Attacker Mage

Attacker Mage is a pattern that can be added to any creature that is a capable user of Arcane Magic. During a combat, an Attacker Mage creature only has access to the monster abilities listed below, and no Attacker Mage may ever begin combat with any sort of boost or buff that they added to themselves.

In combat, Attacker Mage monsters are highly effective, blasting away furiously with their huge and deadly Fiery Blast power. If the battle is muddled and mixed, they can switch to their equally dangerous Destroying Bolt power, to thread ravening bolts of shattering energy through a messy battle while breaking everything they hit. If the battle is long ranged or extremely complicated, they can switch to their Force Darts power, which always, always, hits. If you can see an Attacker Mage monster, it can hurt you. Lastly, they can resort to placing their Deadly Mists in front of any player ranged attackers to block their line of sight and line of effect, forcing them to move.

Now, OUT of combat, like all monsters with a Spell-like ability, it is assumed that an Attacker Mage monster is a full-fledged caster of Arcane Magics, and if given a little time to prepare, can be assumed to have all sorts of magical things happening. Monster Mages are always doing such nuisance things as sending familiars to spy, using wards and alarms, using dispel magics to strip away magical effects the PC's or friendly NPC's were relying on, and generally adding all kinds of excitement to the GM's story line. Indeed, Mages are even more likely than other Spell-like enabled monsters to have such activities as part of their lexicon. On top of that, GM's frequently have their Mage Monsters wear wizardly accoutrements, such as robes and pointy hats, just to play it up a bit.

In addition to the direct effects of a Mage pattern, if the GM wishes to simulate the effects of a monstrous Mage casting spells on their allies, this can easily be emulated through the use of various Patterns. Invisible Creature, Advanced Creature, Aerial Creature, Searing Creature, all these patterns and more can be applied to the other creatures in an encounter and explained as the effects of the buffs being cast out of combat by the Mage. Note, however, that all these effects will add to the Challenge Rating of the monsters, to properly capture the added difficulty of such fights. Be sure to keep an eye on your difficulty! And have fun! It is entirely possible to design hundreds of interesting 'roleplay' encounters with various Patterns. If that's your notion of fun, go to town!

An Attacker Mage uses all of the base creature's statistics and abilities except as noted below.

CR (challenge rating)

Same as base creature +2.

Size and Type

The creature's Size does not change. Its Type remains the same but it gains the subtype Mage.

Initiative Modifier

Does not change. Yes, Mages tend to be a little slow.

Senses

All senses such as scent, tremorsense, keen hearing, etc. are unchanged.

Armor Class

Does not change. Yes, Mages are easy to hit.

Hit Dice

Attacker Mages subtract 2 hit points per hit die of their BASE CR. Attacker Mages are quite delicate!

Defensive Ability

An Attacker Mage gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:

Aura

Same as Base Creature.

SR

Same as Base Creature.

Special Defenses

None.

Immunities

None.

Weaknesses

Same as Base Creature.

Out of Combat

Mages are assumed to be able to use any spells out of combat that could be reasonably gained by a PC of the same level. A CR 15 Mage monster is going to be able to do all sorts of fun things out of combat. IN combat, they only have access to their Attacker Monstrous Magic ability, below, and they may never start a combat under the influence of any bonus or buff.

Speed

Same as Base Creature minus ten feet. Mages are bit slow.

Melee Attacks

An Attacker Mage retains all the base creature's attacks.

Damage

An Attacker Mage attacks as a creature of its base CR, except that they have a permanent Withered condition that affects everything they do except their Monstrous Magic ability (see below). This cannot be removed by any means, and will stack with any and all other conditions they are affected by. Yes, they hit poorly and do weaker damage than you would expect for their CR. It's the fancy robes they wear, we're sure of it.

Space and Reach

No change.

