Sorcerer-Monarch stats

Following up from the Farcluun thread:

Abalach-Re (The Great Vizier; Sorcerer-Queen of Raam)
NE human female Champion of Rajaat stage I dragon wizard 5/psion (egoist) 7/cerebremancer 10/arch defiler 10/athasian dragon 1

Size/Type: Medium Dragon
Hit Dice: 32d4+1d6+231+4 (369 hp)
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 42 (+4 Dex, +20 epic mage armor, amulet of natural armor +5 , ring of protection +3 ); touch 17, flat-footed 38
BAB: +10
BAB + Epic Attack Bonus: +16
Grapple Bonus: +18
Attack: Vizier’s Thorn +23 melee (1d4+7+1d6 cold); or by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +20)
Full Attack: Vizier’s Thorn +23/+18 (1d4+7+1d6 cold); or by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +20)
Special Attacks: Psionics, spells (casting time metamagic, dragon magic, painful radius, metamagic raze, signature spells)
Special Qualities: DR 10/epic, energy storing, immortality, immunities, psionics, spells, SR/PR 32, tainted aura, tongues
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +26, Ref +21, Will +26 (Fort +21, Ref +16, Will +21 without cloak)
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 42 (30 without headband of epic intellect +12), Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Autohypnosis +9, Balance +12, Bluff +7*, Concentration +43, Decipher Script +45 (+39 without headband), Disguise +12, Escape Artist +20, Heal +9, Intimidate +26*, Jump +3, Knowledge (arcana) +53 (+46 without headband), Knowledge (history) +41 (+35 without headband), Knowledge (psionics) +33 (+27 without headband), Listen +4, Psicraft +36 (+30 without headband), Search +32 (+26 without headband), Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +47 (+41 without headband), Spot +4, Survival +3
Feats: Agonizing Radius, Body Fuel, Craft Wondrous Item, Destructive Raze, Distant Raze, Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Fast Raze, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Maximize Spell, Psionic Body, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Widen Spell
Epic Feats: Epic Spellcasting, Improved Spell Capacity (one 10th level spell slot), Multispell

ECL: 41

Energy Storing (Su): Abalach-Re can store life energy from nearby creatures in psionically enchanted obsidian orbs. Gathering and storing energy is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Creatures within 170 feet gain one negative level each round Abalach-Re uses energy storing.

Immortality (Ex): Abalach-Re is naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. She does not age, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for her to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Immunities (Ex): Abalach-Re is immune to disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters her form. Immunities can voluntarily be lowered as a move action.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and sonic effects deal normal damage to Abalach-Re. If she loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. She can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Tainted Aura: Abalach-Re suffers a -5 circumstance penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Handle Animal checks but gains a +5 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks. The tainted aura has a range of 50 feet.

Tongues (Su): Abalach-Re can comprehend and speak any language of creatures that she interacts with.

Spells: Caster level 25, spell save DC: 26 + spell level (20 + spell level without headband of epic intellect), spells per day: 4/7/7/6/6/10/6/5/5/5/2 (4/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5/2 without ring of epic wizardry V)

  • Casting Time Metamagic: Twice per day (but only once per spell) Abalach-Re can apply a metamagic feat she knows to a spell at casting time. This does not increase the spell’s level or require a higher level spell slot. Casting time metamagic doubles the casting time of the spell (a casting time of 1 action becomes 1 full round). Only metamagic feats that would increase a spell slot by 3 or less may be applied with casting time metamagic (Abalach-Re’s eligible feats are Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Widen Spell.)

  • Dragon Magic: Abalach-Re can cast spells drawing on animal life energy in addition to defiling the plant life, which has the effect of having any spell she casts be treated as if it were cast in one terrain type better than the actual terrain, up to abundant. She can also choose to cast spells without draining from the plant life at all, but in this case, the spell is cast as if it were cast in desolate terrain. All living creatures, except Abalach-Re, within the defiling radius must make a Fortitude save (DC 25), or take 1 point of Con ability damage. The use of this ability requires a perfect obsidian orb, of no less than 1,000 gp value, as a focus. When casting arcane epic spells, Abalach-Re can use animal life energy to reduce XP burn. Each point of Con damage inflicted using dragon magic reduces XP burn by 5 points.

  • Painful Radius: The penalties suffered to attacks, saves and skill checks for being caught in Abalach-Re’s defiling radius increase to -3 (including the effects of Agonizing Radius).

  • Metamagic Raze: Abalach-Re can gather energy during spell preparation to improve her metamagic capacity. Spell slot level adjustments from metamagic feats are reduced by one (to a minimum of one), but only once per spell. For each use of Metamagic Raze, Abalach-Re defiles a 5 ft. radius where the spell is prepared. Preparation of multiple spells increase the radius by 5 ft. for each spell prepared with this ability

  • Signature Spells: Abalach-Re has the following signature spells: magic missile, glitterdust, protection from energy, ice storm, cloudkill, circle of death, delayed blast fireball, polar ray, mass hold monster. She can channel stored spell energy into signature spells that she did not prepare ahead of time. She can “lose” any prepared spell in order to cast one of these signature spells that is of the same spell level as the prepared spell or lower (just like a cleric can lose prepared spells in order to cast cure spells of the same level or lower.)

  • Spell Mastery Spells: 2 - invisibility, protection from arrows, scorching ray; 3 - dispel magic, fly, 4 - dimension door; 5 – hold monster, mind fog; 6- greater dispel magic; 7 - greater teleport

Psionics: 250 power points/day, manifester level 17th, 31 powers known

Constantly Active Buffs: mind blank, contingency (casts circle of death when four or more hostile creatures approach within 30 feet), epic mage armor, peripety

Pre-Combat Buff Spells/Powers when Given Time to Prepare: lesser globe of invulnerability, psionic freedom of movement, spell turning


Epic Spells Known/Developed: defiler metamorphosis I (DC 50), epic mage armor (DC 46), peripety (DC 27)

Notable Spells Typically Prepared (not all spells at lower levels included; excludes those given as buffs above):
(1) disguise self, magic missile,
(2) invisibility,
(3) dispel magic, fly,
(4) dimension door x2,
(5) hold monster x2, mind fog x2, empowered lightning bolt x2, quickened magic missile, quickened scorching ray*,
(6) greater dispel magic x2, quickened glitterdust, quickened scorching ray,
(7) quickened dimension door x2*, greater teleport, quickened lightning bolt x2
(8) empowered quickened lightning bolt*, widened cloudkill x2, widened mind fog x2
(9) dominate monster, quickened hold monster x2, quickened mind fog, time stop;
(10) quickened greater teleport*, quickened greater dispel magic

