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Renegade Paladin
2008-02-03, 12:54 PM
Okay, I know what you're thinking. "Renegade, don't use phalanxes of fighters; the wizard will own them all in a couple spells!" Well actually no, he won't. Spoilers for Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land: The adventure involves a rite that's disrupting magic in the area. Evocation can't be used at all, and the party wizard is an evoker who banned transmutation and conjuration. Oops.
So, with the wizard effectively neutralized (to the point where the player is trading him out for, of all things, a monk) I've decided that it's now or never to let the fabled discipline of Zhentil Keep's troops shine. The party members consist of one mounted-specialization paladin (using OneWinged4ngel's rebalanced paladin (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=761045)) and the remainder are mobile fighters of one kind or another, ranging from swashbucklers to the aforementioned monk to a duskblade.

The party is 10th level. I'm looking into feats and weapon choices to make the enemy soldiers fight effectively in formation against them; having a back rank of polearms is an obvious choice, as is Phalanx Fighting and Hold the Line for the front rank. I also need ways to boost the attack bonuses of the fighters, because one of the characters in particular has an absolutely stupid armor class and a raft of abilities that let him ruin someone's entire day if they miss him. Since they're fighting in close formation, the Aid Another action is an obvious choice, so if there are abilities that fighters can get that increase the Aid Another bonus, that'd be great. I know there are some out there (Purple Dragon Knight has an ability that increases the AA bonus to AC, but that doesn't fit Zhent troops for obvious reasons), but I can't think of much off the top of my head.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-04, 03:06 PM
Okay, so far I'm looking at a 10th level fighter leading seven 6th level fighters. The leader's feat spread is as follows: Weapon Focus (short sword), Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Hold the Line, Combat Expertise, Weapon Specialization (short sword), Formation Expert, Phalanx Fighting, Shield Specialization, Shield Ward, and Greater Weapon Focus (short sword). Dodge and Combat Expertise are there because they're prerequisites for the Team Melee Tactics teamwork benefit, which I'm giving the group.

I'll arrange them in two ranks, the front one (including the leader) with Phalanx Fighting and short swords (the feat requires the use of a light weapon) and the rear with polearms of some variety. I'm weighing the benefits of a simple spear versus one of the specialized polearms for tripping and so forth.

Is there something I'm missing?

ashmanonar
2008-02-04, 08:34 PM
Here's a feat I found while looking for fighter bonus feats today.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Team_Fighting_%28DnD_Feat%29

ChaosDefender24
2008-02-04, 08:39 PM
Armor spikes on the reach weapon fighters in the back for if/when the front gets disrupted

If you're willing to make your phalanx even more powerful at the expense of changing your classes around, maybe try Dragon Lord or whatever from Dragon Magic or a warblade or crusader with Devoted Spirit/White Raven stuff that pumps the team up.

Yvian
2008-02-04, 08:56 PM
Power Attack
Combat Expertise
Improved Disarm / Improved Trip
Combat Reflex
Weapon Focus Ranseur / Guisarme
Short Half
Hold the Line
Phalanx Fighting [I am not sure about this one]

Have 4 or 5 tripers. Tripers tend to be good against PCs who have a high AC [depends on how the pc gets the high ac.]

Have 2 or 3 strippers to remove weapons. Once again, good against high ac char.

RTGoodman
2008-02-04, 08:58 PM
If you want them to get more teamwork benefits, try throwing in a Marshal or two, picking some complimentary auras and alternating Grant Move Action (since Marshal abilities don't all stack).

The Marshal is from the Miniatures Handbook, but it's also all online here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030906b) on the WotC website.



Have 2 or 3 strippers to remove weapons. Once again, good against high ac char.

Out of context, that's probably the funniest thing I've read in a while. :smallbiggrin:

Danzaver
2008-02-04, 10:16 PM
Best way to get around high armour classes is to use touch attacks and other things that negate armour. A couple of suggestions for dealing with your plate-monkey.

- Ranseurs and Improved Trip

- An acidic goop in clay jars that eats metal (and flesh, why not), thrown by skirmishers.

