Night Hag Queen

[daTim]

At the conclusion of a high level adventure I am running, I plan on the PC's facing off against a very powerful, advanced three headed night hag. Here are her stats as of now, and I have pegged her at a CR 20. The PC's in question should be around 17-18th level hopefully by this point. Does her CR seem appropriate? Help is appreciated!

Night hag Omega
Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)

Str: 29 (+9)
Dex: 16 (+3)
Con: 26 (+8)
Int: 24 (+7)
Wis: 26 (+8)
Chr: 26 (+8)

Hit Points: 250 (20d8[Outsider]+160[Con])
AC: 28 (10[base]-1[Size]+3[Dex]+16[Natural])
Init: +7
Speed: 40ft
Saves: Fort: +26 (12[base]+8[Con]+6[Resistance])
Refx: +24 (12[base]+3[Dex]+6[Resistance])
Will: +25 (12[base]+5[Wis]+6[Resistance])

BAB/Grapple: +20/+33
Attack: +29 Bite
Damage: 3d6+13 + disease

Skills: Bluff +31, Concentration +37, Diplomacy +35, Disguise +8 (+10 acting), Hide +26, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (Arcana, Planes) +30, Listen +43, Move Silently +30, Search +34, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +30 (+32 scrolls), Spot +43, Survival +8 (+10 following tracks), Use Magic Device +31 (+33 scrolls)
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, and Infernal
Feats: Alertness*, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell Like Ability: Acid Arrow x2, Magic Missile x2, Weapon Focus: Bite*

Special Qualities: All around vision, Damage reduction 10/cold iron and magic, Darkvision 90ft, Immunity to fire, cold, charm, sleep, and fear, spell resistance 28, Telepathy
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities

Possessions: Omega Heartstone

CR: 20

Disease: Demon Fever, Bite, DC 29, 1 day incubation, 1d6 Con, 1 con per day failed past that

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—acid arrow (2d4, 6 rounds) animate dead, bestow curse (DC 22), control weather, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, dream, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds), magic missile (5d4+5), mirage arcana (DC 24), polymorph (self only), ray of enfeeblement (1d6+5 DC 19), sleep (DC 19) telekinesis, Veil (DC 24), 3/day cloud kill (DC 23), phantasmal killer (DC 22), 1/day Forcecage, Mindblank. Caster level 20th. A night hag can use etherealness at will (caster level 22th) so long as it possesses its heartstone (see below).

Multi-Headed: Each of the three heads can take a full round worth of actions.

Omega Heartstone: This large gem is an inch and a half across and appears to have little value. For it to function correctly it must be placed in the center of your forehead. Once it is placed there, it automatically embeds itself in the person causing 10d6 points of damage. When it is finished embedding itself it appears as a large evil cats eye that glows a dull black, and emits a small amount of smoke that smells of brimstone continuously. Once it is embedded, the wielder is imbued with evil; regardless of their actual alignment, spells that affect creatures of an evil alignment affect them. While it is so embedded it grants the bearer a +6 resistance bonus to saves, immunity to all disease, a +2 bonus on caster level, and can use Etherealness as a spell like ability once a day at caster level 22.

 

[noeuphoria]

You should probably clarify what you mean by "each head takes a full round action", since I doubt the hag can move 3 times by virtue of her 3 heads. I assume she could get 3 bites off in a round, or possibly use 3 spell like abilities in a round. Maybe give each head it's own standard action. Also ray of enfeeblement seems like a more useful spell-like ability to quicken than acid arrow, something to take the edge of those guys attacking you. Also, ray of enfeeblement has no DC, it does not offer a save.

 

[Piratecat]

Her AC is her biggest weakness; any fighter types will have no trouble hitting her, and at those levels they'll have absolutely no problem dropping her in a round. Heck, last game I had an 18th lvl PC do 210 dmg all by himself (admittedly, an unusual circumstance, but still...) Of secondary concern is that her spell resistance will stop about 50% of spells, fewer if the PCs bothered to take spell penetration.