*Prepared using metamagic raze to reduce the spell slot level by 1

Psion Powers: 1st – catfall, conceal thoughts, control flames, detect psionics, missive, mind thrust
2nd – chameleon*, ego whip, id insinuation, mass missive
3rd – dispel psionics, ectoplasmic form*, hustle*, psionic blast, ubiquitous vision
4th – psionic divination, psionic freedom of movement, psychic vampire*, trace teleport
5th – psionic major creation, psionic true seeing, psychic crush, tower of iron will
6th – aura alteration, psionic disintegrate
7th – decerebrate, fission*, insanity, ultrablast
8th – recall death
9th – microcosm

*egoist discipline power


Equipment
Epic Magic Items: headband of epic intellect +12, ring of epic wizardry V

Permanent Magic Items: Vizier’s Thorn (+5 icy burst dagger); ring of protection +3; amulet of natural armor +5, cloak of resistance +5, crystal ball with see invisibility
Permanent Psionic Items: boots of landing, eyes of expanded vision, gloves of object reading, orb of energy storing (2” diameter / 400 HD life energy capacity)

In addition, as a sorcerer-queen with templars, royal defilers and royal academies of psionics working for her, Abalach-Re can have essentially any potion fruits, scrolls, power stones, wands, or dorjes (especially of lower-level powers) she wishes.

Tactics: Abalach-Re relies on her spells over her psionics. She tends to use quickened mind fog + mass hold monster to end fights before they begin, then directs her templars, guards, or other minions to kill the helpless foes.

If somehow separated from any minions and mobbed by weak foes, she will use cloudkill (possibly widened) or circle of death to kill them all.

If she needs to deal damage rather than just killing outright, she will use metamagic-boosted combinations like polar ray + empowered quickened lightning bolt + empowered scorching ray (using Multispell).

If actually threatened, she will escape with quickened greater teleport.


Notes: 13 Wishes used to increase ability scores (4 each for Dex and Con, 5 for Int).

Conversion Notes: Abalach-Re is a 21st-level dragon in 2e, so she is one of the weaker SKs. When we see her fight in Cerulean Storm, she seems to rely on magic over psionics, and to use defiling and dragon magic extremely freely.

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Nice. What were her base ability scores at 1st level?

Thank you for asking that question, because looks like I messed it up slightly; she was supposed to be based on the regular elite array, but two points got swapped from Cha to Int somehow as I progressed her. So her actual starting stats to get what I got, before level-ups, Wishes, and template, would be: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 10.

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You are one over for Int on the 25 point buy. You can get to 16 and still have the allotment of 25 points.

I think you could easily just give her +5 Inherent bonuses to all of her ability scores. Depending on how long she has been around in your Dark Sun setting. If it’s only hundreds of years, maybe not, but if she has been around for thousands of years she may well have cast 30 wish spells to do that. That’s what I would do for all the Sorcerer Monarchs because I assume that they have been around for thousands of years.

That said, I am also sympathetic to the idea that history was falsified by the Sorcerer Monarch’s scribes, and that the Sorcerer Monarchs only assumed their position a few hundred years ago. If you accept the cleansing wars as part of your Dark Sun version, then the cleansing wars may have ended around 600 years ago. Then 100 years of Borys the Dragon raging and defiling the region, which may well have had as big an impact as the cleansing wars themselves.

I’m going to see what I can do with your statblock tonight (Vietnam time). I’ll keep the core assumptions of your build while applying my advanced being framework to it. Just let me know if your Abalach-Re has been around for thousands of years or just hundreds of years. That will determine whether she gets the full suite of inherent bonuses or just the ones you specified.

I was figuring the limiting factor for boosting everything with Wishes was XP to spend, not time, since they’re also spending XP on developing epic spells … and IMO most of the SKs have gained little or no XP in the last two millennia, since nothing other than another SK is a high enough challenge rating to give them XP, and they don’t kill each other often.

IMO they’re basically stuck where they were at the end of the Rebellion against Rajaat/fight with Dregoth*.

I am using the athas.org canon timeline for this, so Abalach-re became a Champion about 3500 years ago (like all the others except Hamanu who was closer to 2000, and possibly Borys who replaced Egendo, idk exactly how/when that went down).

If I were going with the “Champion is just a title, they’re just dragons with no extra special Champion powers” interpretation of the material (which I think is the better interpretation of the 2e sources overall unless you take Wanderer’s Chronicle as the highest canon source), or my own alt-history of Athas, I wouldn’t be using the Champion of Rajaat template. That version of A-R would have a few more levels but probably be less powerful overall.

(otoh in my own alt-history of Athas most of the SKs are older than athas.org canon, not younger. I read Veiled Alliance as implying Tectuktitlay has been king for ~14,000 years, and it outright states L-P has held court for 10,000.)

*I figure they were picked by Rajaat as promising while lower mid level characters (5-8 range ish), then taught his special secret techniques (including the cerebremancer prestige class), and fought in the preserver vs defiler wars during this period.

I assume they were mostly either very high non-epic or very low epic when they became Champions, with the exception of the weird ones like Dregoth and Hamanu and possibly Daskinor and Borys.

They probably mostly gained something like 10 levels during the Cleansing Wars… Somewhat less for those who started higher (like Dregoth), somewhat more for those who started below epic.

So most of them (excluding Dregoth and Borys) probably finished out the CW in the 30-34 level range… And a bunch are still stuck there.

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Ok, that can be fixed by just adding one Wish.

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OK the limiting factor wasn’t time per se but experience points. I’ll go with your extended timeline. Note that my Sorcerer Monarchs are not quite as XP constrained as yours, they have ways around the fact that they do not have many opportunities earn XP. That means I’ll just give Abalach-Re the full suite of +5 Inherent bonuses via 30 wish spells. I’ll try to get it done today.

Here is a provisional statblock for Abalach-Re.

Abalach-Re (The Great Vizier; Sorcerer-Queen of Raam)

CR 40 NE Medium Dragon (Ravager, Advanced Being, Psionic)

Human — Wizard 5/Psion 7/Cerebremancer 10/Arch Defiler 10/Dragon 2

Defiler Metamorphosis Rank 1 | Evolution Score 34 (mod +12, 12 salient feats)

AC 28, touch 21, flat-footed 20 (+8 Dex, +7 natural)

hp 358 (32d4+2d12; 34 HD)

Fort +28, Ref +26, Will +31 (+7 epic)

DR 12/epic; SR 32; PR 32; Immune disease, sleep, paralysis

Speed 30 ft.

