disguise +31/7 (+33 in character), Forgery +13/7, Gather Information +11/7, Intimidate +15/7, Knowledge (arcana) +12/5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8/1, Knowledge (history) +8/1, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +8/1, Knowledge (religion) +14/5, Knowledge (the planes) +8/1, Perform +13/7, Search +11/5, Sense Motive +11/5, Sleight of Hand +1/0, Spellcraft +17/7, Spot +16/7, Tumble +3/4, Use Magic Device +10/4 (+14 scrolls) (106 points)
Advancement by character class; Favored Class Any
Possessions hat of disguise (1800/1), abolet mucus ×5 (100/5), belt pouch (1/½), chaos flask ×5 (500/5), darkwood long-range great crossbow (690/7) with 20 bolts (2/2), disguise kit (50/8), forger’s paper ×10 (100/—), forgery kit (40/5), holy symbol (1/—), mule (8) w/ pack saddle (15/20) and saddlebags (4/8), mwk dagger (302/1), mwk potion belt (60/1), mwk tool of perform (50/1), mwk tool of spellcraft (50/1), mwk tool of Use Magic Device (50/1), scholar’s outfit (5/6), spellbook (15/3), spell component pouch (5/2), 247 gp (total carried weight: 1+5+5+½+1+1+1+6+2 = 22½ lb, mule carried weight: 7+2+8+5+20+8+1+1+3 = 55 lb)
Build Notes
Domains: destiny, knowledge, oracle (deity: Vecna) for +3 CL on Divination spells
Wanderer cleric for Endurance as bonus feat, replacing Turn Undead (good deal, right?)
LA bought off, necropolitan also paid for
Scrolls of ranger spells cost 550 gp (guided shot 50 gp, hawkeye 25 gp, master’s touch 25 gp, sniper’s shot 50 gp, hunter’s eye 200 gp, swift haste 200 gp)
Scribing costs of the above are 800 gp, all accounted for in WBL (5400 gp)
Stat generation: Keep generating stats (4d6 drop lowest) until you roll at least one 18. Because low-power is for chumps, right?
Sliske has the lovely looks of a Vecna-blooded creature (i.e. he looks like Voldemort) enhancing his charming undead exterior. To the great loss of those he meets, he keeps this ravishing visage hidden underneath a disguise, which he meticulously prepares using his hat and changeling abilities (Spot DC ~30, depending on the specific disguise) before leaving his basement abode--though he rarely leaves during the day, of course, and never twice as the same person. As a Vecna-blooded creature, he is surrounded by a Cloak of Mysteries, which prevents most Divinations from detecting his trickery. It goes without saying that he has yet to be identified as the perpetrator of many of the most crucial thefts and assassinations in the region (whatever region that happens to be), a crime spree that covers decades of secret work and extends to every crime known to man, and some only known to Vecna.
Every night at midnight, Sliske prays to Vecna. He asks for guidance, and Vecna--ever gracious, deigning to use such a lowly tool--grants his chosen a target or goal, as well as the spells he needs to complete it. Often, the spells received are much of the guidance Sliske receives, because Vecna prefers to reveal as little as possible. Later during the night, Sliske will find an appropriate sacrifice (a chicken, dog, a human--he doesn't care) and performs a vile ritual of disturbing dances and horrible wheezing chanting. That is, he brings his victim to low hp, kills them with death knell, then Spelldances around the body for some minutes in order to Persist his daily buffs--the extra caster level from death knell is just enough to get an extra die of sneak attack. (You can make this ritual as gruesome as you want--slow roasting is a good way to ensure a sacrifice is in the right hp range for death knell, for example.)
I think Sliske has some potential as a hidden threat or player character in a low-level gestalt campaign, and anyone who wants to use him is welcome to do so. And of course, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, improvements, etcetera--well, this is a discussion forum. Go wild.
