Succubus

[Byronic]

This is the description of the Succubus from the excerpt:

[sblock]Succubus

Succubi tempt mortals into performing evil deeds, using their shapechanging abilities to appear as attractive men and women. Although seduction and betrayal are their forte, succubi are also practiced spies and assassins. Succubi serve more powerful devils as scouts, advisors, and even concubines. Because of their guile and shapechanging ability, they are frequently chosen to serve as infernal emissaries to important mortals.

Succubus Level 9 Controller
Medium immortal humanoid (devil, shapechanger) XP 400
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +8; darkvision
HP 90; Bloodied 45
AC 23; Fortitude 17, Reflex 21, Will 23
Resist 20 fire
Speed 6, fly 6

MeleeCorrupting Touch (standard; at-will)
+14 vs. AC; 1d6 + 6 damage.

MeleeCharming Kiss (standard; at-will) Charm
+14 vs. AC; on a hit, the succubus makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +12 vs. Will; the target cannot attack the succubus, and if the target is adjacent to the succubus when the succubus is targeted by a melee or a ranged attack, the target interposes itself and becomes the target of the attack instead. The effects last until the succubus or one of its allies attacks the target or until the succubus dies.

If the target is still under the effect of this power at the end of the encounter, the succubus can sustain the effect indefinitely by kissing the target once per day. The succubus can affect only one target at a time with its charming kiss.

RangedDominate (standard; at-will) Charm
Ranged 5; +12 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of the succubus’s next turn.

Change Shape (minor; at-will) Polymorph
The succubus can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Supernal
Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Insight +13
Str 11 (+4) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 19 (+8)
Con 10 (+4) Int 15 (+6) Cha 22 (+10)

Succubus Tactics
When exposed for what it is, a succubus can be a deadly foe. It can manipulate the emotions of mortal adversaries, turning them against each other or making them slavishly loyal to it with a mere kiss.

A succubus that is confronted uses dominate on a worthy adversary. It then uses charming kiss on a dominated foe, keeping him or her nearby while it attacks other enemies with its corrupting touch.[/sblock]

I'm curious, how would you use the Succubus in your game? In a straight forward encounter she seems a bit odd.

Her Dominate effect is nice, but her Charming kiss is odd. Sure this means that the person wouldn't be able to attack her and IF adjacent to her will take any melee and ranged attacks for her.

And that's nice, but this doesn't mean that the person can't just go away and attack someone else. Even worse this means that the enemy he attacks will have to decide whether or not to attack back. Because if the enemy attacks then the Charming Kiss dissipates making the whole exercise a waste of time to the succubus.

If the enemy does not retaliate then the Charmed One can simply attack at will without fearing retaliation. Also if the Succubus wants to use her new meat shield then she has to walk with it, possible straight into enemy (player) lines risking AoO. IF she could walk with him at the same time, then that would be less dangerous, however the way people walk in DnD he could easily walk PAST the other PCs. She COULD fly over them and land right next to her meat shield but that only works if no one attacks them between her meat shields initiative and hers.

What do you guys think of her Charming Kiss?

And how would you use her in an encounter?

 

[Oompa]

Well she is an controller, so she isnt an creature that attacks the party alone, more in an group (use the group encounter out of the MM)..

And she would be cool when in disguise.. kissing an player in an inn..

 

[GoLu]

Charming Kiss seems to be more of a self-defense power than anything else, nullifying attacks on her for a round or two. Handy whenever someone tries to lock her into melee. I figure it's more of a confusion effect than anything else. The target will reflexively shy away from hurting her and even instinctively interpose himself between her and some attack, knowing the entire time that she is a terrible enemy.

To actually make someone do something, she would need to use her dominate power instead. Which, conveniently, is also at will.

 

[TheLordWinter]

A great use of her kiss power is not to force the PCs to attack one another, but instead to have the PCs be required to rescue someone. His new lover turns out to be a succubus, but he is unwilling to believe it. If the PCs try to resort to violence, they'll kill their ally as he dives to protect her and she flies away laughing at them.

She can also dominate her kissed victim and keep him next to her. So long as she continues to hit him with dominate each round, she can feel safe from other attacks.

Another fun use of the succubus encounter could be to have the PCs upset a cult of devil worshippers. They are then informed that one PC's family will be made to suffer - upon arriving home he discovers two of some family member (two mothers, sisters, etc.) You then create the classic "evil twin" scenario, save that one is dominated and slavishly loyal to the other and so will lead the PC toward making the wrong choice.

 

[hong]

The idea of the charming kiss is that the succubus has used it _before_ meeting the PCs, who then have to deal with a smitten victim in addition to fighting a devil. That's how a succubus would normally be encountered; as an already-present player in a scenario, who has worked her magic on some unsuspecting guy. The job of the PCs is to uncover her, while contending with NPCs who would normally be on their side.

The kiss is not meant to be used willy-nilly on the PCs. Note also that the succubus can only have it active on one person at a time, so as soon as she uses it on a PC, her victim would have her spell broken.

 

[Nikosandros]

The idea of the charming kiss is that the succubus has used it _before_ meeting the PCs, who then have to deal with a smitten victim in addition to fighting a devil. That's how a succubus would normally be encountered; as an already-present player in a scenario, who has worked her magic on some unsuspecting guy. The job of the PCs is to uncover her, while contending with NPCs who would normally be on their side.

However, even a previously charmed NPC could just walk away form the succubus, unless the devil keeps dominating the victim every round. Overall, I don't like the way succubus work.

 

[hong]

However, even a previously charmed NPC could just walk away form the succubus, unless the devil keeps dominating the victim every round. Overall, I don't like the way succubus work.

No, the idea is that the succubus will have seduced the NPC the good old-fashioned way, using its feminine wiles, big b00bies and +N Diplomacy. Thus, the NPC wants to protect the succubus, not because of domination mind control, but because that's what it actually wants to.

IOW, this is part of the adventure background.

 

[Nikosandros]

No, the idea is that the succubus will have seduced the NPC the good old-fashioned way, using its feminine wiles, big b00bies and +N Diplomacy. Thus, the NPC wants to protect the succubus, not because of domination mind control, but because that's what it actually wants to.

IOW, this is part of the adventure background.

That's fine and good, but what's the need for the charming kiss power then?

As a DM I can just rule that the NPC has been seduced either naturally or with the help of some special ritual, or magic item or whatever...

The powers that are listed on the stat block though should be something that matter in the interaction with the PCs.

 

[hong]

That's fine and good, but what's the need for the charming kiss power then?

As a DM I can just rule that the NPC has been seduced either naturally or with the help of some special ritual, or magic item or whatever...

Because then the charmed NPC can actually jump in and take hits for the succubus! Sheesh!

 

[Nikosandros]

Because then the charmed NPC can actually jump in and take hits for the succubus! Sheesh!

I'm not really convinced... the power could have been written in a very different way...

Like a "loyal slave" power that allows one adjacent ally of the succubus to take a hit for her.