Melee Vizier’s Thorn (+5 icy burst dagger) +28 (1d8+11/x2)

Full Attack Vizier’s Thorn (+5 icy burst dagger) +28/+23 (1d8+11/x2)

Base Atk +17 (+10 base, +7 epic); Grapple +23

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Starting Scores: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 10

Abilities: Str 23 (+6), Dex 26 (+8), Con 27 (+8), Int 37 (+13), Wis 21 (+5), Cha 23 (+6)

SQ DR 12/epic, SR 32, PR 32, energy storing, tainted aura, dragon magic, casting time metamagic (2/day), painful radius, metamagic raze, signature spells, genocidal focus (orcs), advanced being traits

Feats Scribe Scroll, Improved Initiativeᴴ, Agonizing Radiusᶜ, Body Fuelᴮ, Great Fortitudeᶜ, Psionic Bodyᴮ, Quicken Spellᶜ, Craft Wondrous Itemᶜ, Dragon Magicᶜ, Practiced Spellcasterᶜ, Enlarge Spellᶜ, Epic Spellcastingᶜ, Epic Manifestingᶜ, Improved Spell Capacityᶜ, Maximize Powerᶜ, Maximize Spellᶜ, Empower Spellᴮ, Iron Will, Widen Spell, Spell Penetration, Toughness, Greater Spell Penetration, Combat Casting, Advanced Mindᴾ, Advanced Physiqueᴾ, Sorcerer Monarchᴾ, Superior Spell Capacityᴾ, Master Spellcasterᴾ, Puissance, Lesserᴾ, Supernatural Spellᴾ, Genocidal Focusᴾ, Mystical Reservoirᴾ, Salient Damage Reductionᴾ, Turn/Rebuke Undeadᴾ, Spell/Power Resistanceᴾ

ᴮ = class bonus, ᴴ = human bonus, ᶜ = character-level, ᴾ = salient

Skills Bluff +13, Concentration +49, Craft (Alchemy) +28, Decipher Script +50, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (Arcana) +50, Knowledge (History) +50, Knowledge (Psionics) +50, Knowledge (The Planes) +50, Psicraft +50, Spellcraft +52

Casting

Caster Level 34 (wizard 25 + 10 feat, capped at HD 34)

Manifester Level 17 (psion 17)

Spells Per Day 0:4; 1st:8; 2nd:7; 3rd:7; 4th:7; 5th:7; 6th:6; 7th:6; 8th:6; 9th:6; 10th:1; 11th:1; 12th:1; 13th:1; 14th:1

Power Points 360 (base 250 + 110 bonus)

Spell/Power DC 23 + spell/power level (10 + spell level + 13 Int)

As a Sorcerer-Monarch, Abalach-Re has access to any non-unique spell or power in the SRD.

Salient Feat Descriptions

Advanced Mind

Abalach-Re gains a +2 untyped bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma from her transformation into an advanced being. This bonus stacks with all other bonuses.

Advanced Physique

Abalach-Re gains a +2 untyped bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution from her advanced being transformation.

Sorcerer Monarch

Abalach-Re controls a conduit to the elemental planes and can grant or deny her templars access to spells. Her domains are Tyranny, Hatred, Evil, and Destruction. She is not aware of which spells a templar requests or casts — she controls only access to the conduit, not how the energy is used once accessed.

Superior Spell Capacity

Abalach-Re has spell slots up to 14th level. Superior Spell Capacity grants four iterations of Improved Spell Capacity on top of the single iteration from the Improved Spell Capacity feat, for a total of five spell slots above 9th level: one each at 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th level.

Master Spellcaster

Abalach-Re’s caster level for wizard is increased by +10 (+4 from Practiced Spellcaster, +6 from Master Spellcaster), capped at her Hit Dice. Her effective caster level is 34 (25 base + 10 feat, capped at HD 34).

Puissance, Lesser

Abalach-Re gained six bonus non-epic feats from this salient feat: Iron Will, Widen Spell, Spell Penetration, Toughness, Greater Spell Penetration, and Combat Casting.

Supernatural Spell

Abalach-Re can apply the Supernatural Spell metamagic feat to a spell, causing it to function as a supernatural ability. The spell requires no verbal, somatic, or material components, does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and ignores the target’s spell resistance. This requires expending a spell slot 8 levels higher than the spell’s actual level. XP costs, if any, must still be paid.

Genocidal Focus

Orcs are Abalach-Re’s sworn enemy. Damage-dealing spells and powers deal +4d6 bonus hit point damage to orcs. Any weapon she wields is treated as a dread weapon against orcs (+4 enhancement, +4d6 damage). This salient feat is associated with the Champions of Rajaat.

Mystical Reservoir

Abalach-Re’s mystical reservoir holds 3,600 XP per day (300 XP × Evolution Score modifier 12) for spellcasting and psionic manifesting costs, whether epic or non-epic. The same amount is available once per month for item creation. XP drawn from the reservoir is not permanently lost.

Salient Damage Reduction

Abalach-Re has DR 12/epic, equal to her Evolution Score modifier. This does not stack with other sources of damage reduction.

Turn/Rebuke Undead

Abalach-Re can turn or rebuke undead as a cleric of level equal to her HD (34). She can use this ability 3 + Charisma modifier times per day (3 + 6 = 9 times per day). She chooses whether to turn or rebuke upon taking this feat, and the choice cannot be changed.

Spell/Power Resistance

Abalach-Re has SR 32 and PR 32, calculated as 20 + Evolution Score modifier (20 + 12 = 32).

Special Ability Descriptions

Energy Storing (Su)

Abalach-Re can store life energy from nearby creatures in psionically enchanted obsidian orbs. Gathering and storing energy is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Creatures within 170 feet gain one negative level each round Abalach-Re uses energy storing.

Tainted Aura

Abalach-Re suffers a -5 circumstance penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Handle Animal checks but gains a +5 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks. The tainted aura has a range of 50 feet.

Dragon Magic

Abalach-Re can cast spells drawing on animal life energy in addition to defiling the plant life, treating any spell as if cast in one terrain type better than the actual terrain, up to abundant. She can also choose to cast without draining plant life, in which case the spell is treated as cast in desolate terrain. All living creatures except Abalach-Re within the defiling radius must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or take 1 point of Con ability damage. This ability requires a perfect obsidian orb worth at least 1,000 gp as a focus. When casting arcane epic spells, Abalach-Re can use animal life energy to reduce XP burn — each point of Con damage inflicted reduces XP burn by 5 points.

Casting Time Metamagic

Twice per day (but only once per spell) Abalach-Re can apply a metamagic feat to a spell at casting time. This does not increase the spell’s level or require a higher level spell slot, but doubles the casting time. Only metamagic feats that would increase a spell slot by 3 or less may be applied. Her eligible feats are Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, and Widen Spell.

