Faceless Lord
Today is the beginning of Trickster Week, and that means that if you expected a sneaky monster, you’re not going to be surprised with today’s offering: the faceless lord.
Faceless Lord
This tall, slender figure has pale skin. It has no eyes, ears, or nose, and its mouth is almost lipless, with oversized, gleaming white teeth. Dozens of masks of all shapes and sizes spin around it in the air, while even more hang from its belt.
FACELESS LORD CR 21
XP 409,600
CE Medium fey
Init +14; Senses blindsight 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +48
DEFENSE
AC 31, touch 21, flat-footed 20 (+10 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 shield)
hp 409 (39d6+273)
Fort +21, Ref +31, Will +27
Defensive Abilities ring of masks; DR 15/cold iron and lawful; Immune cold, fire; Resist acid 10, electricity 10; SR 32
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 keen shocking rapier +30/+25/+20/+15 (1d6+9 plus 1d6 electricity/15-20)
Ranged +1 shocking longbow +30/+25/+20/+15 (1d8+1 plus 1d6 electricity)
Special Attacks steal face
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20, concentration +20)
Constant—nondetection
At Will—aura alterationOA, blur, disguise self, invisibility (self only), mirror image
3/day—greater shadow conjuration (DC 22), greater shadow evocation (DC 23), veil (DC 21)
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 30, Con 22, Int 24, Wis 22, Cha 10
Base Atk +19; CMB +27; CMD 47
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Greater Dirty Trick, Greater Disarm, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Craft [clothing], Disguise), Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +52, Bluff +42, Craft (clothing) +55, Diplomacy +42, Disguise +58, Escape Artist +52, Knowledge (arcana) +46, Knowledge (local) + 49, Perception +48, Sense Motive +48, Sleight of Hand +52, Stealth +52, Use Magic Device +42; Racial Bonus +10 Disguise
Languages Aklo, Common, Elven
SQ animal masks, convincing illusions
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure double (+1 shocking longbow with 40 arrows, +1 keen shocking rapier, other treasure)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Animal Masks (Sp): With 10 minutes of work and a successful DC 30 Craft (clothing) check, a faceless lord can create a special animal mask. When the mask is created, the faceless lord must choose one of the following spell effects: animal aspect, bear’s endurance, beast shape I, beast shape II (tiny animals only), bull’s strength, cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, or owl’s wisdom (in the case of animal aspect, beast shape I, and beast shape II, the animal must be chosen at the time the mask is created, and cannot later be changed). As long as the mask is worn, the wearer is affected by the chosen spell. The faceless lord can maintain a number of animal masks at any one time equal to 1/4 its Hit Dice (typically 9). If an additional mask would be created beyond that amount, the faceless lord must choose an existing mask that loses its power. Donning or removing a mask is a standard action.
Convincing Illusions (Sp): A faceless lord’s illusions are particularly convincing. The DCs of its spell-like abilities of the illusion school are increased by +5.
Puppetmaster (Sp): A faceless lord can cast dominate monster on any creature wearing one of its masks. It can use this ability once per creature per day. Regardless of whether or not the creature succeeds on its saving throw, it is not aware of the attempt, and if it fails on its saving throw, the faceless lord can choose to have the creature remember nothing of the time it was dominated.
Ring of Masks (Su): A faceless lord is constantly surrounded by a ring of floating masks, which swirl around it and block attacks made against it, granting it a +10 shield bonus to AC. Each time an attack made against the faceless lord misses by an amount equal to or less than the shield bonus granted by this ability, the shield bonus is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of +0). As a full-round action, the faceless lord can restore the bonus to +10 by conjuring additional masks.
Steal Face (Su): As a standard action, a faceless lord can touch a creature and attempt to steal their face. This requires a melee touch attack, and the target is entitled to a Will save (DC 29) to resist. If the saving throw fails, the target’s face disappears from his head and his likeness appears on an empty mask in the faceless lord’s possession. The creature whose face was stolen is blinded, deafened, and unable to speak (including casting spells with verbal components). These effects last indefinitely, but the creature can be cured with a break enchantment spell. Anyone that puts on the mask bearing the creature’s face is physically transformed to appear identical to that person at the time the mask was used (as disguise self, except it applies to auditory, tactile, and olfactory senses, as well), for as long as the mask is worn. The faceless lord can maintain a number of masks in this way equal to 1/4 its Hit Dice (typically 9). If an additional mask would be created beyond that amount, the faceless lord must choose an existing mask that loses its power (this does not restore the face to the creature it was stolen from). A creature that succeeds on his saving throw to resist this effect is immune to it for 24 hours. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.
Ecology
Rumored to be fey nobles who have been cast out or disgraced so profoundly that their very names and faces have been stricken not just from court records, but from their very selves, faceless lords are wandering troublemakers. They often visit quiet and isolated villages and begin selling their masks as mundane curiosities, or even giving them away for free, then use their powers to make mischief.