Stay away from hand-to-hand fighting for as long as possible. This night hag can drive the PCs insane by having two heads use attack spells and the third use teleport (or etherealness.)

Her lair should be set up to take advantage of etherealness. She doesn't need doors. Just put 1' x 1' holes in some walls (so that she can cast spells through them) and have her use guerrilla tactics to wear down, exhaust and frustrate the PCs. She should also be using illusion spells to draw attacks to an illusory double, and telekinesis to activate traps and deadfalls against the PCs.

In other words, she isn't too tough if she faces them out in the open, one on many. In the right environment, though, she'd be an absolute terror. I hope she stalks them through their sleep. . .

EDIT: Dang, you know, I could use her in my own game. Do you mind if I borrow the idea and the stats?

 

[daTim]

Go right ahead! I'm rather flattered.

As to her design, you are correct about the heads, each can take a standard action, one has to concentrate on moving if she chooses to walk. I suppose its best to imagine it as a one headed hag, with two extra ones thrown on who dont have to do anything but cast spells and bite.

I also added two claw attacks, that can be taken as long as one of the heads bites in any one round. Still, I didnt want her to be nearly as good in hand to hand as something like a Balor or Pit Fiend.

Other changes include, resistance to acid/electricity 10, boosted AC and SR by 2, added Polymorph any Object as a SLA, and fast healing 5. One thing I did not include in the write up, is that she can dream stalk as if she was three seperate night hags, Here is her final stat block (as of now)


Night hag Omega
Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)

Str: 29 (+9)
Dex: 16 (+3)
Con: 26 (+8)
Int: 24 (+7)
Wis: 26 (+8)
Chr: 26 (+8)

Hit Points: 250 (20d8[Outsider]+160[Con])
AC: 30 (10[base]-1[Size]+3[Dex]+18[Natural])
Init: +7
Speed: 40ft
Saves: Fort: +26 (12[base]+8[Con]+6[Resistance])
Refx: +22 (12[base]+3[Dex]+6[Resistance])
Will: +25 (12[base]+5[Wis]+6[Resistance])

BAB/Grapple: +20/+33
Attack: +29 Bite, +24 2 Claws
Damage: 3d6+13 + disease
1d8+9 Claw

Skills: Bluff +31, Concentration +37, Diplomacy +35, Disguise +8 (+10 acting), Hide +26, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (Arcana, Planes) +30, Listen +43, Move Silently +30, Search +34, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +30 (+32 scrolls), Spot +43, Survival +8 (+10 following tracks), Use Magic Device +31 (+33 scrolls)
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, and Infernal
Feats: Alertness*, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell Like Ability: Acid Arrow x2, Magic Missile x2, Weapon Focus: Bite*

Special Qualities: All around vision, Damage reduction 10/cold iron and magic, Darkvision 90ft, Fast healing 5, Immunity to fire, cold, charm, sleep, and fear, Resist acid/electricity 10, Spell resistance 30, Stable +4, Telepathy
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities

Possessions: Omega Hag Eye

CR: 20

Disease: Demon Fever, Bite, DC 29, 1 day incubation, 1d6 Con, 1 con per day failed past that

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—acid arrow (2d4, 6 rounds) animate dead, bestow curse (DC 22), control weather, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, dream, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds), magic missile (5d4+5), mirage arcana (DC 24), polymorph (self only), ray of enfeeblement (1d6+5 DC 19), sleep (DC 19) telekinesis, Veil (DC 24), 3/day cloud kill (DC 23), phantasmal killer (DC 22), polymorph any object (DC 26), 1/day Forcecage, Mindblank. Caster level 22th. A night hag can use etherealness at will (caster level 20th) so long as it possesses its heartstone (see below).

