Changeling Warlock as BBEG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Changeling Warlock as BBEG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
talion09
03-17-05, 05:43 PM I'm looking for some opinions on this NPC...

I want to design an NPC similar to Garrow from the official adventure trilogy... a BBEG who focuses on deception and intrigue, and who has many plots and pawns that may not seem to be connected at first. And I was flipping through my Complete Arcane, and I saw the Warlock Class.

How about a changeling warlock? Given the changeling's innate bonuses to deception and the warlock's beguiling influence invocation, the character seems a good match for deception and manipulation. Plus the ability to shoot energy blasts is kinda cool too :)

I'm planning on making him a 6th level Warlock, which means he gets 4 invocations, 3 least and 1 lesser. 1 of the leasts will have to be beguiling influence, but what about the other 3? What would you pick?

Also I haven't assigned the stats yet, but I plan on using the elite array and putting the highest into cha, int and dex if that makes any difference.
Jagermeister
03-17-05, 06:06 PM Not sure what to tell you as far as selecting invocations, but this here might give you some ideas on conceptually fleshing out the character.

http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-ca.html
talion09
03-17-05, 06:13 PM Oops, I forgot to mention that I plan on associating this NPC with either the a Cult of the Dragon Below and/or the Lords of Dust in order to explain his demonic powers.

He probably will have some ties or at least contacts with Daask and/or the Tyrants in Sharn, since that is where my campaign is centered.

And he'll most likely be Neutral Evil, not that it matter much in Eberron of course.

I'll also want to design several different identities for him to use throughout Sharn and the 5 Nations, at least one of which would hopefully give him access to Morgave University and the new Xendrik artifacts being brought back to Khorvaire.
Setherial
03-18-05, 01:48 AM Check out my 100 Sharn NPC thread and look for Komomo Thahyn.

100 Sharn NPC's (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=380420)

Komomo is a villian I invented a while ago and I think he'll be very simular to what you are thinking of. He's a 6th level warlock half fiend (but changeling would indeed fit him nicely) and he is a recruiter for a Cult of the Dragon Below. He observes players from the shadows (though they should spot him from time to time) during combat. He'll get involved when he tinks the time is right and the pc's can be of use to his master.
I gave him the "Flee the scene" invocation as it allows him to escape very easily and make him a frustrating opponent if the pc's at one point decide to turn on him.

His master might appeal as well as he is the true master of persuasion, subtle manipulation and corruption. An Incubus demon (male counterpart of the Succubi demons, see Book of Fiends II from Green Ronin Publishing) known as Asmoroth.

PS: if you decide to create a stat block for your Warlock, I'd appreciate it if you would add the character to the 100 Sharn NPC thread.

regards

Seth
m15a
03-18-05, 04:33 PM my warlock just got to 6th. so maybe i can help with the invocations . . . my lesser is fell flight, which is pretty cool and badass, but not be that much fun if it's the type of bbeg that the characters are going to be fighting directly, without lots of minions around. unless you give them prior notice. you know, don't want any characters just standing around in the big fight.

the short range dimension door one might be more fun. seems like an interesting challenge, and fits together well with a tricky type. lots of possibilities in combat, and possibly some clever uses out of combat.

invisibility might work well out of combat, if your story makes use of it, but it seems a little more one dimensional than dimension door. (um . . dimensional . . dimension . . hmm . . )

for least, eldritch spear is very useful as a player. might be something to consider if the bbeg is more combat oriented. the alternative is the melee based eldritch blast invocation, which i think could just look pretty cool. adding a side-effect to your blasts is always nice, too. and then there's the good ol' baleful utterance. very evil in flavor, and kinda "aah" scary, too. has use out of combat, which can work well . . .

really, having a changeling bbeg, i'd want to have at least one invocation that can be used as a tip-off. something that shows that the bbeg has been there, or is maybe in the room with them right at that instance . . you know, like you're in a tavern and all the glasses in a 5' radius shatter, maybe as some sort of distraction. either tips off the players to some bad guy that can cast shatter or tells the players that the bbeg that can cast shatter is in the room. then, for fun, set up some traps that are triggered by shatter, when the players try to invade the bbeg's domain.
Aubri
03-18-05, 04:44 PM I'm planning a warlock as the BBEG in my campaign. The first encounter will likely be an eldrich spear though a window to kill an inconvenient stoolie before he spills the beans. The PCs spin around to see a man in dark clothing, backlit by lightning as he hovers outside the window, his long cloak flapping as if in a violent downdraft. Then he flies up out of sight as rain begins to splatter the pavement.

