Tactics class. Begin now.
- Thread starter Enceladus
- Start date
Ao the Overkitty
First Post
That's a really tough question. Mostly because PCs will fight their hardest if they see there is a chance they will be captured. This extends far beyond their actions if they think they'll die. I've seen PCs (from a player's viewpoint) actually kamikaze themselves just so they aren't captured alive.
Of course, there is the option that, if the bad guys have access to raise dead, they can just kill off the party and raise them as hostages. Yes, I know that bringing back the dead is voluntary, but in one of the campaigns I play in, the DM has nixed that with Rule 0. This is actually a politicalish typ campaign and city/family based. He's been harvesting our corpses from the graveyard, raising them, and then torturing them to the point they are turned into Meenlocks.
Another option is have Mindflayers around. Mindblast is nasty for stunning the party and tying them up. Course, then the Mindflayers want a snack...
3.0 Enchanters could get their saves for Hold Person/Monster way up. 3.5 Enchanters can, to a lesser extent.
That's about the only thing I can think of right off the top of my head. I'll keep thinking, but as far as I've seen, capturing a PC is one of the hardest things to do.
Of course, there is the option that, if the bad guys have access to raise dead, they can just kill off the party and raise them as hostages. Yes, I know that bringing back the dead is voluntary, but in one of the campaigns I play in, the DM has nixed that with Rule 0. This is actually a politicalish typ campaign and city/family based. He's been harvesting our corpses from the graveyard, raising them, and then torturing them to the point they are turned into Meenlocks.
Another option is have Mindflayers around. Mindblast is nasty for stunning the party and tying them up. Course, then the Mindflayers want a snack...
3.0 Enchanters could get their saves for Hold Person/Monster way up. 3.5 Enchanters can, to a lesser extent.
That's about the only thing I can think of right off the top of my head. I'll keep thinking, but as far as I've seen, capturing a PC is one of the hardest things to do.
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What about a group of Nilbogs (Tome of Horrors) with rogue levels with medium sized saps (making them larger should increase the damage die, and since they are using them 2h if you give the nilbogs a higher strength they could do a bit more damage).
I think that the added sneak attack damage would be subdual as well and if the nilbogs use flanking in order to make sure they get sneak attack damage then they should be able to clobber at least one PC down fairly fast. I haven't tried this yet - but it might work.
Have normal goblins (maybe with a few fighter or warrior levels) use nets, trip attacks or anything else you can think of to keep the other pc's distracted or out of the fight. Have goblin archers use readied actions to fire on spell casters as well. They will most likely be killed, but hey - that's the life of a mook.
Note: On Nilbogs if you aren't familiar with them are creatures that look just like goblins but do not take damage from attacks. They gain hp from attacks instead and can store up hp equal to their normal hp total, in essence they can have up to to double their hit dice. The only way to damage them? Cure/Heal spells.
Oh - they also have an ability that causes anyone within 20' of them to do something random if they fail a will save. I'd rule that this ability does not work with other Nilbogs so a group of them working together could cover a large area with this ability.
I think that the added sneak attack damage would be subdual as well and if the nilbogs use flanking in order to make sure they get sneak attack damage then they should be able to clobber at least one PC down fairly fast. I haven't tried this yet - but it might work.
Have normal goblins (maybe with a few fighter or warrior levels) use nets, trip attacks or anything else you can think of to keep the other pc's distracted or out of the fight. Have goblin archers use readied actions to fire on spell casters as well. They will most likely be killed, but hey - that's the life of a mook.
Note: On Nilbogs if you aren't familiar with them are creatures that look just like goblins but do not take damage from attacks. They gain hp from attacks instead and can store up hp equal to their normal hp total, in essence they can have up to to double their hit dice. The only way to damage them? Cure/Heal spells.
Oh - they also have an ability that causes anyone within 20' of them to do something random if they fail a will save. I'd rule that this ability does not work with other Nilbogs so a group of them working together could cover a large area with this ability.
Mark Chance
Boingy! Boingy!
Overwhelming force + surprise attack + home court advantage. Don't worry about pulling punches, nonlethal attacks, yadda, yadda. Just smash them. Then, after the smashing, have them wake up naked, bruised, but alive.
Enceladus
First Post
Thanks Overkitty.
They do not have access to raise dead but will after the kidnapping. Timing is of the essence is it not?
The feeling of impending death always gets them going, so how to prevent the kamikaze? The best way to achieve the element of surprise. Perhaps a sudden and overwhelming strike, but with what?
I like the mindflayer idea but there's already been a major mindflayer battle (and I have another planned for the future) and don't want to overuse them. But that is an incredibly good idea.
Maybe something similar to a mindblast?
They do not have access to raise dead but will after the kidnapping. Timing is of the essence is it not?
The feeling of impending death always gets them going, so how to prevent the kamikaze? The best way to achieve the element of surprise. Perhaps a sudden and overwhelming strike, but with what?
I like the mindflayer idea but there's already been a major mindflayer battle (and I have another planned for the future) and don't want to overuse them. But that is an incredibly good idea.
Maybe something similar to a mindblast?
Ao the Overkitty mentioning Mind Flayers brought another idea back to me.
There is a psionic lizardish creature (i forget the name right now) that has a mental blast as well. I remember fighting the nasty little buggers in the Tomb of Abysthor. If i recall it was a 15 or 20 foot cone that stunned anyone who failed their save.
Anyway - these mental blasts only effected those with minds. So, have a necromancer get a gang of undead together that will at least give the PC's a good fight and have some of the lizards stand just outside the fight and mental blast away. The undead will be uneffected and the PC's will be getting hammered by the blasts. Eventually someone will fail and then the undead grab them and carry them off.
There is a psionic lizardish creature (i forget the name right now) that has a mental blast as well. I remember fighting the nasty little buggers in the Tomb of Abysthor. If i recall it was a 15 or 20 foot cone that stunned anyone who failed their save.
Anyway - these mental blasts only effected those with minds. So, have a necromancer get a gang of undead together that will at least give the PC's a good fight and have some of the lizards stand just outside the fight and mental blast away. The undead will be uneffected and the PC's will be getting hammered by the blasts. Eventually someone will fail and then the undead grab them and carry them off.
ok - last one for now. this one is real simple.
Dancing Girl and your worlds equivilant of a champagne room. Here's the catch:
Dancing Girl = Doppleganger Rogue with high social skills.
Champagne = Poisoned Champagne
The champagne is drugged with something that A) The Doppleganger is protected from and B) will paralyze the intended PC. Paralization can come from either the poison that has such an effect or can come from enough stat damage to render the target into a comatose state. Figure out which PC you want to nab, find a middle of the road stat (that isn't CON or STR!) and tailor make a poison to smack them down.
Dancing Girl and your worlds equivilant of a champagne room. Here's the catch:
Dancing Girl = Doppleganger Rogue with high social skills.
Champagne = Poisoned Champagne
The champagne is drugged with something that A) The Doppleganger is protected from and B) will paralyze the intended PC. Paralization can come from either the poison that has such an effect or can come from enough stat damage to render the target into a comatose state. Figure out which PC you want to nab, find a middle of the road stat (that isn't CON or STR!) and tailor make a poison to smack them down.
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