- Skirmishers (probably protecting the flank of the phalanx - if the pcs decide to focus on the skirmishers, who are probably weaker targets anyway, the phalanx will push through their centre to divide of encircle them) who encircle him and engage him in a grapple from behind, denying him the chance to make an attack of opportunity on them.

- As above, but from the front. Have someone fighting very defensively (with aid other even to increase his AC) do something to provoke an attack of opportunity, then have the skirmisher dart forward to grapple. Doesn't work if he has Combat Reflexes.

-This may be a silly question, but is he wearing a helm? Believe it or not, I have known plate monkeys who don't wear helms. Too much anime I guess. There's nothing funnier than taking -4 to hit for a called shot, while reducing their AC by 10 points or so for the unarmoured location.

Finally, have you considered taking shield-bearers in your phalanx, carrying tower shields? Maybe even turn them side-on the offer protection for everyone besides them. The downside is that is prevents individual members from moving forwards a la 300 style when they are held side-on.

Said tower shields could also be used like a tortoise formation, where the front ranks kneel in total cover, and the rank behind lift their shields up on top, also in pretty much total cover. Nine Tenths at the least. Then the third rank wedges themselves in there too (probably making them all lose their dex bonus to AC because of the tight fighting conditions), also in total or nine tenths cover, thrusting between the shields.

Against such a monstrosity, I would rule that only long piercing weapons could strike the people behind the shields, and even then at nine tenths cover (+10 AC, +4 Reflex saves from cover - all more than makes up for losing dex bonus to AC, just be careful of rogues), and not at the people kneeling behind the lower shields at all, until the man with the shield above him is killed. Then, if those within the shield wall are confident of their defenses, I would have them advance slowly, pushing the pcs back. Preferably off a cliff. 300 style.

FYI I am the president of a medieval re-enactment metal weapons and combat group, and we practice and use tactics like this all the time. They work really well too, as long as you have the most important two ingredients in any shield wall:
- A well drilled, versatile team of experts who know and do a variety of jobs with precision, under stress.
- A level headed leader who can clearly give intelligent commands, even when under attack himself.
...a back-up leader helps too, in case the first is killed, or commands the unit split into two 'kill-teams' to encircle or defend against being attacked on two sides.

Oh, and one more tactic we use sometimes. When the shield wall is being charged by a small group of people, we have the front rank form up, then break into a skirmish line when they reach us, and angle our shields so the attackers pass between us into the second rank, and then form up again, boxing them in while the pole weapons finish them off.

Fun fun fun.

Good luck with you TPK :D

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-05, 11:53 AM
What plate monkey? The guy with the crazy AC wears no armor whatsoever. :smalltongue:

You're thinking guisarmes and Improved Trip; ranseurs are the ones that give the bonus to disarming. I know because I already did that. I also gave them armor spikes, and then went one better and tacked on TWF. :smallamused:

Person_Man
2008-02-05, 12:07 PM
I actually ran a PC's vs. Roman phalanx encounter just this weekend. I used Duskblades with Halberds led by Marshals. It was awesome.

You might want to consider Knock-Down (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Knock-Down). That will add a strong degree of battlefield control to your group.

Also, I'd note that groups of enemies fighting in formation is wildly powerful if the PC's don't have access to area of effect attacks, and insanely weak if they do. So be careful about balance issues. You may want to have the phalanxes come out in waves/reinforcements as needed.

spotmarkedx
2008-02-05, 12:39 PM
Since they are all fighters, have the mooks at least all get marital training and a martial stance at 6th level? Steal from swordsage to get [insert martial maneuver here, I personally like Cloak of Deception for a quick invisibility or Shadow Jaunt for a short range teleport] and Island of Blades for your stance.

Now everyone is flanking. I'm pretty sure there is a feat that bumps the flanking benefit from +2 to +4.

Your Phalanx would benefit from either a marshal (already mentioned) or a dragon shaman in the second rank. Even keeping them at 6th level, they can add quite a bit of help to the damage out. And if they save their burst of healing for the captain, the PCs will have no idea about it until a good way through the fight.

Also, I'm not sure what this discussion regarding "called shots" is about. Those rules were taken out of D&D at the start of 3rd ed, as far as I am aware.

