Help Me With My Campaign Baddies

[ScrambledBrains]

[Just so everyone knows, I'll be going to bed after posting this, so I will pick these up tomorrow. Many thanks. :smallsmile: ]

I need advice on three builds to send against a low-to-mid optimization team, if the playground would be willing to help me.

A proto-typical nature lover type(Long hair, stoner voice and all.) that's not a Druid...I've heard good things about Wild-Shape Ranger, but never seen one in play, though I'll take any other suggestions.

A Necromancer(Any class.) who specializes in multiple weak zombies/skeletons/etc.

And A Necromancer(Again, any class.) who could control a Necronaut(MM 3) across considerable distances.

Many thanks to the playground...you guys have always been cool for helping semi-newbs like me, and I really would appreciate any help here. :smallsmile:

[Fable Wright]

...You're going to have to define 'weak' zombies, here. Are we talking about run of the mill zombies that take a hit or two and almost no damage, or are we talking about relatively challenging low-level zombies that the party will have to work to defeat, without being on the level of Zombie Hydras dealing 12 attacks per 30' charge? If the former, then I recommend statting up a generic cleric of an evil deity, of 5th level or above, and just have them cast a few Animate Dead spells and Desecrates and you're set. If the latter, then I recommend a level 8+ Dread Necromancer, with some Corpsecrafter feats from Libris Mortis. If the Dread Necromancer has both Corpsecrafter and Undead Mastery (With a few ranks of Use Magic Device and scrolls/wands of Desecrate), he controls an absolutely insane number of low-level undead, that all have a +4 enhancement bonus to strength, and a whopping +6 HP/HD. On a zombie. That has damage reduction and twice the normal HD as the person you animated. Add a few more Corpsecrafter feats to taste, such as Destructive Retricution, for exploding zombies that hurt nearby PCs and heal allied zombies, or Deadly Chill, against low-level parties, to add some moderate bonuses to damage. For decent zombies, use Lizardfolk and Bugbears, since they have a few natural HD, though not too many to be too much of a threat.

For the person who could control the Necromorph... assuming it's undead, anyone with the Command Undead spell would cut it. Including any 4th level + Dread Necromancer or Sorcerer, or level 3+ Wizard.

For the nature guy, a wildshape ranger should be fine. He turns into animals. Which can be of varying deadliness, depending on the optimization of the group. It's probably a good choice.

[Aegis013]

For necromancer, I personally love making a Dread Necromancer (Heroes of Horror) and using cat skeletons with Corpsecrafter feats to make them explode in negative energy bursts upon death. Use a scroll of an AoE style blast spell (fireball works well) and have the minions swarm the party and then be destroyed in the AoE, if the Dread Necro is undead (Necropolitan template) or has Tomb Touched Soul (forget where the feat is) the negative energy bursts heal him if he's in melee, while devastating players. It's quite good.

As far as the nature-lover. Wildshaping ranger is like druid with less spells, significantly less ridiculous, but a much better candidate for melee-centric Master of Many Forms builds, as it gets better BAB. You can have a very interesting fight if you make him a Master of Many Forms and give him several forms (a form for ranged, a form for harrasement, a form for melee... on and on, sky is the limit [seriously, fly speeds])

[ScrambledBrains]

I appreciate the help guys, but I guess I forgot to mention one little detail. (Blame sleep deprivation. :smallbiggrin: ) The weak zombie Necromancer and the nature-boy will be facing(it I end up using them based on my party's actions.) a level three, 4 person party at max. So nothing too high level relative to that. (The other Necro will be a long term distant antagonist, and the plot will be them tracking him down, so he can be anywhere from level 15 to 20.)

[Godskook]

A proto-typical nature lover type(Long hair, stoner voice and all.) that's not a Druid...I've heard good things about Wild-Shape Ranger, but never seen one in play, though I'll take any other suggestions.

Swift Hunters retain the fluff you're going for, and an Ranger 2/Scout 4 is seriously dangerous threat to a party of level 4s, since he can deal 5d6 damage per arrow as long as he moves 20'. Pad with a few warrior levels(or max HD) if you want him to be more durable without adding significantly to his offensive capabilities.


A Necromancer(Any class.) who specializes in multiple weak zombies/skeletons/etc.

