Need Suggestions - Unique Light Cavalry/Scout Unit Ideas

[kalos72]

In my Neverwinter campaign, we are thinking about making a unique group of cavalry and need some ideas.

These should be unique riders/mounts with some sort of cool factor. Not a ranger on horseback but something the rest of the world would be impressed by but still effective in the area. And not cavalry as in barding and lances but more light cavalry/scout types.

I would prefer a ground unit, as we have an airmobile ranger unit already in the works.

One idea that came out was halfling outriders on dire worgs/moon dogs, or something on lizards maybe?

This unit would patrol the roads from Leilon to Luskan and over to Mirabar, down to Triabor and back over to Neverwinter up to the mountains/forests and become a skirmisher style unit in combat. Thats alot of ground to cover...

We could possibly setup way stations along the road to help guard/protect the area and give the riders a layover.


ANY thought are welcome.

[John Longarrow]

For the mount I'd go with Tusked Terrors from MM V page 182. Speed 80 and a lot of neat tricks.

For the riders, halfling warlocks with the lance option for 250' range.

This gives you a FAST group that uses ranged touch attacks at a good distance with mounts able to shred enemies up close. As a light force they are fast and able to cover a lot of area. Hunting down routing forces would be easy and the fairly light damage from the blasts will really add up quickly.

[denthor]

Mages with the proper skills and third level phantom steed spell

[Ezekiul]

Knights of the Blue Moon with Wartrained Monstrous Spiders with the Dark, Magebred (if you can swing it), and Shadow templates as a paladin mount equal to the total wizard/sorcerer/paladin/KotBM levels.

Basically arcane gishes riding spiders with 90ft land speed and 75 climb speed.

[kalos72]

I like the Terror Tusk...nice pick. Seems they might be more suited to the hills versus the plains though. Minor issue...

As for the warlock, not sure that works for the campaign as its a mostly "good" campaign and warlocks are a stretch. I will have to think that one through. Whats the lance option?

Nice spiders! I will have to check out that class. Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback, any other you folks can come up with?

[John Longarrow]

An obvious fill for a good aligned area is centaurs. Not as fast as the tusked terrors but probably easier to get. Also they can do ranged and melee combat while keeping up speed.

Important question is how silly of ideas are you looking for? Pure practicality or something that wouldn't draw too many stares in town?

[kalos72]

I am looking for both really, but flare is harder to find. I can work out improving them practicality wise.

[kalos72]

An obvious fill for a good aligned area is centaurs. Not as fast as the tusked terrors but probably easier to get. Also they can do ranged and melee combat while keeping up speed.

Important question is how silly of ideas are you looking for? Pure practicality or something that wouldn't draw too many stares in town?

I did start along these lines, maybe Wemics. I do have a major elf alliance/contingent so it wouldn't infeasible. But they are kinds of, blah flare wise. :P

[John Longarrow]

For 27,000 gp a pop, you can make effigy Gold dragons. Speed 60 with speed 200 flight when needed. six attacks, decent Natural Armor, good DR. Put ranged combatants on their backs and let them loose!

Your units would be pretty small but would tear through most anything they can catch. Best part is you can paint them how ever you want! :D

[ace rooster]

The clockwork army. Gnome artificers riding effigy soldier ants. The troop is backed up by a huge effigy giant scorpion with a howdah, and a small number of giant wasp effigies.

That's the tuned down version, that stays on the ground. A better version rides gold dragon effigies.

What about using 'monsters' without riders? blink dogs are smart enough to operate on their own. How about a herd of unicorn that have lost their home? Centaurs could have the same story, making up the numbers. Celestial tigers have an int of 3, so while not exactly geniuses, they can function without riders. The stupidity of the creatures will make any encounter with them interesting. Probably led by a paladin, given the planar nature of them.

Even if they do not fly en mass, I would suggest giving them some air support. A very young bronze dragon makes for a memorable character, without being too dominant. The 'air support' could be giving the commander constant grief with their youthful naivity and lack of maturity, while still being undeniably useful.

[kalos72]

I forgot about the effigy idea, nice.

I was thinking about using packs of my constructs Never winter "Valor Hounds" to patrol the roads but effigies might work too.

[John Longarrow]

Kalos, any time.

Effigy creatures are also very inexpensive compared to most constructs. For what they can do they can be a real bargain. If you really wanted something unique get warforged riders. Whole "Mecha" theme going there!

[kalos72]

Warforged Juggernauts were an idea actually...but how do I make them in FR?

[John Longarrow]

Warforged Juggernauts were an idea actually...but how do I make them in FR?The usual way... When a toaster loves a refrigerator....

[kalos72]

John -Can you explain the lance option in the warlocks pls or direct me to a handbook?

[kalos72]

As for spiders, what about some sort of improved phase spider? Albinoe phase spider more like... :P

[John Longarrow]

John -Can you explain the lance option in the warlocks pls or direct me to a handbook?

Sorry, brain fart. Eldritch Spear. Range 250 on the attack. Lets you keep a lot of space between you and the target with a pretty decent ranged touch attack.

