How would you finish this character up with the core rules?

[Hopeless]

Bargle the Black, human male Sorceror (unfinished version)
Strength 9, Constitution 10, Size 8, Intelligence 17, Power 17, Dexterity 14, Charisma 14
Age: 34
Combat Actions: 3, Damage Modifier: -1d2, Improvement: +1
Magic Points: 17, Movement: 8m, Strike Rank: 16
Hit Points/Armour:Leg: 4, Abdomen: 5, Chest: 6, Arm: 4, Head: 5
Common Skills:
Athletics 23%, Brawn 17%, Common Magic 31%, Culture/Own 64%, Dance 28%, Drive 31%, Evade 28%,, Evaluate 51%, First Aid 31%, Influence 48%, Insight 39%, Lore/Regional 79%, Perception 34%, Persistence 44%, Resilience 20%, Ride 31%, Sing 31%, Sleight 28%, Stealth 31%, Swim 19% and Unarmed 23%.
Combat Skills:
Dagger 33% in melee and 38% when thrown
Advanced Skills:
Courtesy 31%, Language/Native 81%, Literacy/Native 31%, Lore/Alchemy 44%, Lore/History 34%, Manipulate 34%, Sorcery/Grimoire 34%
Magic Known: Bladesharp 1,Heal 2 and Protection 3
Sorcery:
Left to do: Select Sorcery spells and spend the 250 skill points.

Bargle the Black is a servant of the Black Baron whose attempts to secure the ducal station he feels is his right has led him to build an army of fell creatures to complete what his own bloodline has failed to accomplish.

Bargle manipulated the local church and then murdered the priestess who was sent along with him to investigate the ruins of Castle Mist which is now his home.

You know I was wondering would you like to play in a Legend game where you're part of a group of would be adventurers sent to hunt this man down?

 

[Mage]

A few weakness at first glance, to be rectified in this order:

(1) Grimoire skill should most certainly be improved.

(2) Persistence and resilience are pretty weak.

(3) Perception and common magic could go up.

(3) First aid can be useful.

(4) A combat skill and dodge should be raised a little. Maybe give him 1h sword or something like that for parrying to survive in case he gets in close combat.

As for the spells, not sure.

 

[alex_greene]

At least one Dominate spell. such as Dominate Goblin or Dominate Orc, or perhaps whatever manner of fell beast such as Hellhound or monster is common in the campaign.

A choice of Enhance INT, Enhance POW or Enhance DEX, since those are his strongest suit anyway - Int 17 suggests a man who likes to outthink his opponents and keep his hands clean by sending in loads of loyal minions to do the slicing and dicing. If the enemy closes in, he could be protected by Damage Resistance on his person.

As for offensive spells - Palsy, Smother and Wrack seem appropriate choices for someone who likes to smack down his foes at a distance. Palsy or Smother to knock out the enemy, so he can send in his minions to pick them up and bring them to him in chains; Wrack if he means business.

If you have access to Arcania of Legend: Blood Magic, he could be given access to spells such as Dominate Undead, Exsanguinate if he wants to torture an enemy, Hide Life, Switch Body, Torment, Transfer Wound or Trap Soul.

Fun spells like those.

He doesn't need access to all of them - doesn't even need to have them in the Grimoire he is studying - but they all seem typical of a sorcerer who prefers to fight from a distance, keep his hands clean and - if and when the enemy manages to get through his meat shield of a million minions - preserve his own life at all costs, but not be afraid to stand and fight to the bitter end if cornered, knowing that he can always come back.

His overarching goal is to stay on top of any conflict. If he can't outfight the foe, he can try and outthink the foe. But he's not so smart that he can't make critical mistakes, such as for instance attempting offensive spells against someone protected by Spell Resistance or Castback. He also has zero spirit protection or magical defences himself, another critical weakness.

If he has Hide Life, he would fear being lured out of wherever he is lairing, as well, because if he moves out of range of his soul jar where he has hidden his life, he can be killed permanently. If his soul jar happens to be his fortress, wandering more than, say, ten kilometres from his keep would spell his doom if he dies too far from his home; and if the party discover that his keep is his soul jar, they could destroy it with siege machinery.

I always like to think about my bad guys, about when not to face them in combat, when not to get them riled, and how to take them down, so your good guys have a fighting chance.

 

[JP42]

A sorcerer of dubious moral character could never go wrong with a well placed Tap spell. It really is the most notably evil feeling of spells in any grimoire. Combined with Dominate for a particular species that he's fond of using as his lackeys, he's got the making so of a good nemesis.

I think I would eschew combat skills other than Evade for him, though. Just doesn't feel like his flavor, though Dagger is a nice touch.

Crank that Manipulate up a bit, to allow him the flexibility to be nasty at range, over a large area or to multiple targets at once.