There's 5 really useful corpse-crafter feats and a lvl 6 cleric with 2 flaws has exactly that many feat slots. Coincidence? I think not. Just craft some basic 2 or 4 HD skeletons, and your party will not like you for it:smallamused:


And A Necromancer(Again, any class.) who could control a Necromorph(MM 3) across considerable distances.

There's no Necromoprh in MM3 that I can find, are you sure you've got the right monster/book?

[Aegis013]

I appreciate the help guys, but I guess I forgot to mention one little detail. (Blame sleep deprivation. :smallbiggrin: ) The weak zombie Necromancer and the nature-boy will be facing(it I end up using them based on my party's actions.) a level three, 4 person party at max. So nothing too high level relative to that. (The other Necro will be a long term distant antagonist, and the plot will be them tracking him down, so he can be anywhere from level 15 to 20.)

Exploding Cat skeletons can be done by level 3. If you limit how many cats explode (for example not using the AoE) it can be just a tough fight since, as I recall, each cat exploding does 1d6 negative energy, which will heal nearby other cats and hurt the players a little.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Nature Lover:
Human Spirit Shaman (CD) 4 or 5
Ashbound (ECS), Spell Focus: Conjuration, and Augment Summoning. As a storyline feat give him Hidden Talent (XPH) for Chameleon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/chameleon.htm).

Put max ranks in Concentration, Handle Animal, Listen, Spot, Kn: Nature, and Survival. Max cross-class ranks in Move Silently if his Int score is high enough. He should have two or three trained wolves with him.

Give him Studded Leather and a Heavy Shield, with Masterwork Boots (Masterwork Tool, +2 Move Silently) enchanted as Boots of Elvenkind (+5 Move Silently). Make his armor and/or shield +1 if he has enough gold. Everything else should be Potions of Invisibility.

His spells retrieved should be as follows (3/3/1/1*)
0- Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Mending
1st- Camouflage (SC), Entangle, Summon Nature's Ally I (wolf)
2nd- Summon Nature's Ally II (1d3 wolves)
3rd- Summon Nature's Ally III (1d4+1 wolves) (if he's 5th level)

Tactics:
Buff with Chameleon (10 min duration) and Camouflage (10 min/level duration) for +20 Hide. Stay hidden as much as he can.
Order his wolves to engage first, they'll retreat if reduced below 50% HP or if one of them is killed. Cast Entangle centered just behind the opponents, and re-hide. Use Summon Nature's Ally to summon reinforcements until he's out of spells or the opponents are defeated. Drink a Potion of Invisibility and sneak away if necessary.

[ScrambledBrains]

There's 5 really useful corpse crafter feats and a lvl 6 cleric with 2 flaws has exactly that many feat slots. Coincidence? I think not. Just craft some basic 2 or 4 HD skeletons, and your party will not like you for it:smallamused:

Will be using, many thanks. :smallsmile:


There's no Necromoprh in MM3 that I can find, are you sure you've got the right monster/book?

Meant Necronaut. Sorry everyone. :smallbiggrin:


Nature Lover:
Human Spirit Shaman (CD) 4 or 5
Ashbound (ECS), Spell Focus: Conjuration, and Augment Summoning. As a storyline feat give him Hidden Talent (XPH) for Chameleon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/chameleon.htm).

Put max ranks in Concentration, Handle Animal, Listen, Spot, Kn: Nature, and Survival. Max cross-class ranks in Move Silently if his Int score is high enough. He should have two or three trained wolves with him.

Give him Studded Leather and a Heavy Shield, with Masterwork Boots (Masterwork Tool, +2 Move Silently) enchanted as Boots of Elvenkind (+5 Move Silently). Make his armor and/or shield +1 if he has enough gold. Everything else should be Potions of Invisibility.

His spells retrieved should be as follows (3/3/1/1*)
0- Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Mending
1st- Camouflage (SC), Entangle, Summon Nature's Ally I (wolf)
2nd- Summon Nature's Ally II (1d3 wolves)
3rd- Summon Nature's Ally III (1d4+1 wolves) (if he's 5th level)

Tactics:
Buff with Chameleon (10 min duration) and Camouflage (10 min/level duration) for +20 Hide. Stay hidden as much as he can.
Order his wolves to engage first, they'll retreat if reduced below 50% HP or if one of them is killed. Cast Entangle centered just behind the opponents, and re-hide. Use Summon Nature's Ally to summon reinforcements until he's out of spells or the opponents are defeated. Drink a Potion of Invisibility and sneak away if necessary.

Will be using, many thanks. :smallwink: