Need Help Equipping Blackguard BBEG

[Bromley20]

My current campaign's BBEG is an ex-paladin 5/Blackguard 10 who is striving to become a lich to extend his lifespan long enough to find a way to resurrect his family (resurrection is currently difficult due to the lack of high level npc casters).

I know there are a few items like holy avengers that have bonus abilities when a paladin uses it. Are there any blackguard focused relics/artifacts/items? All I have found is the Blackguard's Blade from BoVD. I know I could always make a few custom items, but I was just wondering if there are any others that already exist that I could reference.

[Biggus]

I searched all the likely-looking books and literally all I found was the Staff of the Fallen in A&EG. It shouldn't be hard to make evil versions of Paladin items though.

[ShurikVch]

It may be a bit much for current level - but Unholy Despoiler is definitely Blackguard-focused

[aglondier]

Give him one signature item that exemplifies and defines him as a villain. Whether that is an unholy avenger sword, a spiky helm with glowing red eyes, a dramatic flowing cape, or a shield that speaks to him in infernal, offering him advice and distracting his opponents...

Whatever you choose, that is the thing he is reknowned for, and he is never without it...more to the point, when he is defeated by the players, the fate of this object is going to quite possibly define the next campaign arc...do the pcs get it? Do minions of the villain escape with it? PC or villainous lieutenant, does the next possessor of the item take up the previous owners banner and continue his evil works?

You can bulk up the villain with a handful of generic treasure earmarked for the party to claim, but the signature item is special...

[noob]

A +5 cloak of resistance that looks completely plain, he just looted it from one of the people who fought him and once he analyzed the cloak he found it was a good idea to wear it. The cloak is forever tainted by the death of its former owner, any who picks it up will accrue taint.

[Melcar]

My current campaign's BBEG is an ex-paladin 5/Blackguard 10 who is striving to become a lich to extend his lifespan long enough to find a way to resurrect his family (resurrection is currently difficult due to the lack of high level npc casters).

I know there are a few items like holy avengers that have bonus abilities when a paladin uses it. Are there any blackguard focused relics/artifacts/items? All I have found is the Blackguard's Blade from BoVD. I know I could always make a few custom items, but I was just wondering if there are any others that already exist that I could reference.

Gauntlets of heartfelt blows
Starmantle Cloak
Vest of resistance +5
Ring of Evasion
Item of Owl’s Wisdom
Ring of Anticipation

[Inevitability]

Something that gives him a caster level boost if he doesn't have one yet? Hard to become a lich otherwise.

But in all seriousness, a belt of battle is a pretty solid item for any meeleer, unlikely to break the campaign once your PCs get it, and cheap enough that you could plausibly fold its effect into a different/slotless item.

[noob]

Something that gives him a caster level boost if he doesn't have one yet? Hard to become a lich otherwise.

But in all seriousness, a belt of battle is a pretty solid item for any meeleer, unlikely to break the campaign once your PCs get it, and cheap enough that you could plausibly fold its effect into a different/slotless item.

Belts of battle are overpowered because they grant a really powerful and generically applicable effect and is cheap for it: if it was more expensive it would be fine.
Raising the cost a bit makes sense.

[Bromley20]

Gauntlets of heartfelt blows
Starmantle Cloak
Vest of resistance +5
Ring of Evasion
Item of Owl’s Wisdom
Ring of Anticipation

Great suggestions. The only one I may need to double check is the starmantle cloak. I don't know if the party's crusader is going to end up being too tanky once they get their hands on it.

Something that gives him a caster level boost if he doesn't have one yet? Hard to become a lich otherwise.

But in all seriousness, a belt of battle is a pretty solid item for any meeleer, unlikely to break the campaign once your PCs get it, and cheap enough that you could plausibly fold its effect into a different/slotless item.

Yeah, we have the caster level issue covered with practiced spellcaster. The belt looks like fun and shouldn't really break anything. I guess I need to go reread the books to find other generally useful items like it that I have missed.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. It's kind of sad to see that the blackguard gets almost no support in later books.

[noob]

Great suggestions. The only one I may need to double check is the starmantle cloak. I don't know if the party's crusader is going to end up being too tanky once they get their hands on it.