Painful Radius

The penalties suffered to attacks, saves and skill checks for being caught in Abalach-Re’s defiling radius increase to -3 (including the effects of Agonizing Radius).

Metamagic Raze

Abalach-Re can gather energy during spell preparation to reduce metamagic feat spell slot adjustments by one (minimum one), once per spell. Each use defiles a 5 ft. radius where the spell is prepared.

Signature Spells

Abalach-Re has the following signature spells: magic missile, glitterdust, protection from energy, ice storm, cloudkill, circle of death, delayed blast fireball, polar ray, mass hold monster. She can “lose” any prepared spell to cast a signature spell of the same level or lower.

Advanced Being Traits

Immune to disease, sleep, and paralysis. Darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision. Defiler Metamorphosis Rank 1: Large size, 2 RHD (dragon, d12). +2 natural armor. RHD use epic progression for BAB and saving throws.

Possessions

Vizier’s Thorn (+5 icy burst dagger), Belt of Magnificence +6, Ring of Epic Wizardry V, Ring of Protection +3, Amulet of Natural Armor +5, Cloak of Resistance +5, Crystal Ball with See Invisibility, Boots of Landing, Eyes of Expanded Vision, Gloves of Object Reading, Orb of Energy Storing (2 inch diameter, 400 HD capacity)

As a sorcerer-queen with templars, royal defilers and royal academies of psionics working for her, Abalach-Re can have essentially any potion fruits, scrolls, power stones, wands, or dorjes she wishes.

Background

Abalach-Re is the Sorcerer-Queen of Raam, one of the weaker Sorcerer-Monarchs. In the Cerulean Storm, she relies on magic over psionics, using defiling and dragon magic freely. 30 Wishes were used to increase her ability scores (+5 each to all six stats).

I’ll need to further verify the statblock. My other half got hungry and so now I’m away from keyboard. Here is what is going on with the statblock.

Its based on your statblock and has your starting stats. She has +5 Inherent bonus to all stats from wish spells, 30 in total. Mystical Reservoir salient feat is how Sorcerer Monarchs (and other advanced beings) are able to cope with the XP doldrums. 300 XP per day times her evolution score modifier, which is 12, giving her 3600 XP a day to spend on spells. To put it another way, a wish spells only costs Abalach-Re 1400 XP from her own experience point pool.

Salient feats are what separate advanced beings from the mere mortals (and immortals lacking salient feats, for that matter). Each is roughly two to 4 times more powerful than an epic feat, and many bridge gaps for a character lacking in something. Salient feats are acquired through the evolution score modifier, which follows the same table as ability score modifiers. Calculating evolution score is easy: it is class level + (metamorphosis rank x 2). For example, a 30th class level rank 1 avagion has an evolution score of 32, and modifier of 11, which grants 11 salient feats. RHD is never included in the calculation for the evolution score.

The skills may be incorrect. No big deal. Will verify later.

Your posts gave me the idea to write about Rafernard, which I will do in another thread.

Interesting. I think this is a really good version with the perspective that the sorcerer monarchs are effectively godlike beings.

I don’t personally see them that way, but as people given godlike powers. That may seem like a nmeaningless distinction, but to me the difference is that the SKs are not necessarily superhuman (or even exceptional by human standards) in anything not directly related to their powers. They’re all going to be really high INT because they’re superpowerful wizard/psions and and they’ll all be high CON, but beyond that is more arguable.

Abalach-re’s city state is at the border of rebellion, which is a pretty bad showing for an immortal superpowered ruler who has been in place for 2000 years and can read the minds of her subjects; the Wis 12 Cha 14 I got for her (based on the Champion template’s +4) already feels rather generous to me.

Kalak in Verdant Passage doesn’t come across to me as above-average (much less superhuman) Wis or Cha either, though he’s definitely unnaturally strong for his size.

Lalali-Puy and Hamanu OTOH I’d give very high Wis and Cha. (Hamanu, in the RAFOADK version, is probably closer to a wilder/sorcerer than a psion/wizard in any case.)

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That’s a valid perspective, especially considering how the Sorcerer Monarchs got beaten like baby seals in The Cerulean Storm.

I think the problem with Raam is not Abalach-Re’s personal power or lack of ability, but rather lack of interest. In my conception of Abalach-Re, she is a dissolute single mum of dozens of children all with different fathers, who dotes on the kids when they are young children and loses interest in the kids when they enter adolescence. She likes parties and wastefulness, and does not govern Raam according to how she could do if she actually took an interest.

Note that I do not accept Raam as “fake India” as it became presented in the latter part of the 2e Dark Sun run. Instead, Abalach-Re is more like the King Louis XVI of popular imagination combined with his wife Marie Antoinette of “let them eat cake” fame. Both were executed in the French revolution. This vision fits Abalach-Re as someone enjoying the vices of the royal court more than someone ruling over a strict caste society.

A counterpoint is that Kalak’s manifestation of psionic disintegration to kill the high templar Dorjan was so powerful that Tithian could feel it in his mind. We didn’t see anything like that happen elsewhere in the Prism Pentad novels. Kalak was strong but it could be explained with spells to buff his strength. The psionic power cannot be explained away though.

I have a provisional version of Hamanu as sorcerer. If you go by RaFoaDK he is most certainly a 3.5e sorcerer as described, although Lynn Abbey certainly could not have that in mind.

Kalak ( Tyrant of Tyr )
NE human male Champion of Rajaat stage I dragon psion (telepath) 8/wizard 3/cerebremancer 10/arch defiler 9

Size/Type: Medium Dragon
Hit Dice: 30d4 + 150 + 4 (274 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 32 (+2 Dex, +12 bracers of epic armor , +5 amulet of natural armor, +3 ring of protection); touch 15, flat-footed 30
BAB: +10
BAB + Epic Attack Bonus: +15
Grapple Bonus: +19
Attack: by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +17)
Full Attack: by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +17)
Special Attacks: Psionics, spells (casting time metamagic, painful radius, signature spells)
Special Qualities: DR 10/epic, energy storing, immortality, immunities, psionics, spells, SR/PR 32, tongues
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +19, Will +27 (Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +21 without cloak)
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 36 (28 without headband), Wis 18, Cha 14
Skills: Concentration +37, Intimidate +20*, Knowledge (arcana) +38 (+34 without headband), Knowledge (psionics) +31 (+27 without headband), Psicraft +38 (+34 without headband), Spellcraft +44 (+40 without headband) [fill in more later…]
Feats: Agonizing Radius, Body Fuel, Craft Wondrous Item, Distant Raze, Efficient Raze, Empower Spell, Extend Power, Fast Raze, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Psionic Body, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Still Spell, Widen Spell
Epic Feats: Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Epic Spellcasting, Improved Manifestation

ECL: 38

Energy Storing (Su): Kalak can store life energy from nearby creatures in psionically enchanted obsidian orbs. Gathering and storing energy is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Creatures within 160 feet gain one negative level each round Kalak uses energy storing.

