Filling up that prayerbook...

[TheCountAlucard]

So, I'm finally doing my evil campaign again (whoo-hoo!), and I'm working on a fairly large-scale adventure.

One of the Big Bads of this adventure is an elven spellcaster named Slimph Landarin. While the PCs were up to no good in the city of Endena, Slimph decided to steal a Book of Vile Darkness from a vault in the coastal city of Immia. He used a few rituals described in the book, along with some inventiveness on his part, to increase his power.

Now, here's where I'm hitting a snag: He's an Archivist, and that means he uses a prayerbook to prepare his spells. I've never managed a spellbook/prayerbook before, and I'm really not sure what to put in Slimph's prayerbook. There are hundreds of spells out there that I could use, and I just can't decide which I'd like him to have.

So, any suggestions?

Some notes:

Slimph is a tenth-level elven Archivist with the Wight template from Savage Species and the Swarmshifter template from Libris Mortis (he turns into a swarm of centipedes).

He should know a variety of necromancy spells (he actually went to the same magic school as one of the other party members).

Standard wealth for a creature of his CR, plus the Book of Vile Darkness.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Archivist (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=515321) spells. (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-812050) Hope those help.

I personally recommend looking through every obscure PrC and Partial Caster out there. Spell Compendium Paladin and Ranger spells are the best of their level, adepts and Divine Bards give access to a lot of Arcane spells that you otherwise couldn't touch, and the like. If a PrC adds spells to your list but doesn't specify which list, it could make them divine. Use that.

This, by the way, is why I don't agree with Gleemax about Artificer power. They're so much work just to get as good as a Druid.

[jcsw]

Archivist (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=515321) spells. (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-812050) Hope those help.

I personally recommend looking through every obscure PrC and Partial Caster out there. Spell Compendium Paladin and Ranger spells are the best of their level, adepts and Divine Bards give access to a lot of Arcane spells that you otherwise couldn't touch, and the like. If a PrC adds spells to your list but doesn't specify which list, it could make them divine. Use that.

This, by the way, is why I don't agree with Gleemax about Artificer power. They're so much work just to get as good as a Druid.

That's only if you like screwing with your players. This is a DM-controlled character, and you don't need cheese if you want to screw with them.
So I would say don't bother scouring obscure PrCs for lower level scrolls, but of course, snagging different spells is fair game.

That said, you should let him have every cleric spell in the Book of Vile Darkness... I mean, he did just steal the book for this purpose.

[TheCountAlucard]

That said, you should let him have every cleric spell in the Book of Vile Darkness... I mean, he did just steal the book for this purpose.

Mmm-hmm. In fact, one of the spells I was going to make sure and pick out is Wrack. I was also gonna grab a few from the Spite domain.

Anyway, I'm not asking for a big list of every divine spell in the game. I just want some good suggestions for spells. After all, Bless Water and Create Food and Water are unlikely to be useful to him, but spells that give him some zombie minions are.

[Prometheus]

I say that given that an near unlimited supply of spells is part of the archivist character, you are free to mod whatever spells you wish for the purpose. So for example, I'm not sure if Enervation is on the list, but it is because it fits with the fluff. If you think he should summon poisonous zombies, add a spell level and it is done.

[TheCountAlucard]

Being told that I have booku options for the book is actually troublesome for me, because the more options I have, the harder it is for me to make decisions about this sort of thing... seriously.

I've picked out most of the spells he gets from levelling already.

0-level (All of 'em)
1st-level (Cause Fear, Deathwatch, Doom, Hide from Undead, Inflict Light Wounds, Sorrow, Summon Undead I)
2nd-level (Death Knell, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Bestow Curse, Summon Undead II)
3rd-level (Animate Dead, Dispel Magic, Summon Undead III, Wrack)
4th-level (Lesser Planar Ally, Summon Undead IV, Inflict Critical Wounds, Divine Power)
5th-level (Break Enchantment, Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Summon Undead V, Flame Strike)

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I advise against Slay Living. Save or Dead effects are fun for PC's, but are nothing but pain for DM's BBEG's. If the DC's are too low, you're just wasting actions that could be used to make the player's lives a bit more interesting. If they're too high, then people loose characters. That always sucks, and causes drama.

