She's an outcast Half-Orc living in the desert. She'll help those poor unfortunate souls she finds... for a price. It's Nulara of the Evil Eye!

Spoiler: Nulara of the Evil Eye
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Nulara of the Evil Eye
NE Desert Half-Orc Sorcerer 5/Sand Shaper 5/Hexer 10



[Image by Okha]
Spoiler: Backstory
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Nulara was born to a Mulhorandi noble and his orcish mistress. Her parents weren’t good people, but they did love each other, and they loved their half-breed daughter. Despite the cultural shame that came with tainting his proud Mulan bloodline, Nulara’s father insisted that she be treated as a true daughter of his house, so she was educated like any other child of her station. She hated it. The other children (not to mention their parents) were cruel, viewing her as an inferior because of her impure blood. Their spite and contempt only grew more pointed as she grew and began to display magical gifts that, despite her best efforts, were neither wizardly nor clerical.

Through all of this, Nulara felt a strong connection to the wasteland surrounding the city, where her mother’s people had come from. When she was 16, her mother died under mysterious circumstances, and her father fell into a deep grief. Without his protection, Nulara feared for her life as well, so she fled her home and struck out into the desert beyond. She fell in with a band of full-blooded orcs, but her treatment there was no better than it had been with the Mulan--she was too human for them, too much of a city-dweller. Still, the harshness of her outcast upbringing had given her thick skin, and she remained with the orcs long enough to learn their greatest magic, the evil eye.

Despite her distaste for...well, pretty much everyone, Nulara presents herself as an ally to the disenfranchised desert-dwellers and urban underclass, because her goal is ruining the lives of the people who made her childhood awful, which constitutes most of the city’s upper class. She’ll go after them directly if they venture onto her turf, but she mostly uses agents to disrupt things within the city itself--sometimes magically-compelled agents, but because she operates in a mostly cashless economy, she also accepts “favors” as payment for her potions.

Spoiler: Ability Scores
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Starting Ability Scores: Str 10, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15
Increase: Cha at 4, 6, and 20; Wis at 8; Int at 12

Spoiler: Build Table
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Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Sorcerer +0 +0 +0 +2 Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Spellcraft 2, Survival 2 Human Heritage Familiar
2nd Sorcerer +1 +0 +0 +3 Knowledge (Nature) 2.5, Spellcraft 3, Survival 2.5
3rd Sorcerer +1 +1 +1 +3 Knowledge (Nature) 3, Spellcraft 4, Survival 3 Touchstone
4th Sorcerer +2 +1 +1 +4 Knowledge (Nature) 3.5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 3.5
5th Sorcerer +2 +1 +1 +4 Knowledge (Nature) 4, Spellcraft 6, Survival 4
6th Sand Shaper +2 +1 +1 +6 Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Survival 6 Southern Magician Desert insight, dust magic, sand shape
7th Sand Shaper +3 +1 +1 +7 Knowledge (Arcana) 10, Survival 8 Sandform
8th Sand Shaper +3 +2 +2 +7 Concentration 1, Spellcraft 8, Survival 10 Sand stride
9th Hexer +4 +2 +2 +9 Concentration 2, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Spellcraft 9 Brew Potion Hex 1/day
10th Hexer +5 +2 +2 +10 Concentrarion 4, Spellcraft 10 Bonus spell, hex 2/day
11th Hexer +6/+1 +3 +3 +10 Concentration 5, Spellcraft 11, Survival 11 Sicken hex
12th Hexer +7/+2 +3 +3 +11 Concentration 6, Spellcraft 12, Survival 12 Ability Focus (Hex) Bonus spell, hex 3/day
13th Hexer +8/+3 +3 +3 +11 Concentration 7, Spellcraft 13, Survival 13 Fear hex
14th Hexer +9/+4 +4 +4 +12 Concentration 8, Spellcraft 14, Survival 14 Bonus spell, hex 4/day
15th Hexer +10/+5 +4 +4 +12 Concentration 9, Spellcraft 15, Survival 15 Irresistible Gaze Sleep hex
16th Hexer +11/+6/+1 +4 +4 +13 Concentration 10, Spellcraft 16, Survival 16 Bonus spell, hex 5/day
17th Hexer +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +13 Concentration 11, Spellcraft 17, Survival 17 Charm hex
18th Hexer +13/+8/+3 +5 +5 +14 Concentration 12, Spellcraft 18, Survival 18 Piercing Gaze Bonus spell, hex 6/day
19th Sand Shaper +14/+9/+4 +5 +5 +15 Concentration 14, Knowledge (Nature) 6, Spellcraft 19, Survival 19 Improved sand shape
20th Sand Shaper +14/+9/+4 +5 +5 +15 Concentration 16, Knowledge (Nature) 7, Spellcraft 20, Survival 20 Improved dust magic 3/day