Offensive Ability

An Attacker Mage gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:

Attacker's Monstrous Magic (Sp)

Once per round, as a standard action, an Attacker Mage may choose one of the effects listed below. Note that this is a spell-like ability, and thus, will provoke attacks of opportunity if performed while threatened, and requires a spell-caster check to succeed.

• Force Darts (Sp)

The Attacker Mage chooses one or more enemy creatures to whom they have line of sight and line of effect within 500 feet. As a standard action that provokes, they may create glowing darts of force energy that burst from their forms and hurl themselves unerringly at those creatures. Only one Force Dart can be created per enemy creature chosen. The Attacker Mage may choose up to two enemy creatures at adjusted CR's 3 to 15, up to three enemy creatures at CR 16 to 31, and up to four enemy creatures at CR 32 and higher. Each of these enemies suffers Special Swift Damage for the Mage's adjusted CR as force (energy, uncommon) damage. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value. This ability always hits and does not allow a saving throw. If the Mage cannot legally target their maximum number of creatures, any extra effect is lost. They may NOT target multiple Darts at a single creature.

• Fiery Blast (Sp)

The Attacker Mage may use this ability as a standard once per round, that provokes attacks of opportunity unless they make a successful Caster Check. The Mage chooses a square within 20 feet of their space times their adjusted CR (60 to 800+ feet). If they have line of sight and line of effect to that square, a fiery explosion of colorful flames bursts into existence there and explodes outwards, damaging all creatures caught wholly or partially within the area. The Fiery Blast fills a space 3x3x3 squares in size from adjusted CR 3 to 10, a space 5x5x5 squares from CR's 11 to 20, a space 7x7x7 squares from CR's 21 to 30, and a space 9x9x9 squares from CR 31 and higher. This fiery-looking blast inflicts Special Standard Damage for the Mage's adjusted CR as fire (energy, common) damage, although at the GM's discretion, any Common Energy Damage type may be substituted. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value. This ability allows a Reflex save versus an Average DC for the monster's adjusted CR (challenge rating) taken from the Save DC chart, or, the same DC as the monster's adjusted save DC, to take half damage.

• Destroying Bolt (Sp)

The Attacker Mage may, as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, trace a line from their space outwards. Each square of this line must be adjacent to the prior space, and further from the Mage's space. This line is a maximum of 1 square in length for their Adjusted CR, (3 squares to 40+ squares). All creatures who are wholly or partially inside any of these squares suffers Special Standard Damage for the Mage's adjusted CR as thundercrash (energy, rare) damage, although at the GM's discretion, any Rare Energy Damage type may be substituted. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value. This ability allows a Fortitude save versus an Average DC for the monster's adjusted CR (challenge rating) taken from the Save DC chart, or, the same DC as the monster's adjusted save DC, to take half damage.

In addition, all creatures struck, and any unattended objects or obstacles, receive a free Sunder attampt when struck by this bolt of destruction. Roll the Mage's Maneuver Offense once and compare it to the Maneuver Defense or Sunder DC of all affected things. This is considered to be an undirected Sunder attempt. This Sunder occurs whether the save is made or not.

• Deadly Mist (Sp)

The Attacker Mage may use this ability as a Standard action. They may choose one unoccupied, unblocked, square, plus one more such square per their adjusted CR divided by 5 (drop fractions) (1 square to 8 squares) within 5 feet of their space plus five feet per their adjusted CR divided by 5 (drop fractions) (5 feet to 40 feet), and fill all those spaces with roiling, filthy vapors. Each square is filled to a height of ten feet, and the Mage may arrange these squares any way the GM see's fit. These vapors block line of sight and line of effect against all creatures, and persist until the end of the Mages turn.

These mists do not impede movement at all, but any creature (friend or foe) who enters them suffers Special Alpha Damage for the Mages adjusted CR as poison (physical, uncommon) damage, a maximum of once per round. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value. Deadly Mist does not allow a saving throw.

Ability Scores

No changes.

Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense

No changes.

Feats

None.

Skills

No Changes.