interesting advantages of centaurs

[Teh_das]

I'm DMing a campaign that just started, and my players are heading through a forest. The main inhabitants are elves and centaurs, and while I know elves, I'm not used to centaurs.

What are some good suggestions to throw at my players?

[HighWater]

Combat possibilities:

Centaurs are fast (basespeed 50ft). They are also capable archers. That encounter basically writes itself: they try to plink the PCs to death from a distance. (Make sure the PCs can deal with that, or that surrender is an option.)

Centaurs armed with lances also get the damageboost for a charge that usually applies to mounted riders, so it's quite reasonable for them to try to finish the PCs off with a charge.

Give them a Centaur Druid leader with Entangle to further slow down (annoy) the PCs.

The Centaur statblock contains some very silly choices that you can alter (the feats Dodge and Weapon Focus (hoof) are both pretty silly, the skillpoints are also weird: Listen, Spot, Survival and Move Silently are class skills, so if you put points in that, you'll have a potent ambush!)

Reason of combat? Perhaps this small tribe is fiercely territorial? Perhaps the last group of adventurers that came through attacked unprovoked and killed a bunch of centaurs/defaced the woods?

Edit: Make sure they have a reason though, so that diplomatic/surrender options are on the table. Centaurs angered by previous adventurers? Why, the offer to bring those basterds to judgement should passify the manhorses, right?

[Coidzor]

Well, it's not exactly interesting, but their movement speed allows them to tumble far enough to always activate Skirmish and generally fairly easily kite the party even when having to deal with underbrush slowing movement.

And it's kinda their shtick to do the mounted combat, so one or two with lances could definitely put on the hurt in a charge.

[Deox]

Well, it's not exactly interesting, but their movement speed allows them to tumble far enough to always activate Skirmish and generally fairly easily kite the party even when having to deal with underbrush slowing movement.

And it's kinda their shtick to do the mounted combat, so one or two with lances could definitely put on the hurt in a charge.

Seconded.

Depending on the size and level of the party, a few scout / ranger centaurs coupled with one or two lancers (all having tanglefoot bags, or a druid) could be a very memorable ambush encounter.

[atemu1234]

Seconded.

Depending on the size and level of the party, a few scout / ranger centaurs coupled with one or two lancers (all having tanglefoot bags, or a druid) could be a very memorable ambush encounter.

This needs a tag like #TPK.

If your PCs can't deal with range, then this is obviously a bad encounter for them.

It is, however, hilarious.

[HighWater]

This needs a tag like #TPK.

If your PCs can't deal with range, then this is obviously a bad encounter for them.

It is, however, hilarious.

Aye, that's why my advice included the cautionary "(Make sure the PCs can deal with that, or that surrender is an option.)", even before people were throwing around scout/rangers! :smallbiggrin:

[atemu1234]

Aye, that's why my advice included the cautionary "(Make sure the PCs can deal with that, or that surrender is an option.)", even before people were throwing around scout/rangers! :smallbiggrin:

Good to know we're all on the same page :smallbiggrin:.

Though now I want to throw some Centaur Whirling Frenzy Barbarians or Centaur Scouts or even Centaur Nonmagical Rangers at my party. Run fast, run far.

[Zaq]

Well, it's not exactly interesting, but their movement speed allows them to tumble far enough to always activate Skirmish and generally fairly easily kite the party even when having to deal with underbrush slowing movement.

And it's kinda their shtick to do the mounted combat, so one or two with lances could definitely put on the hurt in a charge.

I fully approve of any plan that involves tumbling centaurs. Just go ahead and picture that. Isn't it glorious?

[Coidzor]

I fully approve of any plan that involves tumbling centaurs. Just go ahead and picture that. Isn't it glorious?

I mean, thanks to Cityscape they can freely trade their class skills in Ride for Tumble anyway, and what's a Centaur gonna ride at the end of the day? :smallamused:

[atemu1234]

I mean, thanks to Cityscape they can freely trade their class skills in Ride for Tumble anyway, and what's a Centaur gonna ride at the end of the day? :smallamused:

Well, at the end of the day...

[Ethelesin]

I mean, thanks to Cityscape they can freely trade their class skills in Ride for Tumble anyway, and what's a Centaur gonna ride at the end of the day? :smallamused:

Centaur Swift Hunter "commandos" that combat roll (tumble) into action? I am so nicking this idea for a campaign.