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So, I'm creating the overarching villain for a campaign I intend to run - an Osyluth with class levels known as Molkor the Quartermaster - and I want to get him into the Fiend of Corruption prestige class (Fiend Folio). The trouble is that one of the pre-reqs for entry is Charm Person and/or Charm Monster as a spell-like ability, which Osyluths natively lack. Now, I'm aware that a single level in Warlock will solve this problem for me.

However, are there any other ways I can give this fiend Charm Person and/or Charm Monster as an SLA?

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3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

Well, Complete Mage has Fey Presence:

Fey Presence

[Heritage]

You share your ancestors' knack for playing tricks on the minds of others.

Prerequisite

Fey Heritage, character level 6th, Nonlawful alignment

Benefit

You gain the following spell-like abilities, each usable once per day: charm monster, deep slumber, and disguise self. Your caster level equals your character level.

Obvious problems include weird fey influence on your devil, and alignment issues. Both things I’m inclined to hand-wave (for players as well as NPCs), but they are there. Also requires Fey Heritage, which is basically garbage (+3 Will vs. Enchantments). I’ll keep looking.

Aberrant Dragonmark (Player’s Guide to Eberron) works for certain (Humanoid) races but not for an Osyluth (or much of anything else that qualifies for Fiend of Corruption, though I suppose a Half-fiend Human/Dwarf/Elf/Halfling/Orc could do it).

I’m pretty sure that’s it for feats.

For templates, Half-fey (Fiend Folio, same as Fiend of Corruption in the first place) is CR +1, gives charm person at will, and a bunch of other stuff that’s pretty useful (like flight). Of course, if you’re going for something that’ll increase CR, Beguiler (Player’s Handbook II), Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic), Sorcerer, Warlock (Complete Arcane), and Wizard all work, and I think Binder (Tome of Magic) does too.

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I think that I would have introduced an artifact which grants the Charm Monster SLA in return for something (a couple of ability points?), maybe attribute it to the correct deity, and give the PCs access to it later in the campaign. That would give them an "ah ha!" moment.

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Not necessarily a bad idea, and I think there might actually be an item that grants the spell as an SLA already published. – Lord_Gareth Jan 29 at 21:22

Since you're the DM, you could just decree he has it and maybe fill out his backstory a little because of it - after all, it's not like he existed in a vacuum until the PC's stumble across him.

Maybe as a little fiendling he was trained in the seductive arts by a coven of his overlord's captive succubi, or maybe he was granted an enchanted silver tongue by a highly ranked devil in recognition of the time he talked his way into an angelic fortress (in fact I believe the Fiend Folio already has rules for fiendish grafts).

Player characters can acquire all sorts of weird abilities as a result of their adventures, so why not your over-villain as well?

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I'm fairly aware that I'm the DM; however, I'd prefer a rules-legal method of doing it that doesn't involve Rule 0. Partially it's because I don't like to do sloppy work, but it's mostly because a friend of mine is looking to run a campaign as well and I promised him that I'd sling some villains his way when I make them, in case any of them happen to inspire him. – Lord_Gareth Jan 29 at 17:20
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+1. Feeling constrained to build villains "by the book" is a mistake, even pro game designers break the rules for BBEGs all the time. Just give it to him. – mxyzplk Jan 29 at 20:20
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I humbly disagree. Taking the road of "I can do anything since I'm the DM" shatters the suspense of disbelief. – Shy Jan 29 at 21:10
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I'm not a stranger to houseruling or homebrewing, but I've already specified that I've no desire to do either in this instance. This answer may be helpful in general, but not in this case. – Lord_Gareth Jan 29 at 21:27
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@Shy you are misusing "suspension of disbelief." That's if someone does something impossible (well, more impossible than usual in D&D). Something not running by the game rules is different - frankly often by the book rules generates breaks in suspension of disbelief! Anyway, "Just mod them" is good enough for like every pro module author ever so it's good enough for most. – mxyzplk Jan 29 at 22:21
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