Fearsome Friday - Doppelganger Noble

DOPPELGANGER NOBLE (Advanced Psychic Doppelganger) CR5

Psychic (telepathy) template (Advanced Bestiary pg 204)

XP 1,600

N Medium monstrous humanoid (shapechanger)

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 34 (4d10+12)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +10;
Immune charm, sleep;

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d8+8)
Space 5 ft.Reach 5 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th) At will-detect thoughts (DC 15), 1/day—dream (DC 18), mind blank (DC21), phantasmal killer (DC17), telepathic bond (DC18)

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 17;
Base Atk +4; CMB 10; CMD 24
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will
Skills Bluff +11, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +11, Perception +11, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +4 Disguise
Languages Common
SQ change shape (polymorph), perfect copy, mimicry

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure NPC Gear

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Mimicry (Ex) A doppelganger is proficient in all weapons, armor, and shields. In addition, a doppelganger can use any spell trigger or spell completion item as if the spells were on its spell list. Its caster level is equal to its racial Hit Dice.

Perfect Copy (Su) When a doppelganger uses change shape, it can assume the appearance of specific individuals.

Spell-Like Abilities (Su): 1/day—dream (DC 18), mind blank (DC21), phantasmal killer (DC17), telepathic bond (DC18). Its caster level is equal to its racial Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Informed Prediction (Su): If the doppelganger noble has successfully used detect thoughts against a creature within 24 hours, it gains a +2 dodge bonus against that creature’s attacks and a +2 insight bonus on saves against that creature’s spells and special attacks.

Telepathy (Su): A doppelganger noble can use telepathy per the rules on page 305 of the Bestiary.

Doppelgangers are strange beings that can take on the shapes of those they encounter. In its natural form, the creature looks more or less humanoid, but slender and frail, with gangly limbs and half-formed facial features. Its flesh is pale and hairless, and its eyes are vacant and white.

Doppelgangers prefer infiltrating societies where they can gather wealth and influence, and see little point in forming cities of their own kind. Younger doppelgangers practice their skills by taking over small orc or goblin tribes, and then move to more complicated societies like dwarven, elven, and human communities. Rather than making themselves targets by taking positions of leadership, they prefer to be the power behind the throne, or use multiple identities to manipulate influential citizens or entire guilds.

Doppelgangers make excellent use of their natural mimicry to stage ambushes, bait traps, and infiltrate humanoid society. Although not usually evil, they are interested only in themselves and regard all others as playthings to be manipulated and deceived. They are particularly fond of invading human societies in order to indulge in their desires—some enjoy the complex dance of politics while others seek constant change in the race and gender of both themselves and their romantic companions. While not standard, it is those doppelgangers use their gifts for cruel and sadistic purposes that are most notorious, and these shapeshifters are the primary cause of the race's sinister reputation. Certainly, a creature capable of changing its shape has a handy way to avoid capture for its crimes, and some particularly malicious doppelgangers enjoy disrupting relationships by posing as unfaithful lovers.

Rumors persist of even more powerful doppelgangers capable of not only shifting their appearance, but also skills, memories, and even the extraordinary and supernatural abilities of creatures whose forms they choose to mimic. These doppelgangers' change shape ability functions like the spell polymorph rather than alter self. The Doppelganger Noble is one of these more powerful doppelgangers, but their powers mental powers are more beyond merely the detection of thoughts. These Doppelganger Nobles are no longer content with merely being the power behind the throne; they actively seek to take over such positions. These nobles will often have many lesser doppelgangers serving them as spies.