Special tactics - low lvls

[Balor01]

So, I was thinking. I was trying to represent higher-tier NPCs/opponents by playing them smart and giving them some nasty feats to boot.
The whole thing looks like this:
low tier opponent: a savage bugbear who attacks first thing he sees
mid tier opponent: kobolds - ranged weapons, traps, keeping to high ground and fleeing
high tier: mercenaries. These guys have seen lots of conflict and know perfectly what works and what does not. So they, for an example - hit squishiest caster first. Use improved trip. Weapons with reach. Actually incorporate monsters into their parties (like ogres) and train them in special attacks (improved sunder feat). Are mostly rogues - two of them give flanking bonus to each other on a single target and sneak attack to high heaven.

I'd like some more ideas regarding smart opponents. The thing is LVL CAP IS 5! No "Barbarian 3/Munchkinizer 4/PunPuns momma 4 is-a-great-build" please. Simple, yet lethal ideas, thats it.

tnx :D

[Elboxo]

Shapesoulmeld Shark boots on a high-strength monster race, make them a totemist for attacks and fun, also can boost some skills ( though incarnate is better )
I really think you should look at Magic of Incarnum. With some cheap feats and the right soulmelds, an incarnate can become a suprisingly stable and annoying enemy, or an excellent skill monkey.
Another idea might be one i've seen somewhere else which was a 3rd level wizard ( or 5th for more fire power ) casts levitate then invisibility on himself ( or a potion of either ) hovers in the air and uses invisible spell to summon invisible nasties that the PC's have a 50% chance of missing. Technically this gives them an effect about equal to greater invisibility, they can keep attacking and remain invisible. Use with monsters with SLA's and huge grapple for nasty surprises

[Killer Angel]

high tier: mercenaries. These guys have seen lots of conflict and know perfectly what works and what does not. So they, for an example - hit squishiest caster first. Use improved trip. Weapons with reach. Actually incorporate monsters into their parties (like ogres) and train them in special attacks (improved sunder feat). Are mostly rogues - two of them give flanking bonus to each other on a single target and sneak attack to high heaven.


In theory, this can be applied regardless of the level.

When the bad guys are smart, we (as players) try to eliminate the strongest menace: in D&D terms, a wizard will tend to concentrate on other casters (the main danger): once they're out, the non-casters are doomed.

But Napoleon said: I like to face coalitions; hit hard the weak point, the others will crumble.
So yeah, bad guys can go for the weak PC. If one of its companion is at risk of dying, the caster will try to kill the necromancer or will try to save the friend in danger? Killing the BBEG with a standard action is not certain, and the price of a failure can be high... and if the group begins to help the ones in peril, the bad guys have "redirect" the group's actions, thus gaining the inertia in the combat.

Hit and run tactics, can be effective also. Do it with incorporeal (undead or something else) and it can be deadly. On this:

I'd like some more ideas regarding smart opponents. The thing is LVL CAP IS 5
I suggest a couple of ethereal filcher (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/etherealFilcher.htm)


There are a lot of tactics, but the point is: never reach the point of DM Vs Players.

[AngelisBlack]

There are always teamwork benefits from PHB 2 and DMG 2 that might help out. Also, vexing flanker feat works excellently when combined with reach weapons, and makes even low level opponents much more dangrous. Low level potions are also helpful, and also remember that a grappled creature loses Dex, so a Fighter+Rogue team can dish out some pain.

Also, never underestimate the value of a good commander.

[Jayh]

Option 1: tactics. http://www.tuckerskobolds.com/

Option 2. templates. http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11476.0

Option 3. gear http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/community/gaming/playByPost/assaultOnCastleWhiterock&sort=5 it works for level 1 parties, it can work for level 1 monters

[Greenish]

Pretty simple combat maneuvers can be effective against low level PCs (or enemies).

Wield a ranseur, you have +6 to disarm and can do it at reach (so no AoO even without the feat, for enemies without reach). Only costs you 10 gp and martial weapon proficiency.

With a net, you can entangle enemies with a simple touch attack, you don't even need proficiency. Bolas also use touch attacks, so the non-proficiency penalty is not a great hurdle. Add BoED's lasso, and you get a nice selection of easy-to-apply mundane debuffs.

Going into exotic weapons proper, Pincer Staff (Underdark) and Mancatcher (CW) are reach weapons that can be used to start a grapple and hold an enemy. Give one to something big and strong, and it can easily lock down an opponent.


As for classes, a warblade or crusader (or both) focusing on White Raven are excellent for tactical fighting.

[Kenneth]

I would put Kobolds with traps and such into the SUPER Tier myself, you are severely under appreciating the dangers that kobolds and traps present to PCs.


one great Tactic I used against my players was a mix of the heedless charge intot eh PCs by a couple of Orcs the other 2 orcs armed with crossbows hid under a dining table ( the HUGE one that are 20 feet long that you find in a castles great hall) and proceeded to take pot shots at the PCs. Normally teh PCs would have ignored teh brutes and went after teh archer, the cover the table provided as well as having some guys swining a great axe in your face made the encounter force the players to shift their own tactics a bit.

also Putting a wasp nest behind a torch in a dungeon is nice as well.

then there is the whole 2nd round fo combat the goblin runs away screaming!.. what that don't sound like a tacitc he is just running away scared. Oh.. but I think his screams of terror are heard by teh rest of the goblins in the old silver mine. Yes PCs tend to ignore the guy crapping himself and running away so he basically just alerted THE whole dungeon to what is going on.

Oh and to hit on a tactic that the guy wanting to OP out a shrieker is completely failing to realize. You put a shrieker or two about mid way through a cavern and at a palce that is the ONLY way to get any furhter their shrieking is pretty much a fire alarm for everybody else.

[Human Paragon 3]

I ran a few encounters like this in one of my campaigns (weak enemies, strong tactics) and gave PCs a run for their money with a far inferior force twice.

Example 1)

Ambush in the woods. The bandits set a trap that they triggered themselves. It caused a huge pile of logs to collapse into the road (potentially crushing the PCs) and blocking their path.

From there, warrior types popped out of the woods and threw nets at the rear guard of the party. The warrior types all had nets (which knock down the Dex of the characters they hit) in addition to spears.

As this is happening, archer types up in the trees rained down arrows with a dex-affecting poison at the PCs. The idea was, between the poison and the nets, they could immobilize the PCs and then put them down with coup-de-gras.

It never got to that point because the PCs were stronger than they were and made all their saves, but it was a solid plan and one of the PCs was reduced to 4 dex or something like that.

2) Bell Tower Massacre

In this scenario, the bandits' goal was to create a big diversion for a jail break (and inflict as much damage as possible in the process). Prior to the start of the encounter, three bandits went into a temple, barred the doors, and killed all the priests. They then climbed the bell tower and took up a position there.

Meanwhile, their accomplice set fire to the tavern.

The PCs sprung into action, trying to evacuate the tavern as well as they could. The end result of this was A) people running to put out the fire B) people running out of the burning tavern, turning the town square into a confused mob.

The bandits in the bell tower then started raining arrows down into the square, killing the people who were trying to put out the fire, causing the fire to spread and killing many innocent people.

After a while the PCs managed to get the situation under control. The PCs all survived and none of the bandits lived through the encounter, but it was very tense because of the fire and the commoners getting slaughtered. The end result was three level 1 warriors and a level 6 commoner giving a party of level 3 PCs a huge run for their money.

And, oh yeah, the party's prisoner escaped, because the PCs all ran to the town square to help the townspeople.