Immortality (Ex): Kalak is naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. He does not age, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for him to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Immunities (Ex): Kalak is immune to disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters his form. Immunities can voluntarily be lowered as a move action.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and sonic effects deal normal damage to Kalak. If he loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. Kalak can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Tongues (Su): Kalak can comprehend and speak any language of creatures that he interacts with.

Spells: Caster level 22, spell save DC: 23 + spell level (19 + spell level without headband), spells per day: 4/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5/5.

  • Signature Spells: Kalak has the following signature spells: shield, resist energy, fireball, dimension door, cloudkill, acid fog, control weather, horrid wilting, wail of the banshee. He can channel stored spell energy into signature spells that he did not prepare ahead of time. Kalak can “lose” any prepared spell in order to cast one of these signature spells that is of the same spell level as the prepared spell or lower (just like a cleric can lose prepared spells in order to cast cure spells of the same level or lower.)

Psionics: 299 power points/day, manifester level 18th, 33 powers known

Constantly Active Buffs: mind blank, see invisibility (with permanency)

Pre-Combat Buff Spells/Powers when Given Time to Prepare: globe of invulnerability, psionic freedom of movement, psionic true seeing, protection from energy (sonic), protection from spells

Epic Spells Known/Developed: defiler metamorphosis I (DC 50)

Notable Spells Typically Prepared (not all spells included; excludes those given as buffs above):

1 – ray of enfeeblement

2 – scorching ray, touch of idiocy

3 – stinking cloud, slow, fireball, lightning bolt

4 – contagion, dimension door, shout

5 – cone of cold, empowered fireball x2, hold monster, quickened magic missile, mind fog

6 – chain lightning, freezing sphere, greater dispel magic, quickened scorching ray

7 – quickened fireball, quickened lightning bolt, quickened slow, greater teleport x2

8 – widened cloudkill, quickened dimension door, empowered chain lightning, widened cone of cold

9 – widened acid fog, quickened cone of cold, quickened hold monster, meteor swarm x2

Psion Powers:

1 – call to mind, conceal thoughts, control light, detect psionics, far hand, mind thrust, missive

2 – body equilibrium, brain lock*, control sound, ego whip, id insinuation, psionic knock, read thoughts*

3 – body adjustment, dispel psionics, psionic blast, telekinetic force

4 – psionic dominate*, psionic freedom of movement, psionic modify memory*, schism*

5 – psionic major creation, psionic true seeing, psychic crush, shatter mind blank, tower of iron will,

6 – psionic overland flight, remote view trap

7 – decerebrate, ultrablast

8 – matter manipulation

9 - microcosm

*discipline power


Equipment
Epic Magic Items: bracers of epic armor +12, cloak of epic resistance +6, headband of epic intellect +8

Permanent Magic Items: amulet of natural armor +5, ring of protection +3, ring of greater cold resistance

Permanent Psionic Items: boots of landing, eyes of expanded vision, gloves of object reading, orb of energy storing x3 (1”, 200HD capacity; 2”, 400HD capacity; 4”, 800HD capacity)

In addition, as a sorcerer-king with templars, royal defilers and royal academies of psionics working for him, Kalak can have essentially any potion fruits, scrolls, power stones, wands, or dorjes (especially of lower-level powers) he wishes.

Tactics: Like other sorcerer-kings, Kalak prefers to have others fight for him. He has a royal guard, templars, and so on. If actually threatened he will probably teleport away and arrange the death of the foes. However, if challenged by those who don’t represent a real threat, he will destroy his foes with either flashy area-of-effect magic or with his powerful psionics.

If Kalak is participating in a major war, he will first protect himself from enemy magic and ranged weapons, and hurl large-scale destructive magic, often Widened.

While Kalak is in many ways (though not in psionics) the weakest of the sorcerer-kings, he is quite difficult to harm when fully protected. His Champion regeneration works against damage other than cold and sonic; thus he uses protection from energy against those damage types. The combination of globe of invulnerability, mind blank, psionic freedom of movement, and protection from spells is quite effective against hostile magic. (The Heartwood Spear, however, had the ability to pierce both magical and psionic defenses…)


Notes: 18 Wishes used to increase ability scores (4 for Str and Con, 5 for Int and Dex); however, he hasn’t spent XP on developing any epic spells beyond the basic metamorphosis.

Conversion Notes: In many ways the weakest of the sorcerer-kings. My “minimum standards” for a sorcerer-king are: 9th-level arcane spellcasting, Epic Spellcasting and +40 Spellcraft (to cast dragon metamorphosis I ); 9th-level psionics; at least stage I dragon; at least 30 total levels. Kalak, at 30 levels, is as weak as they get. (Though he may be higher ECL than a non-Champion/non-SK dragon, due to the Champion of Rajaat template.)

There is a conflict in the 2e canon over whether Kalak was properly a dragon or not; Dragon Kings says yes (21st-level dragon), City-State of Tyr and arguably Verdant Passage say no. I have compromised here by giving him the first stage of dragon metamorphosis but not the Athasian dragon prestige class.

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Andropinis ( Dictator of Balic )
LE human male Champion of Rajaat stage I dragon psion (telepath) 9/wizard 11/cerebremancer 10/Athasian dragon 2

Size/Type: Medium Dragon
Hit Dice: 30d4 + 2d6 + 192 + 6 (330 hp)
Initiative: +4 (+4 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 28 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection ring of protection, +5 natural amulet of natural armor, +5 armor robe of the archmagi); touch 18, flat-footed 24
BAB: +10
BAB + Epic Attack Bonus: +16
Grapple Bonus: +19
Attack: +4 power storing collision dagger +23 (1d4+8); or by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +20)
Full Attack: +4 power storing collision dagger +23/+18 (1d4+8); or by spell or power (touch or ranged touch +20)
Special Attacks: Genocidal focus, psionics, spells (dragon magic, psionic enchantment: far reach, signature spells)
Special Qualities: DR 10/epic, energy storing, immortality, immunities, PR 32, psionics, spells, SR 40 (SR 32 without mantle ), tongues
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +20, Will +23 (Fort +18, Ref +13, Will +19 without robe and gloves of dexterity )
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18 (12 without gloves ), Con 22, Int 36 (30 without headband ), Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +41, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +36, Knowledge (history) +38, Knowledge (psionics) +37, Psicraft +44, Spellcraft +44 (… fill in rest later)
Feats: Body Fuel, Craft Staff, Great Fortitude, Extend Power, Heighten Spell, Imprint Stone, Inquisitor, Maximize Spell, Psionic Body, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation), Widen Spell
Epic Feats: Craft Epic Staff, Enhance Spell, Epic Spellcasting, Master Staff, Multispell

ECL: 40

Energy Storing (Su): Andropinis can store life energy from nearby creatures in psionically enchanted obsidian orbs. Gathering and storing energy is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Creatures within 170 feet gain one negative level each round Andropinis uses energy storing.