Benejeseret
2008-02-05, 01:38 PM
Make them paladins (or hexblades if you want them dark) with a marshal or two backing them up. And you would not even need to negate magic much due to mettle and arcane resistance. Or better yet those 7, 6th level combatants have each being hexblade4/marshal2 and the leader being hexblade8/marshal2. This way nearly all the marshal bonuses apply to all of them all the time.

Rather than short sword, use broad-short swords (with exotic weapon feat) in the front row with combat expertise feat to pump AC up. Between the marshal bonuses and arcane resistance plus mettle, few spells would hurt them if the caster gets over the Curse of Distraction (see below).

With so many curses to throw around (the leader could get empower curse and Curse of the Stricken feats) and your AC monkey is -5 AC (-7 AC if Dark Companion hexblade variant) plus the main caster could be hit with Curse of Distraction.

Front row (human with 4 feats) Phalanx fighter, combat expertise, exotic weapon (broad-short-sword), shield specialization.

Back row = combat expertise, improved trip, improved disarm, exotic (whip) - oh ya, I said whip

Leader (human 6 feats) = empower curse(bonus hexblade), curse of stricken, combat expertise, ability focus (curse), shieldmate, improved shieldmate.


Basically their AC is sickly high and the PC's are cursed and between -2 to hit/saves/skills and the AC monkey is -7 to AC.

Front row fight defensively, back-row whips to trip and used the bonus attack granted on trip to disarm.

The shield bonus alone from feats is +4 (plus heavy shield +2) plus marshal bonus +1, plus improved shieldmate bonus of leader +2 (to those nearby and in front), and we are looking at about +9, plus dex, plus armour to AC while the PC's are cursed, tripped and disarmed. Plus, all the members of this unit can cast spells (like the swift distraction spells to gain flank bonuses).

sikyon
2008-02-05, 01:56 PM
Wow I can't believe the Wizard is neutralized. I mean, Contagion, Fear, Symbol of Sleep, Shadow Evocation...

spotmarkedx
2008-02-05, 02:03 PM
Well, considering the party wizard was apparently focused in the school that is being warded disrupted, and two of the more powerful schools of magic are banned to him by choice, yes, I can certainly see putting the character aside for the adventure and playing something else.

Its not as bad as a dead magic zone, but its potentially possible that a good portion of his spell list is unusable.

Yakk
2008-02-05, 02:42 PM
A phalanx of 8 characters? Seems rather silly. The phalanx is designed for large forces. Heck, some used ridiculously huge long-range weapons as well.

Take a group arranged as follows:


XAAAAAAX
ABBBBBBA
ABCCCCBA
ABC**CBA
ABC**CBA
ABCCCCBA
ABBBBBBA
XAAAAAAX


A: Tower Shields and Short Swords
B: 10' reach weapons, Large shields
C: 15' reach weapons
*: hollow, or reinforcements
X: Corner troops (elite).

Approaching the outside along a long side, you are threatened by:
3 As
5 Bs
7 Cs

If they "aid another", that's up to +28 to hit or AC or a combination of the two.

Now toss a large force of such mooks at the players. Fill the middle with archers, commanders and a few elite troops.

The mooks in the phalanx are gimp -- single-hit kill or wound gimp. There are just a lot of them, and they are reasonably well trained. They trip, disarm, and take out opponent.

If there is a magic disruption, they can even be equipped with material that concentrates it: For every target equipped with the charm beyond the first that a spell hits, all those involved gain +3 SR (from 0) and +2 bonus to their saves.

Before they meet the large army, they should fight small forces, and simply wipe them out. This would reduce the amount of fear your players would feel for the large army.

I mean, you want them to fight a phalanx right? Show them a real phalanx, not 4 people arranged in 2 lines.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-05, 04:36 PM
That comes later; for this they have a small courtyard to move around in, not an open field. There's only so many mooks I can throw in.

Not to worry; if they decide to take part in the main-line fighting of the upcoming revolt against the Zhentarim rather than run around taking out important targets, they're in for a large formation like that, but this time out there isn't room to have it.

sikyon
2008-02-05, 05:46 PM
Well, considering the party wizard was apparently focused in the school that is being warded disrupted, and two of the more powerful schools of magic are banned to him by choice, yes, I can certainly see putting the character aside for the adventure and playing something else.

