I felt there was a missing monster role, a fast and furious type. Brutes didn't cut it for the category since they are often slow, have a tough time hitting the broad side of a barn, and are too bulky in HP, for the role I needed. Skirmishers were a little too much hit and run, and range focus, and I wanted something a little softer. I thought minions might work well, but they go down a little too easy, are sometimes more numerous than what makes sense for the encounter, and might never get to go at higher levels due to just keeling over dead. So I decided to model a shocktrooper role, basically a melee version of artillery/lurkers, but with slightly different goals in mind. This role should also be good for creatures with multiple attacks available to them at-will such as a two weapon dervish, or a two headed dog.
Initiative Bonus: +2
Hit Points: ((level+1)x6)+Con
AC: Level+12
Other Defenses: Level+12
Attack vs AC: Level+7
Attack vs other defenses: Level+5
Damage: use high for both normal and limited expressions.
Design Guide lines: Choose powers that can be used on charges or powers that are useful early combat. Pick encounter powers over recharging powers, they probably won't live long enough for a power to recharge. Pick mostly single target melee attacks. If they have at-will multiple attacks, reduce attack bonus by 2 and reduce damage to medium expression. Keep effects to a minimum, while these are not minions, their life expectancy should still be fairly short.
How to use them: Whenever you would use front line brutes or soldiers, you may replace some or all of them with shocktroopers.
Gotchas: Controllers are especially good at softening up these low defense monsters. Without a defender, using too many shocktroopers is not a good idea since their focused fire on a striker or controller can be especially dangerous.
Examples:
Cultist Zealot - Level 1 Shocktrooper
Medium natural humanoid, human - XP 100
Initiative +3, Senses Perception +2
HP 22; Bloodied 11
AC 13; Fort 11; Reflex 9; Will 13
Speed 6 (8 when charging)
Dagger (standard; at-will)
+8 vs AC; 1d4+8 damage
Frenzy of Slashes (standard; encounter)
Make two dagger attacks.
Die with Vengeance
Make a dagger attack when the cultist zealot is reduced to 0 hit points.
Alignment Evil - Languages Common
Skills Religion 5
Str 16 Dex 13 Wis 14
Con 10 Int 11 Cha 8
Cultist Zealots fight without regard to their wellbeing. They will make their Frenzy of Slashes at the earliest opportunity, and will choose melee opponents to engage to extract their dieing vengeance when struck down.
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Cheetah - Level 4 Shocktrooper
Medium natural beast - XP 175
Initiative +7, Senses Perception +9; low-light vision
HP 42; Bloodied 21
AC 16; Fort 14; Reflex 16; Will 12
Speed 9
Bite (standard; at-will)
+11 vs AC; 2d6+6 damage
Pounce (standard; encounter; reliable)
may use when charging; +11 vs AC; 2d6+6 damage, and make a secondary attack: +9 vs Reflex; 1d6+6 damage and target is grabbed.
Momentum
On a successful charge attack, the cheetah knocks the target prone.
Alignment Neutral - Languages -
Str 16 Dex 17 Wis 14
Con 12 Int 4 Cha 7
In the fight against the ice queen, cheetahs were the forefront warriors. Their job was to pull the minotaurs down to the ground and slow down their advance, allowing their archer allies more time for volleys.
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Fatesealed Cyclops - Level 12 Shocktrooper
Large natural humanoid, giant - XP 700
Initiative +12, Senses Perception +14; low-light vision
HP 93; Bloodied 46
AC 24; Fort 22; Reflex 22; Will 22
Speed 8
Greatsword (standard; at-will)
+19 vs AC; 2d8+6 damage.
Future Strike (standard; encounter)
+19 vs AC, make the attack roll twice, use higher result; 4d8+6 damage, and target is marked by the fatesealed cyclops until the cyclops is destroyed, or until the end of the encounter.
Impaling Strike (immediate interrupt when adjacent enemy shifts; encounter)
+19 vs AC against triggering enemy; 2d8+6 damage and target is immobilized until the end of the fatesealed cyclops's next turn.
See the Fate (must be bloodied; minor; encounter)
Target may make a melee basic attack against the fatesealed cyclops. Fatesealed cyclops completes the attack even if reduced to 0 hit points or lower. +19 vs AC; 2d8+6 damage. This attack deals an additional 2d8 damage if the cyclops was reduced to 0 hit points or lower.
