turning a merilith with some spellcaster level into a memorable opponent

[King of Nowhere]

my major opponent for the next story arc is going to be a marilith with some extra interest for magic. he's already introduced as part of a pc backstory, and has already been established as capable of performing some magic rituals.
this implies a marilith with 5-10 wizard levels - though cleric is not completely out of the table. Sorceror is, this demon has very specific goals which imply studying and researching.

those class levels are going to be slapped on the marilith, which is oriented purely as a melee beast. with its slew of attacks, it has no spells that it could cast that could be a better use for an action. sure, buffing before combat is still an option. in which case all the players will experience, during the final confrontation, is a marilith with slightly higher stats due to some buffs. they'll hardly notice.

so i was looking for ways to make this marilith combat style more memorable. some small way to use spells in the middle of a battle without it being a waste of a turn.
probably it will just entail a quicken rod to let it cast and attack at the same time; any other option?

[One Step Two]

Ways to mix spells into combat is tricky, but not impossible. Using a rod of Quicken is a staple, as are setting up Contingencies via Craft Contingent spell, voice commanding to have certain spells go off. Ocular spell Metamagic from Lords of Madness is also good for that, and consider the Smiting Spell feat from Players Handbook 2.

Additionally, Spell-storing weapons are a great go-to for one-off rider effects, but that's a deep investment in magic items. A way around dropping 6 Spell-storing weapons to the players are to give the Marilith ranks in UMD, and have it use Schemas (or wand) of Personal Weapon augmentation, to turn their swords into spell storing weapons temporarily

[Anthrowhale]

The Marilith can already prep the battlefield with many castings of Blade Barrier, and it can maintain these through Project Image.

Casting Invisibility and staying out of true seeing range will make it into a puzzle monster.

A precast Anticipate Teleportation creates a save:no sr:no crowd control. Note that this doesn't apply to itself when it teleports, because while in mid-teleportation there is no relevant area effect so it's an area denial system.

A Wraithstrike is also just plain mean with power attack.

[PanosIs]

I have a similar magic-focused Marilith character that uses MultitaskingSavage Species to cast multiple spells per round. I think it's a pretty sweet way to approach this, and it's still a melee beast either way.

[Thurbane]

Smiting Spell feat may help, IF the Marilith gets time before combat.

Sudden Quicken feat too, but it has a LOT of reqs.

There's quite a lot of spells that innately have swift or immediate casting times, so those can be used in conjunction with full attacks.

Other than that, maybe concentrate on long term (hours per level) buffs.

[Biggus]

probably it will just entail a quicken rod to let it cast and attack at the same time; any other option?

Circlet of Rapid Casting (MIC) might be a better option than a quicken rod.


I have a similar magic-focused Marilith character that uses MultitaskingSavage Species to cast multiple spells per round. I think it's a pretty sweet way to approach this, and it's still a melee beast either way.

Multitasking refers to partial actions which don't exist in 3.5, so technically this doesn't work.



There's quite a lot of spells that innately have swift or immediate casting times, so those can be used in conjunction with full attacks.


There's a list of them here:

https://www.enworld.org/threads/complete-list-of-swift-and-immediate-spells-powers.172507/#post-3038127

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

How many Wizard levels? Be sure to give it Practiced Spellcaster.

Give it Boots of Temporal Acceleration in MIC, 43,000 gp.
Give it a few Scrolls of Arcane Spellsurge from Dragon Magic, 2,275 gp.
Give it two Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend, and it should have a high enough caster level to put Greater Magic Weapon +3 on each of its weapons.
Give it bludgeoning weapons instead of longswords, two more of those rods, and it can put Greater Mighty Wallop on those to deal damage as though colossal size.

Give it Greater Invisibility, Mirror Image, Glitterdust, Web, Solid Fog, Black Tentacles, Wall of Force, Ray of Dizziness, Ray of Stupidity if anyone has an animal companion, Wraithstrike (combine it with power attack), Bladeweave, Greater Mage Armor, Shield, Protection from Good, Alarm so it knows they're coming and pre-buffs....

Just be sure to cast as many buffs as possible during Temporal Acceleration. Use Arcane Spellsurge the first round plus any standard or swift action spell, then one of its innate spell-like abilities the second round with another standard or swift action spell. It can also move twice during that, then when Temporal Acceleration ends it's still got its full round worth of actions minus the swift action it spent to cast that.

[Crake]

Multitasking refers to partial actions which don't exist in 3.5, so technically this doesn't work.

Partial actions in 3.0 are what standard actions are in 3.5. In 3.0 a standard action referred to performing a 1 action ability plus a move, while a partial action referred to only doing a single action, and a move equivalent action would replace the movement in your standard action. Thus, anything that refers to a partial action in 3.0 is simply a standard action in 3.5.

[Kol Korran]

I am not much of an optimizer, but just a thought- If How about a duskblade? (If 3.5e) Or magus? (If PF1).

The classes built to join melee with magic?

[King of Nowhere]

I am not much of an optimizer, but just a thought- If How about a duskblade? (If 3.5e) Or magus? (If PF1).

