Design My Elven Strike Squad

[Palanan]

I need help building an elven strike team for my next game session, in which the PCs will stumble into a standoff between two different factions.

The elves are one of those factions, and I need a squad of 6-8 individuals, mainly first and second level, with one leader of third level. For background reasons, these elves won’t be using arcane magic, but I’m open to suggestions for melee and ranged combat, as well as all flavors of divine support and general sneakery.

I’m open to all official 3.5 and Pathfinder material. The party is mid-second level, and they won’t be taking on the whole squad at once, but I want the elves to be a viciously tough challenge.

[Eldariel]

Just make them Rangers (Mystic Rangers if appropriate to the campaign power level). Then the leader (level 3) can be a (Cloistered) Cleric (or perhaps Druid) with Trickery domain and potentially a source of Move Silently. Add a 2nd level Bard with Song of the Heart [ECS] and Inspirational Boost [SC] for team buff (and obviously the same stealth setup). Elves are all about stealth. Couple of lower level Clerics would mesh in too and even a Rogue but low level Rogues are kinda whatever so I'll leave that to taste. If you have the whole of 3.5 and PF, Swordsage and Factotum are potential additions but also less typical Elven/general classes. Well, Swordsage would fit perfectly and be solid in the mix so if you feel so inclined and have them in the world, toss a few in..

But yeah, rangers, potentially some Ranger scrolls or such (potentially spells such as Hunter's Mercy [SC] or Woodwisp Arrow [CoR]), with bows and two-handers, decent mix of Str and Dex (doubly strong if they're Wood Elves), and hide/move silently, perhaps Darkstalker, some secret messaging, etc.

Clerics/Druids with stealth skills, the usual assortment of battlefield control (Silence, Shatter, Dark Way [SC], Alicorn Lance [Silver Marches Web (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a)], Conjure Ice Beast 2 from 2nd level slots on the leader - spontaneous Invisibility from Trickery domain for forward scouts), and a stealthy warrior companion (any will do but the sturdy ol' Riding Dog with bardings is probably a solid option) for any Druids in the mix. 1st level Druids have Entangle/Wall of Smoke/Summon Fey etc. and Clerics have Ice Slick/Protection from Alignment/Conjure Ice Beast I/Protective Interposition/etc.


Note, they all have feats open; Rangers only need Rapid Shot from combat style and they can all invest in pretty much whatever they want. Scrolls for the rest of the party and some split Wands of Cure Light Wounds/Lesser Vigor. Operate principally at range, use animals, animal calls and low level magic for communication, attack from ambush with ranged weapons and only resort to melee in the worst case scenario. Definitely woods, stealth, woodslandsey combat style, skirmishing and splitting up to avoid melee combat, etc.

Like 3 Rangers (as many 2nds as you can swing - replace with Swordsages as desired), 3 Clerics (inc. level 3), 1 Druid, 1 Bard (2nd level). Everyone with Longbows or Composite Longbows (using Elven weapon proficiencies) appropriate to strength and backup two-handed melee. Everyone with decent Dex, enough spot/stealth skills and operating at range, and splitting up with coordinated distance formations and ranged combat strategies. No point blank shot as it's mostly a waste. Wild Cohort would be a decent feat; have them avoid melee and invest in Acrobatics so they can get out of melee if needed. Kite while stick within vision range but out of melee range and use bows unless pressured; some alchemical weapons like Alchemist's Fires as backup for when the creature's Touch AC is more easily overcome. Add scrolls for extra punch where need be - they're only used vs. extremely powerful enemies though. All of them can cast so Scrolls of Cure Light/Moderate are usable in addition to Wands, and Wand of Lesser Restoration could be implemented as well.

If operating in the open instead of in the woods, get them mounted and operate on horseback to much the same effect. Some fair elven steeds, ranks in ride, perhaps steeds as companions in some cases, et cetera.

[DMVerdandi]

I need help building an elven strike team for my next game session, in which the PCs will stumble into a standoff between two different factions.