Genocidal Focus – Elves (Su): Spells and powers that deal damage do +4d6 bonus damage against elves. Any weapon that Andropinis wields in combat is considered a dread weapon against elves. The weapon loses this dread ability if Andropinis ceases to wield it.

Immortality (Ex): Andropinis is naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. He does not age, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for him to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Immunities (Ex): Andropinis is immune to disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters his form. Immunities can voluntarily be lowered as a move action.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and sonic effects deal normal damage to Andropinis (but Andropinis is immune to cold due to his ring of cold immunity ). If he loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. Andropinis can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Tongues (Su): Andropinis can comprehend and speak any language of creatures that he interacts with.

Spells: Caster level 21, spell save DC: 22 + spell level or 24 + spell level for evocation spells (19 + spell level or 21 + spell level for evocation spells without headband), spells per day 4/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5.

  • Dragon Magic: Andropinis can cast spells drawing on animal life energy in addition to defiling the plant life, which has the effect of having any spell he casts be treated as if it were cast in one terrain type better than the actual terrain, up to abundant. He can also choose to cast spells without draining from the plant life at all, but in this case, the spell is cast as if it were cast in desolate terrain. All living creatures, except Andropinis, within the defiling radius must make a Fortitude save (DC 25), or take 1 point of Con ability damage. The use of this ability requires a perfect obsidian orb, of no less than 1,000 gp value, as a focus. When casting arcane epic spells, Andropinis can use animal life energy to reduce XP burn. Each point of Con damage inflicted using dragon magic reduces XP burn by 5 points.
  • Psionic Enchantment - Far Reach: Andropinis can use touch spells and powers on targets up to 30 feet away.
  • Signature Spells: Andropinis has the following signature spells: disguise self, blindness/deafness, lightning bolt, wall of fire, cloudkill, disintegrate, greater teleport, incendiary cloud, meteor swarm. He can channel stored spell energy into signature spells that she did not prepare ahead of time. Andropinis can “lose” any prepared spell in order to cast one of these signature spells that is of the same spell level as the prepared spell or lower (just like a cleric can lose prepared spells in order to cast cure spells of the same level or lower.)
  • Spell Mastery Spells: *magic missile, invisibility, see invisibility, flaming sphere, protection from energy, lesser globe of invulnerability, fire shield, acid fog, chain lightning, delayed blast fireball

Psionics: 311 power points/day, 19th manifester level, 34 powers known.

Constantly Active Buffs: arcane sight (with permanency), psionic mind blank

Pre-Combat Buff Spells/Powers when Given Time to Prepare: protection from energy (sonic), lesser globe of invulnerability, psionic true seeing, psionic freedom of movement, schism


Epic Spells Known/Developed: defiler metamorphosis I (DC 50), let go of me (DC 43), peripety (DC 27)

Notable Spells Typically Prepared (not all spells at lower levels included; excludes those given as buffs above):

1 – magic missile

2 – flaming sphere, invisibility, scorching ray, see invisibility,

3 – protection from energy (x3), fireball, lightning bolt, slow

4 – dimension door, fire shield, lesser globe of invulnerability,

5 – blight, cone of cold, feeblemind, symbol of pain, waves of fatigue (x2)

6 – maximized fireball, widened fireball, greater dispel magic, mind fog x2, quickened scorching ray

7 – maximized ice storm x2, quickened lightning bolt, quickened slow x2

8 – maximized cone of cold, quickened dimension door, quickened ice storm x2, quickened shout,

9 - widened acid fog, quickened cone of cold, maximized widened fireball, quickened feeblemind x2

Psion Powers:

1 – conceal thoughts, control light, deceleration, detect psionics, far hand, mind thrust, missive

2 – body equilibrium, brain lock*, control sound, ego whip, id insinuation, read thoughts*

3 – body adjustment, dispel psionics, eradicate invisibility, telekinetic force, telekinetic thrust

4 – intellect fortress, psionic dominate*, psionic freedom of movement, psionic modify memory*, schism*

5 – catapsi, mind probe*, psionic true seeing

6 – psionic overland flight, remote view trap

7 – insanity, psionic phase door

8 – matter manipulation, psionic mind blank

9 – microcosm, reality revision

*discipline power


Equipment
Epic Magic Items: staff of domination, mantle of epic spell resistance, ring of cold immunity

Permanent Magic Items: amulet of natural armor +5, gloves of dexterity +6, headband of intellect +6, ring of protection +4, robe of the archmagi,

Permanent Psionic Items: +4 power storing collision dagger, boots of skating, orb of energy storing (3” diameter / 600 HD life energy capacity), third eye repudiate

In addition, as a sorcerer-king with templars, royal defilers and royal academies of psionics working for him, Andropinis can have essentially any potion fruits, scrolls, power stones, wands, or dorjes (especially of lower-level powers) he wishes.

Tactics: In the Cleansing Wars, Andropinis’ war on the elves led him to burn down many forests and defile wide lands as his victims fled. He developed a great fondness for fire magic, as well as other forms of area-effect destruction such as lightning and acid fog. He also learned to make heavy use of movement-limiting spells and psionic powers such as slow, waves of fatigue, and deceleration.

On the personal scale, mind fog + quickened slow + quickened feeblemind (with Multispell) is a very nasty debuff combination.

Andropinis’ ring of cold immunity protects him from cold damage that would otherwise bypass his Champion regeneration; thus, whenever he has a chance to prepare for a fight with magic-using foes, he will protect himself from sonic damage with protection from energy.


Notes: 10 Wishes used to increase ability scores (4 for Int and Con, 2 for Dex).

Conversion Notes: Andropinis is a 21st-level dragon in 2e, so he’s also among the weaker sorcerer-monarchs. When we see him in Balic in the Prism Pentad, he seems to use a lot of telepathy (such as mentally linking with his mute Patricians).