The classes built to join melee with magic?

i have no knowledge of them besides hearing them mentioned occasionally, that's the problem

[Calthropstu]

I strongly urge taking a look at the pf magus class and borrowing it. It swings its sword and a fireball goes off. Its sword is swung and strikes with shocking grasp. It's a really good gish class. Might have to do some 3.5 backports, but it's worth a look.

[Silly Name]

If you're willing to sacrifice a couple spellcasting levels, slapping 4 levels of Spellsword lets your marilith channel spells with his melee attacks, which is a potent addition for gishes. Works pretty much the same as Duskblade's Arcane channeling if you elect to pick that class instead.

Arcane strike (CWa) is a feat that works similarly, but instead of delivering a spell as part of an attack, you burn a slot for extra damage.

[King of Nowhere]

magus does the trick, it's the perfect fit for the character. doesn't even require anything to convert it to 3.5, except giving it the 3.5 wizard spell list.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Regardless of what you pick, definitely do the Scroll of Arcane Spellsurge. That automatically quickens every spell they cast for free for its duration.

[Psyren]

Since Pathfinder has been brought up, the simple class templates from Monster Codex (e.g. Wizard Creature (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-class-templates/wizard-creature-cr-1-2-or-3/)) can work well here, letting you get a Wizard Marilith that can cast high level spells at a decent CL and be appropriately challenging without pushing its CR into the epic stratosphere. For example, this template will get it 6th-level spells for a mere +3 CR increase instead of needing 11 class levels.

Alternatively, as others have suggested you can make it a magus instead. While they don't have an official simple template, you can easily make one using the Bard Creature (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-class-templates/bard-creature-cr-1-or-2/) and Wizard Creature as a base. This will similarly get you 4th-level spells for a +2 CR increase instead of needing 9 class levels.

[Segev]

Magus is an excellent suggestion, and what I probably would recommend going with.

However, before I saw that, I had a different suggestion that I'll share anyway: Mechanically, make the Marilith two creatures. Give her two initiative scores, and two sets of actions. One of the initiative scores is a wizard character, the other is the standard marilith. Sum hit points from both together, as normal for giving it extra class levels, but otherwise treat targeting it as a gestalt - that is, use the better of the two defensive numbers for any attack against it, rather than stacking them, and use the offensive numbers for the one whose turn it is or whose action you're using. (Both characters have the same ability scores, of course.)

This would give it a serious "boss monster" feel, but I think for a memorable creature which doesn't break standard rule assumptions for 3.5, Magus is a brilliant suggestion. A Marilith with Magus levels is a terrifying thought.

[Quertus]

As a Merilith, you're epic level. Just take Automatic Quicken Spell and Extra Quicken Spell a few times each.

Also… how would she wear boots? :smallconfused:

[ThanatosZero]

As a Merilith, you're epic level. Just take Automatic Quicken Spell and Extra Quicken Spell a few times each.

Also… how would she wear boots? :smallconfused:

If I have to guess, while being shape changed or they have like a snake truncated limbs.
Or they are hidden and are forcibly revealed, when the tail part of the abdomen is severed from the body.

[Kol Korran]

magus does the trick, it's the perfect fit for the character. doesn't even require anything to convert it to 3.5, except giving it the 3.5 wizard spell list.

Glad you liked the suggestion!
If possible, I would love to read a recap/ summary of how it went down, afterwards?

Got me thinking of some other ideas.... hmmm...

[Segev]

Also… how would she wear boots? :smallconfused:

Just one boot, stuck on the end of her tail.

[King of Nowhere]

Glad you liked the suggestion!
If possible, I would love to read a recap/ summary of how it went down, afterwards?

Got me thinking of some other ideas.... hmmm...

heh, it's probably going to take a while. several sessions, at the least, and the party gaining a few levels.

[Falontani]

Havoc Mage, Duskblade, Daggerspell Mage, and Spellsword are some of your good ways to cast spells mid combat.

Abjurant Champion, Jade Phoenix Mage, and Eldritch Knight are ways to be a spellcaster and a melee.



Some spells: Blades of Fire, Blade of Blood, Daggerspell Stance, Greater Energy Surge, Meteoric Strike, Stretch Weapon, and Wraithstrike are all swift action spells that work well mid combat for a melee. Abjurant Champion allows you to quicken all your abjuration spells which include dispel magic, icicle, and several protection spells.

Since Mariliths are immune to electricity, make sure to use a long lasting aoe electricity attack such as an Empowered Lightning Fog that she will stand in. She has a True Seeing SLA, so it wont impede her at all. Don't forget to use Greater Teleport to keep your range for a little bit, long range spells and an appropriate battlefield can wreak havoc before she even goes into melee.

[Feldar]

i was looking for ways to make this marilith combat style more memorable. some small way to use spells in the middle of a battle without it being a waste of a turn.
probably it will just entail a quicken rod to let it cast and attack at the same time; any other option?

Make it a dervish (see Complete Warrior) and have it fight in a widened anti magic field. Debuffs the party and makes the environment friendly to all its dervish class abilities in one fell swoop!