so, there's a pre-planned fight in my ongoing campaign that I DM. It is against an NPC party of equiv (or nearly so) level to the characters. There are five party members/players, so I figure I need a five NPC party.
The problem is, the last time I ran this encounter A PC warmage damn near one shotted the enemy with a sudden empowered etc pumped up fireball. I can't remember everything he put into that, but it pretty much ended the encounter except for some mopping up.
This time around, I want it to be a challenge. I need a five NPC party, level 8 across the board. Some things to remember (mostly campaign flavor) : this is forgotten realms setting. The party in question are operating as slavers, selling lower level people they've captured (especially spellcasters) for profit. The spells for them should (to a point) reflect this.
The pc party is roughly as follows (level 8 by the time they hit this encounter):
Swordsage 4/monk 1/shadowsun ninja 3
Cleric 5 of Isthisus (realms N water deity)/ stormlord 3
factotum 5/master of masks 1/factotum 2
Sorcerer 8
Mystic Ranger 4/scout 1 (swift hunter)/Stalker of Karrash 2/Lion of Talesid 1
My latest idea for challenging them is as follows
Hobgoblin warblade 8 (most likely tiger claw with blood in the water and TWF kukri)
Wizard 8 (improved/combat familiar: worg)
Cleric (of Cyric) 8
Catfolk Rogue 7 (catfolk pounce/twin weapon fighting, possibly greater invis'd by wizard at start)
human fighter 5/dervish 3 (yes, I know, odd levels of fighter are bad)
Hobgoblin Warblade
[spoiler]Hobgoblin warblade 7
STR 15 +2
DEX 16 +3
CON 12 +1
INT 14 +2
WIS 13 +1
CHA 8 -1
feats: 1st/3rd/6th and bonus 5th for warblade
Warblade notes:
7 maneuvers known, 4 readied, 2 stances known
Battle clarity (INT bonus to reflex saves if not flat footed)
Weapon Aptitude: Counts as a fighter of Warblade level -2 for taking 'fighter only' feats.
Uncanny Dodge: DEX to AC even when flatfooted or surprised by invisible attacker
Battle Ardor: INT bonus to rolls for confirming Crit's
5th level bonus feat:
Improved Uncanny Dodge: may not be flanked
Battle cunning: INT bonus to Melee damage rolls against flanked or flatfooted opponents.
Feats: Twin weapon fighting, ITWF, Improved iniative (bonus), Weapon Focus: Kukri
Base saves: (f/r/w) 5/2/2
Maneuvers:
wolf fang strike (attack both weapons, -2 on each (advantage: can be done after moving instead of full attack))
Rabid wolf strike (+4 to hit, attack deals +2d6 damage. You are -4 AC till next turn)
Claw at the moon (jump check = to enemy AC, attack deals +2d6 damage and +4 to confirm crit)
Flesh Ripper (if you hit, DC 15 fort or -4 AC and attack rolls for one round. If a crit, two rounds)
Sapphire Nightmare blade (opponent flat footed and +1d6 damage with concentration check)
Steel Wind (attack two threatened foes)
Stone Bones (gain DR 5/adamantine with strike)
stances:
Blood in the water (when you score a crit, gain untyped +1/+1 bonus to hr/dr)
Leaping dragon (+10 feet to jumps while in stance, plus jumps are counted as running jumps)
weapons: dual wield kukri
BaB: +7/+2
Full attack: +8/+3 +8/+3 (-2 for TWF and light weapon, +2 for STR, +1 for WF: Kukri)
Damage: d4+2 main, d4+1 off hand.
+1 Kukri
MW kukri
+1 chain shirt
2000 GP[/spoiler]
Catfolk Rogue
[spoiler]catfolk rogue 5/theif acrobat 3
STR 13 +1
CON 13 +1
DEX 22 +6
INT 12 +1
WIS 10
CHA 16 +3
Feats 1/3/6
Catfolk Pounce
Weapon finesse
Two weapon fighting
Abilities (thief)
Sneak attack +3d6
trap sense +2
Uncanny dodge
Evasion
Trap finding
Abilities (thief acro)
Fast acrobatics: Balance full speed no penalty. climb half speed no penalty. Ignores -10 to tumble at full speed.
kip up: stand from prone as a free action that does NOT provoke attack
Steady stance: not flatfooted while climbing or balancing, adds Thf-Acro level to checks to remain climbing or balanced when damaged.
