[PF] How would a 5th level psionic bandit leader defend/fortify his hideout?

[Antariuk]

The setting is Dark Sun, the system is Pathfinder with Ultimate Psionics. The PCs will be 4th level (so not 3rd level spells or powers for them) for this encounter.

So there is a group of bandits, run by a ruthless and competent leader. He is 5th level, his men are about 3rd level. I envision him as more brains than brawn, probably a tactician or maybe a full-blown psion. Lets say that, aside from the leader, 3 other bandits have psionic capabilities. No arcane or divine spellcasters.

The bandits have two spots near the trade road manned by 4-5 people each, and a pretty good hideout about 3 miles away between a bunch of hills and rocks where the rest of the gang normally resides (about 10 people). Since my players tend to engage most problems with full-frontal assault, I want to prepare just in case they decide to storm the compound. There are two ways in, both of which are choke points, and 2-3 crudely build structures in front of a medium-sized cave. Lots of opportunities for tactical gameplay with corners and raised platforms and such.

How would, or could, the leader effectively defend the hideout from the PCs? Obvious defenses such as lookouts, tripwires and dogs aside, are there any psionic abilities ideally suited for this task? Or something else you might have seen in another adventure? I'd appreciate any and all ideas here, psionic or otherwise.

[Calthropstu]

The setting is Dark Sun, the system is Pathfinder with Ultimate Psionics. The PCs will be 4th level (so not 3rd level spells or powers for them) for this encounter.

So there is a group of bandits, run by a ruthless and competent leader. He is 5th level, his men are about 3rd level. I envision him as more brains than brawn, probably a tactician or maybe a full-blown psion. Lets say that, aside from the leader, 3 other bandits have psionic capabilities. No arcane or divine spellcasters.

The bandits have two spots near the trade road manned by 4-5 people each, and a pretty good hideout about 3 miles away between a bunch of hills and rocks where the rest of the gang normally resides (about 10 people). Since my players tend to engage most problems with full-frontal assault, I want to prepare just in case they decide to storm the compound. There are two ways in, both of which are choke points, and 2-3 crudely build structures in front of a medium-sized cave. Lots of opportunities for tactical gameplay with corners and raised platforms and such.

How would, or could, the leader effectively defend the hideout from the PCs? Obvious defenses such as lookouts, tripwires and dogs aside, are there any psionic abilities ideally suited for this task? Or something else you might have seen in another adventure? I'd appreciate any and all ideas here, psionic or otherwise.

Depends on the stat associations here.

High intelligence AND High (or at least moderate 12+) wisdom would yield a different field than high int, low wis (8ish)

The groups outside should have traps set around the perimeter of the post. Ones the whole group knows how to avoid. One of these traps will be a smoke signal if things go wrong. "You need to give us money to pass here." *party draws weapons* *bandits send signal* A second signal must be sent if the PCs are proving too much to handle, followed by a full retreat. The first signal will summon the second group for assistance. The second one will have the fortress setting (by setting I mean turning *on*) traps around and inside the fortress itself. There should be about 5-10 traps in and around the place.
Once the PCs enter the place, a trap should spring that impedes movement and grants a serious advantage to the bandits, who will begin the fight using ranged weapons. Maybe even a ballista. A giant glob of tar spilled onto the ground as the PCs pass would be ideal. Set the tar on fire, fire the ballista, and shoot the PCs with crossbows and arrows.
Once melee begins, the caster would back up his subordinates from the rear.

Here is where the high wisdom comes in. He should send 3 men around the way the PCs did NOT come through, and come at their support group from behind. The lower wisdom guy will have all his melee charge in and not notice the opportunity. If the PCs come through both ways, have the entire melee team bum rush one side, and pin the other side down with ranged. Without the high wisdom, he will likely split his melee between the two groups, locking both groups into combat and leaving his ranged to try and shoot around their comrades with minuses.

Either way, once it starts to go badly, he should retreat with 2 trusted lieutenants into the fortress.

Inside the fortress there should be 2 traps. Again, depending on wisdom, these traps could have lower or greater effect.
High wisdom: the trap is attached to a lever that can be activated as a readied action. This opens a pit trap, 10x10. The reason it is attached to a lever is so that it can be activated from a spot the PCs can't see into, but the NPCs can see out of. They wait until there is at least 2 PCs over the pit, trip the trap, drop half the party in, and bum rush the others. They try to end it quickly, and simply murder the other PCs as they try to climb back up. Coat the walls in slimy mold to make it harder.
Low wisdom: the trap is a standard pit trap activated when a PC steps on it. Only a chance of getting a single PC.

If the pit trap fails to work, the bad guys fall back to their last refuge, the treasure vault. A huge scythe trap is set to be activated as soon as the PCs open the door. The bad guys launch every last power point they have now holding nothing back. It has become a matter of survival. Any buffs they have they cast before the PCs open the door. Any summons stand ready (not in the path of the scythe of course). Crossbows are loaded. This is the line in the sand. They lose this room, they lose everything.

Maybe there is a secret tunnel that the psion could escape from with some of the wealth, leaving his lieutenants to fight alone. Having these guys be working for a thrallherd would tie it into an encounter much later on if you allow the psion to escape.

[TheYell]

Just to add to what Caltropstu said:

Cave faces south. Top of cave cliff has semicircular wall 8 ft high open to the south and the cliff face. They got a ballista up there covering those 2-3 structures. That means each structure has a blind spot of covered ground along the south wall. Theres a pungi stick trap in the ground at each blind spot.

Those structures? half open bamboo huts but no doors except a north door on the hut closest to the cave. Those huts are all connected by crawlspace and the windows cover each other and the approaches to the exits. Run past one and you can take fire from the one you passed and the one ahead. Should be as easy to break into a hut wall as break in a wooden door. you can fight in the crawlspace by lying prone.

psionic ability: psychoportation with each hut in range in range of each other and the top of the cliff in range of the last hut.