Its not as bad as a dead magic zone, but its potentially possible that a good portion of his spell list is unusable.

He's banned the two most powerful schools and focused on the least powerful one, making him "balanced". He now can no longer use the weakest school, which actually makes him more powerful in general. It's the illusion of weakness compared to a full batman wizard, and not relative to where he was when he started.

Edit:

Also, it's going to be hard to have 4 guys fight a phalanx. Phalanx's are for massed combat, not fighting 4 dudes... I don't see how it could be efficient. What if they split up?

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-05, 06:08 PM
He's banned the two most powerful schools and focused on the least powerful one, making him "balanced". He now can no longer use the weakest school, which actually makes him more powerful in general. It's the illusion of weakness compared to a full batman wizard, and not relative to where he was when he started.

Edit:

Also, it's going to be hard to have 4 guys fight a phalanx. Phalanx's are for massed combat, not fighting 4 dudes... I don't see how it could be efficient. What if they split up?
First, it's eight. I don't know where this four idea came from. Secondly, they're holding a rubble-strewn castle courtyard that barely has room for them all to stand abreast; there is no room to add more mooks.

Voyager_I
2008-02-05, 06:14 PM
Also, it's going to be hard to have 4 guys fight a phalanx. Phalanx's are for massed combat, not fighting 4 dudes... I don't see how it could be efficient. What if they split up?

Seconded. A handful of people a Phalanx do not make. Phalanxes are a tactic exclusive to the battlefield, as the equipment specific to it is very ineffective for personal combat. D&D doesn't really do mass-battles, and neither does it handle the Phalanx particularly well, since that's the only place you'll find it.

While we're at it, a proper Phalanx in the Macedonian or Swiss styles fought 3-4 ranks deep with very long Pikes (sufficiently long weapons aren't modeled in the PHB). Macedonians were more frontal, while the Swiss used square formations that could turn simply by facing the other way or project their pikes on all sides when outflanked. Shields weren't carried, because the Pikes obviously required two hands. Macedonians phalangites were unarmored, while Renaissance era infantry often wore breastplates.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-05, 09:22 PM
Seconded. A handful of people a Phalanx do not make. Phalanxes are a tactic exclusive to the battlefield, as the equipment specific to it is very ineffective for personal combat. D&D doesn't really do mass-battles, and neither does it handle the Phalanx particularly well, since that's the only place you'll find it.

While we're at it, a proper Phalanx is the Macedonian or Swiss styles fought 3-4 ranks deep with very long Pikes (sufficiently long weapons aren't modeled in the PHB). Macedonians were more frontal, while the Swiss used square formations that could turn simply by facing the other way or project their pikes on all sides when outflanked. Shields weren't carried, because the Pikes obviously required two hands. Macedonians phalangites were unarmored, while Renaissance era infantry often wore breastplates.
Yes, I know all this. While we're at it, I also know the Romans didn't employ the phalanx; I used the term because it's one that most people are likely to recognize as what I was trying to accomplish, especially given that we're talking about D&D, wherein the feat "Phalanx Fighting" calls for the fighting style of the Roman legionaries post-Marian Reforms. :smallsigh:

Belial_the_Leveler
2008-02-05, 09:36 PM
Consider giving Blind-Fighting just in case someone uses the 2nd level illusion AoE spell glitterdust with a will save or be blinded. You should also give them ranks in Balance just in case someone uses Grease.

The above may not look like much of a problem but in reality they are much more lethal against tough, heavily armored massed troops than Fireball.

Voyager_I
2008-02-05, 11:13 PM
For the record, the "is" was supposed to read "in". It's only one letter different, but it comes across as far less asinine.

Honestly though, I don't think there's really any provision for what you're trying to do. You can't engage a small team of individuals with a Phalanx of any type, and it especially doesn't work when you can run a lap around the formation with a single move action. It definitely won't work in a courtyard, where the players will have ample room (read: a few squares in any direction) to outflank the formation, or simply avoid it and use ranged weapons.

