Fantasy Monster: Inventor's Devil

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Devil, Inventor's

A balding, black-haired, red-skinned gnome with few small horns adorning his head and membranous fly's wings on his back.

CR 4; XP 1,200
LE Small Outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)

Init +8; Senses see in darkness; Perception +10

Defense
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 39 (6d10+6); regeneration 3 (good or silver)
Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +6

DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 15

Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (good)

Melee headbutt +7 (2d4) and 2 slams +7 (1d4)

Ranged scorching ray +11 touch (40 ft., 4d6 fire)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th, concentration +9)

At Will—invisibility (self only), mage hand, prestidigitation, scorching ray

3/day—dimension door, infernal healing, make whole

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 19

Feats Diehard, Endurance, Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +12, Craft or Profession (any one) +10, Fly +12, Knowledge (engineering) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception +10, Perform (oratory) +12, Stealth +17

Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ coach speech, inspired craft

Ecology
Environment any (Hell)
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Coach Speech (Su) An inventor's devil can telepathically direct someone how to speak smoothly, allowing one sapient creature to use the devil's Bluff and Perform (oratory) skill bonuses in place of their own. Obviously, the coached skills can't be used back on the devil. This is a mind-affecting ability that requires the inventor's devil.

Inspired Craft (Su) An inventor's devil can take his time observing a promising person for at least three days and bestow +5 profane bonus to Knowledge (engineering) and a single Craft or Profession skill (the same as the one the devil knows). The recipient of this ability also gains the use of either Craft Magic Arms And Armor or Craft Wondrous Items, as appropriate for the skill inspired, and can use them as if they had Master Craftsman feat—they are not immediately made aware of the fact unless instructed by the devil, though occasionally, inspired craftsman managed to create magic items with the help of those feats by accident. The devil can suppress or revoke the inspiration at any time. Protection from evil and similar effects suppress the benefits of this ability, and it ends if the devil is destroyed or banished. Only one person can benefit from inspired craft of the inventor's devil at any one time. This is an mind-affecting and evil effect.

Inventor's devils are a step up from imps, looking for promising minds—specific talents, blossoming geniuses, or pompous hacks—to inspire them into working for Hell's (and the inventor's devils) goals, wittingly or not. An inventor's devil might try to subtly tamper with the plans and works, manipulate the subject with telepathic whispers, or show himself and work as a secret partner or pretend to be a minion, depending on which of those approaches the devil will consider suitable for the target.

Inventor's devils help architects build magnificent cathedrals and palaces, smiths forge potent weapons and armors, jewelers made envy-worthy adornments, and so on—at the same time subtly manipulating designs and methods to cause misery and inspire cruelty, vanity, and jealousy. The end justifies the means is the mantra they repeat to their students.

While their true ingenuity is limited, they do love to inspire technological and magical progress, as long as it will serve ruthless order of the hell. In fact, they find genuine pride when their students create something truly new—mixed with frustration when the invention is used for good.

Occasionally, a pair of inventor's devils focus their attention on the same person. Invariably, their egos will clash, with each other trying to get more of their subject's attention and outdo the other with the suggestions.

If an inventor's devil is discorporated and bound into a set of tools, incrusted with silver, they will bestow the benefits of inspired craft on anyone using them, regardless of the bound devil's approval. The devil's sentience will be able to communicate telepathically with the craftsman, though, and will be able to use the coach speech ability according to its whims.