Weapon Teams? [Another NPC question]

[Red_Dog]

Hello everyone ^^

I had rather quick question, that might need a bit longer answer heh.

I am trying to come up with a unique spin on some of my NPC in a campaign. NPCs are mercs however, to make them stand out a bit, I wanted to try out a concept of Weapon Teams. As in =>

A squad of NPCs that carries several siege weapons. They follow around other squads that provide them support, and etc.
The concept of this army is "specialization and tactics". At least 4 types of NPC squads was my goal.

The issue=======>
Campaign is pretty much starts at lvl6-8 for everyone, which includes any able body NPC that willingly(mostly) partakes in combat

A Light balista on the OTHER hand deals 3d8 dmg at max rate 1 per round if its self loading or crewed by two... Soooo any ideas guys? ^^ What can make for a good effective "special heavy weapon team"? Some obscure siege engine maybe? Some obscure alchemical item? Anything?

Yes I know, it would make it simplier if Wizard was the cannon and a team protected him. Their army however isn't very magical.
=======>

P.S. Incidentally, if creature is resistant to fire 5, can it live on Fire plane, or will it need more help? If so, what kind of help? (refreshing all my planar travel knowledge myself, but a lot of things to cover heh)

[Sgt. Cookie]

Only thing I can think of is a large cannon. Perhaps use the heavy catapult damage, but ballista rules for everything else.

Assuming this is to be carried around, I'd say it should take two people to carry and aim, and two to load (One full round action for two people), and drag the cannon balls and powder, and one to fire, assuming optimum numbers.

At minimum, it should two to carry and aim and one to load (Two full round actions for one person), fire and drag the cannon balls and powder.


As for your other question, any amount of fire resistance grants immunity to lava/magma. If that helps.

[00dlez]

Heroes of Battle has some expanded siege weapon options as well

I've used a "siege crossbow" in some of my games before. It was much larger than a heavy crossbow, but still usable by 1 (albiet strong) person. It required a STR of 14 to use, 2d10 damage, 19-20/x2, 200 RI, but required the user to be prone.

Think of it as a large crossbow that was reloaded as if the person was on a rowing machine. NPCs would use them in siege defenses, with platforms built on the battlements so they could aim down at the approaching army.

They could be used by your mercs as an opening salvo on an ambush - coupled with SA damage, it could be devastating even to level 6-8 characters.

[Red_Dog]

"siege crossbow"

Is that homebrew or is it in HoB? I didn't see it there [perhaphs didn't look carefully enough].

Thx for replies guys ^^

I was thinking a scorpion actually... a stone dmg does 6d6 however also weighs 75lb. With say attack crystal (MiC) that's 7d6, now how do I boost it further? +1 and w/e elemental dmg is another d6. Also there is a dreaded reflex save that as far as I can tell lets people completely dodge a stone without even having evasion...

Hmmm... And issue with Large balista is that its HUGE... it would take either a beast of some-kind (and these guys are not animal trainers by any means).. or will take like 8 people to operate. Those 8 people will do sooo much more dmg with Javelins (that will be the front line troopers)...

So is there a way to boost Light balista damage further than it is? It is honestly the best version of "anti-tank cannon" there is, visual/fluff wise. Again my guess goes up to 5d6...without stacking "4 seasons" elemental dmg

So yeah... it was sooo easy when I needed to stat Arrow daemons, one of them is a damn Machine Gun emplacement by himself... >_>


As for your other question, any amount of fire resistance grants immunity to lava/magma.
Wait so even natural resistance 5 will prevent Fire Dominant planar Trait?O_o