Alignment Neutral - Languages Giant
SKills Athletics +16
Str 22 Dex 15 Wis 16
Con 15 Int 10 Cha 9
Fatesealed cyclops knows it is his time to die. He picks a worthy (usually melee) opponent to kill him, and looks into the future, focusing all his attention on that opponent. If he defeats that opponent, he will continue to look for death in the hands of another enemy, though loses his enthusiasm for the fight.
Initiative Bonus: +2
Hit Points: ((level+1)x6)+Con
AC: Level+12
Other Defenses: Level+12
Attack vs AC: Level+7
Attack vs other defenses: Level+5
Damage: use high for both normal and limited expressions.
Design Guide lines: Choose powers that can be used on charges or powers that are useful early combat. Pick encounter powers over recharging powers, they probably won't live long enough for a power to recharge. Pick mostly single target melee attacks. If they have at-will multiple attacks, reduce attack bonus by 2 and reduce damage to medium expression. Keep effects to a minimum, while these are not minions, their life expectancy should still be fairly short.
How to use them: Whenever you would use front line brutes or soldiers, you may replace some or all of them with shocktroopers.
Gotchas: Controllers are especially good at softening up these low defense monsters. Without a defender, using too many shocktroopers is not a good idea since their focused fire on a striker or controller can be especially dangerous.
Examples:
Cultist Zealot - Level 1 Shocktrooper
Medium natural humanoid, human - XP 100
Initiative +3, Senses Perception +2
HP 22; Bloodied 11
AC 13; Fort 11; Reflex 9; Will 13
Speed 6 (8 when charging)
Dagger (standard; at-will)+8 vs AC; 1d4+8 damage
Frenzy of Slashes (standard; encounter)Make two dagger attacks.
Die with Vengeance
Make a dagger attack when the cultist zealot is reduced to 0 hit points.
Alignment Evil - Languages Common
Skills Religion 5
Str 16 Dex 13 Wis 14
Con 10 Int 11 Cha 8
Cultist Zealots fight without regard to their wellbeing. They will make their Frenzy of Slashes at the earliest opportunity, and will choose melee opponents to engage to extract their dieing vengeance when struck down.
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Cheetah - Level 4 Shocktrooper
Medium natural beast - XP 175
Initiative +7, Senses Perception +9; low-light vision
HP 42; Bloodied 21
AC 16; Fort 14; Reflex 16; Will 12
Speed 9
Bite (standard; at-will)+11 vs AC; 2d6+6 damage
Pounce (standard; encounter; reliable)may use when charging; +11 vs AC; 2d6+6 damage, and make a secondary attack: +9 vs Reflex; 1d6+6 damage and target is grabbed.
Momentum
On a successful charge attack, the cheetah knocks the target prone.
Alignment Neutral - Languages -
Str 16 Dex 17 Wis 14
Con 12 Int 4 Cha 7
In the fight against the ice queen, cheetahs were the forefront warriors. Their job was to pull the minotaurs down to the ground and slow down their advance, allowing their archer allies more time for volleys.
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Fatesealed Cyclops - Level 12 Shocktrooper
Large natural humanoid, giant - XP 700
Initiative +12, Senses Perception +14; low-light vision
HP 93; Bloodied 46
AC 24; Fort 22; Reflex 22; Will 22
Speed 8
Greatsword (standard; at-will)+19 vs AC; 2d8+6 damage.
Future Strike (standard; encounter)+19 vs AC, make the attack roll twice, use higher result; 4d8+6 damage, and target is marked by the fatesealed cyclops until the cyclops is destroyed, or until the end of the encounter.
Impaling Strike (immediate interrupt when adjacent enemy shifts; encounter)+19 vs AC against triggering enemy; 2d8+6 damage and target is immobilized until the end of the fatesealed cyclops's next turn.
See the Fate (must be bloodied; minor; encounter)Target may make a melee basic attack against the fatesealed cyclops. Fatesealed cyclops completes the attack even if reduced to 0 hit points or lower. +19 vs AC; 2d8+6 damage. This attack deals an additional 2d8 damage if the cyclops was reduced to 0 hit points or lower.
Alignment Neutral - Languages Giant
SKills Athletics +16
Str 22 Dex 15 Wis 16
Con 15 Int 10 Cha 9
Fatesealed cyclops knows it is his time to die. He picks a worthy (usually melee) opponent to kill him, and looks into the future, focusing all his attention on that opponent. If he defeats that opponent, he will continue to look for death in the hands of another enemy, though loses his enthusiasm for the fight.
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