Suggestions for a Kelvezu Assassin?

[Dark Dragon]

That is definitely a possibility. I was also thinking abiut taking the Void Incarnate PrC at epic levels.

BTW, the target ECL is 35, so exactly what level can I make that Kelvezu, in regards to classes and PrCs?

If you follow the RAW, it is CR 18 + 17 class levels of something = CR 35.
BUT, from experience, a basic monster that was buffed by adding class levels and thus became (or at least looked like) epic is perhaps not THAT epic as the DM wanted it to be.

I've build a succubus of CR 25 as a foe for a level 23 party. A succubus has 6 HD (base) and CR 7. I added 12 levels sorcerer, 4 levels rogue and 2 levels fighter and some very nice magical equipment. Granted, the creature had roughly 300 hp and an AC of about 45. But that was all, it was neither capable of dishing out much damage (by spells or melee combat), nor was it really effective in its defensive powers (except for teleporting away, unless someone casts a Dimensional Anchor...). The party, although with only two effective combatants left (a paladin, a wizard (with only a few spells of level 1 and 2 prepared and badly wounded) and a cleric (most spells ready)), was about to win the encounter after a few rounds of fighting...

If you want, I can send you the stats of my Kelvezu-assassins (they were quite effective, unless forced to fight in melee combat).

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you follow the RAW, it is CR 18 + 17 class levels of something = CR 35.

Maybe, but that's not exactly correct. If you add 17 class levels of a non-associated class then you'd only be CR 18 + 6 + 5 = CR29 (the first 12 class levels are non-associative and therefore count as half).

I've build a succubus of CR 25 as a foe for a level 23 party. A succubus has 6 HD (base) and CR 7. I added 12 levels sorcerer, 4 levels rogue and 2 levels fighter and some very nice magical equipment.

A succubus with 12 sorcerer levels is CR 16. Add in Rog4 + Ftr2 and you get CR22. Not that far off, true, but not CR25. I'd argue that the additional multiclassing is a poor powergaming option, so the true CR is probably only about 20, but that's more of a gut feeling than any number crunching, and quite honestly that's what this requires sometimes. The fact is though that using the new 3.5 non-associative rules helps out a lot in judging the abilities of some of these advanced monsters.

 

[Dark Dragon]

Oh, I wasn't aware of that "non-associative" rule. But it seems to go well with my experience of beefing up monsters.

OTOH, by adding the half-fiend template to, let's say, a great wyrm shadow dragon would (from my point of view) never end up in a CR 26 monster (IIRC here, maybe it was CR 28...), but somewhat higher. A half-fiend's Blasphemy-power is HD-based, and a great wyrm has lots of HD

In this case: use common sense or house rules.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Any sensible DM houserules the 'holy word' series of spells.

 

[Dark Dragon]

Ok, here it is....

Kelvezu-Assassin

Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri)
Rog 1, Asn 8

Hit Dice: 12d8+36 + 1d6+3 + 8d6+24 +21 (170 hp)
Initiative: +16 (+12 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 39 (+12 Dex, +15 natural, +2 deflection), touch 24, flat-footed 39
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/ +24
Attack: +3 rapier of greater wounding +33 melee (1d6+8 +2 Con, 18-20, x2)
Full Attack: +3 rapier of greater wounding +31/+26/+21/+16 melee (1d6+8 +2 Con, 18-20, x2) AND +2 dagger of wounding +30/+25 melee (1d4+4 +1 Con, 19-20, x2) OR
+1 far shot sonic burst heavy repeating crossbow +31/+26/+21/+16 (1d10+1d6/1d10, 19-20, x2, 180 ft.)
Special Attacks: Poison, sneak attack +13d6, spell-like abilities, death attack
Special Qualities: Improved uncanny dodge (can’t be flanked), DR 15/cold iron and good, SR 35, tanar’ri traits, evasion, enhanced detection, spells, hide in plain sight, summon tanar’ri
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +31, Will +16
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 34 (32), Con 18 (16), Int 22 (18), Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +29, Concentration +26, Diplomacy +17, Disguise +23, Hide +36, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (the planes) +30, Listen +27, Move Silently +36, Search +24, Sense Motive +27, Sleight of Hand +28, Spellcraft +22, Spot +27
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Silent Spell, Weapon Finesse, Quick Draw
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Rating: 26 ?