How much toughness it provides depends on how often you have opponents using non magical weapons, most magical beasts and oozes have no magical weapons, some undead have powerful attacks that requires hitting with body parts, those attacks are entirely cancelled.
If you are using mostly equipped opponents then the cloak will merely halve damage taken from attacks with weapons (unless they are nonmagically equipped or if the paladin have an horrible reflex save).

[Biggus]

Great suggestions. The only one I may need to double check is the starmantle cloak. I don't know if the party's crusader is going to end up being too tanky once they get their hands on it.

Are you giving him standard NPC item value? If so the Starmantle Cloak is way out of his price range.

If not, how much are you giving him?

[H_H_F_F]

A lot of the suggestions up here really depend on your party. You don't necessarily need a +5 vest of resistance, if your party's DCs are too low it'd make the BBEG way more frustrating than he perhaps should be. Crunch the numbers and decide what would be fun. Also, if fighting the guy isn't the end of the campaign, make sure the loot wouldn't blow your party way over WBL, or otherwise make them more cracked than you're ready to handle.

For these purposes, I highly recommend two solutions: consumables and intelligent items.

An evil intelligent item makes the enemy more interesting and complex, can add narrative tension if you hint at a struggle of will between the item and the wielder, and most importantly- turns what might otherwise be overly-powerful potential loot into a side-quest to destroy the item, or a plot hook if it gets away. Give it a high Ego score and run with it.

Also for the same reason, if it fits, relics. Give him the true believer feat and you can go for it.

Consumable wondrous items are psychologically hard to use for most players, but they're great fun with enemies, who don't have to question blowing a quarter of their wealth on a fight. They give you options that character type wouldn't usually have. You can also use oils (vestments, Greater magic weapon, etc) if you still need to crank numbers without cranking wealth.

[Bromley20]

Are you giving him standard NPC item value? If so the Starmantle Cloak is way out of his price range.

If not, how much are you giving him?

I am just giving him the standard NPC gear values. He is currently CR15, but he may end up going all the way to 21 before the party decides to finally confront him. I figured I'd add anything that was too expensive now to the list of possible upgrades in the future.

A lot of the suggestions up here really depend on your party. You don't necessarily need a +5 vest of resistance, if your party's DCs are too low it'd make the BBEG way more frustrating than he perhaps should be. Crunch the numbers and decide what would be fun. Also, if fighting the guy isn't the end of the campaign, make sure the loot wouldn't blow your party way over WBL, or otherwise make them more cracked than you're ready to handle.

For these purposes, I highly recommend two solutions: consumables and intelligent items.

An evil intelligent item makes the enemy more interesting and complex, can add narrative tension if you hint at a struggle of will between the item and the wielder, and most importantly- turns what might otherwise be overly-powerful potential loot into a side-quest to destroy the item, or a plot hook if it gets away. Give it a high Ego score and run with it.

Also for the same reason, if it fits, relics. Give him the true believer feat and you can go for it.

Consumable wondrous items are psychologically hard to use for most players, but they're great fun with enemies, who don't have to question blowing a quarter of their wealth on a fight. They give you options that character type wouldn't usually have. You can also use oils (vestments, Greater magic weapon, etc) if you still need to crank numbers without cranking wealth.

I still have a lot of crunching to do, but I knew a +5 vest was going to pump his saves too high for the party to reasonably deal with. However, trying to find a vest with a reasonable bonus is still a nice addition that I had completely forgotten about.

I have been looking into using some relics, but it looks like I would need to either make custom versions for his diety (Red Knight), or reskin a preexisting version that is close enough. I've also been looking into possibly using legacy items similar for plot hook reasons. The only issue I have is that legacy items are usually not worth the costs and penalties from what I understand.

[Biggus]

I am just giving him the standard NPC gear values. He is currently CR15, but he may end up going all the way to 21 before the party decides to finally confront him. I figured I'd add anything that was too expensive now to the list of possible upgrades in the future.

OK, so we're looking at between 59,000GP and 240,000GP. In that case:

Cloak of Cha: improves his saves and smiting, 4,000-36,000GP

Weapon and armour crystals (MIC): can get some nice bonuses cheaply, 100-10,000GP

Bracers of Murder (DotU) and Rogue's Vest (MIC): improve your sneak attacks 8,000GP/18,000GP

Horned Helm (MIC): extra attack for just 8,000GP

What weapons/combat style is he going to use? Also, if you do advance him past level 15, what class(es) are you planning to give him?

