Monster reccomendations?

[alsih2o]

My players are kicking butt.

They are all level 6:
Wilderness rogue, heavy on archery and can spot a needle in a hayFIELD. On a lizard with Lt. warhorse stats.

Druid, leopard companion. Heavy on the summoning and lightning. On a Horse.

Mounted fighter, on a bipedal dinosaur from Denizens of Avadnu.

Wild elf Barbarian on a buffalo with a flail.

Between the archer and the druid they pack some serious damage at range (the campaign has been 95% outdoors so far) and the mounted muscle can close fast. It is hard to take single, higher CR critters and keep the whole party involved but multiple baddies tend to drop the AC and HP down to a quick slaughterfest.

Any suggestions for monster goodness? I have the MM, MMII, Monsternomicon, Denizens of Avadnu and the creature catalog at my disposal.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Any suggestions for monster goodness? I have the MM, MMII, Monsternomicon, Denizens of Avadnu and the creature catalog at my disposal.

Krenshar. I love these things. They're only CR1, but if you get enough of them you'll scare your party to death. Have a pack of 'em in the wilderness. Trust me, sooner or later someone in your party is going to fail their saving throw and then things will get ugly.

In general, I look for monsters with "crowd control" powers. Things that will put a PC on ice for a little while. That tends to scare the rest of the group.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Flying invisible wizard

 

[Steel_Wind]

MMII - Spawn of Kyuss CR6.

They are smart enough that faking that they are zombies to draw em in closer is perfectly permissible.

Fear Aura is able to peel one or two PCs off right away. When the worms start flying and every melee hit is a FORT save, it teaches the players FEAR rather quickly.

Do have respect for these critters yourself though. Throw in too many spawn or have too many PCs fail their fear saves and you will have a TPK. Randomness favors the monsters. And with all their powers forcing *multiple* saves in combat, Spawn of Kyuss are *very* random.

 

[Tortoise]

Sounds like it's time for a goblin special assault squad.

3 by-the-book goblin grunts per character, 2 more for the leopard, 1 more for each mount, then 3 special goblins ... one is an illusionist, one a monk, and the third a bard.

Ideally the party will be travelling across an open wilderness and reach an area of low rolling hills and tall grass. This band of goblins will have arranged a few covered pits (stiff reed mats with tall grass woven into them to cover the pit), and other surprises around the field. The characters can see what appears to be a goblin encampment ahead and a couple goblin archers will fire on them from that direction trying to draw them in.

If you can make the players feel that this is a quick side encounter, all the better because it will have them thinking a quick battle and they'll be over-confident.

The illusionist will do a couple of things ... he'll be using his spells to make the goblin numbers and positions seem greater than they are once battle is joined. By redirecting the PC's attentions and attacks it prolongs the fight and reduces casualties among the real goblins. He should definitely have scrolls to augment his supply of available spells to cast and should use those first.

The monk is there to protect the illusionist should he get spotted and to do some harm to separated opponents.

The bard is there to inspire the goblins and to use bardic powers to affect the PCs.

The regular goblins should be well hidden in the tall grasses and use the concealment to their advantage, trying to stay away from the PCs until they get an advantage on a lone character.

Don't forget to employ a minor poison on some of those goblin ranged weapons, they aren't likely to seriously hurt the party, but if any fail a save vs poison it'll concern them.

Don't hesitate to have the goblins hide and retreat if they aren't doing any damage.

 

[Voadam]

to challenge them

Ambush creatures so that the mobility does not mean as much. Yes the spot will find them, but probably not until the group has closed enough for the ambusher to engage one opponent forcing the party to engage it.

Incorporeal is very challenging to such a party which has fewer spellcasters and no cleric.

Do they have adamantite and non-sr spells to handle constructs who guard things they must get to?

Do they have cold iron or silver to handle appropriate DR monsters?

Of course kicking butt is the idea in D&D and having success in your metier is a great thing so do not completely nerf the advantages they have worked hard to create. Perhaps simply have them go up against stronger foes of the types they have been fighting increasing the EL slightly if you feel necessary to challenge them properly.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Move the adventure into a major city. Apply humans with political power.

 

[DMH]

Griffons and wyverns like eating horses and other mounts.

Change a black pudding so that it is green and lives in the grass. Oozes can be fun if the GM runs them right.

One falls in a burrow of either ankhegs or giant ants.

In a forested area tasloi, forest goblins and other arborial humanoids can make life difficult for them. Forest sloths as well.

Do not forget plants!

 

[Ry]

Say it with manticores.

 

[Schmoe]

I used the following scenario in a heavily wooded setting (spot distances are very limited). I used Masters of the Wild for the opponent (this was back in 3e). A Druid 7/Verdant Lord 1, with a cougar animal companion was sent to assassinate the PC's. The cougar had the Wood Creature template from Manual of the Planes.

The villain was tracking the party, and when he could tell from the tracks that he was only a couple hundred yards away, he stopped to cast: Might of the Oak, Spikes, Barkskin, Protection from Elements (Fire), Camouflage. This gave him: AC 17, Attacks - Staff +12/+7 (1d6+14, 19-20/x2), 96 points of fire protection, Hide +13, Concentration +13.

Then, using his Woodland Stride, he caught up to the party until they were in sight. The plan was to begin with Plant Growth to create an area of overgrowth that he could move through freely but would seriously hamper the party. Then he would cast Summon Nature's Ally IV to summon an Assassin Vine, follow with Plant Control to actively control the plant growth, and then move through the entangled area taking out the PC's one at a time. The cougar would hide and shadow the druid to provide backup or support as needed. If badly injured, the druid could retreat through the plant growth to heal.

Of course, when I ran it, the cleric spotted the villain, beat his initiative, and cast Hold Person. Even with a Will save of +14, I rolled a natural 1, and the villain was defeated <grumble>. But barring luck like that, it could be a challenging encounter!