...did I mention the warlock's secret alter-ego is the guy who hired the PCs? :)

I selected Walk Unseen, Fell Flight, and Flee the Scene as his critical invocations for flavor and utility. Entropic Warding is also handy to keep the PCs from trailing him back to his (strangely familiar) lair.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
talion09 03-17-05, 05:43 PM	I'm looking for some opinions on this NPC... I want to design an NPC similar to Garrow from the official adventure trilogy... a BBEG who focuses on deception and intrigue, and who has many plots and pawns that may not seem to be connected at first. And I was flipping through my Complete Arcane, and I saw the Warlock Class. How about a changeling warlock? Given the changeling's innate bonuses to deception and the warlock's beguiling influence invocation, the character seems a good match for deception and manipulation. Plus the ability to shoot energy blasts is kinda cool too :) I'm planning on making him a 6th level Warlock, which means he gets 4 invocations, 3 least and 1 lesser. 1 of the leasts will have to be beguiling influence, but what about the other 3? What would you pick? Also I haven't assigned the stats yet, but I plan on using the elite array and putting the highest into cha, int and dex if that makes any difference.
Jagermeister 03-17-05, 06:06 PM	Not sure what to tell you as far as selecting invocations, but this here might give you some ideas on conceptually fleshing out the character. http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/conversions-ca.html
talion09 03-17-05, 06:13 PM	Oops, I forgot to mention that I plan on associating this NPC with either the a Cult of the Dragon Below and/or the Lords of Dust in order to explain his demonic powers. He probably will have some ties or at least contacts with Daask and/or the Tyrants in Sharn, since that is where my campaign is centered. And he'll most likely be Neutral Evil, not that it matter much in Eberron of course. I'll also want to design several different identities for him to use throughout Sharn and the 5 Nations, at least one of which would hopefully give him access to Morgave University and the new Xendrik artifacts being brought back to Khorvaire.
Setherial 03-18-05, 01:48 AM	Check out my 100 Sharn NPC thread and look for Komomo Thahyn. 100 Sharn NPC's (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=380420) Komomo is a villian I invented a while ago and I think he'll be very simular to what you are thinking of. He's a 6th level warlock half fiend (but changeling would indeed fit him nicely) and he is a recruiter for a Cult of the Dragon Below. He observes players from the shadows (though they should spot him from time to time) during combat. He'll get involved when he tinks the time is right and the pc's can be of use to his master. I gave him the "Flee the scene" invocation as it allows him to escape very easily and make him a frustrating opponent if the pc's at one point decide to turn on him. His master might appeal as well as he is the true master of persuasion, subtle manipulation and corruption. An Incubus demon (male counterpart of the Succubi demons, see Book of Fiends II from Green Ronin Publishing) known as Asmoroth. PS: if you decide to create a stat block for your Warlock, I'd appreciate it if you would add the character to the 100 Sharn NPC thread. regards Seth
m15a 03-18-05, 04:33 PM	my warlock just got to 6th. so maybe i can help with the invocations . . . my lesser is fell flight, which is pretty cool and badass, but not be that much fun if it's the type of bbeg that the characters are going to be fighting directly, without lots of minions around. unless you give them prior notice. you know, don't want any characters just standing around in the big fight. the short range dimension door one might be more fun. seems like an interesting challenge, and fits together well with a tricky type. lots of possibilities in combat, and possibly some clever uses out of combat. invisibility might work well out of combat, if your story makes use of it, but it seems a little more one dimensional than dimension door. (um . . dimensional . . dimension . . hmm . . ) for least, eldritch spear is very useful as a player. might be something to consider if the bbeg is more combat oriented. the alternative is the melee based eldritch blast invocation, which i think could just look pretty cool. adding a side-effect to your blasts is always nice, too. and then there's the good ol' baleful utterance. very evil in flavor, and kinda "aah" scary, too. has use out of combat, which can work well . . . really, having a changeling bbeg, i'd want to have at least one invocation that can be used as a tip-off. something that shows that the bbeg has been there, or is maybe in the room with them right at that instance . . you know, like you're in a tavern and all the glasses in a 5' radius shatter, maybe as some sort of distraction. either tips off the players to some bad guy that can cast shatter or tells the players that the bbeg that can cast shatter is in the room. then, for fun, set up some traps that are triggered by shatter, when the players try to invade the bbeg's domain.
Aubri 03-18-05, 04:44 PM	I'm planning a warlock as the BBEG in my campaign. The first encounter will likely be an eldrich spear though a window to kill an inconvenient stoolie before he spills the beans. The PCs spin around to see a man in dark clothing, backlit by lightning as he hovers outside the window, his long cloak flapping as if in a violent downdraft. Then he flies up out of sight as rain begins to splatter the pavement. ...did I mention the warlock's secret alter-ego is the guy who hired the PCs? :) I selected Walk Unseen, Fell Flight, and Flee the Scene as his critical invocations for flavor and utility. Entropic Warding is also handy to keep the PCs from trailing him back to his (strangely familiar) lair.