Firechanter
2022-09-20, 09:57 AM
Hi playgrounders,
for a sudden turn of events in my PF game, I need some buggers to throw at my heroes on Friday.
The "party" only consists of 2 PCs, a Warder and a Ranger, freshly promoted to level 11.
I have decided to cannibalize some good parts from the Ironfang Invasion (IFI) adventure path. Of course, at that level I don't need to throw hundreds of CR1/2 hobgoblins at them. That's fine, I mean to make the horde more menacing anyway. For starters, in my game they won't be hobgoblins but something like monstrous bugbears. Wild, dark, strong but stealthy.
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/4e-bugbear.jpg
Ofc I could just pull some stats and abilities out of my axx, but I'd prefer to keep it as rules-legal as possible. Reskinning an existing race or monster would be fine.
What's also important is that these creatures need to be easy to use. I'm not the most routined of GMs and easily get overwhelmed when there are too many special abilities to keep track of. So ideally they'd just have a particular M.O. and I can just use the stats as they are.
I'm imagining something that can prowl around in dim light or darkness, hit hard, and hide again before they can get their punishment.
The PCs actually are pretty well equipped to deal with them as they have very good Perception and one of them even has Blind-Fight.
Some drafts:
Race: Monstrous Bugbear (Medium Monstrous Humanoid)
Str +2, Dex +2, Natural Armour +3, DR 5/Cold Iron, HD 3d10, Darkvision, Bonuses to Stealth and Perception
(would it be too much to give them 1d6 Sneak Attack as well, or some other ability that resembles the 5E Bugbear special?)
A) Racial 3 / Fighter 3 / Slayer 3 / Shadowdancer 2
Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Combat Reflexes, Accomplished Sneak Attacker, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus, Power Attack, Furious Focus
Special Abilities: Hide in Plain Sight, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge
Their M.O. would be to Study Target, sneak up on their victim with their high Stealth check, strike with PA and Sneak; target is flat-footed and thus easily hit.
(Note: the PCs are actually pretty well equipped to deal with this kind of attack; they have pretty high Perception and at least one of them has Blind-Fight. So it's not like I am seeking to tailor these enemies specifically to counter my players' strengths.)
Stealth check roughly +20 --> 50% chance to beat the PCs' Perception
Main Attack (Str 18) ca +17 --> Hit Chance vs PCs roughly 20-30% in the open; up to 60% if caught by surprise
Damage w Power Attack, Vital Strike and Sneak: ca 6d6+12
AC ca 22, HP ca 85
Gear should be consistent with Treasure for the resulting CR. Since that is just around 4500-5500gp for CR9-10, there won't be room for much in the way of magic items.
But that's really just a first draft, and probably an amateurish one at that. I just wanted to get the ball rolling. Do you have any other suggestions for race / classes / feats?
Or is that maybe already overdoing it for a pair of level 11 martial characters with no full-caster support? Since I mean to use these in gangs.
Thanks =)
for a sudden turn of events in my PF game, I need some buggers to throw at my heroes on Friday.
The "party" only consists of 2 PCs, a Warder and a Ranger, freshly promoted to level 11.
I have decided to cannibalize some good parts from the Ironfang Invasion (IFI) adventure path. Of course, at that level I don't need to throw hundreds of CR1/2 hobgoblins at them. That's fine, I mean to make the horde more menacing anyway. For starters, in my game they won't be hobgoblins but something like monstrous bugbears. Wild, dark, strong but stealthy.
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/4e-bugbear.jpg
Ofc I could just pull some stats and abilities out of my axx, but I'd prefer to keep it as rules-legal as possible. Reskinning an existing race or monster would be fine.
What's also important is that these creatures need to be easy to use. I'm not the most routined of GMs and easily get overwhelmed when there are too many special abilities to keep track of. So ideally they'd just have a particular M.O. and I can just use the stats as they are.
I'm imagining something that can prowl around in dim light or darkness, hit hard, and hide again before they can get their punishment.
The PCs actually are pretty well equipped to deal with them as they have very good Perception and one of them even has Blind-Fight.
Some drafts:
Race: Monstrous Bugbear (Medium Monstrous Humanoid)
Str +2, Dex +2, Natural Armour +3, DR 5/Cold Iron, HD 3d10, Darkvision, Bonuses to Stealth and Perception
(would it be too much to give them 1d6 Sneak Attack as well, or some other ability that resembles the 5E Bugbear special?)
A) Racial 3 / Fighter 3 / Slayer 3 / Shadowdancer 2
Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Combat Reflexes, Accomplished Sneak Attacker, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus, Power Attack, Furious Focus
Special Abilities: Hide in Plain Sight, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge
Their M.O. would be to Study Target, sneak up on their victim with their high Stealth check, strike with PA and Sneak; target is flat-footed and thus easily hit.
(Note: the PCs are actually pretty well equipped to deal with this kind of attack; they have pretty high Perception and at least one of them has Blind-Fight. So it's not like I am seeking to tailor these enemies specifically to counter my players' strengths.)
Stealth check roughly +20 --> 50% chance to beat the PCs' Perception
Main Attack (Str 18) ca +17 --> Hit Chance vs PCs roughly 20-30% in the open; up to 60% if caught by surprise
Damage w Power Attack, Vital Strike and Sneak: ca 6d6+12
AC ca 22, HP ca 85
Gear should be consistent with Treasure for the resulting CR. Since that is just around 4500-5500gp for CR9-10, there won't be room for much in the way of magic items.
But that's really just a first draft, and probably an amateurish one at that. I just wanted to get the ball rolling. Do you have any other suggestions for race / classes / feats?
Or is that maybe already overdoing it for a pair of level 11 martial characters with no full-caster support? Since I mean to use these in gangs.
Thanks =)