Now, if you want to lay a wall of spears across a hallway, that's another matter entirely. I'd advise homebrewing proper weapons for them, thus forcing the PC's to take tons AoO's just to get within melee range (and continue to have the attacks piled on once they get there, thanks to short-hafters and allies in the back rows). The spears will be of little use to the PC's, since they aren't proficient and will have an enormous dead zone. Don't be afraid to make this a very challenging encounter it tackled directly, either. Attacking a Phalanx head-on is never a good idea, and your PC's can learn this through experience if they need to. Of course, they've probably all seen 300, so they might just be wary enough to avoid self-impalement.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-05, 11:53 PM
Oh, and for the record, the magic-suppression field also screws transmutation, and imposes -2 caster level to everything else; I just saw no need to mention the transmutation thing since he'd banned it anyway.

Dervag
2008-02-06, 03:08 AM
Honestly though, I don't think there's really any provision for what you're trying to do. You can't engage a small team of individuals with a Phalanx of any type, and it especially doesn't work when you can run a lap around the formation with a single move action. It definitely won't work in a courtyard, where the players will have ample room (read: a few squares in any direction) to outflank the formation, or simply avoid it and use ranged weapons.It's a rubble-strewn courtyard, right?

Why don't we give this fellow the benefit of the doubt and assume he knows what a phalanx is and what terrain his own NPCs are fighting on? It makes things so much more fun.


Now, if you want to lay a wall of spears across a hallway, that's another matter entirely. I'd advise homebrewing proper weapons for them, thus forcing the PC's to take tons AoO's just to get within melee range (and continue to have the attacks piled on once they get there, thanks to short-hafters and allies in the back rows). The spears will be of little use to the PC's, since they aren't proficient and will have an enormous dead zone. Don't be afraid to make this a very challenging encounter it tackled directly, either.Because it lets us talk about things like this.

I had this problem some months ago when I was looking for a one-handed weapon with reach to equip a pseudo-phalanx with (armed like Greek hoplites, not the Macedonian phalanx, but with less armor). I can't recall if anybody actually named a weapon I could use for the job. One guy suggested I equip a phalanx with kusari-gamas, difficult as that is to visualize. I guess it was right mechanically, if nothing else.


Attacking a Phalanx head-on is never a good idea, and your PC's can learn this through experience if they need to. Of course, they've probably all seen 300, so they might just be wary enough to avoid self-impalement.Good point.

Talic
2008-02-06, 03:16 AM
Wizards will still own them.

Acid Fog.
Glitterdust.
Transmute Rock to Mud.
Web.
Shadow Evocation.

Thinker
2008-02-06, 03:39 AM
Wizards will still own them.

Acid Fog.
Glitterdust.
Transmute Rock to Mud.
Web.
Shadow Evocation.

That's not the point of the question. In the OP it stated what the wizard banned and the restrictions on the area, which means that the only one of those spells the wizard could cast is Shadow Conjuration. That would also require this particular wizard to know the spell, which doesn't seem likely.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-06, 07:52 AM
Oh, the wizard's still handy enough, but all his big "I own you" spells are in Evocation. Before getting sick of it and bringing in the secondary character, he'd been spamming blindness/deafness and vampiric touch for the most part. And he'll be coming back in once the ritual's disrupted, and after that happens anything like this is out of the equation for good because it'll just get AoEd to death.

I had this problem some months ago when I was looking for a one-handed weapon with reach to equip a pseudo-phalanx with (armed like Greek hoplites, not the Macedonian phalanx, but with less armor). I can't recall if anybody actually named a weapon I could use for the job. One guy suggested I equip a phalanx with kusari-gamas, difficult as that is to visualize. I guess it was right mechanically, if nothing else.
You'd essentially have to homebrew a weapon for it. One-handed reach sounds exotic to me, though it seems a shame to make the hoplites waste a feat on it. But those are the breaks; to start with I'd make it a one-handed exotic spear with 15 foot reach. Probably keep the longspear's damage and crit multiplier; the strength is that there's a lot of guys with these things, not that the weapon by itself is particularly special. Maybe make the one-handed wielding conditional, like you have to have a heavy shield in the off hand to do it (sort of like how you can only use a lance one-handed if you're mounted). Heck, with the precedent of the lance, if there are conditions attached to the handedness, it might fit as a martial weapon.

