Help Me Challenge One Of My Players

[Olaf the Stout]

I haven't read everyone ideas yet, just finished the first page, and I don't recall anyone talking about the staple ranged arcane spells.

How far back does the archer usually stand from the rest of the party? If it's withing 600 ft. - Fireball. If it's within 120 ft. - Lightning Bolt.

Another idea, Phalanx Fighting (Complete Warrior pg. 103). Also, Tower Shields, Swarmfighting (CWpg105).

I hope some of this helps, and hasn't already been suggested.

He's normally only within 20 feet of the rest of the party. It is just that most combats in the campaign so far have been indoors so the bad guys haven't been able to get past the front line fighters to attack the archer. The trouble with fireball is that he is one of the most likely to make his save (21 Dex!) so I would just be hurting the rest of the group even more. He also has the most HP's.

The next couple of adventures will be in the wilderness so this may change the fights and tactics around.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Hobgoblins with tower shield & pikes, protecting mutiple bowmen, a druid and a sorcerer. Web/entangle him, turn him into a pincushion while the phalanx advances.

Kobold monks with the mobility feat -- they can go deep and attack the archer just like PC monks go deep and attack the wizard!

Enemy sorcerer/archer with true strike ... nasty.

Here's a nice little EL6 encounter you can use outdoors that can give your PCs fits if played right (add a few class levels, make the elves drow, or bump hit points, to bring the EL up to match your party.) You can ignore the fluff. Stats are 3.0, but I guarantee if you run it in 3.5 no one will notice. Where the text says focus on the spellcaster, though ... hit the archer instead

Eldreth Veluuthra Ambush

A three-person patrol from the Eldreth Veluuthra monitors the Dark Road where a spur turns into the Vale of Lost Voices, having prepared a careful ambush to prevent any unwanted visitors to the ancient elven ruins.

The patrol will spring their ambush on any party that contains humans or half-elves. The leader, a ranger, spies on the party using his cloak of elvenkind (Spot DC 30) as they are coming up the trail. Once he has determined their composition and figured out who the likely spellcasters and warriors are, he retreats up the trail to spring the ambush. The three elves’ goal is to kill or drive off any adventurers, but they will withdraw and set up their second ambush a quarter mile down the trail, rather than fight to the death. The area is lightly wooded, the trees on the map provide 25% cover to someone hiding behind them.

First Ambush:

- The ranger returns and alerts his fellows, who drink potions of hide, and take up positions (Take 10 on Hide). The wizard casts shield on herself. Spot DCs are 30, 23, 23 for the ranger, wizard, and fighter respectively.

- Surprise round (triggered when the lead party member reaches point X on the map):
- Ranger casts entangle. He has scouted the location so that the spell will cover the entire trail area, but not entangle his comrades.
- Wizard casts true strike from the scroll
- Fighter fires one arrow at the lead character

- Round 1:
- Ranger fires 1 arrow at a spellcaster or fighter
- Wizard casts a melf’s acid arrow at a spellcaster (+27 to hit with true strike)
- Fighter rapid shots two arrows at the lead party member

- Round 2
- Ranger fires one arrow
- Fighter rapid shots two arrows
- Wizard casts sleep

- Round 3 & onward:
- Ranger and fighter fire arrows or melee as necessary
- Wizard uses wand of magic missiles
- The ambushers withdraw if significantly threatened. The wolf fights only to protect his master or assist in withdrawal.

- Withdrawal:
- All three double move back. The wizard casts web as necessary to cover their withdrawal.

Second ambush:

About a quarter mile down the trail, the three set up a second prepared site. The ranger takes the lead and hides (Spot DC 30). The wizard is 20’ behind him on the opposite side of the trail; the fighter is another 10 feet behind the wizard, just off the trail (the three for a staggered triangular formation with the trail in the center). When the lead party member reaches thirty feet away, the ranger looses an arrow, then falls back thirty feet. The wizard casts his web spell if he still has it; otherwise, he and the fighter also fire arrows and fall back 30 feet – regaining the same formation further down the trail, where they repeat the procedure until the party is defeated, withdraws, or the ambush is pressed hard, at which point they withdraw to link up at their campsite in two hours’ time.

The patrol is camped an hour’s march from the ambush site, and the path is skillfully hidden (DC 25). The camp contains the pack, bedrolls, and belongings of the patrol, including the wizard’s spellbook and 2d4 gp per pack. The leader’s pack also contains a spare potion of cure light wounds.

Eldreth Veluuthra Patrol (EL6)

Ivellios, male elf (sun) Rgr4: CR 4; Size M (4 ft., 11 in. tall); HD 4d10; hp 32; Init +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Imp Init)); Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+4 Dex, +4 chain shirt); Attack +9 melee, or +7/+7 melee (MW shortswords 1d6+2/1d6+1/19-20x2), or +9 ranged (MC longbow 1d8+2/x3); SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2; AL NE; Str 14, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Languages Spoken: Common, Elven, Goblin, Sylvan.

Skills and feats: Hide +10, Intimidate +1, Intuit direction +9, Listen +4, Move silently +11, Ride +8, Search +4, Spot +7; Wilderness Lore +8; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse: Shortsword, [Ambidexterity], [Two-Weapon Fighting], [Track]. Favored Enemy (Humans) +1

Possessions: MW chain shirt, 2 MW short swords, 10 MW arrows, 3 +1 arrows, mighty composite longbow (+2 Str), potion of cure light wounds, cloak of elvenkind.

