[3.5] How to Effectively Use this Strategy?

[tahu88810]

So hey,

My players will be trekking through the Cormanthyr forest next session. I intend to have a band of drow to attack them from the sides and back, basically herding them off their path and towards the dungeon I have prepared. While I'll prepare for their circumventing this issue somehow, I'd like to do what I can mechanically to ensure that they do, in fact, have to break rank and flee the attack towards the cave in question.

The party consists of a level 6 dwarf cleric, a level 6 dwarf sorcerer, a level 4 dwarf rogue, and a level 4 dwarf fighter. The cleric and fighter both have fairly high AC, the rogue prefers to use a spear or his crossbow, the sorcerer is very fond of utilizing web and magic missile, and the cleric is focusing on melee (through racial substitution levels) and summoning spells. They are all very fond of using fire (the name of their group is "The Company of the Burning Hammer").

It will no doubt take a while to incapacitate them using the drow poison, because the chance of hitting two of them is very low and the chance of their not making the saves is just as low. (DC14, where the lowest fortitude save is +4? Yeeeeah) I can certainly use magic of some sort, and the drow will likely have a sorceress on hand just to dispel webs and the like but I am not sure what spells to use on the players as I want the group to not be horrifically incapacitated by save-or-lose effects by the time they enter the dungeon.
Obviously, the drow will be using ambushes and hit-and-run tactics. This also runs the risk of the dwarves being dwarf-like and just standing their ground and waiting for the next ambush.

Any ideas?

[ThirdEmperor]

Have the drow set the forest on fire, creating a semi-circle of fire the advances towards them, shoving them towards the dungeon.

[Morbis Meh]

If your party is more likely to stand and fight it would seem that to bait them into the dungeon would be a better strategy. Try harrying them a few times with the hit and run tactics then have a small party of the drow attack them and lead them into the dungeon.

[tahu88810]

The fire strategy is awesome, and I'll definitely use that eventually. Knowing my party they'd start flinging webs and oil everywhere in the hopes of using the encroaching fire as a weapon of their own, though xD

I'll also certainly bait the group if they decide to stand their ground. Perhaps I'll even combine that with the fire strategy so that they can't just decide to not take the bait (the players are likely to recognize a trap when they see it, but at least this way the only way not to burn is to walk into it)

[Zherog]

I don't know your group, but I can tell you that if my group sniffed out that they were being herded in a particular direction, they would do everything they could to not go that direction. For example, I know that if I were to ambush them from the flanks and rear while leaving an obvious path open in front of them, they wouldn't retreat through that path.

Their reasoning would be this: The drow clearly want us to go that way, because they're leaving it open. So if they want us to go that way, we would be better off going somewhere else.

That's basically a long-winded way of saying: try to not make it obvious that they're being herded.

[aquaticrna]

fire won't work... d6 damage per round? even if it takes them 10 rounds to get through they'll all probably be fine, especially if you consider healing or any spells that prevent fire damage

[[CLASSIFIED]]

If the Drow party has any casters, maybe one of the Wall of ______ spells or other battlefield control spells would be good.

[tahu88810]

I came here for help because I'm pretty sure they won't allow themselves to be herded. At least, not easily.

D6 damage a round is actually quite a lot. It poses a serious threat to the rogue and sorcerer, and the cleric only has so many spells a day with which to heal. But you are right that it probably won't be enough. I'll likely combine it with [CLASSIFIED]'s "Wall of ____" suggestion.

I think fire, baiting, and Walls should be more than enough to push them in the right direction. And if not, I'll just come up with a new adventure on the fly.

[Master_Rahl22]

Are the Drow part of the story or otherwise connected to the dungeon somehow, or are they only there as a means to get the party to the dungeon? You could make it clear that these guys aren't meant to be fought somehow. There are hundreds of them, and half are clerics or wizards. Have someone the party knows to be tough try to fight a few of the Drow only to be curb-stomped, otherwise knows as The Worf Effect (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWorfEffect). Have them fight just a few Drow and clearly defeat them, and the Drow run in fear to the dungeon, shouting something about protecting the treasure. Hopefully one of those works.

[tahu88810]

Are the Drow part of the story or otherwise connected to the dungeon somehow, or are they only there as a means to get the party to the dungeon? You could make it clear that these guys aren't meant to be fought somehow. There are hundreds of them, and half are clerics or wizards. Have someone the party knows to be tough try to fight a few of the Drow only to be curb-stomped, otherwise knows as The Worf Effect (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWorfEffect). Have them fight just a few Drow and clearly defeat them, and the Drow run in fear to the dungeon, shouting something about protecting the treasure. Hopefully one of those works.

The drow have appropriated a largely-optional (in that they don't need to explore it to find any clues in regards to their main quest) portion of the dungeon, and have been using it to launch attacks on the dalelands to the south so I'm not sure I'd be able to do anything like that. They're herding the dwarves to the cave because a live sacrifice to lolth would be, in the words of their high priestess "Wicked rad" (that's paraphrased, of course)

[Master_Rahl22]

Ah, well then they don't need to heard them for a live sacrifice. Doesn't Drow Poison just knock people unconscious? Trust me, with enough Drow firing enough poison-dipped crossbow bolts your party will fail their saves. They then wake up en route to the dungeon and you provide them with some opportunities to escape.

If any of your PCs are particularly Good, they see Drow with several helpless villagers giving a villainous laugh and muttering about how wicked rad it will be to sacrifice them to Lolth in that dungeon that's 3 miles east of here.

[Urpriest]

Generally speaking people don't get herded in D&D, they stand their ground because it's easier.

My suggestion: fear effects. Frightened specifies that the person must run away from the source of fear, and Panicked is worse. Go dig up a fear guide and see what kinds of combos are appropriate for your drow.

[Land Outcast]

Well, my workings would be the following:

Have a strong Drow group hit them with hit and run ranged tactics, if the party gives them chase, well, you just take them towards the dungeon.
Now, if they don't give chase thay will suffer some heavy damage (and when the damage has reached a dangerous point, making them spend healing spells, the drows move in for the kill).

Then is when the draegloth appears. They should take the cue... I mean, the battle has been hard until now and the casters should still be alive, supporting from the forest.

Their only chance becomes the narrow forest trail which forces the fiendish monstrosity to move slower, uprooting trees... at the end of which is -guess what- the dungeon.

The group could be composed of:
two fighters (lvl 2) specialized in melee
two rangers (lvl 2) specialized in ranged combat
a level six cleric
a level six sorcerer (with dispel magic known)

[nedz]

Generally speaking people don't get herded in D&D, they stand their ground because it's easier.

It depends upon the group, and the OP as DM knows them better than any of us. Most groups would either aim to attack the drow, or retreat to a place of safety. Fight or Flight is a fairly basic, and standard, response to threats.


My suggestion: fear effects. Frightened specifies that the person must run away from the source of fear, and Panicked is worse. Go dig up a fear guide and see what kinds of combos are appropriate for your drow.
I could be wrong, but I would expect that this would scatter them in random directions. Maybe the drow could drop them with poison then. The fact that the Dwarves move slowly should then counter their increased saves.:smallcool:
This also gives a credible excuse for the drow to hold 3 of them, at a place of your choosing, whilst they wait for the 4th PC to be dragged there. They can escape at this point, one hopes.