[Bromley20]

What weapons/combat style is he going to use? Also, if you do advance him past level 15, what class(es) are you planning to give him?

So far, he isn't super specialized into using 1 specific weapon type. He has mostly used a greatsword, or longsword/dagger/handaxe + heavy shield. Over the course of the campaign so far, he has lost all his gear twice. Most the gear he uses is whatever he loots or steals during his travels, so I'm pretty open to any sort of melee weapon that doesn't require a huge feat chain to be useful.

When it comes to classes to throw him into, I'm not 100% sure yet. Ur-Priest makes the most sense thematically for his goals. He is a desperate guy who has already lost most of his former allies, his paladin abilities, and his reputation, so turning to stealing power directly from the gods that he believes have abandoned him would fit. The first problem is, if I am understanding this class correctly, he would need to effectively nerf himself by somehow losing blackguard spellcasting in order to qualify. Since he needs a way to cast Resurrection or better (unless there is some other spell that can revive without a body after a year of being dead), which would force him up to CR 25ish before he is able to cast that himself. He would have plenty of time as a lich to gain power and whatnot, but I don't think the party would sit by until he is at full strength.

The other class I've been looking at is Avenging Executioner. It is mainly to give him a few extra abilities before the party shows up that won't reduce his power, it is easier to qualify for with the current build, and it fits the general revenge theme. It wouldn't directly make much progress on the personal goal front though, which is why I am somewhat hesitant to go with it. I could always have him go on the hunt for artifacts that can replicate the resurrection effect, or start making deals with (or enslaving) outsiders that have wish SLAs.

I am open to suggestions for other classes if you have any. So far, I am leaning toward just throwing him into Ur-Priest and removing the Blackguard casting to qualify.

[Biggus]

Since he needs a way to cast Resurrection or better (unless there is some other spell that can revive without a body after a year of being dead), which would force him up to CR 25ish before he is able to cast that himself.

One straightforward way to be able to cast Resurrection fairly soon is to take 2-3 Rogue levels and spend all your skill points on UMD, then cast it from a scroll. Spellsight Spectacles (MIC) can help with this, +5 UMD for scrolls for only 2,500GP, and a scroll of Divine Insight (SpC) gives +8 to a single skill check. There's also Guidance of the Avatar (online) if you allow it in your games (I don't).

I'll have a think about the other stuff. What feats does he have other than Practised Spellcaster?

[Bromley20]

I'll have a think about the other stuff. What feats does he have other than Practised Spellcaster?

Human Bonus Feat: Power Attack
1: Cleave
3: Improved Sunder
6: Craft Wondrous Item
9: Practiced Spellcaster
12: Apostate (Free to change)
15: Evil's Blessing (Free to change)
18: Anything

[Biggus]

12: Apostate (Free to change)
15: Evil's Blessing (Free to change)

Both these are save-boosting feats. While they're certainly thematic for the character you described, earlier in the thread you said his saves might be too high if you gave him a +5 cloak of resistance, so using two feat slots to further improve his (presumably already good) saves seems a bit excessive.

As for what to give him instead, at least one divine feat seems like a good idea. Divine Might would be the obvious one (I'm assuming his Cha is fairly high, if not maybe Divine Vigor).

What I've been trying to get at with my questions is what he's intended to be able to do in order to better make suitable suggestions for items, but it seems he doesn't have any particular focus yet. Do you have any thoughts? I'm guessing he's primarily a melee combatant, as opposed to ranged or magical?

In the meantime, here are a couple of general item lists you might find helpful:

"Necessary" magic items: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...ry-Magic-Items

Troacctid's list of useful items by price: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...5Lg/edit#gid=0

[ShurikVch]

It may be a bit late, but some more item stuff:

Ravenous weapon:

For example, Xokarus the blackguard makes three attacks with his +1 ravenous greataxe, hitting Andril the paladin all three times. The fi rst attack deals normal damage, while the second and third attacks each deal an extra 2d6 points of slashing damage.

