| Orgone Accumulator
Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 916
| Rethinking Graz’zt
One of my great weaknesses is that I tinker. Constantly. As soon as DDg was released, ideas started forming in my mind again about Graz’zt, the main BBEG in the campaign, and how to portray him – I had long contemplated Scott Greene’s Creature Catalogue rendering.
Then the ELH came out, and I thought “Hmmm…”
Finally, with the release of the BoVD, I threw up my hands and went “AAAARGGHHH.”
Do I give him DR0? DR1? Epic Spells? The Paragon template? Do I leave him as is as per BoVD?
It is inevitable that the characters in my game will eventually face him, and he is a fitting climax to a long and – what for me, at least – has been the best campaign that I have ever refereed. The question is when. At what level do I want the characters to be ready for such a challenge? I remain flexible on that question, because, ultimately, I don’t know how long the campaign will last, or even if – assuming the translation to “Epic” levels occurs – whether I can sustain an Epic plotline which goes further and deeper than the one already underway.
So this is Graz’zt. I hesitate to say ‘final version,’ but I think that any further changes will be cosmetic. He’s pretty much based on the BoVD – although I liked Monte’s version, I felt that it was somewhat underpowered. I’ve added 24 integrated Sorcerer levels, and tweaked the skills and feats a little. I’ve also bumped up his weapon and shield a notch.
And added the Archfiend Qualities, of course.
CR 30 is based on Upper_Krust’s system, although I think he’s modified it a dozen or more times since I calculated it for Graz’zt. I’m guessing that in his Sanctum, he’s probably CR 38 or thereabouts.
GRAZ’ZT(Demon Prince)
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)
Hit Bice: 36d8 +324 (486hp)
Initiative: +14
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 45 (-1 size, +10 Dex, +6 insight, +13 natural, +7 shield), touch 25, flat-footed 35
Attacks: +5 acidic burst keen unholy greatsword +48/+43/+38/+33
Damage: +5 acidic burst keen unholy greatsword 2d6+13/15-20 plus 2d6 acid plus 1 vile
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Fear, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Archfiend qualities, DR 15/+6, fast healing 5, item master, outsider traits, see invisibility, SR 38, summon tanar’ri, tanar’ri traits
Saves: Fort +29, Ref +32, Will +26
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 30, Con 28, Int 35, Wis 22, Cha 39
Skills: Balance +49, Bluff +50, Climb +25, Concentration +45, Diplomacy +53, Disguise +45, Forgery +48, Gather Information +50, Hide +41, Intimidate +54, Jump +11, Knowledge (Arcana) +48, Knowledge (History) +30, Knowledge (Religion) +30, Knowledge (The Planes) +48, Listen +42, Move Silently +40, Scry +48, Search +47, Sense Motive +42, Spellcraft +51, Spot +42, Tumble +40
Feats: Dark Speech, Epic Spellcasting, Empower Spell-Like Ability, Expertise, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Vile Martial Strike (greatsword), Violate Spell-Like Ability, Weapon Focus (greatsword).
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Graz’zt plus 6 lamias, succubi or mariliths
Challenge Rating: 30
Treasure: Quadruple Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: -
Fear (Su): With a sneer and a word (free action), Graz’zt can invoke a fear effect (Will DC 42 negates) at will.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will – blasphemy, charm monster, damning darkness, darkbolt, deeper darkness, demand, desecrate, detect good, detect law, detect thoughts, discern location, eyebite, insanity, Graz’zt’s long grasp, greater dispelling, magic missile, mass charm, mirror image, suggestion, telekinesis, teleport without error, tongues (self only), unhallow, unholy aura, unholy blight, wall of iron, water breathing, wretched blight. 2/day – dominate person, polymorph other, polymorph any object; 1/day – disintegrate, trap the soul, shapechange, veil. Save DCs are 24 + spell level.
Spells: Graz’zt casts spells as a 24th level sorcerer.
Spells Known: (6/10/10/9/9/9/9/8/8/8 per day; save DC 24 + spell level)
0 Level: acid splash, daze, ghost sound, disrupt undead, mage hand, no light, arcane mark, prestidigitation, slash tongue
1st Level: darklight, identify, know protections, nether trail, corrosive grasp
2nd Level: obscure object, whispering wind, unheavened, sap strength, sadism
3rd Level: arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, glimpse of truth, haste
4th Level: bestow curse, dimensional anchor, polymorph self, scrying
5th level: call nightmare, dismissal, imprison possessor, permanency
6th level: acid storm, gate seal, snare astral traveller
7th level: forcecage, simulacrum, vision
8th Level: binding, horrid wilting, symbol
9th Level: astral projection, gate, wail of the banshee
Epic Spells: These include, but are not limited to, Crown of Vermin, Nailed to the Sky, Rain of Acid, Soul Scry, Wave of Hate. Graz’zt may cast three epic spells per day, and may use the Dark Subsumption rite to mitigate against spell DCs.
Fast Healing (Ex): Graz’zt regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. Fast healing does not allow Graz’zt to regrow or reattach lost body parts.
