Need some help with a build.. a sub-optimal one.

[Three_Haligonians]

That's right folks, I'm having trouble coming up with a "slightly less than par" BBEG. Let me explain in short form:

The characters invoked a temple curse and now have a mummy chasing them. This mummy was, in life, a cleric to the Water Gods who one day (insert back story here) forsake his calling, blasphemed his gods, disgraced his temple and then committed suicide by dehydration, cursing the temple as he did so.

The build I'm working with is a home brew template that mixes the mummy with the dry lich template from Sandstorm - that is where most of his power is.

The base creature however is a 12th lvl human cleric who used to be a priest of the water gods until his death. I'd like for his feats to reflect that, and not some sort of "ret-con" where all the feats he gained in life somehow match up to the idea of what he is now...

Does that make sense?

So, any feats you can think of that fit this idea will be gladly appreciated.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Bad Paper]

Lots of ranks in Swim. Maybe a fancy harpoon or something.

Check out some of the feats from Lords of Madness, like Aberration Blood (webbed hands), Aquatic Spellcasting, and Waterspawn. Waterspawn also grants resistance to cold 5, but your party doesn't need to know that, hmm?

So, uh, how does a cleric commit suicide by dehydration?

 

[Infiniti2000]

There's a whole slew of feats in Stormwrack.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In DCv1, there are a lot of Bloodline feats...albeit for spontaneous arcane casters.

At least one is aquatic related...perhaps a level or 2 of Bard, Sorcerer or Warmage is in order? His natural affinity to water magic drew him to the priesthood of the Water Elementals...

Or (DUH- can't believe I didn't mention this initially!) how about taking the feats Elemental Substitution: Water and Elemental Admixture: Water?

As a side note, while I realize you're aiming for suboptimal with this NPC's background, but it just occurred to me that you may have caused an accidental synergy that could make him more effective. One of the classic tactics with mummies is using fire. With a background of being a Water Priest, he may be able to keep himself from going up in smoke better than most equivalently kitted out NPCs.

If so, even if you decide to keep this build, you should probably explore the tactical possibilities fully before running the encounter...its what a mummy/lich would do, after all.

 

[Christian]

So, uh, how does a cleric commit suicide by dehydration?

By ... not ... drinking ...

 

[nittanytbone]

So you want an optimized level 12 human cleric? He should have 6 feats to play with.

Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell
Power Attack
Then two more of your choice: Possibly Extra Turning, maybe more combat feats, Craft Wondrous Item, or spell related feats (metamagic, spell focus, spell penetration) depending on his focus in life.

 

[Blightersbane]

By ... not ... drinking ...

Now thats funny

Bb

 

[Infiniti2000]

So you want an optimized level 12 human cleric?

No, he wants a sub-optimal one. So, no stupid divine metamagic persistent crap.

I suggest Expert Swimmer (requires 4 swim ranks, Endurance) and grants faster swimming and holding your breath longer. With Endurance, you might as well take Diehard. That's three feats, and you can take Blackwater Invocation (requires ability to channel negative energy) and let's you make water within 30ft radius bitterly cold. Steam Magic is kind of interesting as it allows you to cast fire spells into water without a spellcraft check.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

Man, never has Skill Focus: Underwater Basket Weaving been so appealing! Thanks a lot for your suggestions, they've been really helpful.

So, uh, how does a cleric commit suicide by dehydration?

Christian got it right, he just sat down and stopped eating and drinking - and died of thirst within a day or two. I know dying of thirst takes a little longer than that, but the cleric lived in the desert (though his temple was near a large river, like the Nile) so I figure that sped things up.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Chiaroscuro23]

Man, never has Skill Focus: Underwater Basket Weaving been so appealing! Thanks a lot for your suggestions, they've been really helpful.



Christian got it right, he just sat down and stopped eating and drinking - and died of thirst within a day or two. I know dying of thirst takes a little longer than that, but the cleric lived in the desert (though his temple was near a large river, like the Nile) so I figure that sped things up.

J from Three Haligonians

In that case Iron Will is in order.