I do suggest, as a 4th level spell, Enervation. It does negative levels, which are scary but not the end of the world, and heals undead. So either you screw over a PC who is being a bit too annoying, or you heal your minions. Win/Win!

I would also suggest Desecrate and Unhallow, as they make it harder for good guy clerics and paladins to turn your minions.

Unholy Blight is good, but maybe a bit too powerful unless the PC party is mostly neutral on the good/evil axis.

Look up Fear effects. Save or Suck are perfectly usable for BBEG's.

Bestow Curse is also a good one if the party tank gets up close and personal with him.

Ray of Exhaustion is good to keep the party tank from reaching him as quickly.

Insect Plague is a good one, just for sheer horror value

Poison is a good one, and very very nasty if used right.

Silence, while not exactly necromantic, can cause all kinds of fun to wannabe-batmen.

And these are just straight out of Core from the Wizard and Cleric spell lists.

[TheCountAlucard]

I would also suggest Desecrate and Unhallow, as they make it harder for good guy clerics and paladins to turn your minions.

Unholy Blight is good, but maybe a bit too powerful unless the PC party is mostly neutral on the good/evil axis.

Ahem. Evil campaign. There's not a single good-aligned party member in the group.

Nonetheless, thanks for the advice, man!

[Inhuman Bot]

Mmm-hmm. In fact, one of the spells I was going to make sure and pick out is Wrack. I was also gonna grab a few from the Spite domain.

Anyway, I'm not asking for a big list of every divine spell in the game. I just want some good suggestions for spells. After all, Bless Water and Create Food and Water are unlikely to be useful to him, but spells that give him some zombie minions are.

SC has summon undead I-V I belive, and they are ( I think) divine spells.

[TheCountAlucard]

SC has summon undead I-V I belive, and they are ( I think) divine spells.

Yep. They're already on his spell list.

[Inhuman Bot]

Do you have ravenloft?

I have a few nasty spells, from an insanse ravenloften surgoen you may like if not.

[TheCountAlucard]

Do you have ravenloft?

I have a few nasty spells, from an insanse ravenloften surgoen you may like if not.

Err, no, I don't have Ravenloft.

[Inhuman Bot]

*grins evily*

I belive I can repost the spells. Here they are.

Depression:
lvl 3 necro
Range 20 feet
Area 20 foot burst, centred on caster
Duration: 1 round level
Save: will
Spell resistance: yes

effect: save or become fatiuged and -1 per 3 caster levels (max -5) on will saves. Creatures that are already fatiuged don't become exhausted.

Lobotomize
Level 5 Transmutaion
Range: touch
Cast time: standred (deppresion has 1 stnd too)
Target: Creature touched.
Duration: 1minute/level
save: will
Resistance to spells: yes

You cause the target to forget how to do a specific ability. Upon casting, choose a spell level 4 or lower, eapon profiencies, or two skills. The target has that trait lobotomized.
If you do it to a spell level, the target loses all prepared slots or spells that level.
Profiences: the target becoms non-proficent with all (Yes, all) weapons, giving it -4 to hit.
Skills: the traget has 0 ranks in the chosen skills. These can still be used if they can be used untrained.
If you try to lobotimize a traget tha doesn't have what you target, the spell fails.
It doesn't work on midless creatures.

Transfusion
Necromancy
Level 5
Cast time: 1 minute
Range touch
Duration: instaneous /10 mintes.
Save: none
Resistance: no

through a minute long ritual, you siphon an ability score from the target.
When cast, choose one score. The target gets a penalty to the score (equal to 1d6+1 per 3 cast levels (max +5). This can't reduce a score below 1. You then gain a bonus equal to half the penalty on the other creautre.
If you target a score that the target doesn't have, roll with the same roll (like CON on a golem). you then take 5 points of damage per penlety that's supposed to be inflicted.

Any questions, just ask me.

Enjoy.

[TheCountAlucard]

Okay, guys, that accounts for seventy-five pages in his spellbook. Even if he's not using a BBB, he's still got twenty-five pages left. Any suggestions?