A writeup of the evil quasi-demon lords from Ultima 5, for my Britannia 3E game.
This is about the closest you'll get to a demon prince or archdevil IMC, so I want it to be good. OTOH I also want it to be a feasible opponent for a non-epic party, so there's a balancing act going on there. (In U5 you were supposed to defeat the shadowlords as part of completing the game; and in any case I'm not a huge fan of unkillable deities.)
Is CR 21 about right for this thing? A balor or pit fiend is CR 20, so this should be a little bit tougher.
There are three shadowlords, one each for Deception, Fear and Hatred, but they're all basically the same.
(Spoilers added cos my players haven't met this guy yet.)
This is about the closest you'll get to a demon prince or archdevil IMC, so I want it to be good. OTOH I also want it to be a feasible opponent for a non-epic party, so there's a balancing act going on there. (In U5 you were supposed to defeat the shadowlords as part of completing the game; and in any case I'm not a huge fan of unkillable deities.)
Is CR 21 about right for this thing? A balor or pit fiend is CR 20, so this should be a little bit tougher.
There are three shadowlords, one each for Deception, Fear and Hatred, but they're all basically the same.
(Spoilers added cos my players haven't met this guy yet.)
Faulinei, Shadowlord of Deception
CR 21; Large Outsider (incorporeal, spirit, evil); HD 25d8+200 (325 hp); Init +14; Spd Fly 100 ft (good); AC 38 (touch 38, flat-footed 28); BAB +25; Grap —; Atk +35 incorporeal touch (3d6 plus energy drain plus touch of the shadow, incorporeal touch); S/R 10 ft/10 ft; SA Touch of the shadow, create spawn, possession, whispering lies, fear aura, spell-like abilities; SQ DR 15/—, SR 30, lifesense 60 ft, fast healing 10, dark insight, darkvision 120 ft, resistances, telepathy, incorporeal traits, outsider traits; AL NE; SV Fort +28, Ref +28, Will +29; Str —, Dex 30, Con 26, Int 21, Wis 29, Cha 30.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +35, Concentration +35, Diplomacy +35, Hide +40, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (arcana) +30, Knowledge (religion and philosophy) +30, Knowledge (spirits and planes) +30, Listen +39, Sense Motive +35, Spellcraft +30, Spot +39, Tumble +35, Ability Focus (possession), Ability Focus (whispering lies), Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Flyby Attack, Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch).
SA — Spell-Like Abilities: At will — animate dead, detect good, dimension door (self only), ethereal jaunt, fireball (DC 23), greater dispelling, magic missile, polar ray, ray of exhaustion (DC 23), scorching ray, unholy blight (DC 24), telekinesis (DC 25); 3/day — black tentacles, cloudkill (DC 25), finger of death (DC 28), horrid wilting (DC 28), nightmare (DC 25), power word stun, wall of force; 1/day — blasphemy (DC 27), meteor swarm (DC 28), wail of the banshee (DC 29). Caster level 20th.
SA — Whispering Lies (Su): Faulinei radiates an invisible aura that fills all enemies within 30 ft with self-doubt and uncertainty, causing them to suffer a –2 penalty to attacks, damage, saves, ability checks and skill checks. This lasts as long as they remain within 30 ft of him, and for 1d6 minutes afterwards. Will negates DC 34. This is a mind-affecting effect. A dispel evil or limited wish cast on the target, followed by a successful DC 25 caster level check, ends the effect.
A partial avatar of Honesty is immune to Faulinei’s whispering lies. A partial avatar of Justice, Honor or Spirituality gains a +4 sacred bonus to their save against this ability.
SA — Possession (Su): Once per round, Faulinei can merge his body with a creature on the Material Plane. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 25th), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, he must move into the target’s space; moving into the target’s space to use the possession ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save (DC 34). A creature that successfully saves is immune to Faulinei’s possession for 24 hours, and he cannot enter the target’s space. If the save fails, he vanishes into the target’s body. A dispel evil or limited wish cast on the target, followed by a successful DC 25 caster level check, ends the possession effect.
A partial avatar of Honesty is immune to Faulinei’s possession. A partial avatar of Justice, Honor or Spirituality gains a +4 sacred bonus to their save against this ability.
SA — Energy Drain (Su): 4 negative levels, Fort save DC 32 to remove a negative level. Faulinei gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level bestowed.
SA — Touch of the Shadow (Su): 4d6 permanent Con drain, Fort negates DC 32. This is a death effect.
SA — Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid slain by Faulinei’s energy drain or touch of the shadow rises as a vampire in 1d4 rounds, under his control.
SA — Fear Aura (Su): 30 ft radius, enemies with 4 or fewer HD panicked for 4d6 rounds, those with 5 or more HD shaken for 4d6 rounds. Will negates DC 32. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.