+2

Unholy Surge weapon:

Unholy surge weapons carry the power of pure evil within them, and their wielders use this energy to deal extra damage to good foes. Blackguards, thugs, and other servants of evil prize these weapons for their insidious ability to deliver a significant amount of harm to a good creature with just a few blows.

Was +2,000 gp, but updated in the Magic Item Compendium as +1

Armor of the Watching Master item set:

DC 25: Stories persist that the founder of the organization was the first to fall from grace, and that she returned from the planes tainted by evil. The stories don't say how she managed to hide this from other members of the Watchful Eyes or why she founded the group, but supposedly the dark side of the Watchful Eyes persists as a cultlike order of barbarians and blackguards who wear pieces of the armor of the watching master as a sign of their devotion to the cult.

The items in the set are:
Breastplate of Terror - +1 adamantine breastplate which grants DR 2/- and allow to frighten foe 1/day (or shaken - if successful Will save); 13,200 gp
Gauntlets of Destruction - masterwork spiked gauntlets which grant +2 enhancement on Str, and 3/day allow to treat attack as adamantine; 6,610 gp
Helm of Wounding Sight - Light at will, and 3/day blinding fire cone (60', 2d6 fire, blind - or dazzled, if successful Ref save); 6,500 gp
Mask of Mastery - +5 competence on Intimidate checks, and allow to use Command 1/day; 3,500 gp

Collection Benefits:
2 pieces - +2 on Initiative checks
4 pieces - +5 on Spot checks, and 1/day allows to See Invisibility for 3 min.


From the 3rd-party The Blackguard Portfolio:

Weapons
Backstabbing - +1d6 on Sneak Attack; +1
Exalted Bane (against any Good - not just [exalted]); +2
Incisive - wound bleeds for 10 rounds, amount of hp damage is equal to the weapon's enhancement bonus; +2

Armor
Profane Defense - +2 AC vs attacks of Good creatures; +2

[Bromley20]

What I've been trying to get at with my questions is what he's intended to be able to do in order to better make suitable suggestions for items, but it seems he doesn't have any particular focus yet. Do you have any thoughts? I'm guessing he's primarily a melee combatant, as opposed to ranged or magical?

His main focus isn't really combat, I've been running him as a wannabe warlord of sorts who is mainly focused around manipulating others. He has a rather small group of followers remaining who handle most of the combat side of stuff while he attempts to negotiate with, intimidate, or trick leaders of settlements, librarians, etc, in order to avoid conflict if possible. If he can't talk his way into getting access to information he needs, he will lead a night time raid on libraries or archives to steal the books and tomes inside (using an enveloping pit to store them). He also targets anyone who is rumored to have any magical abilities or relevant knowledge to either interrogate/torture them for the info, or recruit them. He has an Amulet of Deception (DR 319) with a copy of his wife's portrait in it to mess with scrying attempts a little bit. He has max ranks in Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive and 20 CHA (which will increase to 22 once he turns into a lich) He has started using spells like Love's Pain, Rotting Curse of Urfestra, and Absorb Mind + Profession(Executioner) to get info out of his prisoners if general questioning and intimidation doesn't work.

In terms of combat potential, he primarily focuses on self buffs and melee combat. I've been using spells like Divine Sacrifice, Devastating Smite, or Meteoric Strike (pre blackguard) to throw out a lot of damage with whatever weapons he has had access to. Now that he is a Blackguard, I've given him a blackguard's blade to boost his smite abilities vs the party now that his spell list has changed and no longer has access to Meteoric Strike. After thinking about his general style so far, I may throw him into a White Raven Warblade path if I decide to include more minions in the encounter with him. I have a minimum of a few months to refine the last few levels before I expect the party to begin preparing to confront him, so I'm not super rushed with the decision yet.

It may be a bit late, but some more item stuff:

Ravenous weapon

Unholy Surge weapon

Armor of the Watching Master item set

The Blackguard Portfolio stuff

Oh nice finds there! Ravenous and Unholy Surge both look like they would be useful for different situations. I hadn't heard of Ravenous before and completely forgot about the synergy upgrades from MIC. I was apparently too busy looking at mechanical effects that I never really read through the lore section of the Watching Master set. There are apparently more items than I thought that reference blackguards. I'll have to look into the Blackguard Portfolio too. It sounds like a decent 3rd party book for inspiration if nothing else.