Spoiler: Spell Table
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Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level 0lvl 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st 5/4 3/2 - - - - - - - -
2nd 6/5 4/2 - - - - - - - -
3rd 6/5 5/3 - - - - - - - -
4th 6/6 6/3 3/1 - - - - - - -
5th 6/6 6/3 3/1 - - - - - - -
6th 6/6 6/4 4/2 - - - - - - -
7th 6/6 6/4 5/2 3/1 - - - - - -
8th 6/7 6/7 6/3 4/2 - - - - - -
9th 6/8 6/5 6/3 5/2 3/1 - - - - -
10th 6/8 6/5 6/4 6/3 4/2 - - - - -
11th 6/9 6/5 6/4 6/3 5/2 3/1 - - - -
12th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/3 4/2 - - - -
13th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/3 5/2 3/1 - - -
14th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/3 4/2 - - -
15th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/3 5/2 3/1 - -
16th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/4 6/3 4/2 - -
17th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/4 6/3 5/2 3/1 -
18th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/4 6/3 6/3 4/2 -
19th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/4 6/3 6/3 5/2 3/1
20th 6/9 6/5 6/5 6/4 6/4 6/4 6/3 6/3 6/3 4/2

Spells Known
0 - Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Sonic Snap*, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Caltrops*, Dancing Lights, Message, Amanuensis*
1 - Disguise Self, Hypnotism, Luminous Gaze*, Silent Image, Backbiter*, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Endure Elements, Parching Touch, Speak with Animals, Summon Desert Ally I
2 - Chain of Eyes*, Blindness/Deafness, Quick Potion*, Infernal Wound*, Steal Breath*, Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Heat Metal, Owl's Wisdom, Resist Energy, Summon Desert Ally II, Summon Swarm
3 - Bestow Curse, Lightning Bolt, Mesmerizing Glare, Unluck*, Control Sand, Desiccate, Dispel Magic, Dominate Animal, Haboob, Slipsand, Summon Desert Ally III, Sunstroke, Tormenting Thirst, Wind Wall
4 - Translocation Trick*, Divination, Backlash*, Sensory Deprivation*, Blast of Sand, Summon Desert Ally IV, Wall of Sand, Wither
5 - Baleful Polymorph, Wrack*, Dominate Person, Prying Eyes*, Choking Sands, Flaywind Burst, Flesh to Salt, Summon Desert Ally V, Transmute Sand to Stone, Transmute Stone to Sand
6 - Eyebite, Greater Dispel Magic, Permanent Image, Awaken Sand, Mummify, Sandstorm, Summon Desert Ally VI
7 - Greater Shadow Conjuration, Evil Glare*, Control Weather, Mass Flesh to Salt, Summon Desert Ally VII
8 - Greater Bestow Curse, Otto’s Irresistable Dance, Maddening Whispers*, Summon Desert Ally VIII, Whirlwind
9 - Shades, Eye of Power*, Summon Desert Ally IX

Brown spells were added through Sand Shaper. Nulara gains access to the first- and second-level Sand Shaper spells at level 5, and all subsequent spells when spells of the appropriate level first become available to her.
*Indicates a spell from the Spell Compendium.
Indicates a spell from Sandstorm.

Spoiler: On Spell Selection
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Nulara's chosen spell list is heavy on the debuffs, because I wanted her to feel as much as possible like she's always tossing curses around. She has Bestow Curse and its big brother, of course, but spells like Blindness/Deafness, Unluck, and Baleful Polymorph also fit this theme. The next most abundant category is divinations, because they're generally witchity and a bunch of them are eye-themed. There are a few other eye-based spells in there too (see: [I[Luminous Gaze,[/I], Evil Glare,, Eyebite, etc.) because they felt thematically right. Everything else is either a general-use spell to add some versatility (as with the Shadow [Whatever] line) or was chosen to fulfill a prereq--hi, Lightning Bolt!) Note also Quick Potion which, while falling outside the contest requirements, doesn’t have an XP cost, making it a great out-of-combat prep spell, particularly at mid-to-high levels where it’ll last all day.

The Sand Shaper spells give her a lot of direct offensive options, which her chosen spells otherwise lack. The Summon Desert Ally line is just meat shields, but at least they lessen her dependence on other allies.There are some nice free general spells, though--not having to spend a spell known to get Dispel Magic is great, as is access to the enhancement-bonus spells, which are particularly nice for potion-making.

Spoiler: Level Highlights
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Level 5: Nothing too special yet. She's a sorcerer, and her feats are taken up with various prereqs, so there's nothing too special there either. Touchstone (the Sandstorm version) is more flavorful than powerful. Her familiar is a hairy spider (from Monsters of Faerun), again for flavor rather than power--it's nice and witchity, and it's what her photo has.

Level 9 (Sweet Spot):First of all, let's talk about Hexer prereqs. Nulara obviously fulfills the racial prereq as a "savage humanoid," although she'd be less-than-pleased with that description. She also needs to be able to cast Lightning Bolt as a divine spell, which is where Southern Magician comes in. That requires her to be human, which is why she took Human Heritage as her 1st-level feat. Being Mulan specifically is a matter of fluff, which I've honored. It took some doing, but Nulara qualifies for Hexer.

Anyway. Sand Shaper isn't necessary to Nulara's witchiness, but it reinforces her racial flavor and represents her distancing herself from human society, which makes it a good choice for a fill-in PrC. Mechanically, of course, it adds a bunch of spells to her spell list, and gives a bunch of other fun benefits. Note especially that she spends pretty much all her time in "waste terrain" and therefore has a basically constant +1 CL. This is also the level where she picks up Brew Potion.

The reason I chose this level as Nulara's Sweet Spot, though, is that it's where she finally qualifies for Hexer. Hex is her signature ability, and much of the rest of her build is dedicated getting more and better hexes, this is the first level where she can function as intended. Her basic hex duplicates one of the effects of Bestow Curse but has its own pool of uses rather than taking up spell slots.

Level 15: I assumed that Nulara doesn't actually get bonus spells from Hexer, because the text seems to indicate that Hexers add spells to their class (i.e. Adept) spell list rather than their personal spells known. Still, though, she's getting full BAB and spellcasting progression, plus a couple fun new hexes: One that perma-denies opponents their Dex bonus to AC, and one that duplicates Fear. I still think the base ability is best, but it never hurts to have more tools in one's toolbox. She spends her feats on Ability Focus and Irresistable Gaze (which explicitly stack). I'm not sure whether Ability Focus works with her sub-hexes, but Irresistable Gaze definitely does, giving her +4 to the main ability and +2 or +4 to the others. Her hexes are highly economical because they last for several turns (7 at this level, with a maximum of 10 starting at level 18), letting her curse multiple foes for a single standard action while she uses her turn for other stuff. Essentially, this gives her two standard actions and thus helps ameliorate the action economy disparity between herself and a party of adventurers.

Level 20: Nulara’s final hex, which mimics Charm Monster and works for 1 day/Hexer level, is an interesting alternate option: It’s pretty much useless in combat, but it can make for some interesting plots because, with repeated use, she can charm entire communities--note that this hex, like all her hexes, lacks the “a creature who saves against this can’t be affected for 24 hours” caveat a lot of abilities have. Her last sandshaper levels give her some free metamagic and the ability to form sand creatures (none of which, sadly, are particularly witchity), and her final feet increases the range of all her hexes to 60’. She’s only lost 1 CL over the course of her 20 levels, meaning that she gets 9th-level spells--though note that she needs a +2 Cha item to use them, or to cast Eagle’s Splendor on herself.

Spoiler: Sources
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Masters of the Wild: Hexer
Monsters of Faerun: Hairy Spider
Races of Destiny: Human Heritage
Races of Faerun: Southern Magician
Sandstorm: Sand Shaper, Touchstone, various spells
Serpent Kingdoms: Irresistable Gaze, Piercing Gaze
Spell Compendium: Various spells


And, last but not least - no one suspects the cat. Shadow!

Spoiler: Shadow
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Shadow

Neutral Evil Tibbit Cleric 5 / Mystic Wanderer 10 / Contemplative 1 / Master Alchemist 4



No one knows much about Shadow. She is the local witch and she lives in the forest, everyone agrees on that much. She helps people sometimes, or so they say, but only for the right price. You shouldn’t anger her or you are liable to be cursed. There’s even rumours that she can see through the eyes of her black cat.

Some of this is true of course, Shadow is a witch. She helps people who can give her something in return and curses those who displease her. She can’t see through the eyes of cats but she does turn into one. She worships Vecna and treasures her secrets above all else. She is wary of other practitioners to a perhaps unhealthy degree, fearing them and focusing her magic to defend herself from their threats.

Spoiler: Abilities and ACFs
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Alternative class features: Cloistered Cleric and Divine Magician.

Strength: 6 (8 base, -2 racial)
Dexterity: 15 (13 base, +2 racial)
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 15 (level up points go here)
Charisma: 14

Spoiler: Full build
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Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Cloistered Cleric 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Concentration 4, Craft (Alchemy) 4, Diplomacy 4, Knowledge (Nature) 3, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 4, Perform 2cc, Profession (Herbalist) 1 Surrogate Spellcasting Lore, Aura, Rebuke Undead, Divine Magician
2nd Cloistered Cleric 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Concentration 5, Craft (Alchemy) 5, Diplomacy 5, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Profession (Herbalist) 3 - -
3rd Cloistered Cleric 3 +1 +3 +1 +3 Concentration 6, Craft (Alchemy) 6, Diplomacy 6, Knowledge (Religion) 2, Perform 3cc Iron Will -
4th Cloistered Cleric 4 +2 +4 +1 +4 Concentration 7, Craft (Alchemy) 7, Diplomacy 7, Knowledge (Religion) 3, Spellcraft 2 - -
5th Cloistered Cleric 5 +2 +4 +1 +4 Concentration 8, Craft (Alchemy) 8, Diplomacy 8, Knowledge (Religion) 4, Spellcraft 4 - -
6th Mystic Wanderer 1 +2 +4 +3 +6 Concentration 9, Spellcraft 5 Divine Defiance Glory of the Divine, sleep
7th Mystic Wanderer 2 +3 +4 +4 +7 Concentration 10, Spellcraft 6 - Familiar, Lore of Nature
8th Mystic Wanderer 3 +3 +5 +4 +7 Knowledge (Religion) 5, Spellcraft 7 Attune Gem Gem Magic, Resist Charm
9th Mystic Wanderer 4 +4 +5 +5 +8 Knowledge (Religion) 6, Spellcraft 8 Brew Potion, Magical Artisan (Potions) -
10th Mystic Wanderer 5 +4 +5 +5 +8 Knowledge (Religion) 7, Spellcraft 9 - Suggestion
11th Mystic Wanderer 6 +5 +6 +6 +9 Knowledge (Religion) 8, Spellcraft 10 - Greater Potion I
12th Mystic Wanderer 7 +5 +6 +6 +9 Concentration 15, Knowledge (Religion) 9 Ocular Spell Charm Monster
13th Mystic Wanderer 8 +6 +6 +7 +10 Knowledge (Religion) 11 - Greater Potion II
14th Mystic Wanderer 9 +6 +7 +7 +10 Knowledge (Religion) 13 - Mass Charm
15th Mystic Wanderer 10 +7 +7 +8 +11 Craft (Alchemy) 9, Spellcraft 11 Skill Focus (Craft (Alchemy)) Greater Potion III, Timeless Body
16th Contemplative 1 +7 +7 +8 +13 Craft (Alchemy) 10, Spellcraft 12 - Bonus Domain, Divine Health
17th Master Alchemist 1 +7 +7 +8 +15 Spellcraft 14 - Brew 2/day,
18th Master Alchemist 2 +8 +7 +8 +16 Spellcraft 16 Split Ray Brew Potion (4th)
19th Master Alchemist 3 +8 +8 +9 +16 Spellcraft 18 - Brew Potion (5th)
20th Master Alchemist 4 +9 +8 +9 +17 Spellcraft 20 - Brew Potion (6th)