Multi-Headed: Each of the three heads can take a full round worth of actions. As long as one head bites, it can also make both claw attacks.

Omega Heartstone: This large gem is an inch and a half across and appears to have little value. For it to function correctly it must be placed in the center of your forehead. Once it is placed there, it automatically embeds itself in the person causing 10d6 points of damage. When it is finished embedding itself it appears as a large evil cats eye that glows a dull black, and emits a small amount of smoke that smells of brimstone continuously. Once it is embedded, the wielder is imbued with evil; regardless of their actual alignment, spells that affect creatures of an evil alignment affect them. While it is so embedded it grants the bearer a +6 resistance bonus to saves, immunity to all disease, a +2 bonus on caster level, and can use Etherealness as a spell like ability once a day at caster level 22.



Thanks for the comments and help!

Oh yes, Ray of Enfeeblement has a Fort Save for half in our campaign. It prooved to be far too good otherwise, getting much more use than magic missile or fireball combined. Empowered Ray of Enfeblement for (1d6+5)*1.5 strength damage? For a 3rd level spell? Thats an average of 13! I guess that should be another thread...

 

[Piratecat]

Great - thanks, Tim! I'll file off the serial numbers and see if she fits an empty slot I currently have for a fun master villain. I'm really appreciative.

 

[mercucio]

Looks like a nice advanced hag queen =).

My only suggestion would be to drop her natural armor bonus to +14 and give a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier, for a net AC total of 34. Your average PC 18th level fighter-type has an adjusted attack bonus of +28-30. Or keep her AC as is and give her a ring of deflection +4. On that note don't forget to equip her appropriately for an NPC of her CR...her great Use Magic Device score allows for some potentially interesting magic item choices =).

 

[DM_Matt]

PMA makes a world of difference. Without that addition, a reasonably-prepared party would have little to fear from her, since PK has a low save that can be defended against with anti-mental OR anti-fear, and she only has one energy spell that does damage slowly, and one force spell (MM) that is easily countered as well. If I were playing her, I'd use PMA out the yinyang.


For a base, how about having all gut the inner-sanctum have a honeycomb-layout with only small holes/tubes through the walls between hexagonal rooms. Make there incoming and outgoing cone-shaped holes on each wall, with each hole being in the other's blindspot. Make each room big so that if she wants to show up she can avoid readied attacks. Let her use the holes as LOS to launch two spells at the PCs, then TP to another random adjoining room and repeat. Minblank makes her impossible to track with magic, and she just has to TP against the wall next to an outgoing hole so they cant see her until she takes the 5-foot step before she acts and then TPs to another area. Rinse and repeat.

BTW, if you want to be really mean, give her either a Ring of Counterspell or a Spellblade attuned to Dimensional Lock, the one thing she should fear most.

 

[Piratecat]

Matt, great tactics.

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone know of any dream-based monsters? They might be perfect to accompany a night hag.

 

[pbd]

Saves: Fort: +26 (12[base]+8[Con]+6[Resistance])
Refx: +22 (12[base]+3[Dex]+6[Resistance])
Will: +25 (12[base]+5[Wis]+6[Resistance])

One thing I noticed: The math is a little off for the reflex and will saves. Fromt he numbers listed it should be 21 reflex and 23 Will.

No bigee, just thought I would let you know...

 

[daTim]

Thanks for the help so far everyone. The tactics section was great Matt, hopefully it will work out nicely in actual combat Also the change in saves is duely noted.

I'm pretty sure the skills are correct, but it took far to long to arrange in the first place, I'm sure not going to do it again.

I also really like the idea of having her Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to her Armor class. Her Touch AC is abysmally low at 12.

So, on to dream based monsters... all that comes to mind is the Dream Larva from Epic Level Handbook. They haunt from the Etheral Plane, so you might could use Ghosts, Etheral Mauraders and Filchers, Nightmares, Spirit Nagas, any of the Nightshades. Thats all I can think of off hand.