Ranger Spells Per Day: 1 - entangle

Animal Companion: Wolf, CR 2; Medium-Size animal; HD 2d8+4; hp 13; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 50 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural); Atk Bite +3 melee (1d6+1); SA trip; SQ Darkvision (60'), scent; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6.
Skills and Feats: Hide +3, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +1*; Weapon Finesse (bite). *Wolves receive a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Special Attacks: Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf.


Silanthe, female elf (sun) Wiz3: CR 3; Size M (5 ft., 0 in. tall); HD 3d4; hp 10; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13/20 (+3 Dex/+7 Shield); Attack +0 melee (rapier 1d6-1/18-20x2), or +6 ranged (longbow 1d8+1/x3); SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; AL NE; Str 8, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10.

Languages Spoken: Common, Elven, Gnoll, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.

Skills and feats: Alchemy +7, Concentration +7, Craft +6, Escape artist +5, Heal +4, Hide +3, Knowledge +10, Listen +3, Move silently +3, Scry +9, Search +6, Spot +3; Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus: Ray, [Scribe scroll].

Possessions: Longbow, 10 masterwork arrows, rapier, potion of hiding, scroll of true strike, wand of magic missiles (5 charges, 3d caster level).

Wizard Spells Known (4/3/2): 0th -- Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance. 1st -- Charm Person, Identify, Magic Missile, Shield, Silent Image, Sleep, True Strike. 2nd -- Melf's Acid Arrow, Whispering Wind, Web.

Wizard Spells prepared: 0th: Daze, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, 1st – Shield, Sleep, Magic Missile, 2d – Melf’s Acid Arrow, Web

Himomis, male elf (sun) Ftr2: CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 0 in. tall); HD 2d10; hp 16 Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Imp Init); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+3 Dex, +3 Studded); Attack +4 melee (longsword 1d8+2/19-20x2), or +7 (+5/+5) ranged (MC Longbow 1d8+3/x3); SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will -4; AL NE; Str 14, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Languages Spoken: Common, Elven.

Skills and feats: Handle animal +2, Hide +3, Jump +5, Listen +4, Move silently +3, Search +3, Spot +4; Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot.

Possessions: Studded Leather armor, MC longbow (+2 str), 10 MW arrows, longsword, potion of hiding.

 

[KrazyHades]

I personally would try to avoid punishing the archer, and instead "reward" them through having encounters that take advantage of his strength and the party as a whole. For example:
flying creatures which only he can deal with (this has already been said; I'm not claiming to be the suggester of this) while trusting his fellow adventurers to protect him from the ground pounders

Perhaps a series of traps or triggers to secret doors that can only be activated by hitting a panel set high up on the treacherous cliff face (he can try to hit it with an arrow...think Legend of Zelda from the 64 and Wii here)

you could have the key to defeating (or temporarily disabling) a major baddie being in luring him under and then shooting that unstable and precariously hanging stalactite (the one from the ceiling, for those who don't know this) or icicle, causing him to be crushed. This last especially is good; it reinforces party trust as they work together to lure the beast

 

[Nightfall]

The next couple of adventures will be in the wilderness so this may change the fights and tactics around.

Olaf the Stout

Especially if you have other archers in the trees aiming at him!

Olgar,

Almost forgot about Eldruth. They do make good adversaries. But not sure if this would work since this is not an FR game. Is it Olaf?

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Especially if you have other archers in the trees aiming at him!

Olgar,

Almost forgot about Eldruth. They do make good adversaries. But not sure if this would work since this is not an FR game. Is it Olaf?

No, my game is not in the Forgotten Realms. It is currently based in Freeport with the rest of the world left rather vague. I had planned on using the Wilderlands for the rest of the world.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Nightfall]

Eh...MAYBE you could swing the Elddruth. They are basically "elven racists" with a vendetta against humanity and their "wanton use of nature" along with some other ideological baggage.

But honestly not sure, even if you just used Freeport. (It is after all, three islands...I think)

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Eh...MAYBE you could swing the Elddruth. They are basically "elven racists" with a vendetta against humanity and their "wanton use of nature" along with some other ideological baggage.

But honestly not sure, even if you just used Freeport. (It is after all, three islands...I think)

Close. 4 islands actually.

I keep my world relatively vague so that I can add things (like the Elddruth) in at a later date.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Nightfall]

Well just an idea if you want to kill him by fighting racist elves.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Well just an idea if you want to kill him by fighting racist elves.

Make them drow, if that makes sense. Or find/replace "elf" with "hobgoblin" (or whatever)... leave the mechanics the same. They'll just be really unusual "hobgoblins" ... it's not as if the players are looking over your shoulder auditing monster compliance with the MM -- surprise them with a variant critter every now and then!

Like I said, skip the fluff, as it's a copy/paste from one of my game documents -- its the general tactical combination I thought you moight find useful.

 

[Nightfall]

Olgar,

Yeah but if this guy is a half elf, makes more sense for racist elves wanna kill em.

Although racist dwarves are alright.

Drow are just too darn common for my tastes.