Thanks, yes, read count is alright
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I thought I would share some of my enemy designs, since they are partly what make up a CO DM.
I've house-ruled that Initiator level defaults to 1, due to the general amount of low-level play involved.
Frenzied Federal Guardsmen[spoiler]
These were Standard Array (13-8) Human Level 1 effective Barbarians with Power Attack (b), Martial Study(Shadow Blade Technique)(1), Martial Stance(Island of Blades)(h), using Halberds and Wearing Chainmail armour. 17Str, 16CON (with rage), 31HP, Halberd +5(+7 when flanking), 1D10+4.
Going by my build rules they are actually missing a bonus feat at level 1.[/spoiler]
Frenzied Guard Sergeant[spoiler]
Improved Array Frenzy1/Crusader2; (they got a 13/16/12/12/14/8 Array, randomly); Using +1 Halberds and Wearing +1 Breastplates. 49 HP when raging. Halberd +7(+9 when flanking), 1D10+5. mw Shortsword or mw Spikes +7, 1D6+3.
Power attack (b), Combat Reflexes (1), Martial Study(Shadow Blade Tech)(h), Martial Stance(Island of Blades(Stance))(3);
Martial Spirit(Stance); Leading the Attack, Crusader's strike, Vanguard Strike, +2 unused.
Also missing their additional bonus feat.
[/spoiler]
Lizardfolk Frenzied ex-Rangers[spoiler]
Poison Dusk Lizardfolk Frenzy1/Fighter1 using Nets (medium sized), 2xJavelins, 1x Bola,mw Longspear or Claw/Claw/Bite, and mw Studded Leather that doubled as a mw tool to Hide. Physical Stats of 17/17/20 with rage, 48HP.
Power Attack(b), Multiattack(1),PBS(b), Precice shot(F); Balance +5, Climb +4, Hide +14, Jump +4,Move Silently +10, Spot +6, Survival +4,;
Longspear +7, 1D6+4 +1d6 poison
Claws +6, 1D3+3, Bite +4, 1D3+1.
Javelin +6
Net +5 vs. Touch (PBS)
Bola +7 vs Touch, Trip -1. (PBS)
[/spoiler]
Lizardfolk Ranger Captain[spoiler]
Poison Dusk Lizardfolk Frenzy1/Fighter1/Ranger2 using a +1 Longspear, +1 Studded Leather, mw Shortbow (Mighty+3), 2x Javelins, 1x Bolas, medium sized net. Physical Stats of 20/17/20, 68HP;
Track(Ranger), Power attack(b), Multiattack(1),PBS(b), Precice shot(F), Rapid Shot(Ranger) Combat Ref(3);, Favoured Enemy: Humanoid(human)
Longspear +11, 1D6+8,
Claws+10, 1d3+5, Bite +8, 1d3+2
Shortbow +10, 1d4+4 (PBS)
Net +7 vs Touch
Bola +9 vs Touch, Trip +1.
[/spoiler]
There are some others, mostly the frenzied animals, which are just base animals with rage, and some I haven't played yet, which I therefore won't post at this point. (Just in case one of my players DOES in fact read this forum.)
Matching the fighting style of my players, none of the enemies could afford (GMing-wise) to fight overly tactically. They have big HP, can hit with reasonable accuracy and can dish out moderate damage. I think hitting one or two PCs into the negatives almost every fight is a good target, provided that there aren't too many fights per day. The players have taken a less than effective approach of each attacking one enemy, which might be cinematically good, but tactically is naturally rotten. Their BFC possibilities are (now that the killer pet has been removed by the player) pretty much zilch. I'm hoping the new character by the TOM player will up it a little - at least he's taking some tactical feats.
I think I've successfully played high HP against the higher PC ability arrays, which serve to keep them on top of the action right now (their class-features and feats don't quite, yet).
The players have also shied away from anything that could provide some diversity. No Incarnum, a little Psionics, not much magic, no Binding, no Warlock, no natural weapon users, no Initiators.
In our inititial quarrel last session one of the gripes TOM's player had was that due to partial gestalt every PC looked the same: They all have full BAB and mostly two good saves. Luckily, the other players agreed that this was not so, that in fact BAB and saves don't make up everything. But I had to really work to persuade him that in spite of the obvious, at least numeric, strength of the characters, they had put MORE effort into the roleplaying aspects of their characters than in any previous campaigns with that group. This is really weird, especially since this guy usually makes strong characters. He just doesn't seem to like them after he's made them.
The other weird thing was that I repeatedly offered to make up for his flavour choices, i.e. improve the elemental steward, which is piss weak in this group, but he didn't want that, either.
Well, I'm hoping he'll like his new character. It would be sad to have him leave the group. He seemed to enjoy making it, so I have some hope.
I also tried to give them my views of why their characters should be strong: In a world where all the options exist it's hardly imaginable that they could survive without being mechanically powerful. And toning down all the enemies will just ruin the believability of the game world. Why would they meet only weak enemies initially? And why would anyone send a group of weaklings (who are actually important weaklings) on a suicide quest? It just doesn't make sense.
However, on the up-side, I think using these mechanics so far I've managed to achieve several key goals:
Playability from level 1, with an (almost) plausible game world, and mostly interesting characters at level 1
Long, and for the most part interesting fights, WITH some real danger, but not too much danger of a TPK or even just one-rounding a PC
Simple encounter building, due to easy low-level mechanics
A simple yet diverse game world and simple world creation mechanics
I'm still hoping to get them move invested in their individual planes, once I start threatening them.