Discreet help

[Sammael99]

Hi all !

In my next game, the PCs are going to face a quite tough force of followers of my campaign's equivalent of Vecna (hereafter called "The Followers"). Chances are they can't make it without heavy loss. I want to make the combat realistic, but I know they will need help.

The reason they will face these guys is that they are following the trail of one of their friends who was abducted and enslaved. The Followers could be the potential buyers. In fact they aren't but by interrogating some of the actual slaves purchased by the followers they will acquire relevant information as to the whereabouts of their friend.

Now the friend in question also has an enemy who recently sent a spy after him. The spy has ascertained that her and the PCs are after the same person, and has decided to follow them discreetly while they make their enquiries.

When they raid the Followers' temple, the spy will come along invisible (potion). I would like the spy to help along in the fight but to avoid being killed or recognized (the PCs have seen her and know she's a bad gal). Considering the spy is currently Fighter 4 / Wizard 3, could anyone recommend good tactics, especially considering that she may not wish to become visible ?

I have no qualms with bumping her up to Wizard 5 if it helps me, but nothing beyond that.

Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

... could anyone recommend good tactics, especially considering that she may not wish to become visible ?

Actually, the spell description for Invisibility gives some good suggestions for actions your NPC can take to help out in a fight and still remain invisible:

"Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth."

So you could give her a magic item of summoning of some kind... or have her climb up and cut the ropes holding a chandelier ... or set the temple on fire ...

Good luck!

 

[Galfridus]

Now the friend in question also has an enemy who recently sent a spy after him. The spy has ascertained that her and the PCs are after the same person, and has decided to follow them discreetly while they make their enquiries.

When they raid the Followers' temple, the spy will come along invisible (potion). I would like the spy to help along in the fight but to avoid being killed or recognized (the PCs have seen her and know she's a bad gal). Considering the spy is currently Fighter 4 / Wizard 3, could anyone recommend good tactics, especially considering that she may not wish to become visible ?

I have no qualms with bumping her up to Wizard 5 if it helps me, but nothing beyond that.

Thanks in advance for any help...

If she definitely wants to remain invisible, there's not a whole lot she can do -- Summon Monster would be my suggestion. She could cast buff spells on the PCs, but they are likely to get suspicious about someone running around invisibly and touching them.

Since she has so many levels of fighter, I would use Change Self or Alter Self to provide a disguise, then wade into the fight. If you're feeling hoky, have her cast a Light spell on herself and pretend to be a celestial. Most importantly, though, she should use spells that she doesn't normally use. If she generally buffs herself with spells, then cast attack spells, or vice versa.

Illusions are also possible while Invisible.

She should also always make sure she can escape: no use helping to the point where the PCs capture and interrogate her.

 

[el Voz]

Summoning of creatures is your best option. You do not need to boost the spy's levels. The flanking bonus itself is a great help. Also have the bad guys attack some of the summoned creatures. That means less attacks on the PCs.

Have the spy either have scrolls or a wand of summoning. But only have enough scrolls/charges to last until the battle is over. This way the spy does not burn any spells, and the PCs will not be able to get any neat items.

Because you know what the followers are, give the spy the ablity to summon the proper creatures and numbers.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

Have the spy free the slaves and provide them with some basic arms- so they can help in the battle.

After the battle they can ask the party where their friend is who released them, since they would like to thank the spy.

This allows the party to get a hint of something going on- and allows the spy to be of influence.

Does the spy have to be a fighter? Why not a rogue/wizard?

Then the spy could remain hidden and invis after the fight to over-hear the discussion with the slaves.

One last note- if the party uses common tactics, them have the spy note them for her boss.

FD

 

[dvvega]

You could use the alter self idea, combined with a scroll of Improved Invisibility that your spy has obtained from another wizard. That way she can can be invisible, attack, and invisible again.

Add to that blinking and she'll be pretty hard to catch to allow them to have a good look at her.

 

[Sammael99]

Thanks all !

Tanks all for some great tips.

Summoning I'd thought of, but I did not wish to make it too "heavy" considering her level. I might give her one scroll allowing to summon one nasty critter (like a Summon Monster V).

The change self idea is great. It would allow her to attack and thus, once the PCs understand what has happenned (as I'm sure they will eventually), they will know that she's a combatant to be reckoned with...

Freeing the slaves is also a great idea. Unfortunately, the slaves are children who were purchased to be sacrificed to the Followers' deity. They wouldn't be very efficient in combat. I might still go for that and make them cause havoc... I'll have to think about it...

I think at the end of the day the tactic used will be :

Be invisible
Summon a nasty critter
Cast change self
Cast mirror image
Attack one of the mages invisibly
Help to defeat the bad guys and flee invisibly when victory is close-by

For plot reasons, I definetely want the PCs to know they've been helped... Makes things more fun.

BTW, is there an issue about casting mirror image when invisible ? Do the images appear once you're visible again ?