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One thing. - my sorcerer monarchs have a bit more offensive power than yours if built that way, but yours has the champion template and the long list of immunities:

So a lot of attacks, especially magical attacks, will fail to kill them. Mine lack the immunities, although there is a salient feat that allows them to take a single immunity which is a high price. Mine are much more vulnerable to surprise attack or group attack. I also ban the following feats for the sake of sanity in epic play.

BANNED EPIC FEATS
To maintain game balance and prevent the breakdown of the action economy and
spellcasting mathematics at high levels, the following Epic feats are strictly prohibited.
These feats are banned without exception for all characters, NPCs, and monsters.

Prohibited Feats List

The following feats cannot be selected, granted as bonus feats, or acquired through any
other means:
• Additional Magic Item Space
• Automatic Quicken Spell / Automatic Quicken Power
• Automatic Silent Spell / Automatic Silent Power
• Automatic Still Spell / Automatic Still Power
• Enhance Spell
• Improved Metamagic / Improved Metapsionics
• Multispell / Multipower
• Permanent Emanation
• Tenacious Magic / Tenacious Power

Design Note: Why are these banned?

• Action Economy: Automatic Quicken and Multispell destroy the fundamental limit
of “one major action per round,” allowing spellcasters to end encounters before
other characters can act.
• Metamagic Abuse: Improved Metamagic allows for infinite cost reduction loops
and damage scaling that bypasses the intended limits of the D20 system.
• Counterplay Removal: Tenacious Magic and Permanent Emanation remove the
ability for opponents to interact with or dispel effects, leading to non-interactive
gameplay states.
• Slot Limits: Additional Magic Item Space trivializes resource management and item
slot limitations, which are one of the few remaining checks on power at Epic levels.

So depending on how you think about these things, your sorcerer monarchs could be more powerful. Especially with game breaking epic feats.

I can see the argument that Abalach-Re could govern better if she really tried, and I more or less agree with it… but I don’t think that’s entirely contradictory with my view. I think if she was Cha 23 her non-enslaved subjects would love and revere her despite her being not that great a ruler. Cha 14 is actually fairly good by normal standards, just not by quasi-divine-being standards.

As for her Wis, it’s not just the politics, it’s the way she fights in Cerulean Storm. She seems fairly sloppy, given that she had time to plan for that fight. IMO with a high-Wis sorcerer-monarch as opponent, everyone (except Rkard holding the Scourge) would probably be dead before they knew there was an enemy around.

(my totally-not-canon view is that Abalach-Re’s weakness is feigned to eventually get Borys to intervene, at which point she hits him with a supercharged psionic enchantment powered by the life energy of everyone in Raam, all her trees of life, etc. which either kills Borys and uses his life energy as well to accelerate her dragon metamorphosis, or steals his fully-metamorphosed body so she can be The Dragon … and all the other SKs just think Abalach-Re screwed up and Borys squashed her and Raam, they don’t realize he’s been replaced!

but this is meant to be the canon version.)

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Multispell is specifically part of the Athasian dragon prestige class, so most of mine (only excluding Kalak) are going to have it.

And I definitely intend to use Improved Metamagic, but reserve it for the “higher tier” SKs (Nibenay, Oronis, Borys, Dregoth if I stat him… might not since he’s in Dregoth Ascending).

So that’s definitely a power boost yeah.

I see sorcerer-monarchs as both ridiculously, unfairly powerful but also basically human underneath it (the ‘basically human’ decreases as dragon metamorphosis increases… but it definitely applies for Abalach-Re, Andropinis, Kalak, Lalali-Puy, Tectuktitlay, and the non-RAFOADK version of Hamanu).

If you’re fighting them in their element, you just lose. Even the ‘weaker’ ones can kill an army singlehandedly. But they have weak points, and if you can somehow neutralize their advantages (as the Heartwood Spear did for Kalak, and the Scourge did a couple other times in the PP), they can be vulnerable.

The one ‘godlike’ ability I’d like to see the SKs have is “everything is a class skill”. The skill ranks for high level high Int characters with a bunch of classes are a huge pain.

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I have a salient feat for that lol.

Another thought on the long list of immunities: I think the Champion template’s defenses (including regeneration as well, which makes them really hard to kill, especially since there’s no reason potential rebels would know it’s cold and sonic that are the weakness) is the only way other than Plot to reconcile how the SKs ruled unchallenged for ages and then die quick in the Prism Pentad.

They know they’re incredibly hard to kill. Early in the Cleansing Wars they figured out, or were taught directly by Rajaat, what their main weaknesses were and how to shore them up (with things like resist energy, protection from energy and/or resistance/immunity items). The Wars have been over for two thousand years, and it’s probably been over a thousand years since any of the core seven fought an actually challenging foe (Kalid-Ma’s death?). The core seven have had Borys to deal with any real outside threats (the timeline wording suggests Kalak just called Borys to deal with Nerad, not participated himself). So they’ve gotten sloppy.

And then during the PP they get faced with things that just neutralize their defenses: the Heartwood Spear, and the weird Rajaat-shadow-slime from the broken Scourge.

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Nibenay(Shadow King of Nibenay)
NE human male Champion of Rajaat stage III dragon psion (seer) 10 / wizard 5 / cerebremancer 10 / loremaster 11 / Athasian dragon 5

Size/Type: Medium Dragon
Hit Dice: 36d4 + 5d6 + 328 + 4 (506 hp)
Initiative: +9 (+1 Dex, +8 Superior Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 38 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural, +20 epic mage armor); touch 15, flat-footed 33
BAB: +10
BAB + Epic Attack Bonus: +20
Grapple Bonus: +23
Attack: +5 dagger of power storing +28/+23 melee (1d4+8); or by spell (touch or ranged touch +24)
Full Attack: +5 dagger of power storing +28/+23 melee (1d4+8); or by spell (touch or ranged touch +24)
Special Attacks: Psionics, spells (dragon magic, psionic enchantments, signature spells)
Special Qualities: DR 10/epic, energy storing, immortality, immunities, psionics, spells, SR/PR 32, tongues, lore/greater lore/true lore, loremaster secrets
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +39, Ref +32, Will +39 (Fort +26, Ref +18, Will +29 without bracers, gloves, and cloak )
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 18 (12 without gloves of dexterity), Con 32 (27 without bracers of health ), Int 46 (32 without headband of epic intellect +14 ), Wis 20, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +55 (+52 without bracers), Knowledge (arcana) +52 (+45 without headband), Spellcraft +51 (+44 without headband), [fill in rest later]
Feats: Body Fuel, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Extend Power, Imprint Stone, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Psionic Body, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Spell Focus (necromancy), Twin Power, Widen Spell
Epic Feats: Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Epic Spellcasting, Improved Manifestation, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity x2, Improved Combat Casting, Multispell,

ECL: 49

Energy Storing (Su): Nibenay can store life energy from nearby creatures in psionically enchanted obsidian orbs. Gathering and storing energy is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Creatures within 210 feet gain one negative level each round Nibenay uses energy storing.