Sliske, cultist of Vecna (ECL 4)
Venerable Vecna-blooded necropolitan changeling
archivist 1
//
changeling rogue 1
archivist 2
//
rogue 2
archivist 3
//
cloistered cleric 1
spelldancer 1
//
changeling rogue 3NE Medium undead
Init −1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +16; darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Abyssal, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Halfling, Infernal
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 8 (+0 clothes, −1 Dex, +1 haste)
hp 31 (4 HD)
Immune ability damage (physical), ability drain, critical hits, death effects, disease, energy drain, fatigue, fortitude saves (unless it affects objects or is harmless), massive damage, mind-affecting (minus fear), nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +12, −6 vs. fear
Speed 60 ft. with haste (30 ft. base)
Melee mwk dagger −2 (1d4−2)
Ranged darkwood long-range great crossbow +11 (2d6/18-20) 2100 ft. range
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Attack +3; Grapple +1
Atk Options sneak attack +5d6+4
Archivist Spells Prepared (CL 3, +5 for Divination, slots 4/4/3)
0th—amanuensis ×2, read magic ×2
1st—guided shot, hawkeye, master’s touch, sniper’s shot
2nd—death knell, hunter’s eye, swift haste
Archivist Spellbook
0th—all cleric
1st—guided shot, hawkeye, master’s touch, sniper’s shot + 8 cleric
2nd—death knell, hunter’s eye, swift haste + 3 cleric
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 0, +5 for Divination, slots 3/2+1)
0th—detect magic ×3
1st—detect secret doorsD, healer’s vision, scholar’s touch
Active Spell Effects all persisted with Spelldancer
guided shot
CL 9
no penalty on ranged attacks from distance, ignore less than total cover
hawkeye
CL 9
+50% range increment, +5 competence Spot
healer’s vision
CL 9
+2 on attack rolls when sneak attacking
hunter’s eye
CL 9
+3d6 sneak attack
master’s touch
CL 9
proficient with one weapon
sniper’s shot
CL 9
unlimited sneak attack range
swift haste
CL 3
+1 attack, AC (dodge), reflex; extra attack on full attackAbilities Str 7, Dex 8, Con —, Int 22, Wis 18, Cha 19
Feats Combat Castingflaw, Cravendepravity, Dodge1, Eldritch Corruptiondepravity, Endurancecleric 1, Extend Spellflaw, Mobilitycorruption, Persistent Spell3, Scribe Scrollarchivist 1, Zen Archerycorruption; Flaws Coward, Noncombatant; Trait Spellgifted (divination)
Skills Bluff +13/7, Concentration +8/4, Decipher Script +13/5, Diplomacy +15/7, Disguise +31/7 (+33 in character), Forgery +13/7, Gather Information +11/7, Intimidate +15/7, Knowledge (arcana) +12/5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8/1, Knowledge (history) +8/1, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +8/1, Knowledge (religion) +14/5, Knowledge (the planes) +8/1, Perform +13/7, Search +11/5, Sense Motive +11/5, Sleight of Hand +1/0, Spellcraft +17/7, Spot +16/7, Tumble +3/4, Use Magic Device +10/4 (+14 scrolls) (106 points)
Advancement by character class; Favored Class Any
Possessions hat of disguise (1800/1), abolet mucus ×5 (100/5), belt pouch (1/½), chaos flask ×5 (500/5), darkwood long-range great crossbow (690/7) with 20 bolts (2/2), disguise kit (50/8), forger’s paper ×10 (100/—), forgery kit (40/5), holy symbol (1/—), mule (8) w/ pack saddle (15/20) and saddlebags (4/8), mwk dagger (302/1), mwk potion belt (60/1), mwk tool of perform (50/1), mwk tool of spellcraft (50/1), mwk tool of Use Magic Device (50/1), scholar’s outfit (5/6), spellbook (15/3), spell component pouch (5/2), 247 gp (total carried weight: 1+5+5+½+1+1+1+6+2 = 22½ lb, mule carried weight: 7+2+8+5+20+8+1+1+3 = 55 lb)
Build Notes
Domains: destiny, knowledge, oracle (deity: Vecna) for +3 CL on Divination spells
Wanderer cleric for Endurance as bonus feat, replacing Turn Undead (good deal, right?)
LA bought off, necropolitan also paid for
Scrolls of ranger spells cost 550 gp (guided shot 50 gp, hawkeye 25 gp, master’s touch 25 gp, sniper’s shot 50 gp, hunter’s eye 200 gp, swift haste 200 gp)
Scribing costs of the above are 800 gp, all accounted for in WBL (5400 gp)
Stat generation: Keep generating stats (4d6 drop lowest) until you roll at least one 18. Because low-power is for chumps, right?
Sliske has the lovely looks of a Vecna-blooded creature (i.e. he looks like Voldemort) enhancing his charming undead exterior. To the great loss of those he meets, he keeps this ravishing visage hidden underneath a disguise, which he meticulously prepares using his hat and changeling abilities (Spot DC ~30, depending on the specific disguise) before leaving his basement abode--though he rarely leaves during the day, of course, and never twice as the same person. As a Vecna-blooded creature, he is surrounded by a Cloak of Mysteries, which prevents most Divinations from detecting his trickery. It goes without saying that he has yet to be identified as the perpetrator of many of the most crucial thefts and assassinations in the region (whatever region that happens to be), a crime spree that covers decades of secret work and extends to every crime known to man, and some only known to Vecna.
Every night at midnight, Sliske prays to Vecna. He asks for guidance, and Vecna--ever gracious, deigning to use such a lowly tool--grants his chosen a target or goal, as well as the spells he needs to complete it. Often, the spells received are much of the guidance Sliske receives, because Vecna prefers to reveal as little as possible. Later during the night, Sliske will find an appropriate sacrifice (a chicken, dog, a human--he doesn't care) and performs a vile ritual of disturbing dances and horrible wheezing chanting. That is, he brings his victim to low hp, kills them with death knell, then Spelldances around the body for some minutes in order to Persist his daily buffs--the extra caster level from death knell is just enough to get an extra die of sneak attack. (You can make this ritual as gruesome as you want--slow roasting is a good way to ensure a sacrifice is in the right hp range for death knell, for example.)
I think Sliske has some potential as a hidden threat or player character in a low-level gestalt campaign, and anyone who wants to use him is welcome to do so. And of course, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, improvements, etcetera--well, this is a discussion forum. Go wild.