[PrismCat21]

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Hybsil?file=Hybsil_monsters_of_faerun.png

How about Hybsils?
Look similar to Centaur, but are small size fey with bodies like an antelope instead or a horse.
Combat-wise, they're all about mobility and not being able to pinpoint or catch them. (Couple fun SLA's as well)
Fluff-wise, they're nomads who are devoted to nature, their family, and crazy acts of bravery. :D

[kalos72]

What about the Halfling Outriders on Advanced/Improved Flesh Rakers?

Reason I seem to lean that way is we have a druid/Halfling Outrider NPC already but have never ready detailed him out much. I like cheez so the whole Fleshraker / Venom Strike nonsense I love!

I will need some help in understanding how that is put together but I can work on that later.

[lylsyly]

An obvious fill for a good aligned area is centaurs. Not as fast as the tusked terrors but probably easier to get. Also they can do ranged and melee combat while keeping up speed.

Important question is how silly of ideas are you looking for? Pure practicality or something that wouldn't draw too many stares in town?

Especially if you put Halfling archers on their backs :bigsmile&wink:

[Waker]

If you want your cavalry to have a bit more oomph, consider looking at the prc, Ranger Knight from Dragon 317. One of the better mounted prcs, it gives you or advances your mount, a bunch of bonuses for two-weapon and ranged combat, plus even allows you to apply some of your skills to your mount in lieu of their ranks.
Beast Heart Adept from Dungeonscape is another one that might get overlooked. It functions a bit like a ranger, but instead of having an animal companion, it gives you access to a number of magical beasts.

If you want a strange option, how about displacer beasts?

[kalos72]

Displacer beast is a great idea, not sure it beats out the fleshraker though.

Can anyone help me with building out the fleshraker with venomfire pls or point me in the right direction? The NPC I was going to base this group on is a druid 4/Halfling Outrider 10 but I can change that around as needed.

What's the simple version to buff up the mount and still have a class to perform light cavalry/scout/skirmisher duties? I dont want 7 1 level dips to make this work, just the basics for now I think.

Thank everyone for your feedback!!!

[Pugwampy]

I once attacked players with Kobolds riding on Velociraptors .

[kalos72]

Another question here i guess is supporting roles.

I have a group of dwarven crusaders and it has 2 dragon shaman, 2 2 Dragonborn bards and a marshall for support. What class/abilities would be useful for a light cav/skirmisher type of unit? I assume most of these people wont be so tightly packed as the Phalanx. :)

[Vizzerdrix]

Giants riding corgies.

[DrMotives]

Giants riding corgies.

Dire corgies seem cool, what would you have riding them?

Also, you could have gnomish technochariots juggernauts. Instead of a war-trained dray animal pulling the chariot, you have giant space hamsters enclosed inside cage-wheels. With one per wheel, it's a four-wheel drive juggernaut with a heavy weapon crew in the central vehicle body.

... Ok, I realized I just completely failed the OP question of "light cavalry", sorry.

[kalos72]

Another question here i guess is supporting roles.

I have a group of dwarven crusaders and it has 2 dragon shaman, 2 2 Dragonborn bards and a marshall for support. What class/abilities would be useful for a light cav/skirmisher type of unit? I assume most of these people wont be so tightly packed as the Phalanx. :)

Any thoughts on these supporting classes/roles guys?

[Afgncaap5]

Warforged Juggernauts were an idea actually...but how do I make them in FR?

I'd suggest something comparable to Eberron's creation forges, or alternatively a team of exhausted dwarves who're really good at making golems.

If refluffing Eberron options is on the table... have you ever looked at the Knight Phantoms? Basically gishes who specialize in the Phantom Steed spell and use it to give themselves and allies ghostly horses that can run over sand, water, and through the air.

[John Longarrow]

One spell caster who's got an at will "Mount" spell? This would let your heavies move around quickly but not have them worry about their mounts. Works really good to get slow moving troops where they need to be when they need to be there.

[kalos72]

Aren't Warforged a complicated lore driven version of an Awakened Construct I guess?

But assuming I go with a creature/effigy mount, what sort of bonuses would be helpful to the group? Similar to the thoughts here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8817.msg301615#msg301615) but for mounted combat units.

[Vizzerdrix]

Dire corgies seem cool, what would you have riding them?

Also, you could have gnomish technochariots juggernauts. Instead of a war-trained dray animal pulling the chariot, you have giant space hamsters enclosed inside cage-wheels. With one per wheel, it's a four-wheel drive juggernaut with a heavy weapon crew in the central vehicle body.

... Ok, I realized I just completely failed the OP question of "light cavalry", sorry.

Take a bunch of giants. Cast return to nature on them. Mount the giants on regular corgies.

[kalos72]

Ok, now as funny as that is, its off OP. :)

Any other thoughts on support classes for this light cavalry group?

[John Longarrow]

Class? Monk.. About the only thing that will get you comparable speed though they do lack the combat ability...

[kalos72]

What bonuses does having a monk in the group give this light cav group? I assume the Marshall, Dragon Shaman, Dragonborn Bard effects would work but the area is my concern. Since its not heavy horse, these individuals will be moving all around in a wide area.

I am looking for calls skills/abilities that would improve the group's survivability. Like how a Marshall aura's buff the troops within 30 feet or the Dragon Bards Dragonfire Inspiration adds dmg to troops in range.