Help my players hate me! (My players stay out.)

[carpedavid]

My players have recently stumbled into a bit of a conspiracy, most of which they have yet to figure out. It involves my campaign's church of chaos, a very big grudge between the local head of said church and the king, and some very, very big stone golems in the shape of 100 ft tall griffins.

In the middle are the PCs and a bunch of mid-level bad guys who all work for the head bad guy. The PCs are rapidly involving the local constublary and local churches, and Very Bad Things are going to start soon.

Recently, the PCs killed one of the Big Bad Guy's lieutenants - a dragon named Blackfang - shortly after the lieutenant summoned a demon. The BBG is not happy, and has called out his assassins.

The first attack was by a bunch of low level rogues supported by a mage. They succeded in killing off one PC and one NPC, but didn't quite manage to slay everyone else before they themselves were defeated.

The BBG is not finished with the PCs, though, and has sent the next round of assasins after them, which is where I need help. The next assassin I have in mind is a phase spider with levels in Rogue. What kinds of strategies/buffing should he employ to make himself as effective an assassin as possible?

Thanks in advance for your help!

For reference, the group is currently comprised of:
Rgr 3/Rog 4/Custom Prestige Class 2
Brd 8
Fighter 7
Drd 3/Wiz 5
Clr 3

Here are his stats:

Edit 06/16: Updated stats to reflect suggestions below.

Edit 07/03: Updated stat block with buffed stats (in red). Added description.

Edit 07/04: Added setting fire MO to the Round-by-Round tactics section, and a Background and Long & Short Term Goals section.

Tillix Zlivanell
Male Phase Spider Rogue 3; CR 8; Large Magical Beast; HD 8; HP 94; Init +10 (+12) (+6 Dex (+8 Dex), +4 Improved Initiative); Spd Walk 40 ft, Climb 20 ft; AC 26 (+6 Dex, -1 Size, +3 Leather, +3 Natural Armor, +3 Ring of Protection), Flat Footed 26, Touch 18; BAB +7/+2; Grapple +15/+10; Att +12/+7 (+16/+11) melee (1d6+6 bite + poison); SQ Evasion, Ethereal Jaunt, Uncanny Dodge; SA Sneak Attack +2d6, Poison; SV Fort +10, Ref +13 (Ref +15), Will +4; Str 18, Dex 22 (Dex 26), Con 20, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 10

Skill and Feats: Balance +11 (+13), Climb +12, Disguise +6, Gather Information +2, Hide +2 (+4), Intimidate +6, Listen +8, Spot +8, Tumble +12 (+14), Use Magic Device +3; Improved Initiative, Virulent Poison, Weapon Finesse (Bite)

Posessions: Alchemist's Fire x3, Bag of Holding, Leather Armor +3, Potion of Cat's Grace x3, Potion of Cure Serious Wounds x3, Potion of Greater Magic Fang (caster level 6) x2, Potion of Protection from Arrows, Ring of Protection +3, Smokestick x3, Thunderstone x3

Special Abilities

Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A phase spider can shift from the Ethereal to the Material Plane as a free action, and shift back again as a move-equivalent action (or during a move-equivalent action). The ability is otherwise identical with ethereal jaunt cast by a 15th-level sorcerer.

Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 17); initial and secondary damage 2d6 temporary Constitution.

Round by Round Tactics
Prior to combat: consume potions of Cat's Grace, Greater Magic Fang, and Protection from Arrows. If possible, use Alchemist's Fire to set fire to building to create confusion.

1. Pick party member in the weakest position, phase in, and get sneak attack damage + poison, then phase back out.
2. Maneuver in ethereal plane to get better position. Consume healing potion if neccessary.
3. Repeat 1 and 2 until all PCs are dead, or until low on HP and out of healing potions. If the former, go to collect payment. If the latter, escape, buy more healing potions, and come back another day![/list=1]
   
   Description
   Tillix Zlivanell would be an example of an average, ordinary, phase spider assasin, if such a thing were commonplace. He has light gray fur over most of his body, though his abdomen is covered with a pattern of blue fur that is unique to his tribal bloodline. His eight shiny, black eyes reflect the startled visage of his victims as his massive jaws inject deadly venom into their flesh.
   
   Though his head and cephalothorax are made of chitin, his soft abdomen needs protection, so he wears large patches of cured leather held together with magically enhanced webbing. His potions are contained in baubles of webbing attached to the interior of his upper front legs. The flexible web harness provides protection for the valuable magic but offers quick and easy access in dire situations.
   
   A single wrought-iron Ring of Protection encircles the patella (the fourth segment) of his right front leg, just above the joint. His bag of holding hangs just below his cephalothorax, in a web sling. He uses the bag of holding to store his mundane items, as well as any body parts that his employers may require as proof of a successful job.
   
   Background
   Five years ago, Tillix was recruited by the Azure Hand, an assasin's guild founded in Ehryss that is dedicated to the overthrow of government. It is closely allied with the church of the god of chaos, though it's members need not be followers of the Dark God. He has been working as an assassin since.
   
   Long & Short Tem Goals
   As a native of the Spirit Plane, Tillix has no special desire to see the cause of the god of chaos advanced. In the short term, he simply desires to earn a decent living at something he enjoys. He also likes the company and the people he meets.
   
