How should the people contribute to a fight?

[SangoProduction]

Long story short, party is seeking to unite a bunch of "the populace" to take on the big bad. On the one hand, that's a good idea. On the other, I don't want to spend 50 minutes every turn on nameless mooks (or even several almost notable NPCs).

So, is there a good way to have it feel like they are contributing, but without them 1) taking a bunch of time, and 2) not stealing the spotlight, and 3) make sense.

I was thinking that maybe they've be providing constant flanking bonuses and increase damage done per hit by 1d6 or something while their numbers are above 10%, and since they've got a contingent of healers...I dunno, (effective) Fast Heal 2, and restore 2% of the lost mob per turn?

And say a 10% chance of targeting the mob with AoE, rather than the allies. Speaking of which...how should damage against the mob be calculated?

[Rynjin]

Long story short, party is seeking to unite a bunch of "the populace" to take on the big bad. On the one hand, that's a good idea. On the other, I don't want to spend 50 minutes every turn on nameless mooks (or even several almost notable NPCs).

So, is there a good way to have it feel like they are contributing, but without them 1) taking a bunch of time, and 2) not stealing the spotlight, and 3) make sense.

I was thinking that maybe they've be providing constant flanking bonuses and increase damage done per hit by 1d6 or something while their numbers are above 10%, and since they've got a contingent of healers...I dunno, (effective) Fast Heal 2, and restore 2% of the lost mob per turn?

And say a 10% chance of targeting the mob with AoE, rather than the allies. Speaking of which...how should damage against the mob be calculated?

Give them the Troop subtype (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/creature-types/#TOC-Troop-Subtype). They become a Troop with a CR of "see table: Army Sizes (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/mass-combat/)" depending on their numbers and average CR.

[flappeercraft]

Assuming 3.5, there was a Mob template in PHB2 IIRC.

[zlefin]

Long story short, party is seeking to unite a bunch of "the populace" to take on the big bad. On the one hand, that's a good idea. On the other, I don't want to spend 50 minutes every turn on nameless mooks (or even several almost notable NPCs).

So, is there a good way to have it feel like they are contributing, but without them 1) taking a bunch of time, and 2) not stealing the spotlight, and 3) make sense.

I was thinking that maybe they've be providing constant flanking bonuses and increase damage done per hit by 1d6 or something while their numbers are above 10%, and since they've got a contingent of healers...I dunno, (effective) Fast Heal 2, and restore 2% of the lost mob per turn?

And say a 10% chance of targeting the mob with AoE, rather than the allies. Speaking of which...how should damage against the mob be calculated?

how big of a "the populace" are you talking about?
what is their net combat ability compared to the party?

at any rate, here's some ideas:
you could use the mass battle rules from pathfinder, to just cover the battle between the populace and the bad guy's army.
you could just say the populace mops up a bunch of the mooks, and just leave a few mooks + the elite troops for the party to deal with.
have them attack a secondary/alternate objective so the effects are just looked at in the aftermath. (i.e. battle occurs offscreen)
use volley fire rules (i dunno what book those are from, I've just heard of them vaguely) so enemy squares get hit by thrown rocks and such, abstracted to like a +0 to hit 1d6 on all enemies.


side moral question: does it matter if the minions of the big bad get coup de gras'd? cuz an attacking mob like this could easily result in unconscious enemy minions getting finished off, or just trampled to death.

[Troacctid]

The trick with large armies is to not actually have them fight. Either treat them as an environmental effect (every turn the enemies take 1d6 damage from arrow fire), a resource (enemies come in waves, assigning NPCs to the waves effectively takes them out of the fight), or a plot device (the villagers can hold off the enemy army to give you time to sneak into the stronghold).

[danielxcutter]

I'm pretty sure there are mass combat rules in Heroes of Battle as well.

[JMS]

I'm pretty sure there are mass combat rules in Heroes of Battle as well.


Assuming 3.5, there was a Mob template in PHB2 IIRC.


Give them the Troop subtype (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/creature-types/#TOC-Troop-Subtype). They become a Troop with a CR of "see table: Army Sizes (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/mass-combat/)" depending on their numbers and average CR.
It’s hilarious how many ways exist to run large fights.