The Book of Beasts: Witch Codex is our third installment in the Book of Beasts: Character Codex Subscription. Previously, we shared with you the level 1 witch and the level 4 witch. Today we’re sharing with you the level 12 witch, the Arrogant Mage.
The Arrogant Mage is a great example of a witch that focuses on enchantment and transmutation spells that take a combatant out of a fight or otherwise weaken them. With spells like baleful polymorph, dominate person, hold monster, and mind fog ready to be cast, the arrogant mage can singlehandedly make life tough for a typical Pathfinder group. The NPC also has damaging spells to fall back upon like enervation, lightning bolt, and vampiric touch, but these are the lower-level spells, far from the character’s focus. If you are looking for an NPC that can be a real problem for your characters, this NPC is it.
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Arrogant Mage CR 11
XP 12,800
Human witch 12
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +3
Defense
AC 26, touch 16, flat-footed 21 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex, +2 natural, +4 shield)
hp 56 (12d6+12)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +9
Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee mwk cold iron rapier +2/โ3 (1d6+2/18โ20)
Ranged mwk light crossbow +12 (1d8+8/19โ20)
Special Attacks hexes (DC 21; evil eye, flight, fortune, healing, misfortune, retribution, tongues)
Witch Spells Prepared (CL 12th; concentration +17)
6thโflesh to stone (DC 21), transformation
5thโbaleful polymorph (DC 20), dominate person (DC 21), hold monster (DC 21), mind fog (DC 21)
4thโdebilitating portent UC (DC 20), dimension door, enervation, spite APG
3rdโdispel magic, haste, lightning bolt (DC 18), twilight knife APG, vampiric touch
2ndโcatโs grace, detect thoughts (DC 17), glitterdust (DC 17), see invisibility, web (DC 17)
1stโidentify, ill omen APG (4), mage armor
0 (at will)โdetect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 13)
Patron Agility
Tactics
Before Combat The witch casts mage armor each morning, as well as spite in conjunction with vampiric touch. If encountered in the witchโs abode, a symbol of sealing bars entry. Before battle, the witch drinks a potion of barkskin, uses the wand of shield, and casts catโs grace.
During Combat The witch flies out of melee range and attempts to use high-level enchantments and transmutations to neutralize foes. Otherwise, the witch attacks from range with Arcane Blasts, the wand of maximized magic missile, or crossbow bolts, absconding via dimension door if cornered or casting transformation and twilight knife to fight head-on if escape is impossible.
Base Statistics Without mage armor, barkskin, shield, catโs grace, or their familiar within reach, the witchโs statistics are AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+1 deflection, +3 Dex); Ref +7; Ranged mwk light crossbow +10 (1d8+8/19โ20); Dex 16; CMB +5; CMD 19; Skills Acrobatics +15, Escape Artist +15, Perception +1, Sense Motive +1.
Statistics
Str 8, Dex 20, Con 10, Int 20, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 21
Feats Arcane Blast APG, Arcane Strike, Detect Expertise UM, Focused Shot APG, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Spell Focus (enchantment)
Skills Acrobatics +17, Climb +2, Craft (painting) +22, Escape Artist +17, Knowledge (arcana, history, planes) +20, Perception +3, Sense Motive +3, Spellcraft +20, Use Magic Device +16
Languages Celestial, Common, Daemonic, Draconic, Dwarven, Orc
SQ witchโs familiar (scarlet spider; possesses all 0-level spells and all prepared spells plus 1stโburning hands, detect secret doors, jump, 2ndโestow weapon proficiency, haunting mists UM, 3rdโbestow curse, remove curse, 4thโfreedom of movement, ice storm, 5thโpolymorph, teleport, 6thโmass catโs grace, symbol of sealing)
Combat Gear potion of barkskin +2 (2), wand of maximized magic missile (CL 9th, 8 charges), wand of shield (12 charges); Other Gear mwk cold iron rapier, mwk light crossbow with bolts (20), headband of vast intelligence +2, marvelous pigments, ring of protection +1, canvas (10 sq. yds.), masterwork painting tools, spell component pouch, 514 gp