   His long term goal is to earn enough money to convince the parents of Mzzic Vizerra (a female phase spider from another tribe) to let him take her as a mate.

 

[Lela]

With the ability to go Ethereal on a whim, a Ring of Feather Fall isn't all that useful. With the 16 Int, the Spider would spend his gold on other places. If you want your players to have one, the keep it. Otherwise, you might consider putting the gold away and getting something else.

Assuming Blind-Fight isn't a bonus feat, you might consider droping it and taking Virulent Poisen (Savage Species) instead. It'll add +2 to the saving throw DC.

 

[Piratecat]

While you've got NPC stats here, you're looking for advice.. so I'll slide this over to Plots & Places. Hold tight!

 

[carpedavid]

With the ability to go Ethereal on a whim, a Ring of Feather Fall isn't all that useful. With the 16 Int, the Spider would spend his gold on other places. If you want your players to have one, the keep it. Otherwise, you might consider putting the gold away and getting something else.

Ah yes, I hadn't thought of that. Although it is a move-equivalent action to go ethereal, it probably would invest that money elsewhere... *begins looking through magic item descriptions*

Assuming Blind-Fight isn't a bonus feat, you might consider droping it and taking Virulent Poisen (Savage Species) instead. It'll add +2 to the saving throw DC.

Excellent. I'll have to look through Savage Species when I get home. Thanks Lela!

 

[carpedavid]

While you've got NPC stats here, you're looking for advice.. so I'll slide this over to Plots & Places. Hold tight!

Thanks, Piratecat! *hangs on for dear life*

 

[Polydamas]

1. Follow party to inn or some sort of dwelling place. Preferably made of something flamable. Wait for night to come.

2. Quietly bar (or lean large weights against) the doors

3. Start the place on fire

4. Quaff Potion of Endure Fire (or put on ring of Fire Resitance: Minor)

5. Phase in and out while the party tries to escape the inferno. Fun with sneak attacks. If your feeling cruel, hit them with tanglefoot bags. Don't forget the effect of smoke inhalation (good thing the phase spide can hold his breath when he phases in!)

Even if you don't get them then, they'll have lost alot of gear, maybe even some spellbooks. Which will make them easier prey later on....

If one of them dies, have the phase spider claim the body as "equipment" and phase off with it. Ahh, the look of horror on your players faces when they've forgotten about this encounter, only to find their comrade's corpse drained of blood in a place they thought safe...

 

[Polydamas]

A few more thoughts on the blazing building. Major factors include visibility as well as structural damage and collapse. A small building is more easily sealed off, while a larger one may be more fun with a mob of people trying to escape at once. Undoubtly some poor innocent is going to get trapped and will need help just at the moment our heroes are about to break free.

Starting a fire is a cinematic way to do things. With a 40 move and being practically undetectable the assassian could just follow a party around town until someone goes off solo at which point they would become lunch. If a party member(s) sleep in a large enough room, the phase spider could phase in as a free action, coup de grace and phase out the next round. These are more sensible, but much less fun.

With the phase spider's ability to run away (phase and then drop 60 ft into the ground) it could launch commando attacks day after day and slowly whittle the party down. Con. posion is pretty nasty stuff and the group press its Lesser Restorations to the limit trying to keep up.

In a wilderness environment the assasian would not be able to follow the party form the ambush site unless it was rough terrain, reducing the movement rates of horses. The phase spider woudn't be affected as it could travel ethereal. If this is not the case, Tillix might spend a night just trying to kill the horses to slow the party down.

As a last note, phase spiders are size large and quite strong. A free action phase, a bull rush charge on a character close to precpice and then a move-equivalent phase out could be quite devestating.

 

[carpedavid]

Polydamas - these are exactly the kind of suggestions I am looking for. Absolutely fantastic. I love the cinematic approach of the blazing building, especially with innocent townspeople getting trapped under falling debris.

Wonderful stuff.

 

[Arc]

If you want to be really nasty, have the spider just steal equipment during the night. It's not as deadly as assasinations (but it won't make your players feel cheated), and it tends to be just aggrevating enough to be bearable. Remember to have them get the loot back when they finally off him, else you could end up with some very, very angry players.

Another idea: keep the party on their toes. Have the spider come and go a few times during the nights, so that they always think he'll attack. Make sure they can't get ahold of planar binding spells/items. Just get them to not sleep, and insitute fatigue rules. Have fun tormenting them.

 

[Castlin]

The last time I sent an assissin after the PCs, it poisoned their anti-toxins. They were extremely upset.

Also, I'm pretty sure that movement in the ethereal is slower than corporeal movement. You should keep that in mind.

What does leather armor for a spider look like?

If you pump that Use Magic Device, it could use a wand of Magic Fang. I don't know if potions of Magic Fang are standard, but I don't see why you couldn't have a few.

And... this one is weird, but why not. Potion of Alter Self, grow arms, use climb speed to hang out on the ceiling, out of reach, and draw a polearm. Yes. Wierd. But it's just another layer on a very tall wand-wielding-armored-phase-spider-rogue cake. Which is a terrible, terrible kind of cake.

With mint frosting.