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View Full Version : Psyching out the enemy without magic.



Niasen
2007-06-21, 08:26 PM
I'm creating a character for a campaign thats planning on being a rather long one, and I'm going to start him off as a scout, ex-military. I chose scout because I wanted the ability to specialize in hiding and sneaking and it fits very well with a backgrounds story I've wanted to do for a long time.

Anyway, one of the things I've come up with is that a scout can't quite do the same damage potential as a rogue while staying well out of sight (at least not at the lower levels without a few extra feats), but he CAN set traps and go around the whole camp if he sets his mind to it. So that got me to thinking of a scenario where if I stumbled upon a camp/nest/den of enemies before the group, of all sorts of things I could do to set up a true ambush either before the group gets there or to make it chaotic for them when they DO get there (trip wires, fires, crippling traps.), some of it will be simple, but some of it will be downright cruel, such as using handleanimal and knowledge nature to lead a shocker lizard to the enemies "peeing spot" and watch the fireworks hehe. Or causing there horses to stampede through the camp, and through the chaos take a few weapons of there's away from them or if crossbows and such cut the wires.

Could anyone get me some good suggestions or examples they have come up with, and perhaps some rules they might have seen dealing with "morale" and such if I could perhaps freak out the enemy or some such. I think if I get creative enough my DM would probably give a -2 to them or something, but an actual rule somewhere that I could point to would help my case.

Belteshazzar
2007-06-21, 11:04 PM
Have you by chance looked at the very fine works by Grimtooth the Trollish Trapmaster. Grimtooth's Guides to Traps have terrified souls for ages in their brutality and generally unsportsmanlike deployment. however many of his suggestions could only be used as inspiration as the traps are to large to deploy without days of prep time. However, if you have a wizard in the party and take a few ranks in craft (poison) then suddenly your trapping and mangling becomes more effective.

Consider the stair trap. Used in conjunction with an electrified cage trap to cripple one police officer and kill two others at the start of Saw II this little beauty can be worked into any set of stairs in a relatively short time.

Callix
2007-06-21, 11:12 PM
Tripwires are a beautiful thing. Particularly lethal against cavalry, the tactical and morale effects of even infantry being face down in the dirt is not to be underestimated. Combine with a fire, and this can turn into a highly lethal stampede. Why go to the trouble of killing your enemy when they can do it themselves?

Other favourites include caltrops, which can be coated in poison for extra efficiency, and making the horses stampede out the *other* side from where your friends will attack.

Tor the Fallen
2007-06-21, 11:20 PM
"Knife goes in, guts come out."

Niasen
2007-06-22, 05:39 PM
Have you by chance looked at the very fine works by Grimtooth the Trollish Trapmaster. Grimtooth's Guides to Traps have terrified souls for ages in their brutality and generally unsportsmanlike deployment. however many of his suggestions could only be used as inspiration as the traps are to large to deploy without days of prep time. However, if you have a wizard in the party and take a few ranks in craft (poison) then suddenly your trapping and mangling becomes more effective.

Consider the stair trap. Used in conjunction with an electrified cage trap to cripple one police officer and kill two others at the start of Saw II this little beauty can be worked into any set of stairs in a relatively short time.

No, I haven't read grimtooth's guides. Is that an actual book for sale or an online resource, because I"ve never even HEARD of it before.

I like the idea's (and yes, I DO believe trip wires are fun as well, especially if used in conjuction right in front of a pit trap, when chasing someone, and in the case of cavalry...somehow sharpened past gurrot wire and placed at HEAD height for the ultimate owie). However I'm also looking for a few that are kinda harmless while still freaking out the enemy and putting them in a bad position, just in case we're in a situation where: A) we're not sure if they really ARE the enemy, B) We need them alive somehow, or C) I've got a prissy Paladin watching my back (its a maybe on whether ones joining or not...which should be intersesting for the mortality rate of the group since I've been told in no uncertain terms I AM going to be infected by lycanthropy eventaully, much to my pleasure and happiness :smallbiggrin: .)