Rofltrollcopter
2014-08-24, 12:43 AM
If your a player in my campaign, stay out.
Here's a bit of background information. I am running a 3.5 game using the Shadows of the Last War adventure path. My players are semi-optimized, featuring a psion and warmage duo that accounts for 75% of the party's damage output through elemental spells/psi powers, a swordsage, a tanky trip focused crusader, a DMM cleric (without persist), and an artificer. The players have a working knowledge of the MIC and the more powerful items in it.
I have a background and story in mind for the villain already. My pet peeve is that most of the players' efforts within the game go towards optimizing their stats/advantages based on game mechanics. They tend to regard the game world and the npcs as static and unchanging. For example after they attacked a villainous organization and stole information needed for their quest, I made a note of describing that there was a vulture circling the party every time I had a scenery description. They entered an abandoned facility that contained their objective, and an automated security system said that intruders from said aforementioned evil organization were present. The group was surprised that when they exited said facility, that they were ambushed by members from said evil organization.
So I am looking for an antagonist that is challenging not because he has better stats then the party or stronger abilities, but because he makes better use of his environment and the current situation. The end goal would be to show that one can be effective without having the biggest stats, but instead by thinking creatively and using one's surroundings. My vague ideas would be some sort of stealth specialist that would try to take a few potshots at the party, run away and repeat, using attrition to wear the party down. Using marbles to force balance checks, poison, all sorts of underhanded tactics like that. I'm currently thinking Factotum/Warblade for Iajutsu strike shenanigans. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
Here's a bit of background information. I am running a 3.5 game using the Shadows of the Last War adventure path. My players are semi-optimized, featuring a psion and warmage duo that accounts for 75% of the party's damage output through elemental spells/psi powers, a swordsage, a tanky trip focused crusader, a DMM cleric (without persist), and an artificer. The players have a working knowledge of the MIC and the more powerful items in it.
I have a background and story in mind for the villain already. My pet peeve is that most of the players' efforts within the game go towards optimizing their stats/advantages based on game mechanics. They tend to regard the game world and the npcs as static and unchanging. For example after they attacked a villainous organization and stole information needed for their quest, I made a note of describing that there was a vulture circling the party every time I had a scenery description. They entered an abandoned facility that contained their objective, and an automated security system said that intruders from said aforementioned evil organization were present. The group was surprised that when they exited said facility, that they were ambushed by members from said evil organization.
So I am looking for an antagonist that is challenging not because he has better stats then the party or stronger abilities, but because he makes better use of his environment and the current situation. The end goal would be to show that one can be effective without having the biggest stats, but instead by thinking creatively and using one's surroundings. My vague ideas would be some sort of stealth specialist that would try to take a few potshots at the party, run away and repeat, using attrition to wear the party down. Using marbles to force balance checks, poison, all sorts of underhanded tactics like that. I'm currently thinking Factotum/Warblade for Iajutsu strike shenanigans. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.