Spell-like Abilities: At will – deeper darkness, desecrate, detect good, detect law, greater dispelling, improved invisibility (self only), read magic, suggestion, teleport without error (self only + 50 lbs. of objects), tongues (self only), unhallow; 1/day – summon tanar’ri (1 kelvezu, 25% chance of success), CL 27, save DCs 14 + spell level.

Spells (CL 8): 1. (5): Disguise self, ghost sound, obscuring mist, true strike
2. (5): Alter self, illusory script, pass without trace, undetectable alignment
3. (5): False life, magic circle against good, misdirection, nondetection
4. (4): Heart ripper, locate creature, sniper’s eye

Enhanced Detection (Su): Darkvision 60 ft., continual detect magic and see invisibility.

Poison (Ex): Weapons, injury, Fort DC 24 (1d6 Con/1d6 Con).

Death Attack: Successful sneak attack: Fort DC 24 or victim is paralyzed or dead (first round of combat & after three rounds of studying the target).

Tanar’ri Traits (Ex): Immune to electricity and poison, resistance to acid, cold and fire 10, telepathy 100 ft.

Possessions: +3 cold iron rapier of greater wounding, +2 adamantine dagger of wounding, +1 locking garotte, cloak of resistance +3, ring of protection +2, gloves of dexterity +4, bracers of health +2, 3 potions of cure serious wounds, headband of intellect +4, +1 repeating sonic burst far shot heavy crossbow


I've added the rogue level for an extra 1d6 sneak attack and skill points. This type of assassin is deadly if it attacks an unaware party (e.g., no PC with See Invisibility, Blindsight, or Invisibility Purge ready...) and can attack within a favorable terrain, e.g. a city.

If you want to add more class levels, try either assassin (more spells, sneak damage), tempest (better AC and melee combat power), street fighter (better defenses, sneak +1d6) or perhaps try the scout/dervish way instead of rogue/assassin (but this would result in a lower sneak damage).

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Roughly checked the skill ranks and removed some errors. Maybe the skill point total is not yet correct...

 

[Muaythaidaddy]

What I want here is a CR 35 monster, so that a group of 4 or so 35th level characters can face it...... with a base CR of 18, how many class levels can I give it?

 

[Nifft]

Suggestion 1: Blackguard 10 + Assassin 7

Suggestion 2: Blackguard 10 + Marshal 2 (Motivate Dexterity) + Dread Commando 5

Suggestion 3: Spellthief 17

Suggestion 4: Psychic Warrior 17

-- N

 

[Infiniti2000]

What I want here is a CR 35 monster, so that a group of 4 or so 35th level characters can face it...... with a base CR of 18, how many class levels can I give it?

You have two choices, for the most part.

1. 12 non-associative class levels plus 11 any levels.
2. 17 total associative class levels.

 

[Nifft]

You have two choices, for the most part.

1. 12 non-associative class levels plus 11 any levels.
2. 17 total associative class levels.

Yes, exactly. He could be a Level 23 Sorcerer and still CR 35 -- actually, that might be a good combo.

... or Sorc 21 / Blackguard 2

-- N

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'm looking to create a kelvezu assassin for a friend and I need suggestions on classes, PrCs, feats and magical items.

There should be 10-15 class/PrC levels and any combination that works will do. This NPC needs to be totally geeked out, because the players - as I'm told - have been getting it "too easy" as of late. We have access to most of WOTC's stuff, in addition to a smattering of other books/sources.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

About the only thing I can recommend is giving it Weapon Finesse. To geek it out, give it PC equipment, which works for evil creatures. (The equipment could still be a reward, giving less bonuses to non-evil creatures - equivalent to what an NPC would wear.)