Powerful Mage
'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 ticket!
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. 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!
Whatever the circumstances of their existence, a Powerful Mage uses all of the base creature's statistics and abilities except as noted below.
CR (challenge rating)
Same as base creature +3.
Size and Type
The creature's Size remains the same. Its Type remains the same but it gains the subtype Spellcasting.
Initiative Modifier
Same as Base Creature.
Senses
Same as Base Creature.
Armor Class
Same as Base Creature.
Hit Dice
Same as Base Creature.
Defensive Ability
The Powerful 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: Same as Base Creature.
Immunities: Same as Base Creature.
Weaknesses: Same as Base Creature
Out of Combat
Same as Base Creature.
Speed
A Powerful Mage's base speed does not change.
Melee Attacks
The Powerful Mage retains all the base creature's attacks.
Damage
The Powerful Mage does the same damage and effects as the base creature.
Space and Reach
A Powerful Mage's space and reach do not change.
Offensive Ability
- Powerful Monstrous Magic
Out of combat, a Powerful Mage is assumed to be a competent spell caster for its adjusted Challenge Rating. GM's may use non-combat effects of spellcasting in any way they see fit, in order to advance their stories and present players with fun and interesting situations. Note that neither the Powerful Mage or any of its allies ever gain 'free buffs' placed out of combat. If the GM wishes to simulate this, they are encouraged to give the other monsters in an encounter Patterns to emulate what those buffs might be. Hasted creatures, for example, can be effectively modeled by using the Agile Creature Pattern.
The Powerful Mage itself, during battle, will not cast any spell they wish, willy-nilly. Instead, they will default to a few 'tried and true' magical effects that they are comfortable with and that perform reliably. These various attacks form their Monstrous Magic power.
Each use of Monstrous Magic is a Spell-like ability that requires a Standard Action to perform, and provokes attacks of opportunity. They may use any ability they wish once each round. If they spend an Action Point, they may use Monstrous Magic twice in one round. The GM may choose which ability from their Monstrous Magic they use each round, or, they roll a random die each round to determine what effect the Spellcasting Monster uses.
- 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 equal to the creature's Adjusted Challenge Rating times ten feet. 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 determined by their adjusted CR.
If the Powerful Mage has an adjusted CR of 10 or less, the radius is a 3x3x3 square. If their adjusted CR is 11-20, the area is a 5x5x5 square. If their adjusted CR is 21-30, the radius is a 7x7x7 square, and if their adjusted CR is 31 or higher, the radius is a 9x9x9 square. Note that monsters have no access to Selective, but they will rarely care and are likely to blast their allies without compunction.
Blast of Magic inflicts Special Standard Damage for the monster's adjusted CR. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value. Blast of Magic allows a Fort 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.
- 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 the creature's Adjusted Challenge Rating times ten feet. Upon activating Bolt of Evil, the Powerful Mage makes a ranged touch attack against one creature they choose, plus one more creature for every ten levels of their adjusted CR, dropping fractions. No creature may be targeted by more than one bolt.
Bolt of Evil inflicts any type of Uncommon or Rare 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 uncommon and rare damage available.
This power inflicts Special Standard Damage for the monster's adjusted CR to any and all creatures struck. Check the Monster Pattern Damage Chart to calculate this value.
- Swift Destroy Magic (Sp)
Once per round, as a swift action, a Powerful Mage may attempt to destroy any spell effects on a single creature or object within 50 feet of their space, to which they have line of sight. Line of effect is not required. If the affected creature or object fails a Will save, any 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. Destroy Magic allows a Will save versus a Hard DC for the monster's adjusted CR (challenge rating) taken from the Save DC chart. If the save is made, the magic remains.
- Turn Invisible (Sp)
Once per round, as a standard action, a Powerful Mage may turn one allied creature 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 50 feet and have line of sight and line of effect to that creature.
Ability Scores
A Powerful Mage adds +4 Intelligence and/or Charisma, and has a minimum of one stat, Int or Cha, of 10
Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense
Same as Base Creature.
Feats
Same as Base Creature.
Skills
Optionally, add one or two skills at new CR+10.