Immortality (Ex): Nibenay is naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. Nibenay does not age, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for him to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Immunities (Ex): Nibenay is immune to disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters his form. Immunities can voluntarily be lowered as a move action.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and sonic effects deal normal damage to Nibenay (but his rings grant him resistance 30 to both). If he loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. Nibenay can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Tongues (Su): Nibenay can comprehend and speak any language of creatures that he interacts with.

Loremaster Secrets: +2 Will, +2 Fort, +2 Ref, +1 attack bonus, +1 dodge bonus to AC

Spells: Caster level 28th, spell save DC: 28 + spell level, or 30 + spell level for necromancy or evocation spells (21 + spell level, or 23 + spell level for necromancy or evocation spells, without headband ), spells per day: 4/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/2

  • Dragon Magic: Nibenay can cast spells drawing on animal life energy in addition to defiling the plant life, which has the effect of having any spell he casts be treated as if it were cast in two terrain types better than the actual terrain, up to abundant. He can also choose to cast spells without draining from the plant life at all, but in this case, the spell is cast as if it were cast in barren terrain. All living creatures, except Nibenay, within the defiling radius must make a Fortitude save (DC 25), or take 2 points of Con ability damage. The use of this ability requires a perfect obsidian orb, of no less than 1,000 gp value, as a focus. When casting arcane epic spells, Nibenay can use animal life energy to reduce XP burn. Each point of Con damage inflicted using dragon magic reduces XP burn by 5 points.
  • Psionic Enchantment: Metamixture (Extend Power): Nibenay can apply his Extend Power metapsionic feat to spells.
  • Psionic Enchantment: Far Reach: Nibenay can use touch spells and powers on targets up to 30 feet away.
  • Signature Spells: Nibenay has the following signature spells: magic missile, see invisibility, ray of exhaustion, solid fog, feeblemind, greater arcane sight, waves of exhaustion, horrid wilting, power word kill. He can channel stored spell energy into signature spells that he did not prepare ahead of time. He can “lose” any prepared spell in order to cast one of these signature spells that is of the same spell level as the prepared spell or lower (just like a cleric can lose prepared spells in order to cast cure spells of the same level or lower.)

Psionics: 362 power points/day, manifester level 20th, 36 powers known

Constantly Active Buffs: contingency (cast break enchantment on Nibenay if he fails a save against a curse or enchantment effect), detect magic (with permanency), psionic mind blank

Pre-Combat Buff Spells/Powers when Given Time to Prepare: blur, globe of invulnerability, peripety, repulsion, psionic freedom of movement, psionic true seeing, spell turning

Notable Spells Typically Prepared (not all spells at lower levels included; excludes those given as buffs above):

1 - magic missile

2 - glitterdust, blur, blindness/deafness

3 - stinking cloud, suggestion, ray of exhaustion, vampiric touch, slow

4 - dimension door (x2), crushing despair, shout (x2), contagion, enervation

5 - cloudkill, hold monster, mind fog, cone of cold, wall of force, waves of fatigue, overland flight

6 - acid fog, greater dispel magic (x2), mass suggestion, circle of death, eyebite

7 – quickened dimension door (x2), quickened enervation, greater teleport, insanity, waves of exhaustion,

8 – quickened mind fog (x2), polar ray (x2), quickened waves of fatigue

9 – quickened circle of death, quickened greater dispel magic, quickened mass suggestion, wail of the banshee (x2)

10 – quickened finger of death, quickened power word blind

Epic Spells Known/Developed: defiler metamorphosis I (DC 50), defiler metamorphosis II (DC 53), defiler metamorphosis III (DC 56 – freely developed at 5th level of Athasian dragon),epic mage armor (DC 46), let go of me (DC 43), peripety (DC 27)

Psion Powers:

1 – bolt, conceal thoughts, detect psionics, mind thrust, missive, my light

2 – detect hostile intent, ego whip, id insinuation, psionic identify, sensitivity to psychic impressions*

3 – body adjustment, danger sense, dispel psionics, escape detection*, eradicate invisibility, mind trap

4 – aura sight, correspond, detect remote viewing, psionic divination, psionic freedom of movement, trace teleport

5 – catapsi, psionic true seeing, second chance*, shatter mind blank

6 – greater precognition*, psionic disintegrate, remote view trap

7 – divert teleport, fate of one*

8 – hypercognition*, psionic mind blank

9 – apopsi, metafaculty*

*discipline power


Equipment
Epic Magic Items: cloak of epic resistance +10, headband of epic intellect +14

Permanent Magic Items: bracers of health +5, gloves of dexterity +6, ring of greater cold resistance, ring of greater sonic resistance

Permanent Psionic Items: +5 dagger of power storing, boots of temporal acceleration, orb of energy storing x2 (2” diameter / 400 HD – worn on necklace; 8” diameter / 1600 HD life energy capacity), third eye repudiate

In addition, as a sorcerer-king with templars, royal defilers and royal academies of psionics working for him, Nibenay can have essentially any potion fruits, scrolls, power stones, wands, or dorjes (especially of lower-level powers) he wishes.

Tactics: As the Bane of Gnomes during the Cleansing Wars, Nibenay (then Gallard) focused on magic-detection and illusion piercing (see invisibility, greater arcane sight, psionic true seeing, etc.) and necromantic death magic.

In large scale war, Nibenay will buff himself up and then hurl area effect magic. In personal combat, he will use devastating combinations such as quickened mind fog + quickened mass suggestion + quickened insanity, power word kill + quickened finger of death + quickened circle of death, or quickened greater dispel magic (to remove protections) + power word kill + quickened power word blind.

He is less likely to use raw damage magic, preferring to either kill outright or incapacitate, but when he needs it he will use spells such as polar ray and horrid wilting.


Notes: 16 Wishes used to increase ability scores (5 for Int, 4 for Dex and Con, 3 for Wis).

Conversion Notes: As a 23rd-level dragon in Dragon Kings and a 24th-level dragon in Wanderer’s Chronicle, Nibenay is clearly presented as the strongest of the core seven sorcerer-kings in 2e (though far below Dregoth and Borys). So here he is distinctly stronger – in caster level, spell save DC, psionics, dragon metamorphosis, and epic feats – than the lower tier Sks.

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