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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 8519697" data-attributes="member: 20323">I'm at the place in our campaign where I need to start thinking about one of the villains connected to 2 PCs backstories: Flaviatticus the alchemist. I could use help figuring out how to stat him up...A few quick facts I've established about the villain:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flaviatticus was a decrepit old alchemist in the Pax Imperica (chaotic evil "Roman Empire"). The setting of the game borrows a lot from Ancient Egypt.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He belonged to a prestigious order, the Arx Arcanus, seeking to unlock the secrets of eternal life, the universe, and self perfection through a mix of the occult & early science.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The order's secret task was sustaining the life of the immortal emperor, but the emperor is pretty odious, and longer the emperor lives the harder it becomes to keep him alive. Thus, Flaviatticus was always looking for ways to ingratiate himself to the emperor while getting out from underneath the emperor's thumb.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He was a callous slave owner who once kept the minotaur PC as a slave.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He was a rival to the warlock PC whose research he sabotaged (leading to the horrific mutation of the warlock PC) and stole for his own. However, he still hasn't unlocked the secret to eternal life, and has traveled to "Ancient Egypt" to seek out clues about it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flaviatticus used the stolen research to wind back the clock on his life, gaining brilliant health, handsomeness, and sharpness of mind. However, this transformation isn't permanent and periodically he reverts back to his decrepit form struggling with senility.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He's a very cunning adversary who seeks things to gain arcane familiarity to those he seeks to control or anticipates getting into conflict with (e.g. blood, heirs, fingernail clippings, psychically close objects).</li> </ul>I've looked over the Artificer's Alchemist subclass and found it really uninspiring with strange spell list and fiddly abilities that don't translate well to a NPC stat block. So far, I've statted up some of his minions / colleagues as CR 5 alchemists (see below), so my hunch is Flaviatticus would probably be roughly in the CR 6 to 10 range. However, I'm struggling figuring out what unique things a master alchemist like Flaviatticus can do.Any suggestions of resources I should look at for designing this NPC? Other monsters/NPCs/subclasses I should look to for inspiration?-----------------------------His minions/colleagues...NPC: Arx Arcanus AlchemistMedium humanoid (any), anyArmor Class 11Hit Points 65 (10d8+20)Speed 30 ft.STR    DEX    CON       INT     WIS    CHA8 (-1)    12 (+1)    14 (+2)   18 (+4)    13 (+1)   13 (+1)Saving Throws Con +5, Int +7Damage Resistances poisonSkills Arcana +7, Investigation +7, Medicine +4, Nature +7Senses passive Perception 11Languages Common, Pax Imperican, plus two moreChallenge 5 (1,800 XP)Alchemical Cunning. The alchemist can use an alchemical item as a bonus action, and applies it proficiency bonus to attacks with alchemical items that function as improvised weapons.Spellcasting. The alchemist is a 13th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (+7 to hit with spell attacks, spell save DC 15). It has the following wizard spells prepared:Cantrips: guidance, resistance, spare the dying1st level (4 slots): absorb elements, catapult, grease2nd level (3 slots): alter self, darkvision, pyrotechnics3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, revivify4th level (1 slot): elemental bane, stoneskinActionsDagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 10/30 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage.Aqua Regia. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) acid damage.Liquid Fire. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) fire damage, and the target is lit aflame, taking 5 (2d4) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can use its action to makea  DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to extinguish the flames. Water will not douse the flames.Rust Monster Enzyme. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: Any nonmagical metal weapon on the target takes a -1d4 penalty to damage, and any nonmagical metal armor worn by the target suffers a 1d4 reduction to the AC it offers.Arcane Bomb. The alchemist lights the bomb and throws it at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 5 feet of that point must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) fire damage plus an extra 1d6 force damage per spell slot expended.Essence of Ether. A creature within 5 feet must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature falls unconscious. It wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake. Glitterdust. The alchemist throws an orb at a point it up to 30 feet away. All creatures within 5-foot-radius sphere of that point are covered in glitterdust. Invisible creatures becoming visible for 1 minute or until the glitterdust is washed off with water. Each creature must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn.-----------------------------Visual inspiration (old / young)...<img src="https://i.imgur.com/hLxh3SG.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></blockquote>

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