[3.5 Eberron] Statting Out a Horde

[Audious]

So, one possible scenario I have for my PC's is a "Shadow Over Innsmouth"-style scenario.

They're going to be staying in an inn in this hick town in the middle of nowhere, collecting a debt from the inn-owner. The inn-owner will tell them that he needs one more day to finish getting the money and gives them most of it in "good faith," telling the PC's they can stay for free at the inn until he gets the money. Little known to the PC's the town harbors a Cult of the Dragon Below and they plan on using the PC's as a sacrifice to Khyber. I want the townsfolk, who have been bestowed with physical strength by whatever is answering their prayers.

Now, I intend there to be a lot of lower-difficulty baddies here. As in about 30 chasing them at any given time. However, I don't want the PC's to be able to just turn around and just swat them aside, but likewise, I don't want them to be so powerful that 30 will overwhelm them.

PC's are 3rd-4th level.

I hate statting because I suck at it. :P

[Iliad]

I would recommend Mob rules from Cityscape. Much like animal "swarms" it woks with humanoids.

There is an example of a mob, of normal townsfolk, I think it is about CR5 or 7. You would have to just adjust their strength scores, or anything else that is buffed by their god.

[AslanCross]

Use 1st-level human warriors (CR 1/2) to represent the beefed up townsfolk. Give them the nonelite ability score array: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8.
Str 13
Dex 11
Con 12
Int 9
Wis 10
Cha 8.

These are still likely to die in one hit, though.

You could give them generic lame feats like Toughness and Weapon Focus (weapon). Since warriors have Martial weapon proficiency, give some of them various farming implements statted as weapons. Scythes, for example.

The question is, are you sure you want to run 30 generic monsters at the same time? Tracking HPs is going to be nasty.

DMGII has rules for mobs, but the generic human mob is CR 8.

[AvatarZero]

Since warriors have Martial weapon proficiency, give some of them various farming implements statted as weapons. Scythes, for example.

I'd be careful about low level enemies with deep-crit weapons. If you land a confirmed crit against a low HP PC, you can easily kill him or her outright without the player feeling like their character was in danger. First level orc Barbarians with greataxes and power attack are pretty much the paragon of this. CR 1, and the ability to deal a minimum of 27 damage on a crit. ([+2 STR, +2 racial to strength, +2 rage, +2 power attack, 1 from 1d12]x3)

Any lessons you can take from 4e on handling minion type enemies individually would be well received, ie. goes down in one hit, always deals average damage, acts on the same initiative. Alternatively, as mentioned before, you can abstract the enemies into a mob using the rules in Cityscape.

[kjones]

I would recommend Mob rules from Cityscape. Much like animal "swarms" it woks with humanoids.

There is an example of a mob, of normal townsfolk, I think it is about CR5 or 7. You would have to just adjust their strength scores, or anything else that is buffed by their god.

Beat me to it. These rules are also in the DMG II, I think.

[AslanCross]

I'd be careful about low level enemies with deep-crit weapons. If you land a confirmed crit against a low HP PC, you can easily kill him or her outright without the player feeling like their character was in danger. First level orc Barbarians with greataxes and power attack are pretty much the paragon of this. CR 1, and the ability to deal a minimum of 27 damage on a crit. ([+2 STR, +2 racial to strength, +2 rage, +2 power attack, 1 from 1d12]x3)

I guess you're right. Even with the low strength score, the scythe will deal 8d4 on a crit. Highly unlikely to happen IMO, but the randomness of it happening would indeed ruin the PC's day.

[Threeshades]

I'd be careful about low level enemies with deep-crit weapons. If you land a confirmed crit against a low HP PC, you can easily kill him or her outright without the player feeling like their character was in danger. First level orc Barbarians with greataxes and power attack are pretty much the paragon of this. CR 1, and the ability to deal a minimum of 27 damage on a crit. ([+2 STR, +2 racial to strength, +2 rage, +2 power attack, 1 from 1d12]x3)

Oh yes. I accidentally killed two monk PCs that way already. (and I only DM'ed two or three sessions altogether!)