Item Master (Ex): Graz’zt can use any magic item, even spell completion items such as wands and scrolls.
Outsider Traits: Graz’zt has darkvision (60-foot range). He cannot be raised or resurrected.
Summon Tanar’ri: Once per day Graz’zt can automatically summon 1d2+1 glabrezu or 1d2 balors.
Tanar’ri Traits: Graz’zt can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language. He is immune to electricity and poison, and has acid, cold and fire resistance 20.
Archfiend Qualities (Sp): These qualities are continually in effect upon Graz’zt’s person – see invisibility, detect magic, true seeing, freedom of movement, mind blank, protection from spells, foresight, antipathy toward all good-aligned creatures, and sympathy towards all evilly aligned creatures. Caster level is 20th, where applicable. These qualities may be dispelled, but can be resumed as a free action. Graz’zt is also considered to have an experience point cushion of 15,000 xp per week when casting spells which have an xp component.
Facilitate Translation (Sp): as a Demon Prince, Graz’zt can open a special Gate to allow other fiends to soujourn upon the Prime Plane, contrary to the usual limitations which apply to lower planar creatures. Opening such a Gate is a full-round action, requires 5000 xp, and the Demon Prince must subsequently rest 1 hour for every Hit Dice of the translating creature(s), during which time his arcane spellcasting abilities are unavailable to him, and he is effectively fatigued. No more than 24HD of creatures may be translated, and no single creature of more than 16HD may be affected. Graz’zt himself may not enter the Prime unless called.
Redoubt of Evil: When present in his sanctum in Azzagrat (in the Abyss), Graz’zt is considered to have an effective divine rank of 1 with the portfolio of secrets and pain, and the domains of evil, knowledge and pain. He gains the following benefits:
* Graz’zt’s hit points increase to 612 (maximum per die).
* His speed doubles to 80 ft.
* His Charisma increases from 39 to 40.
* Graz’zt’s natural armour bonus increases to +14, he gains a deflection bonus to his AC of +15, and a divine AC bonus of +1. Total AC increases to 62.
* He gains a +1 divine bonus on all attack rolls, and does not automatically fail on a natural attack roll of 1.
* Graz’zt gains a +1 divine bonus on all saving throws. He does not automatically fail on a natural saving throw roll of 1.
* All of Graz’zt’s skill checks gain a divine bonus of +1, and Charisma based skill checks gain an additional +1 due to ability increase. Caster level checks gain a divine bonus of +1.
* He benefits from divine immunities to transmutation (polymorphing, petrification or any other attack that would alter his form), energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, and mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects). He gains immunity to cold and acid, disease, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects and disintegration. He is not subject to death from massive damage.
* Graz’zt gains additional damage reduction of 36/+4 – this overlaps with his existing DR, and he gains the benefit of the best damage reduction in a given situation.
* Saving throw DCs for Graz’zt’s usual spells and spell-like abilities increase to 25 + spell level.
* In addition, Graz’zt gains the following extra spell-like abilities usable at will as an 11th level caster: angry ache, clairaudience/clairvoyance, create undead, detect secret doors, dispel good, divination, eternity of torture, find the path, legend lore, liquid pain, magic circle against good, pox, protection from good, sadism, summon monster IX (evil creatures only), symbol of pain, thousand needles, true seeing, wave of pain, wrack. Saving throw DCs for these spell-like abilities are 26 + spell level.
* He gains the benefits of the domain powers of evil, pain and knowledge: all evil spells and all divinations are cast at +1 caster level, and once per day he can convert damage that he deals in one blow into healing for himself.
* Graz’zt’s senses (including darkvision) extend to a distance of one mile.
* He gains the benefit of remote sensing. As a standard action, Graz’zt can perceive everything within a radius of one mile around any shrines or sites dedicated to him. This supernatural effect may also be centered on any place where someone speaks Graz’zt’s name for up to 1 hour after his name is spoken, and at any location where an event related to his portfolio occurs. He may view two locations at once. He can block the sensing of other deities or entities of divine rank 1 or lower within the same areas.
* Graz’zt automatically senses any event which involves his portfolio and more than one thousand people.
* When making a skill check related to his portfolio with a DC of 15 or less, Graz’zt can perform it as a free action. He may make one such check per round as a free action.
* Graz’zt may create any magic item related to his portfolio with a market price of 4,500 gp or less.
* Graz’zt has a divine aura extending up to 10 ft. Mortals and beings of less than divine rank 1 must make a successful Will save (DC 26) to resist this effect. Beings of divine rank 1 or higher are immune to this effect.
* Graz’zt may use remote communication to any of those who venerate him, and to anyone within one mile of a site dedicated to him.
* Graz’zt gains the Salient Divine Abilities of Lay Curse and Know Secrets.
Graz’zt’s sanctum is considered to be a Godly Realm.
Possessions: Graz’zt wields a wavy-bladed +5 acidic burst keen unholy greatsword and a +5 demonmight warded large steel shield. |
He's got a novel to write and a sourcebook to publish now?
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