The Shadow of the Sky (3.5e NPC)

It favors tactics of false fear, and prefers to have allies near when it fights. It uses Mirror Image both for the defensive benefit and to create an illusion that there are more of it than there actually are. It uses Displacement to protect itself and its illusions. It saves its Confusion power for when it feels seriously threatened. It will use Darkness to divide and befuddle its enemies and to provide a hiding place to itself. It likes to Shadow Conjure Glitterdust and Webs, or, when necessary, Grease, although it keeps one in reserve for a Phantom Steed to make a quick escape.

Additionally, before doing anything that might endanger it, like attempting a risky political maneuver or even venturing out of one of its many lairs, it will use an Augury or Divination (depending on importance) to determine risk. In politics, it will use its powers to both find and create blackmail material on people, such as by using Confusion to turn an argument violent, or using elaborate illusions to trick people into looking unseemly.

It will use its Augury and Divination powers on behalf of others, and it will identify items, if the price is right. Additionally, it personally knows half of the underworld of its adopted home city, although substantially fewer know it, as it uses a number of constantly-changing psuedonyms and illusions to do business. It sometimes uses Mirror Image to appear as multiple of its psuedonyms at once. However, at least one of its lairs is in the hideout of a gang of thieves that it controls.