Help with some drow fighters.

[Melcar]

For an upcomming session I need to create some drow soldiers. I want them to be fighters or somthing full BAB. They should be level 6.

Feats so far:
Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Combat Expertice
Combat Reflexes
Unspeakable Vow
Vow of Vengence
At Home in the Deep

Items so far:
Mithral Breastplate +1
Large Mithral Steel Shield +1
Laminated steel, serrated, razor sharp , +1 Scimitar
Ring of Protection +1
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
Cloak of Resistance +1
Gloves of Strength +2
Steadfast Boots

Potions:
Shield of Faith +5
Bull Strength
Haste
Barkskin +5
Oil of Keen


damage is 1d6+9, 17-20x3 (1d6+11, vs humans)

So what do I need? And what am I missing. They are components of the main army of a drow siege of a dwarven city. They are led by a level 9 captain, a level 9 wizard and a level 9 cleric. Its for a warhammer style session we are doing. 120 of these level 6 are holding an important strategic point in underdark, which belong to the dwarves. SO the players or player is commanding a platoon of humans who are deployed over seas, so to speak to help the dwarves who are loosing gound. The drow army is huge, so the humans have send their "rangers" to lead the way. A platoon of these are 160 level 12 human fighters. SO I want he drow to put up a real good fight. But no cheese.

I know Im bending the rules for WPL but i felt it was fitting for these well trained drow.

Any suggestions?

PS. I want to keep it low magic (it should not turn into mage dual).

Thanks!

[Juntao112]

What about the Hit-and-Run Fighter ACF from DotU?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

That's way way over budget for an ECL 8 NPC. They shouldn't have more than 9,400 gp worth of possessions each (DMG p127).

If you're going to make them Fighters, make them able to do something special, otherwise just use NPC Warrior levels and make their CR one point lower. A 6th level Fighter is an elite soldier, and Drow live long enough to have been in thousands of battles and skirmishes.

Give every one of them a Glaive. They'll be Fighter 6 with the Hit-And-Run ACF from Drow of the Underdark at 1st, which replaces the Fighter 1 bonus feat. Give them Expeditious Dodge (RotW), Mobility, Spring Attack, Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill), Imperious Command (DotU), and Combat Reflexes. Use the Zhentarim Soldier (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a) substitution levels, just reflavor it to one of the Drow schools of combat. Include the Dead Levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20061013a) bonuses from Stamina Reserve. Also give them the Quick trait (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#quick).

Their gear should include +1 Fearsome (DotU) armor, so they can make an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent as a move action. Imperious Command makes a demoralized opponent cower for one round, and then be shaken on the following round. They can Spring Attack to strike at their foes from a distance, and when their opponents try to close in they make AoOs to stop them in their tracks. If cornered or surrounded they can use intimidate checks to keep the front line of opponents from attacking while they cut them down.

Give them each a Healing Belt (MIC), an Anklet of Translocation (MIC), and an Amber Amulet of Vermin: Giant Wasp (MIC). They should also each have a Least Crystal of Adaptation (MIC) on their armor. Also give each one a few various items from this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-%28Equipment-Handbook%29). Elite opponents like these should be equipped with more than just flat bonuses, they've seen many battles and many situations and know how to equip themselves for just about anything. They should be built to employ effective tactics that will put them at an advantage against unprepared foes or greater numbers of opponents.

[Runestar]

With so many NPCs, you may actually want to look at simplifying their stat blocks and tactics, so you don't spend so much time on them. This may mean more passive bonuses which you don't need to actively keep track of, no activated magic items, and even forgoing tactics like combat reflexes + reach weapon, because if anything slows down combat dramatically, it's pausing to work out attacks of opportunity.

You can also hold off on the magic items, and instead rely on potions and magic buffs to improve their combat abilities (like haste, mass cat's grace). This way, your party spends less time looting bodies and actually playing.

Since you know these drow fighters likely won't last long, maybe make them good for one solid strike each? Increase their initiative by pumping their dex, improved initiative, blooded regional feat, even the hit-and-run alternate class feature (ACF) in "Drow of the Underdark".

You can also look at tome of battle's martial study feats. They will have low will saves, martial study: moment of precise mind gives them a little more protection against debilitating debuffs like slow or glitterdust.

Another option is to go something like duskblade, which each of them using spells like shocking grasp and scorching ray to augment their combat prowess.

Just some thoughts. :smalltongue:

[Melcar]

That's way way over budget for an ECL 8 NPC. They shouldn't have more than 9,400 gp worth of possessions each (DMG p127).

If you're going to make them Fighters, make them able to do something special, otherwise just use NPC Warrior levels and make their CR one point lower. A 6th level Fighter is an elite soldier, and Drow live long enough to have been in thousands of battles and skirmishes.

Give every one of them a Glaive. They'll be Fighter 6 with the Hit-And-Run ACF from Drow of the Underdark at 1st, which replaces the Fighter 1 bonus feat. Give them Expeditious Dodge (RotW), Mobility, Spring Attack, Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill), Imperious Command (DotU), and Combat Reflexes. Use the Zhentarim Soldier (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a) substitution levels, just reflavor it to one of the Drow schools of combat. Include the Dead Levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20061013a) bonuses from Stamina Reserve. Also give them the Quick trait (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#quick).

Their gear should include +1 Fearsome (DotU) armor, so they can make an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent as a move action. Imperious Command makes a demoralized opponent cower for one round, and then be shaken on the following round. They can Spring Attack to strike at their foes from a distance, and when their opponents try to close in they make AoOs to stop them in their tracks. If cornered or surrounded they can use intimidate checks to keep the front line of opponents from attacking while they cut them down.

Give them each a Healing Belt (MIC), an Anklet of Translocation (MIC), and an Amber Amulet of Vermin: Giant Wasp (MIC). They should also each have a Least Crystal of Adaptation (MIC) on their armor. Also give each one a few various items from this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-%28Equipment-Handbook%29). Elite opponents like these should be equipped with more than just flat bonuses, they've seen many battles and many situations and know how to equip themselves for just about anything. They should be built to employ effective tactics that will put them at an advantage against unprepared foes or greater numbers of opponents.


Thanks for such a comprehensive list of options. I will be looking into this. I have only one small problem... I'm going to be controlling 120 of these. And was hoping to keep it fairly simple. Don’t get me wrong this is some great ideas, im just fearing I cant administer such complex characters...

They are also supposed to protect a small keep, so the spaces are not so much for moving around too much.

[Max Caysey]

If you havent already... check out Heroes of Battle... It has a lot to do with just the thing you're needing. Do it... DO it!

[atemu1234]

Level six, or CR 6? Either way, I recommend feats that give additional castings of the Darkness SLA, then give them at home in the deep, then arm them with daggers and make them sixth-level rogues. Go to town and burn it down.
Edit: Better, yet, make them wearing +2 Leather Armor, unenchanted with +1 Toxic Poisonous (as in the abilities from Drow of the Underdark) Daggers with the rest of their WBL invested in some interesting poisons.