Spoiler: Spells
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Spells per Day
Level 0lvl 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st 3 1+1 - - - - - - - -
2nd 4 2+1 - - - - - - - -
3rd 4 2+1 1+1 - - - - - - -
4th 5 3+1 2+1 - - - - - - -
5th 5 3+1 2+1 1+1 - - - - - -
6th 5 3+1 3+1 2+1 - - - - - -
7th 6 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1 - - - - -
8th 6 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - - - - -
9th 6 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1 - - - -
10th 6 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - - - -
11th 6 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1 - - -
12th 6 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - - -
13th 6 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1 - -
14th 6 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 - -
15th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1 -
16th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1 -
17th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1
18th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1 2+1
19th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 3+1 3+1
20th 6 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 5+1 4+1 4+1 4+1 4+1
Domains:
Starts with the Destiny Domain and the Knowledge Domain from Cloistered Cleric and trades the third domain for the Divine Magician ACF. Gains the Tyranny Domain from the Contemplative level.
Divine Magician spells: 1st: Ray of Enfeeblement, 2nd: Arcane Turmoil, 3rd: Anticipate Teleportation, 4th: Enervation, 5th: Spell Theft, 6th: Animate Dread Warrior, 7th: Avasculate, 8th: Mind Blank, 9th: Reaving Dispel.

Spoiler: CR Breakdown
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Spoiler: CR 5
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At this level Shadow is the witch of a small village. If the party isn’t overtly hostile when they encounter her then they can attempt to strike a bargain. She will, of course, want something in return for her help (the corpse of a powerful monster to animate, a magic item, their promise of a return favour etc.). If they are hostile or bargaining breaks down then she will attack. She should have a few zombies or skeletons under her control (animated or controlled) by this point which can be supplemented by Summon Monster spells to provide a meatshield for her as she focuses on debuffing through spells such as Bestow Curse, Ray of Enfeeblement and if facing a caster Arcane Turmoil.

Spoiler: CR 10
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Shadow has now long ago left behind the village she established her power in. Worried about being burnt at the stake by an angry mob she has taken to moving to a new village or town at regular intervals. She now has a black cat as a familiar who she sends out to spy on the villagers. People still come to her for help, often asking her to brew potions for them, and Shadow still charges a high price for her help.

Shadows tactics are largely similar to 5 levels ago. Although she now has a familiar that looks startlingly similar to herself when she is in cat form which she uses to deliver touch spells and cause confusion. Shadows anti-caster abilities have improved and she can now use Divine Defiance to counterspell and Spell Theft to steal enemy buffs. Her go to debuffs now include Enervation as well.

Spoiler: CR 15
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Shadow is moving on more regularly now, travelling by broomstick and rarely staying in any one spot for even as long as a month. She has grown paranoid that angry mobs are going to tear her to shreds or a rival witch will capture her and torture her until she reveals all her secrets. Her power however is growing now as she can use the evil eye and has mastered the ability to brew any potion in existence. She charms black cats to surround her at all times in an attempt to throw her enemies off. She will still bargain with the occasional individual but usually only if she has encountered them previously. The majority of strangers are treated as hostile and disposed of as such.

If encountered at this level Shadow will be surrounded by regular black cats as well as some powerful undead (either animated or controlled) and her familiar. She uses Ocular spell to deliver touch spells such as Bestow Curse at range shooting off two in the first round of combat and having her familiar deliver a third. Her debuffs have expanded to include spells such as Avasculate, Greater Bestow Curse and Blasphemy and she has an impressive array of defensive spells available to defend herself including Mind Blank.

Spoiler: CR 20
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Shadow now travels almost daily, rarely staying in one place for more than two nights. She arrives, brews potions and sells them before moving on, paranoid that she is being hunted. She is one of the most powerful witches in the nation now, capable of delivering devastating curses through the evil eye and brewing stronger potions than anyone else alive. The PCs may try to seek her out for her aid if in desperate need or they might be attempting to bring her down in which case they should expect a tough fight. Shadow surrounds herself by the most powerful minions she can summon, bind and raise and curses her enemies into uselessness whilst her minions fight for her.

At level 20 Shadow is throwing out 9th level cleric spells. She will have similar tactics to the above but with the addition of some gated in demons to aid her. She can now cast Ocular Avasculate and Greater Bestow Curse or using 7th level slots cast Ocular Split Ray Bestow Curses to force four saves vs. cursed on the first round of combat.


Spoiler: Sources
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Core – Cleric, Brew Potion, Iron Will, Skill Focus
Complete Mage – Divine Magician
Unearthed Arcana – Cloistered Cleric
Dragon Compendium - Tibbit
Complete Divine – Contemplative
Magic of Faerun – Mystic Wanderer, Master Alchemist
Savage Species – Surrogate Spellcasting
Complete Arcane – Split Ray
Lords of Madness – Ocular Spell
Fiendish Codex II – Divine Defiance
Players Guide to Faerun – Magical Artisan