Preacher of Poisons

Preacher of Poisons (CR 5)
XP 1,600
Human arcanist (spell specialist) 5/rogue (poisoner) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8, 78; Advanced Player's Guide 134)
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Perception +10

Defense
AC 16, touch 12 (16 vs. incorporeal touch), flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex); +2 deflection vs. good creatures
hp 30 (6 HD; 5d6+1d8+5)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6; +2 resistance vs. good creatures, +1 trait vs. divine spells

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 battle aspergillum +2 (1d6 bludgeoning)
Offensive Abilities arcane reservoir (5/8, consume spells 1/day), arcanist exploits (potent magic), signature spells (dismiss, spell bender, spellwarp), sneak attack +1d6
Arcanist Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +9)
2nd (4/day)—heightened toxic flareS (DC 18), pernicious poisonS, UM
1st (5/day)—heightened toxic flareS (DC 17), mage armor, obscuring mist, protection from good
0 (at will)—detect magic, detect poison, toxic flareS (DC 16), light, prestidigitation, read magic
S Signature spell

Tactics
Before Combat The preacher casts mage armor every day, and protection from good if he expects combat. If he has time to prepare, he also uses his scrolls of false life, fox's cunning, and mirror image. Note that a +4 enhancement bonus to the preacher's Intelligence score increases the his spells' save DC by 2 but not his poisons' save DC.

During Combat The preacher starts combat by casting a heightened toxic flare at the enemy who looks most frail, then he repeatedly casts normal toxic flare. If an enemy seems especially resistant to his ministrations, he casts pernicious poison. He freely spends points from his arcane reservoir to increase his signature spells' save DCs by 2, since he knows that it makes the subsequent poison that much more effective.

Because the preacher can replicate any contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury poison worth 100 gp or less through his unholy symbol, he can choose the poison that best suits his purposes. The following are examples of such poisons, as well as each poison's use and save DC adjusted for the preacher's abilities: bloodroot (Con and Wis damage, confusion; DC 14), drow poison (unconsciousness, DC 15), greenblood oil (Con damage, DC 15), small centipede poison (Dex damage, DC 13), and oil of taggit (unconsciousness, DC 17). Note that if the preacher spent a point from his arcane reservoir to increase a spell's save DC by 2, he also increases the poison's save DC by 2.

Morale If he is reduced to 15 hit points or fewer, if he is surrounded by enemies who are immune to poison, or if he loses his unholy symbol, the preacher attempts to cast obscuring mist and escape in the confusion. If fleeing is impossible, he begs for his life.

Statistics Without mage armor and protection from good, the preacher's statistics are AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex); Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6; CMD 13.

Statistics
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Attack +2; CMB +1; CMD 13 (+2 deflection vs. good creatures)
Feats Additional TraitsAPG, False Focus1, Heighten Spell, Spell Focus (evocation), Toxic Spell2
Skills Bluff +10, Craft (poison) +13, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +13, Use Magic Device +10
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Infernal
Special Abilities arcanist exploits (metamagic knowledge [Toxic Spell]), poison use
Traits history of heresyAPG, magical lineageAPG (flare)
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), scroll of false life, scroll of fox's cunning, scroll of mirror image; Other Gear +1 battle aspergillumUE filled with normal water, alchemist's kit, cleric's vestments, cloak of resistance +1, disguise kit, golden unholy symbolUE, mask worth 40 gp, spellbook, spell component pouch, 20 gp

Sources
1 False Focus Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic 10
2 Toxic Spell Pathfinder Player Companion: Dirty Tactics Toolbox 9

There are those who survive in apocalyptic wastelands by embracing the toxins all around them, coating their blades and minds with the same poison. Living in this inhospitable region leads those who feel abandoned by divine providence to regard priests and the gods as grifters, and worshippers as easy marks. When such a scoundrel learns to pass arcane magic off as divine, he joins the con as a preacher of poisons.

These preachers poison the minds of their followers with hatred and fear. If rhetoric and parlor tricks don't work on someone, that person begins to experience unexplained illnesses and flashes of light. The wayward disciple quickly finds themselves either back in the preacher's good graces, or dead. The jig is eventually up, and the preacher leaves a dwindling and distrustful settlement in his wake as he moves on to his next victims.

The preacher of poisons is a NPC built using the interaction between False Focus, Toxic Spell, magical lineage, and flare. You can change the preacher's race from human to drow and remove a rogue level to achieve similar results with a 5th-level NPC.