Making a spellcasting Balor - help with CR

[pawsplay]

The balor already has a number of spell-like abilities. The sum total of clerical casting could not be worth more than +2 CR (it's doubtful, for instance, that he's going to cast Hold Person). Extra spellcasting levels might be worth +1 CR per two levels or so, since it would take his caster level higher.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

One question that will really determine the challenge that the spellcasting balor actually poses is this: what do you plan to have it do with the spellcasting it gains?

A Balor who uses his cleric spellcasting to cast destruction or firestorm or gate is not a significantly greater challenge than a standard balor. Normal Balors have enough SLAs that the cleric levels don't net them much as an offensive spellcaster.

On the other hand, a balor who walks around with magic vestment on his body, greater magic weapon on his sword, spell resistance (somewhat redundant, but IIRC, it nets him a possibly significant improvement in SR), and greater spell immunity up, and drops a quickened righteous might, a quickened divine favor, in the first rounds of the fight and then drops a quickened flamestrike or dispel magic every round is a much more serious force.

 

[Infiniti2000]

spell resistance (somewhat redundant, but IIRC, it nets him a possibly significant improvement in SR)

Instead, use resonating resistance from the BoVD. But, yeah, swapping feats and giving him Quicken Spell is an example of minmaxing the balor, making those spell levels be much more powerful than normal.

Now, 24 spell levels? Exactly how do you do that without epic? That's a whole new can of worms.

 

[Zarnam]

Ok, to answer some questions:

On the other hand, a balor who walks around with magic vestment on his body, greater magic weapon on his sword, spell resistance (somewhat redundant, but IIRC, it nets him a possibly significant improvement in SR), and greater spell immunity up, and drops a quickened righteous might, a quickened divine favor, in the first rounds of the fight and then drops a quickened flamestrike or dispel magic every round is a much more serious force.

Hmmm...that's more less the way I was thinking about Some pretty vile spells, a little feat swapping...you know, the usual thing

Now, 24 spell levels? Exactly how do you do that without epic?

Oh no, I'm quite aware of it - I'm doing that to allow him a good use of such feats as, for example Improved Spell Capacity [10th]

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you're planning on fighting non-epic with epic, you'll get a TPK. Is that what you are shooting for? Just use 20 balors then.

 

[Nail]

20 Balors!


"It's funny 'cause it's true." (Homer Simpson)

 

[Zarnam]

If you're planning on fighting non-epic with epic, you'll get a TPK. Is that what you are shooting for? Just use 20 balors then.

Heh, no, that's not the plan...though I'm not convinced about that TPK, you know

This Balor is the BBEG of the campaign and the players will meet him when they reach 21st, so I think he will be a suitable "tough cookie" being a CR 23 or 24. He was once a servant of Demogorgon, but he left (raaaan awaaaaay ) his sire after discovering some very interesting rituals, dating back to the "Ancient Abyss, when the Tanar'ri were only vile thoughts in the incomprehensible minds of their makers". Those rituals allowed to "ignite the latent spark of divinity that burns in every demon's blood" and thus he effectively became a "cleric" of himself - with the Demonic and Abyss domains (I decided to allow him to use the domain powers)

Before they reach him however, they still have a looong way to go

 

[Infiniti2000]

Okay, then that sounds more reasonable. So, essentially, the heroes will be epic before they reach this epic baddie. I'm not personally found of epic rules, so I don't really have any suggestions as far as CR goes once you start using them. Good luck, though!

 

[Zarnam]

Heh, thanks for the kind words, I'll be needing them in times to come

By the way, the entire party is evil and some are pretty vile

 

[Mr.Black]

While you're probably adamant on your cleric balor, it is much more effective to have a balor and a 20th level cleric backing him up.

At most, the cleric balor would get only one full-round action and one quickened action a round. A balor and a cleric would get four actions a round with their quickened abilities.