Powerful Mage

Powerful Mage Pattern (+3 CR)

Subtype: add Spellcasting to subtypes

Powerful Mage is a pattern that can be added to any creature that has the ability to use serious magic. Hobgoblin Wizards, Ogrish Witches, Troll Mumblers, Kobold Shamans, even, horribly, Dragon Sorcerors, all these and many more can be emulated with this pattern. If the GM wants their monsters to have the ability to use magic as fluidly and capably as the players do, then this is the Pattern to choose.

However, a word of caution to GM's. Powerful Mage gives a monster the ability to use all sorts of spells...out of combat. This allows the GM to have magically capable foes who can cast or remove wards, sneak around invisibly, and all manner of cool, challenging, interesting things. But in combat, none of those magical effects exist. In combat, monsters always, always, fight only with their base stats! The GM may not buff the monsters 'for free'. That breaks the balance of play, and may lead to unexpected effects.

Now, 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, 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. It is entirely possible to design hundreds of interesting 'roleplay' encounters with various Patterns in this fashion.

This creature wears a wizard's robes... and they seem well deserved. It looks skilled and powerful, best to approach with care.

General

Init: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Senses:

Perception: +3 CRs greater than base creature.

Movement Types:

Defense

AC: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Maneuver Defense: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Hit Points: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Fort: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Refl: +3 CRs greater than base creature.

Will: +4 CRs greater than base creature.

Special Defenses:

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Space / Reach: - / -

To-Hits: +3 CRs greater than base creature.

Damage: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Maneuver Offense: +3 CRs greater than base creature.

Save DC's: +3 CRs greater than base creature.

Statistics

Str:     Dex:     Con:     Int: 8    Wis:     Cha: 8

Feats:

Skills:

• creature adds +4 CRs to all of its existing skills.
• creature adds +4 CRs to its Spellcraft skill.

Languages:

Special Abilities

Powerful Monstrous Magic (Sp; Powerful Mage Pattern)

Once per round as a standard action, a Powerful 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 caster check to succeed if threatened.

Blast of Magic (Sp)

Once per round, as a standard action, a Powerful Mage may shoot forth a blast of magic. Blast of Magic inflicts any type of Common damage (physical or energy) the GM wishes, and the GM should choose a type of damage that is a thematic 'fit' with the base creature. See Damage and Resistance for the types of common damage available.

Blast of Magic is an area of effect attack with a range of 10. They must choose a square within that range to which they have line of sight and line of effect. The Blast of Magic erupts from that square, filling the target square and all squares around that square to a radius of 3x3x3 squares. If their adjusted CR is 11-20, the area increases to 5x5x5 squares. If their adjusted CR is 21-30, the radius grows to 7x7x7 squares, and if their adjusted CR is 31 or higher, the radius becomes 9x9x9 squares. Note that Powerful Mage monsters have no access to Selective, but they will rarely care and are likely to blast their allies without compunction.

Blast of Magic inflicts 1d4 points of damage as one common energy damage or one common physical damage type, chosen by the GM when the monster is created. Blast of Magic allows a Fort save versus a DC of 14 to take half damage.

Bolt of Evil (Sp)

Once per round, as a standard action, a Powerful Mage may call down one or more shimmering, awful bolts of pure Evil. This is a Ray attack with a range equal to 10 feet. Upon activating Bolt of Evil, the Powerful Mage makes a ranged touch attack against up to two creature(s) they choose to whom they have line of sight and line of effect. If they cannot legally target their allowed number of enemy creatures, any additional effect is lost. No creature may be targeted by more than one bolt.

Bolt of Evil inflicts any type of Uncommon or Rare, physical damage or energy damage, the GM wishes, and the GM should choose a type of damage that is a thematic 'fit' with the base creature. See Damage and Resistance for the types of uncommon and rare damage available.

This power inflicts 1d4 points of damage, as the chosen damage type, upon a successful hit, with no save.

Turn Invisible (Sp)

Once per round, as a standard action, a Powerful Mage may turn one allied creature greater Invisible, as if they used Greater Invisibility. They may use this ability upon themselves, or upon any ally creature they wish, as long as they are within 10 feet and have line of sight and line of effect to that creature.

Disjunction (Su; Powerful Mage Pattern)

Once per round, as a swift action that does NOT provoke attacks of opportunity, a Powerful Mage may attempt to destroy any spell effects on a single creature or object within 10 feet of their space, to which they have line of sight. Line of effect is not required. The Powerful Mage rolls a Spellcaster Check of a D20 + 3 against the Maneuver Defense of their target creature or effect. If they succeed, any and all spell effects ongoing on the target creature or within that space are ended immediately. This is often used to remove buff spells on players, or to destroy terrain emitters such as inconvenient Pillars, or to get rid of Summoned Monsters, or open holes in Walls, etc. If used against Spell effects for players, the player who placed the effect may make a Will save to resist. If the save is made, the magic remains.