agile fighting +1/+2: +1 dodge bonus to AC at all times, +2 if fighting defensive/total defense
slow fall 20ft: falls count as 20ft less for damage
acrobatic charge: May charge over difficult terrain or through allies. May charge while jumping, swinging on ropes etc etc
Defensive Roll 1/day: once a day, when a attack would deal lethal ( 0 HP or less) damage, may make a Reflex save to take half. DC=damage dealt
F/R/W: 3/14/2
BaB: +5
Rapier (d6+2 dmg, 18-20/ X2)
dagger (d4+2 dmg, 19-20/ X2) 10 ft increment
+3d6 sneak attack if opponent flatfooted or flanked
+12 to attack (+5 BaB and +7 bonus from WF/DEX)
+10 rapier and +10 Dagger (TWF feat and light offhand weapon)
+1 rapier
+1 dagger
+1 mithral chain shirt (+6 dex bonus, no ACP, +4 AC)
cloak of elvenkind (+5 hide checks)
MW short bow, 20 arrows (5 with giant wasp poison, DC 18, d6 dex/d6 dex)
200 GP
AC: 23 (+6 dex, +5 armor, +1 Natural armor, +1 thief/acro agile fight)
Hp: 48[/spoiler]
Cleric of Cyric
[spoiler]Human cleric of Cyric 8
STR 10
DEX 12 +1
CON 13 +1
INT 10
WIS 16 +3
CHA 12
Feats: 1st/3rd/6th bonus for human (4 total)
Divine Vigor
Combat Casting
Power Attack
spells per day (0/1/2/3/4): 6/ 5+1 / 4+1 / 4+1 / 2+1 (with WIS bonus spells)
Domains: Illusion (illusion spells +1 CL) and Evil (evil spells +1 caster level)
Domain spells
1st: protection from Good, silent image
2nd: Desecrate, Minor image
3rd: Circle against Good, Displacement
4th: Unholy Blight, Phantasmal Killer
Saves
F/R/W
7/3/9
DC's
zero: 13
1st: 14
2nd: 15
3rd: 16
4th: 17
Spells memorized:
1st: Blessed aim, Cure light X 3(1d8+5), Command (Protection from good)
2nd: Hold Person, Cure Moderate X 2 (2d8+8), Wave of Grief (Minor Image)
3rd: Mass Aid, Darkfire, Dispel Magic, cure serious (3d8+8) (Displacement)
4th: Divine Power, castigate (Unholy Blight)
+1 long sword
+1 full plate
+1 heavy steel shield
cloak of resistance +1
MW heavy crossbow, 10 bolts
50 gold
AC: 23 (+9 armor, +1 dex, +3 heavy shield)
HP: 55
[/spoiler]
Wizard
[spoiler]Human Wizard 8
STR 12 +1
CON 13 +1
DEX 14 +2
INT 18 +4
WIS 13 +1
CHA 13 +1
BaB: +3 F/R/W: +2/+2/+5 (no stat adjust)
Feats: 1st/3rd/6th and bonus human. Scribe scroll and one bonus wizard feat (6 total)
spells day (with INT bonus)
4/5/4/4/2
Feats:
Scribe Scroll
Empower spell
extend spell (+1 lvl)
sculpt spell (+1 lvl)
improved familiar (Worg)
Alertness (from familiar)
Fiery Burst (reserve, feeding off fireball. May use a standard action to create a 5ft radius fire burst at up to 30 ft. Deals 3d6, reflex for half. Also, +1 CL for fire spells)
typical spells memorized (actually a list of 'good' spells for the moment)
Zero: resistance, detect magic, touch of fatigue, message
1st: Magic Missile (4 missiles, d4+1 each), Shield, Ray of Enfeeblement X 2, Grease
2nd: glitterdust, scorching ray (evoc-fire), mirror image, Extended Mage armor **
3rd: Haste (trans), fireball (9d6), Great Thunderclap (evoc-sonic), Wall of fire
4th: Greater invisibility, stoneskin
**already cast
Worg Familiar
30 HP
+2 init
speed 50 (10 squares)
AC 14 (touch 12, flat 12)
BaB/grapple: +4/+7
Bite +7 melee, d6+4 damage
Trip (+3 modifier)
Darkvision 60, low light vision, scent.
F/R/W: +6, +6, +3
Augment familiar (8 rounds): +4 STR/DEX/CON, DR 5/magic, +2 resistance saves
Enhance familiar (8 hours): +2 competence saves/attack/damage and +2 dodge to AC
Fortify familiar (8 hours): 2d8 temp HP, +2 enhance to NA, 25% ignore crits
MW Dagger
2 normal daggers
?
cloak of resistance +1
Scroll of Enhance familiar, fortify familiar and augment familiar (8th level)
Scroll of fly, greater invisibility, steeldance
2000 gp
AC: 16 (+2 dex, +4 armor)
HP: 35
Spellbook: above spells plus
Zero: read magic, dancing lights, mage hand
1st level: color spray, reduce person, disguise self
2nd: web, darkness, levitate
3rd: fireball, fly, steeldance
4th: globe of lesser invulnerability.
[/spoiler]
Dervish build
[spoiler]Human fighter 5/dervish 3
STR 14 +2
DEX 17 +3
CON 12 +1
INT 14 +2
WIS 10
CHA 13 +1
BaB: +8/+3
Full Attack (with bonuses and light 2w penalty): +12/+7 and +12/+7
D6 +7 damage
F/R/W
6/7/5
Feats (human, fighter 3, lvl 1, 3, 6) 7
Combat expertise
Dodge
Mobility
Weapon focus: scimitar
Weapon specialization: scimitar
Twin weapon fighting
Improved two weapon fighting
Abilities:
Slashing blades: +2/+2 with slashing weapons while dancing, scimitars count as light weapons
Movement mastery: take 10 on perform (dance), tumble or jump even in combat
Dervish dance 2/day
+5 feet base speed
Spring attack feat
+1 AC, for ALL forms of AC (touch, flat footed). Loses if immobilized/helpless
Total scimitar bonuses
(Hit) +2 str, +2 dervish, +1 weapon focus for +5
(Dam) +2 str, +2 dervish, +2 weapon spec for +6
+1 mithral shirt
2 x scimitar +1
Potion of barkskin +2
Potion of shield of faith +3[/spoiler]
thoughts? Ideas for improvement?