Tainted Scholar build: sample NPC
Waldo
Horror:
There was general agreement that the Tainted Scholar was badly broken,
but we didn't really go into details.
Well, just for the hell of it, here's a Tainted Scholar build. It's
based on the sample TS from page 118 of Heroes of Horror. The only
differences are (1) ability scores rearranged a bit (same point value)
and (2) they gave him minimal taint, while I've cranked it up to near
the max... which is, after all, what any sensible Tainted Scholar
would do. More taint gives some disabilities, but the payoffs are
ridiculous.
So:
Doctor Abraxas
Human Wizard 5 / Tainted Scholar 2
NE Medium humanoid
Init +0 Listen -1 Spot -1
AC 16, touch 15, flat-footed 15
Weaknesses: severe phobia (cramped quarters), winded (staggered on
third and subsequent rounds of combat), chronic illness (-3 Fort)
HP 28 (7 HD)
Fort +0, Ref -1, Will +9
Base Atk +3, Grapple +2
Attack options: blood component (1 hp for +1 CL), blooded metamagic
(spontaneously use Con damage instead of higher spell slots),
Debilitating Spell 2/day (spell deals extra 2 Con or Wis damage to one
target) Surge of malevolence 1/day (+6 to one attack roll, save, or
check), Empower Spell, Still Spell
Combat gear: masterwork quarterstaff, wand of Magic Missiles (50
charges)
Wizard spells prepared (CL 7th):
4th -- Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer x2 (DC
25)
3rd -- Dispel magic x2, Fireball (DC 24), Lightning Bolt (DC 24),
Suggestion (DC 24)
2nd -- Alter self, Blur, Glitterdust (DC 23), Scorching Ray (+3 ranged
touch), Touch of Idiocy (+2 melee touch, DC 23), Web (DC 23)
1st -- Cause Fear (DC 22), Charm Person (DC 22), Expeditious Retreat,
Protection From Good, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement
Corruption 22 (moderate
Depravity 48 (severe)
Feats: Awareness (from familiar), Debilitating Spell, Empower Spell,
Leadership, Scribe Scroll, Still Spell, Surge of Malevolence
Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 10
Possessions: combat gear plus amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of
resistance +1, ring of protection +1
* * * * *
"Dr. Abraxas" is obviously a nom de crime. I'd play this guy as your
basic evil mad scientist -- they laughed at him at the Academy! -- but
season to taste.
Tainted Scholars get bonus spells based on Depravity/2 +10. That
means the good doctor gets bonus spells as if he had an Int of -- take
a deep breath, now -- 34. So, he gets 3 bonus spells each for 1st
through 4th level, giving him 7/6/5/4 spells.
Now, saves against a Tainted Scholar's magic are 10 + spell level +
Corruption/2. That works out to 21 + spell level. Not bad. Not bad.
The Doctor has invested in the Leadership feat so that he can take a
5th level cleric as a cohort. This is a bit of a strain on the
Doctor, as he has to restrain his natural tendencies towards arrogance
and abuse -- he can just barely support a 5th level cohort. But he
needs the cleric to cast Remove Curse and Cure Disease to keep his
taint scores in check -- remember, he can add taint every time he
casts a spell. The cohort, a half-orc, believes he's been assigned
to this job by [$EvilGod]; he doesn't love the Doctor, but respects
his power, and is as loyal as any other cohort.
If the Doctor is not taken by surprise, he's very dangerous. In a non-
combat situation he'll start with Suggestion and Charm, to split up
his enemies. If things get difficult, he'll cast Improved
Invisibility first, then pile in with Glitterdust and Web (if he wants
to take his enemies alive) or Phantasmal Killers and damage spells (if
he doesn't). He's formally CR 7, but the PrC is unbalanced enough
that he makes a decent CR 8 opponent, especially if his cleric cohort
is nearby.
Phantasmal Killers are save-or-die spells, and DC 25 Phantasmal
Killers are pretty dangerous for midlevel characters -- the average
7th level fighter, for instance, has about a 90% chance of dying. So
you may want to give PCs fair warning that they're facing something
unusual.
Thoughts?
Waldo
Gas Spore Paladin
> If the Doctor is not taken by surprise, he's very dangerous. In a non-
> combat situation he'll start with Suggestion and Charm, to split up
> his enemies. If things get difficult, he'll cast Improved
> Invisibility first, then pile in with Glitterdust and Web (if he wants
> to take his enemies alive) or Phantasmal Killers and damage spells (if
> he doesn't). He's formally CR 7, but the PrC is unbalanced enough
> that he makes a decent CR 8 opponent, especially if his cleric cohort
> is nearby.
>
> Waldo
Crikey! He seems very powerful for a 7th level character. Given the
advantage of home ground he could be dangerous to even a mid level
party
Nice!
Waldo
> Crikey! He seems very powerful for a 7th level character.
It's a broken PrC.
-- Really, it's even more broken than I'm showing here. I gave him
Corruption 22, which is only Moderate. If I were willing to give him
Severe Corruption, I could run that up to around 40. Which would
raise his spell DCs to around 30+ spell level.
And this character isn't minimaxed. If I were really trying to
munchkin out, I'd pump his Will and Con, give him booster items, and
crank his Depravity and Corruption into the 50s. Easy-peasy.
That eventually hits a wall of diminishing returns, mind. Getting 6
bonus first level spells is not much better than getting 5, and spell
DCs beyond 40 blur into "anything without spell resistance or immunity
needs a 20".
Still, it's totally possible to build a 7th level character with over
30 spell slots and DCs that no non-Epic opponent can save against.
> Given the
> advantage of home ground he could be dangerous to even a mid level
> party
Even with DCs in the mid-20s, it's pretty devastating. DC 25
Phantasmal Killer is just sick; that has an excellent chance of
killing any 7th level character on the spot. DC 24 Suggestion causes
the party rogue or tank to switch sides on the spot, while DC 23
Glitterdust is something like Mass Blindness. It's just nasty.
Mind, this PrC would be a huge PITA to actually play. Your taint
level is constantly fluctuating: you have to make a Will save or you
gain a point every time you cast a spell, then you have your cleric
cohort whittle it down again. This means your bonus spell slots and
spell DCs are also fluctuating! Have fun keeping track of that.
But as an NPC, it has some potential.
> Nice!
We try. N.B., I have reservations about the taint mechanism, but IMO
it works in this context.
Waldo