The elves are one of those factions, and I need a squad of 6-8 individuals, mainly first and second level, with one leader of third level. For background reasons, these elves won’t be using arcane magic, but I’m open to suggestions for melee and ranged combat, as well as all flavors of divine support and general sneakery.

I’m open to all official 3.5 and Pathfinder material. The party is mid-second level, and they won’t be taking on the whole squad at once, but I want the elves to be a viciously tough challenge.

I would increase level of enemies to provide challenge to second level combatants. Don't underestimate how quickly a party focusing on killing the enemy can.
And I wouldn't call 2nd level a "strike team" more than squad of young guerrillas. In my mind at least, a strike team (Which would be Elites) is at least 14th level. Anything below and they are training to be elite. Like still in the candidate process.



Anywho...

8 of them?

1 Vitalist Leader

1 Tactician(metanexus)

4 fighters (Myrmidon/Martial Master/Lore master archetypes)

1. Zealot 1 /Psion 1

1 Investigator (Polymath)

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Eldariel
*snip*

All of this is excellent and very helpful, thank you.

And I do love Mystic Rangers, so they’ll definitely be in the mix.


Originally Posted by Eldariel
Kite while stick within vision range….

I’m afraid I don’t understand this phrase, though. Can’t quite work it out.


Originally Posted by DMVerdandi
Don't underestimate how quickly a party focusing on killing the enemy can.
And I wouldn't call 2nd level a "strike team" more than squad of young guerrillas.

Give me a little credit for knowing my party and the world I’m running in, thanks.


Originally Posted by DMVerdandi
1 Vitalist Leader

1 Tactician(metanexus)

4 fighters (Myrmidon/Martial Master/Lore master archetypes)

1. Zealot 1 /Psion 1

1 Investigator (Polymath)

I have no idea what any of this is.

Metawhatsis? Myrmiwhozit? I don’t recognize any of those names. Where are they from?

[Eldariel]

All of this is excellent and very helpful, thank you.

And I do love Mystic Rangers, so they’ll definitely be in the mix.

I’m afraid I don’t understand this phrase, though. Can’t quite work it out.

Ah, I edited it in a hurry, should say "Kite while sticking within vision range..." - 'kite' here was used in the sense it is used in RTS/MoBA terminology, referring to attacking from range without letting a shorter range/melee opponent to get a hit in. Mystic Ranger is interesting in that it doesn't get Rapid Shot until level 3 but it gets the 1st level spells on level 2 so 2nd level Mystic Rangers would be big game. Hunter's Mercy is of course the biggest one but there are others (Entangle as well). And they get cantrips which can actually do all sorts of useful things for a patrol, including the distant messaging.


I have no idea what any of this is.

Metawhatsis? Myrmiwhozit? I don’t recognize any of those names. Where are they from?

These are all PF classes; Vitalist & Tactician are psionic classes by Dreamscarred Press, Investigator is an alchemist/rogue blend (Polymath gives it martial maneuvers), Zealot is Path of War version of a Crusader, and Myrmidon/Martial Master/Loremaster are all Pathfinder Fighter archetypes (basically class variants á la Cleric vs. Cloistered Cleric in 3.5). Myrmidon is a Fighter With Martial Maneuvers from Path of War, Lore Warden is a Fighter with extra skills (basically Thug except more Wizardly skill list), Martial Master is...basically a stock Fighter for the first 4 levels.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Eldariel
These are all PF classes….

Okay, thanks--looks like most of these are third-party, which is why they weren’t familiar. I’m only using Paizo sources for this campaign.


Originally Posted by Eldariel
…Mystic Rangers if appropriate….

Speaking of which, I do love mystic rangers, but the Feral Hunter archetype for the Pathfinder hunter seems to out-mystic them. Do mystic rangers have anything unique to contribute, or have they been superseded by the Feral Hunter?

[Eldariel]

Speaking of which, I do love mystic rangers, but the Feral Hunter archetype for the Pathfinder hunter seems to out-mystic them. Do mystic rangers have anything unique to contribute, or have they been superseded by the Feral Hunter?