spotmarkedx
2008-02-06, 03:18 PM
He's banned the two most powerful schools and focused on the least powerful one, making him "balanced". He now can no longer use the weakest school, which actually makes him more powerful in general. It's the illusion of weakness compared to a full batman wizard, and not relative to where he was when he started.You'll note my post had nothing to do with the power level of the character in question. If the player likes blasting, and has a large part of his spell list taken up with such spells, and the temporary conditions of the world make it so he doesn't get to use the spells he apparently likes casting, even at a lesser effect? I think that, yes, I would be bringing in a temporary character too.

Back on topic - can you describe the battlefield better? If the debris is large enough, you're running the risk that the PCs can get into a blind spot for the fighting team here and easily move into their rear and into their polearms. My feat knowledge is weak... is there a feat that allows you to trade place with an ally in combat? It might be necessary for a quick reordering of the lines.

Actually that might be pretty cool, even if the force doesn't get flanked. Assuming the entire force has the same equipment (i.e. both the light weapon+shield as well as the polearm), having the PCs beat on a mook, only to have his buddy switch places with him in the middle of combat while he steps back and drinks a potion or two could make things a bit rougher psychologically for the PCs. You can emulate it without feats by taking "withdraw" actions, but that will make some temporary gaps in the line that will look a lot messier.

Yakk
2008-02-06, 04:57 PM
What is the response to PCs just opening fire with arrows, fire, or tanglefoot bags?

There needs to be some reason for the PCs to want to rush the formation and defeat it quickly.

(As an aside, I never got why guerilla troops with bows couldn't take out most infantry: I guess the problem is a mixture of human psychology and the inability to defend a location... That, and the phalanx could just run down the archers over time: shooting a bow slows you down. Those that moved slower than the phalanx would all die, those that moved faster wouldn't be able to keep cohesion strong enough to continue the fight... And eventually the archers would be tracked to where they sleep.)

Danzaver
2008-02-06, 07:48 PM
Also, I'm not sure what this discussion regarding "called shots" is about. Those rules were taken out of D&D at the start of 3rd ed, as far as I am aware.

Meh. If they take a viable combat option out of the system without replacing it with a better option (in this case they just removed it and replaced it with a vacuum whereby, apparently, no one can target their shots at specific location and people can somehow get away with wearing no helms XP), I'll keep using the original rule. I can't imagine why you wouldn't.

In case I misunderstood you and genuinely don't know what it is about, it was quite simple. Take -4 to hit to target a specific location, such as head, left arm, belt, potion in hand about to be drunk, etc. You could also do cool stuff like pin clothes to walls with arrows.

I have no idea why they took it out. Nothing is more dull than a long drawn out fight of simple "roll to hit, roll for damage" rounds. Stuff like this makes dnd combat what it is meant to be - thinking on your feet and doing cinematic stuff.

I feel a "bloody Hasbro" rant coming, so I'd better go. :smallwink:

Voyager_I
2008-02-06, 07:53 PM
(As an aside, I never got why guerilla troops with bows couldn't take out most infantry: I guess the problem is a mixture of human psychology and the inability to defend a location... That, and the phalanx could just run down the archers over time: shooting a bow slows you down. Those that moved slower than the phalanx would all die, those that moved faster wouldn't be able to keep cohesion strong enough to continue the fight... And eventually the archers would be tracked to where they sleep.)

That did happen, actually. I've forgotten the details, but I know of at least one specific example where a column of Spartan Hoplites was defeated by Peltasts (skirmishers with Javelins and a shield). There wasn't much in the way of cavalry on the Greek Peninsula, and the Spartans had neglected to bring their own skirmishers to counter. So yeah, infantry caught without support, either in the form of cavalry or their own skirmishers, are quite vulnerable to harassment. That's part of why the Mongols kicked so much @$$.

