Defender Mage

Defender Mage Pattern (+2 CR)

Subtype: add Mage to subtypes

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

In combat, Defender Mage monsters are highly effective, often placing their Wretched Mists in front of any player ranged attackers to block their line of sight and line of effect, forcing them to move. Their Gushblock ability is even more annoying, as they pick away at the player's damaging attacks. Destroy Magic removes Pillars and summoned creatures instantly, and Shardburst is a nasty selective ranged attack.

Now, OUT of combat, like all monsters with a Spell-like ability, it is assumed that a Defender 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, 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!

This creature affects the robes of a wizard, and has decorated itself with a castle-wall motif.

General

Init: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Ambush Chance: -2 (better at ambushes)

Senses:

Perception: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Movement Types:

Defense

AC: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Hit Points: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Fort: +1 CRs greater than base creature.

Refl: +1 CRs greater than base creature.

Will: +1 CRs greater than base creature.

Special Defenses:

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Space / Reach: - / -

To-Hits: +2 CRs greater than base creature.

Damage: +1 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: 6    Wis:     Cha:

Feats:

Skills:

• creature adds +2 CRs to all of its existing skills.
• creature adds +3 CRs to its Spellcraft skill.

Languages:

Special Abilities

Defender's Monstrous Magic (Sp; Defender Mage Pattern)

Once per round, as a standard action, a Defender 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.

Gushblock (Sp)

The Defender Mage may use this ability as a non-provoking immediate action once per round, rather than the normal rules for their Monstrous Magic. Yes, this means they can use Gushblock even after they have already used another aspect of their Defenders Monstrous Magic in a given round, as long as they have an immediate action available.

If any allied creature of the Defender Mage to whom they have line of sight and line of effect, and who is within 10 feet of their space, is struck by any attack, the Defender Mage may use Gushblock to blast a liquid to interfere and reduce the damage inflicted by that attack to zero. This ability may be used to protect the Defender Mage, and frequently is. If the attack does more than one type of damage, the Defender Mage must choose which portion of the attack to negate. If the attack also lays a condition, that condition is not impeded.

Destroy Magic (Sp)

The Defender Mage may choose a 3x3x3 square area centered within 60 feet of its space. As a standard action, any spell effects ongoing within that space are ended immediately. There is no roll required for this removal, the Mage spends the standard action and the spell effects are destroyed. This removes any spell that lays a charge, does not trigger a synergy, and may have other effects as determined by the GM. This will never affect the use or abilities of any magic item, alyhough it may, at GM discretion, affect Spell-like or even supernatural racial abilities, class features, etc. The GM adjudicates all unusual circumstances. Note that this power has no effect upon anti-magic effects, even ones produced by spells. If the Defender Mage creature has an adjusted CR of 21 or higher, the area affected increases to 5x5x5 squares.

Shardburst (Sp)

The Defender Mage chooses a 3x3x3 square space centered within 60 feet of its space. As a standard action, a burst of deadly shards (metal, glass, wood, bone, stone, etc.) blasts forth from the center square. All enemy creatures in that space, wholly or partially, suffer 1d3 points of damage as piercing (physical, common) damage. This ability allows a Reflex save versus a DC of 14 to take half damage.

Wretched Mist (Sp)

The Defender Mage may use this ability as a Standard action. They may choose up to 3 unoccupied, unblocked, square(s), all of which must be within 200 feet of their space, and fill those spaces with dense, gritty 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 encounter unless dispersed earlier. Note that Defender Mages can and often do use their Destroy Magic ability to clear away their own Mist.

These mists do not impede movement at all, but any creature (friend or foe) who enters them suffers 1d4 points of damage as poison (physical, uncommon) damage, a maximum of once per round per creature. This ability allows a Fortitude save versus a DC of 14 to take half damage.

These mists are subject to removal by Dispersing effects, to include:

Dispersing (Aggressive Thundercloud, Greater (Druid Spell),  Aggressive Thundercloud, Greater (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Aggressive Thundercloud (Druid Spell),  Aggressive Thundercloud (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Air Step (Alchemist Extract),  Air Step (Bard Spell),  Air Step (Cleric Spell),  Air Step (Druid Spell),  Air Step (Paladin Spell),  Air Step (Ranger Poultice),  Air Step (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Calm Air (Druid Spell),  Calm Air (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Cloak of Winds (Druid Spell),  Cloak of Winds (Ranger Poultice),  Cloak of Winds (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Freedom (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Gust of Wind (Druid Spell),  Gust of Wind (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Hurricane Blast (Druid Spell),  Hurricane Blast (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Pillar of Fire (Druid Spell),  Pillar of Fire (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Resilient Sphere (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Scouring Winds (Druid Spell),  Scouring Winds (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Telekinetic Sphere (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell),  Wind Wall (Cleric Spell),  Wind Wall (Druid Spell),  Wind Wall (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell))

At the GM's discretion, other effects may strengthen or remove these effects as well.