Well, full BAB and combat style feats (and favored enemy, of course). On L2, Mystic Ranger is probably better due to getting the same spells and everything else but eventually Feral Hunter spells do outpace them leaving only those BAB break offs for extra attacks, really. Not strictly superior but generally higher level spells > higher BAB.

EDIT: Though of course, Mystic Ranger spell progression is faster. Mystic gets level 5 spells on the level Feral barely just gets their level 4s on (ECL 10). But Feral Hunter does get a somewhat weakened variant of Wildshape very early, which is pretty nice. Ultimately though, I'd say Mystic Ranger is actually probably better on L2-L12 due to the faster spell progression and higher BAB, while Feral Hunter gets 1st level spells on level 1 and has other stuff when they do match up. Also Hide in Plain Sight later on does help Mystic Ranger - Feral Hunter only really has the edge when they get 6th level spells (16th level).

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Eldariel
Ultimately though, I'd say Mystic Ranger is actually probably better on L2-L12 due to the faster spell progression and higher BAB, while Feral Hunter gets 1st level spells on level 1 and has other stuff when they do match up. Also Hide in Plain Sight later on does help Mystic Ranger - Feral Hunter only really has the edge when they get 6th level spells (16th level).

Okay, thanks for the detailed analysis. It’s great that mystic rangers can still hold their own compared to Pathfinder equivalents.

Is there any way that a couple levels of the 3.5 healer class would be useful? I’m aware of the healer’s shortcomings, but I have a soft spot for this class, and would love to work it in somehow.

[Elder_Basilisk]

Leader. Lvl 3 evangelist cleric. If we can't have arcane magic... We can still have a Bard. If you want to be nasty, have him pack a scroll of blessings of fervor and a scroll of recitation. A scroll of mass aid will also be very effective.

Lieutenant. Luring cavalier. Someone needs to give those mooks volley fire.

Normal squad members. Level 1 fighters to get rapid shot on a level 1 chassis. Level 2 slayer/ranger works as well but you only get half as many. Level 2 fighter gives them precise shot which may not be strictly necessary but is rather nice. Give them each a tanglefoot bag to keep PCs out of melee range (5 foot step, draw bag, throw bag, laugh as a free action), a sword in case it doesn't work, and a bow because they're elves-they should be archers.

[Eladrinblade]

1 scout 2
-pbs, MW Mty Comp Longbow (+1), MW Studded Leather, MW Buckler, longsword, MW thieves tools

1 druid 1
-track, elven hound w/leather barding, entangle, faerie fire, MW longbow, leather armor, wand of lesser vigor (20 charges)

2 ranger 2's
-red elk mount (from princess mononoke), mounted combat, 1 flaw, chain shirts
-1 has ride by attack and uses a longspear two-handed with power attack as his bonus feat
-the other has mounted archery and uses a good bow with rapid shot as his bonus feat

1 cleric (war, protection) 1
-MW cold iron longsword, chain shirt, longbow, buckler, wand of bless (20 charges)

1 hit'n'run sneak attack fighter 3
-pbs, improved initiative, rapid shot, noncombatant
-MW Mighty Composite Longbow (+2) +6/+6 (1d8+6+2d6), MW chain shirt, MW buckler, MW longsword
-initiative +9

and two more elven hounds for good measure
-MW Chain shirt barding

edit: maybe a swashbuckler for some extra melee, or a swashbuckler 1/hit'n'run sneak attack figher 1

[Eldariel]

Okay, thanks for the detailed analysis. It’s great that mystic rangers can still hold their own compared to Pathfinder equivalents.

Is there any way that a couple levels of the 3.5 healer class would be useful? I’m aware of the healer’s shortcomings, but I have a soft spot for this class, and would love to work it in somehow.

Sadly, with how low a number of levels you're working with, there's nothing Healer offers compared to Cleric or Druid. All the same you could add one if you really want to; just remember that low level casters are mostly there for AOE crowd control and damage and Healer can't really do either.

Oh yeah, Bard is arcane. Just run Divine Bard then - does the one important job (Inspire Courage).