SQ — Aura of Shadow (Sp): Faulinei is continually surrounded by a halo of flickering darkness. This combines the effects of the death ward and unholy aura spells (caster level 20th, Fort save DC 28 to negate the Strength damage). The aura can be dispelled, but he can reactivate it on his turn as a free action.
SQ — Dark Insight (Ex): Faulinei adds his Wisdom modifier as an insight bonus to his AC (already figured into the stats above).
SQ — Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense Faulinei’s unnatural presence at a distance of 100 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
SQ — Resistances (Ex): Acid and electricity resistance 10; cold, fire and poison immunity.
CR 21; Large Outsider (incorporeal, spirit, evil); HD 25d8+200 (325 hp); Init +14; Spd Fly 100 ft (good); AC 38 (touch 38, flat-footed 28); BAB +25; Grap —; Atk +35 incorporeal touch (3d6 plus energy drain plus touch of the shadow, incorporeal touch); S/R 10 ft/10 ft; SA Touch of the shadow, create spawn, possession, whispering lies, fear aura, spell-like abilities; SQ DR 15/—, SR 30, lifesense 60 ft, fast healing 10, dark insight, darkvision 120 ft, resistances, telepathy, incorporeal traits, outsider traits; AL NE; SV Fort +28, Ref +28, Will +29; Str —, Dex 30, Con 26, Int 21, Wis 29, Cha 30.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +35, Concentration +35, Diplomacy +35, Hide +40, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (arcana) +30, Knowledge (religion and philosophy) +30, Knowledge (spirits and planes) +30, Listen +39, Sense Motive +35, Spellcraft +30, Spot +39, Tumble +35, Ability Focus (possession), Ability Focus (whispering lies), Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Flyby Attack, Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch).
SA — Spell-Like Abilities: At will — animate dead, detect good, dimension door (self only), ethereal jaunt, fireball (DC 23), greater dispelling, magic missile, polar ray, ray of exhaustion (DC 23), scorching ray, unholy blight (DC 24), telekinesis (DC 25); 3/day — black tentacles, cloudkill (DC 25), finger of death (DC 28), horrid wilting (DC 28), nightmare (DC 25), power word stun, wall of force; 1/day — blasphemy (DC 27), meteor swarm (DC 28), wail of the banshee (DC 29). Caster level 20th.
SA — Whispering Lies (Su): Faulinei radiates an invisible aura that fills all enemies within 30 ft with self-doubt and uncertainty, causing them to suffer a –2 penalty to attacks, damage, saves, ability checks and skill checks. This lasts as long as they remain within 30 ft of him, and for 1d6 minutes afterwards. Will negates DC 34. This is a mind-affecting effect. A dispel evil or limited wish cast on the target, followed by a successful DC 25 caster level check, ends the effect.
A partial avatar of Honesty is immune to Faulinei’s whispering lies. A partial avatar of Justice, Honor or Spirituality gains a +4 sacred bonus to their save against this ability.
SA — Possession (Su): Once per round, Faulinei can merge his body with a creature on the Material Plane. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 25th), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, he must move into the target’s space; moving into the target’s space to use the possession ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save (DC 34). A creature that successfully saves is immune to Faulinei’s possession for 24 hours, and he cannot enter the target’s space. If the save fails, he vanishes into the target’s body. A dispel evil or limited wish cast on the target, followed by a successful DC 25 caster level check, ends the possession effect.
A partial avatar of Honesty is immune to Faulinei’s possession. A partial avatar of Justice, Honor or Spirituality gains a +4 sacred bonus to their save against this ability.
SA — Energy Drain (Su): 4 negative levels, Fort save DC 32 to remove a negative level. Faulinei gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level bestowed.
SA — Touch of the Shadow (Su): 4d6 permanent Con drain, Fort negates DC 32. This is a death effect.
SA — Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid slain by Faulinei’s energy drain or touch of the shadow rises as a vampire in 1d4 rounds, under his control.
SA — Fear Aura (Su): 30 ft radius, enemies with 4 or fewer HD panicked for 4d6 rounds, those with 5 or more HD shaken for 4d6 rounds. Will negates DC 32. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.
SQ — Aura of Shadow (Sp): Faulinei is continually surrounded by a halo of flickering darkness. This combines the effects of the death ward and unholy aura spells (caster level 20th, Fort save DC 28 to negate the Strength damage). The aura can be dispelled, but he can reactivate it on his turn as a free action.
SQ — Dark Insight (Ex): Faulinei adds his Wisdom modifier as an insight bonus to his AC (already figured into the stats above).
SQ — Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense Faulinei’s unnatural presence at a distance of 100 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
SQ — Resistances (Ex): Acid and electricity resistance 10; cold, fire and poison immunity.
of course, you never really knew just how HARD they were to beat until you had fought one a couple of times...
