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View Full Version : 4e.) Challenging the Sniper



Cealocanth
2010-11-27, 11:46 PM
I won't lie, my party's rouge has a kickass character. He rolled godlike stats for a first level, and those were placed in the exact right ways that allow him to blast the skull out of the head of a creature from 400 paces with a very low miss chance. He is the ideal sniper, truly.

And that's what he does most of the time. He sits back in the shadows and initiates breakfast piercing crossbow bolts while the party distracts the monsters. He does a bang up job of it, and I can ojnly expect him to get better past the Heroic tier.

Now, being the DM of the campaign, I always look to challenge my players. After all, can you really keep the players engaged if they're not threatened with death on a daily basis? The problem is that while I could easily throw 4 elite monsters of two levels higher than him at this guy and expect him to live, the rest of the party would most certainly die.

So, for the sake of a good game and a worthwhile challenge, how do I challenge the sniper of the party without putting the rest of the party in serious danger?

Urpriest
2010-11-27, 11:52 PM
First, next time don't let them roll stats. It's not well supported in 4e. Use point-buy.

For a sniper, the worst nightmare is having monsters up close. Send something with high perception at him, and have a few fights in close quarters where he can't just sit back. He'll have tricks to deal with this if he's a decent optimizer, but make him work at them: it's always more exciting for a sniper when a monster comes in the back door and he has to avoid them.

SurlySeraph
2010-11-27, 11:53 PM
Teleport things at him.

Cealocanth
2010-11-27, 11:59 PM
It's not like he's squishy in mele, sadly the case. He's a halfling, so naturally he's nimble, but with his stats you simply can't hold him down. I'm thinking the old gangbanging tactics for tomorrow's session, at least. Let's see him survive a horde of Radioactive hunting wolf Minions.

Telok
2010-11-28, 12:39 AM
Use more lurkers, zones, and blasts.

The weakness of 4e rogues is that they normally don't have perception as high as thier stealth. Pulling in a few lurkers after the first round or two can let you get dangerous critters near him. Having them ready actions for when he reveals himself by attacking will negate his stealth and allow you to hit him.

Throw in controllers with zones that block line of sight or cause damage. This can force him to move closer to the action. Blasts can work as well, as long as the artillery can target near him they can just lump damage at him untill he stops attacking.

Excession
2010-11-28, 04:09 AM
Snipers like being able to move. Limit this with difficult terrain, small rooms, traps, slowing and immobilising effects.

Halflings have only normal vision. Attack from shadows and darkness. :mitd:

Rogues have limited ability to engage multiple targets, especially if they're spread out. Ranged minions might be able to hurt him.

Every good story about a sniper has an enemy sniper to match. Giving him a nemesis could be fun for both of you. A custom made elite lurker Drow or maybe Elf crossbow sniper would be my pick.

Have this guy stalk him, either for money or just to prove he's a better sniper then this short little newcomer. Wait for the PC to show himself before you attack, remember readied actions if he uses pop-out tactics. Never let him pin your sniper down, always have him run if the fight looks like getting close. When the PC is making an active perception check with every free minor action, then you're challenging him. :smallbiggrin:

Edit: Have your sniper make jokes about his height. Make it personal.

Kurald Galain
2010-11-28, 04:11 AM
It's not like he's squishy in mele, sadly the case. He's a halfling, so naturally he's nimble, but with his stats you simply can't hold him down.

Why not, for a heroic-tier rogue? What did he roll, 30+ on 3d6?

Sure you can hold him down. Surround him. Pin him against the terrain. Prone, immobilize, or grab him. Use forced movement to send him into pits. Sure you can hold him down; what's he going to do, use Tumble once per encounter?

ghost_warlock
2010-11-28, 04:25 AM
Blind him. Let's see him snipe now. :smallamused:

Tvtyrant
2010-11-28, 04:29 AM
Challenge people, not make useless. I would say send a group of enemies who have several high perception archer types and have them snipe back at him. Then he can play to his strength while having to outshoot a larger group.

tcrudisi
2010-11-28, 05:54 AM
Challenge people, not make useless. I would say send a group of enemies who have several high perception archer types and have them snipe back at him. Then he can play to his strength while having to outshoot a larger group.

If he's not in a situation where he can possibly become useless, how is he being challenged?

Cealocanth
2010-11-28, 01:24 PM
Every good story about a sniper has an enemy sniper to match. Giving him a nemesis could be fun for both of you. A custom made elite lurker Drow or maybe Elf crossbow sniper would be my pick.

Have this guy stalk him, either for money or just to prove he's a better sniper then this short little newcomer. Wait for the PC to show himself before you attack, remember readied actions if he uses pop-out tactics. Never let him pin your sniper down, always have him run if the fight looks like getting close. When the PC is making an active perception check with every free minor action, then you're challenging him. :smallbiggrin:

Ooh! Now that's an idea. Someone just as skilled to match would be exactly what this campaign needs to really get him RPing. I can see it now...

Goonthegoof
2010-11-28, 01:36 PM
+1 to not letting anyone roll stats, 4e is balanced around 22 point buy which seems to work fine.

If he starts really annoying you do what I do with players who are annoyingly strong and send an Aleax against them (when a Deity is particularly mad at someone, he/she/it makes a Construct that is a copy of the offender and
uses it to deal with the problem). It's a 3.5 template, but it's pretty easy to make a 4e version. The best part is it lets your players know just how annoying it is to deal with the offending player =)