M'lord, the Mongols approach!
Very well, let them come. We shall be ready.
They have bows, M'lord!
Alright, we can work around that
...and horses!
Wait, you mean mounted archers?
Yes, M'lord.
...
...
...

(I think we all know how this story ends)

I'd say, give these elite boys homebrewed Longspears with 3 squares reach (or more, depending on how hard you want this to be), Masterwork Full Plate or whatever else would be appropriate for the best of the best, some form of secondary weapon in case the enemy breaks though (Shortswords, Handaxes, Longswords, depending on what's culturally appropriate), and, of course, Masterwork Mithral Bucklers Light Shields decorated with some insignia specific to the elite guard, just to reinforce the idea upon the players that "I Heedless Leaping Lion's Charge my AC down to 3!!!" is probably not the correct answer.

Human(?) Fighter 6
Elite Array (because they're elite):

Str 15
Con 14
Dex 14 (+1 from levels)
Wis 12
Int 10
Cha 8

Feats (8)
Shield and Pike Style
Combat Reflexes
Hold the Line
Formation Expert (Including your new polearm)
Short Haft
Pike Hedge

Other possibilities

Power Attack (It's two-handed, so why not?)
Expert Tactician (Hitting with an AoO gives all allies an untyped +2 to hit and damage)
Hindering Opportunist (Lets the Pikers use "Aide Another" on AoO's. All of them).
Improved Trip (Charge: they all trip you and stab you. Get up: They all trip you and stab you again.)
Active Shield Defense (The front row can fight defensively and still AoO normally)
Quick Draw (for secondary weapons)
Long Strike


Set up a 15' hallway with three or four rows of these guys in it. If someone charges, they take nine attack of opportunity, with various bonuses to hit and to AC (since the first rank should be fighting defensively and just waiting for AoO's). On the following rounds, all three ranks can still fight (the first rank with secondary weapons, the second rank with Short Haft, the third rank with normal reach, and possibly a fourth rank chipping in with Long Strike. A classic example of an encounter that is much, much more difficult of tackled directly. The best option is probably to used ranged attacks to force them to pursue you out of their choke point, where you can finally get around the terrible wall of death. You might want to houserule that they can only prepare in one direction, since facing n'existe pas in D&D, and it would suck if they presented a giant wall of death in every direction.

Hope that helps. If it's too easy or too hard, scale levels and equipment appropriately.

CASTLEMIKE
2008-02-06, 08:04 PM
One of the best phalanx in game are Legion Devils form the Tyrants of the Nine Hells.

Renegade Paladin
2008-02-06, 08:17 PM
What is the response to PCs just opening fire with arrows, fire, or tanglefoot bags?

There needs to be some reason for the PCs to want to rush the formation and defeat it quickly.
Besides none of them being ranged characters? The hook to get them there at the time and place of my choosing in the first place is the imminent human sacrifice of a bunch of villagers from Shadowdale; if I don't motivate them with something at least that severe, they'll just drift off and do whatever they want anyway.

Yakk
2008-02-07, 03:51 PM
Hmm.

Phalanx Pike (Exotic weapon)
Threatens 1 square up 2 or 3 squares away of the wielders choice. With a standard action, can be set to threaten 3 adjacent squares up to 2 or 3 squares away. A 5' step moves the threatened squares, but any other change in position causes the extra threatened squares to go away.

This weapon can be sundered from any square adjacent to a square it threatens, adjacent to the user of the weapon, or adjacent to any square between the threatening and the user.

This weapon does double damage against charging opponents when set to a receive a charge. Spring Attack cannot bypass the AoO from this weapon if you are charging a target set to receive a charge. If it hits a charging character, the target must succeed at a fortitude save of (10+1/4 pike users BaB+pike users str bonus+1 for every 10 damage done), or halt, caught up on the pike.

Once caught on the pike, you must either withdraw away from the pike user to uncatch yourself, or sunder the weapon. You can also attempt to tear yourself off the pike and advance: make another fortitude save against the same DC when you try to move any direction but away from the pike user. If you fail, you take the attack damage again, and cannot advance. If you succeed, you tear yourself loose, and are free to move.

Damage: 1d8. Counts as a 2 handed weapon.

How is that for a phalanx weapon?