Minor Action Controlled Companions!

[MortalPlague]

**EDIT** - You can find the NPCs available for download further down this thread.

I'm putting together a big, epic gang war for my session tomorrow, and it's going to start with a big, long combat encounter. I put together a varied and interesting map, with lots of potential hazards and obstacles, set on a dock with a raft, a smithy, a warehouse, and a tavern to keep the PCs interested. But more importantly, I wanted to give them a little something extra.

I decided to throw in some NPCs who could enter the fight on the side of the PCs if they succeed on a skill check, offer money, or otherwise acquire the services of said group (I left the how deliberately vague, I plan to adjudicate it on the fly through roleplay). These NPCs would have a power or two they could use, if directed with a minor action on the part of the PC.

Without further ado, check out the helpers I put together! Apologies for the quality, I just snapped photos of the cards I printed.

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The NPC helpers can be targeted by a monster, and they act like a minion; if they take damage, they scatter, no longer helping the PC. Thus if they turn out to be a nuisance, I can have the villains pick them off.

Finally, just for fun, here's the encounter area, with all the NPC companion cards arranged around it.

 

[S'mon]

It's a great idea! I love the NPC powers. Only thing I'd suggest is giving the mug o'grog an Encounter power where you can throw it at someone's head (STR or DEX vs REF, 1d4+STR/DEX & Daze until eont on hit?); at the cost of losing any remaining grog.

 

[MortalPlague]

I ran the encounter this evening, and it went perfectly. The first wave was a huge brawl across the dockside; the PCs managed to buy the services of the mercenary ogre, and killed everyone else. They managed to gain a short rest by ending the first encounter early, and were ready and hiding when the second, super dangerous wave showed up. It was a bitter fight, but the heroes prevailed without losing any of their own.

I was really pleased that things ranged all over the map. At different times, the action was in the smithy, the tavern, the warehouse, the yard, and on the barge. I've had it before where this sort of thing winds up being really static, so the mobility pleased me very much.

As for the NPCs, the Courtesans and the Street Urchins were by far the favorites. The rogue had a set of Courtesans giving him combat advantage whenever he couldn't manage it, and helping him recharge "Sand In The Eyes" (super effective). My players thought the Mugs were pretty much useless (I probably should've given them more temp hp, or maybe added an encounter power to grant a save?). The one Old Drunk Dwarf on the map was picked up by the executioner in the early goings, and he considered him useless, so he sent him to hide on the barge and be a distraction. Then he regretted it during the second fight, when he wound up stuck next to a foe for several rounds because he couldn't risk the opportunity attack to disengage.

Overall though, it was a great success. They really spiced up the combat, and kept things interesting through a session-long battle.

 

[S'mon]

Glad to hear it went well.

 

[Neubert]

I am interested in what made the fight range all over the map. Did the players do it on their own volition or was it because their opponents appeared all over the map?

 

[MortalPlague]

I am interested in what made the fight range all over the map. Did the players do it on their own volition or was it because their opponents appeared all over the map?

Initially, the players set themselves split up. They knew they were in for a battle, but we still had the rogue and the fighter talking with the blacksmith (the rogue was buying the place), while the executioner and the artificer hung out at the bar. The attackers in the first wave came from all over. The fighter and rogue handled their opposition in the yard, while the other two were sorely pressed at the bar. When the ogre showed up, they had a fighting retreat back towards the yard, where all the PCs met up. They fought there till the wave was pretty well defeated (they bought the ogre's services).

The second bunch came after a short rest, so the PCs had a chance to hide themselves. The rogue hid in the warehouse, the executioner on the warehouse roof, while the other two hid in the office. When the attackers came at them from the warehouse roof, the PCs wound up fighting in and around the warehouse, though when the fighter exited the office by the smithy route, she was intercepted by a couple of the villains. So for wave two, the fighter was battling some of them in the smithy, while the others fought in the warehouse, and in the executioner's case, on the warehouse roof. Finally, one of the villains hopped over to the barge and began to use ranged attacks; they finally took her down with ranged in return, but she was a thorn in their side for much of the fight.

So basically, they started off split, and the fight forced one group to retreat to the other. Then the enemies engaged them in different areas when they were spread out to start the second wave.

 

[UnknownAtThisTime]

[MENTION=62721]MortalPlague[/MENTION]:

Awesome stuff. I would have done a few of the powers slightly differently, but the idea and execution both look tremendous.

Consider this stolen.

Side Note: it always suprises me that cool threads like this get 5 replies, and rehash arguments about editions go for pages upon pages. Shrug.

 

[MortalPlague]

Consider this stolen.

Thanks! I should mention that if anyone wants the word document I used to print the cards, just let me know. I can throw it on webspace for folks to grab.

Side Note: it always suprises me that cool threads like this get 5 replies, and rehash arguments about editions go for pages upon pages. Shrug.

Hah, yes. People like to argue. Also, the 4th Edition Fan Creation forum gets way less traffic than the main 4E forum, regrettably. Just look at the views... it's literally 10 times the traffic.

 

[S'mon]

Thanks! I should mention that if anyone wants the word document I used to print the cards, just let me know. I can throw it on webspace for folks to grab.

Yes please! There's a city riot going on right now IMC, and I'm thinking about using your urchins & courtesans in my next session!

 

[MortalPlague]

Here you go: NPC helpers. The mugs have been updated to grant resist 2 to all damage until end of next turn; that way they're worth the while.