Masters of the Serpent: Ifhitel the Assassin and Chandia the Snakewitch

   Today we have two quite different characters based on the Serpent Mastery package: Ifhitel the Assassin and Chandia the Snakewitch. Their races have not been specified; simply add in the modifiers for whatever race you select.

   Available Character Points: 144 (level five base) +10 (disadvantages) +12 (duties) +18 (L1, L3, and L6 Bonus Feats) = 208 CP.

   Of those 86 are already assigned to the Serpent Mastery package. I’ll also gratuitously assign 6 CP specialized in Hit Dice (for double effect) to Fast Learner. That gives our Serpent Masters a base d6 hit die and leaves 116 CP to assign.

   Ifhitel the Assassin

   Ifhitel Malorin was a legacy; the son of a deceased guild member. As such, he was raised by the guild, and – when he showed a modest talent for magic – apprenticed for a time to one of the guild members who also dabbled in magic.

   That was normal enough – but most places, despite the rumors, don’t actually have an assassins guild, and don’t train kids in black magic and sneak attack and send them out to kill people.

   Ifhitel is a secondary fighter, whether the target is in a dungeon or in a fortification. He typically gets in, unleashes a few serpents to keep things busy, and then slips a knife into his target – repeatedly if necessary. Still, with a handful of useful spells, a decent selection of skills, and good combat skills, he can be quite a useful addition to a party. He isn’t a good frontline fighter though; his armor class simply isn’t high enough for that, even if he does have the hit points to fill in briefly.

   Basic Attributes: Str 14 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 16 (+3), Wis 12 (+1), and Cha 10 (+0). (32 Point Buy).

   Basic Abilities (80 CP):

• Hit Points: 20 (L1 d12, 14 CP) +21 (L2-6 d6, 0 CP) +12 (6 x Con Mod) = 53
• BAB +6 (36 CP)
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP)
  • Reflex: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP)
  • Will: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP)
• Proficient with Light Armor (3 CP) and All Simple and Martial Weapons (9 CP).

   Combat Notes:

• Initiative: +1
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +1 (Dex) +5 (+1 Chain Mail Shirt) = 17
• Melee Attack Base: +6 (BAB) +2 (Strength), +4d6 Sneak Attack.
• Ranged Attack Base: +6 (BAB) +1 (Dex), +4d6 Sneak Attack within 30′.

   If Martial Arts skills are in use, he’ll have at least one – preferably one which offers additional dice of sneak attack.

   Other Abilities (114 CP):

• Fast Learner, Specialized in Hit Dice, for a base 1d6/level (6 CP).
• Serpent Mastery Package (86 CP).
• Available spell levels/day: 39, Non-Path Spells: Invisibility, Spider Climb, Dispel Magic, and Dimension Door.
• Extra Spell Formula: Reroll (as per Good Fortune, but an immediate action and L4; the user gets to reroll any one die roll, but must accept the new result) (4 CP).
• Augmented Attack/4d6 Sneak Attack (12 CP).
• Adept: Buys four skills of choice for half cost (6 CP).

   Skills:

• Skill Points: 14 (CP Spent) +27 (Int) = 41
• While Ifhitel’s skills haven’t been selected – since skills commonly vary between settings – don’t forget about that adept ability; he should be able to afford to max out five or six skills with a few points left over for sidelines.

   Chandia the Snakewitch

   Chandria follows an ancient tradition; the path of the swamp witch, the mistress of serpents – and the servant of dark gods. If the people are to survive, the dark ones must be placated, just as the gods of light must receive their prayers and offerings.

   Chandria normally placates the dark ones with offerings of children – those born defective, those dying of sicknesses and injuries that she cannot heal, those who transgress taboos, and excess slave-children who are taken from enemy tribes. There are usually enough of them; she rarely has to demand healthy children in return for her services – or to quietly render any ill beyond saving.

   Chandria is actually far more powerful than the usual Snakewitch; most of those may have a trick or two with Serpents – most often, a bit of Rune Magic skills and either Magician or a touch of Mana – and basic witchcraft with a pact or two. She has faced down monsters, can summon powerful serpents, and is a powerful – if evil – protector for her village.

   Basic Attributes: Str 10 (+0), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), and Cha 16 (+3). (32 Point Buy).

   Basic Abilities (35 CP):

• Hit Points: 8 (L1 d8, 2 CP) +20 (L2-6 d6, 0 CP) +6 (6 x Con Mod) = 34
• BAB +2 (12 CP)
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: +0 (Purchased, 0 CP)
  • Reflex: +2 (Purchased, 6 CP)
  • Will: +4 (Purchased, 12 CP)
• Proficient with All Simple Weapons (3 CP).

   Combat Notes:

• Initiative: +2
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +2 (Dex) +4 (Mage Armor) +4 (Shield) = 20. 22 versus Good.
• Melee Attack Base: +2 (BAB) +0 (Strength) = +2
• Ranged Attack Base: +2 (BAB) +2 (Dex) = +4

   Obviously enough, Chandria – like any other primary spellcaster – should stay out of melee at all costs, especially since she’s even worse at it than the average sixth level spellcaster. Of course, she does enjoy a decent armor class and substantial self-healing abilities, which lets her take greater risks than most primary spellcasters can afford to. While she’ll never have major magical powers outside the Paths of the Serpent, she will have a good deal of witchcraft – which will provide her with quite a selection of lesser tricks. Saving throws are one of her major weaknesses, so later on she’ll probably want to buy some Luck.

   Other Abilities (153 CP):

• Fast Learner, Specialized in Hit Dice, for a base 1d6/level (6 CP).
• Serpent Mastery Package (only 78 CP, thanks to an additional “Components” restriction on her Wilder Magic Levels).
• Available spell levels/day: 39, Non-Path Spells: Protection from Arrows, Dispel Magic, Fireball, and Neutralize Poison.
• Additional Spell Formula: Web (2 CP).
• Adept: Buys four skills of choice for half cost (6 CP).
• Innate Enchantment (7 CP, 6000 GP effective value): All spells at Spell Level One or Zero (½), Caster Level One, x2000 GP for Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x.7 (Personal Use Only where applicable). Mage Armor (1400 GP), Shield (2000 GP), Protection from Good (1400 GP) and Cure Light Wounds (activates up to once per round as needed, albeit to a maximum of once per day per level, 1400 GP). This also costs 496 XP to activate, but – at this level – that’s fairly trivial.
• Witchcraft III (18 CP), with The Secret Order (6 CP), +9d6 (43) Power (Mana, 18 CP), and any two Advanced Witchcraft Abilities (12 CP), with the Pacts of Advertising, Rituals, and Souls (-18 CP).
• Companion with a +4 ECL Template (18 CP). Most likely, a serpent with the half-dragon template or a Spirit Fetch with an additional +2 ECL Template.

   Skills:

• Skill Points: 20 (CP Spent) +18 (Int) = 38
• Just like Ifhitel, Chandria’s skills haven’t been selected since they do often vary between settings – but, also like Ifhitel, she should be able to afford to max out six skills with a couple of points left over for sidelines thanks to the Adept ability.