Need some Humanoid strike teams

[NarlethDrider]

This is cross posted in the 'general forum', figured if I post it here, I may get some more help

SAVAGE HARPERS STAY OUT!
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In my current campaign, I'm having mixed groups of humanoids/monsters going out scouting, attacking, establashing bases, assasinating, etc...
What I would like some help with is:
1) Gear, from the mundane to mission specific

2)Help me create these teams. I have these books to pull from, MM, CC1, CC2, Monster (AEG). Monsters of Faerun, Plot & Poison, Minions, MoP, the Psionic Book, & Savage Species

Whoever makes the best team wins a drawing of them.

Oh yeah, try to make some than will challenge a group of 7 that are 5th level

The game is set in Forgotten but the teams dont have to be realm specific All help is greatly appreciated!

Well since I know you can't resist my thoughts...

Manticoria barbarians with something that gives them better raging. (Or better yet, a couple clerics that can can Vangal's Touch and Wounding), combined with Vertigen Rogues supplimented by Assathi/Creator Races Sorcerers

Another option, High Gorgon with a pack of Low Gorgons.

Dark Elf (SL) with Drow. (Course they'd have to be non-loth worshippers) But still Vhaerun theives mixed with Tatoo Adepts would ROCK!

Charduni dwarf clerical necromancer with half fiend dueguar fighters and derro assassins.

Hmmmm.. .I would suggest a classic combined with nasty.

Kobold Precision Strike Team.

"The Red Claw"
This team was setup by a Red Dragon with a taste for assasinating his enemies. His also arranged for the gear.

Leader - Kobold Half-Dragon (Red)
His two sons - Draconic Kobolds (see Dungeon #100 for Draconic Template)
The rest of the band (prolly only need another 2 sprinkle as necessary)

gear.. Hmmm.. Well.. lets see.. this is a Precision Strike Team. So they are sneaky.. all have a level of Rogue - up the levels as you see fit. Make them sneaky assasin types.

They all have Cloaks of Archanida.

They all have +1 Leather Armour of Silent Moves and Shadow. Except for the Leader who has +2 Spiky Studded Leather Armour of Silent Moves and Shadow.

They all wield a +1 Light X-Bow of Wounding, Except for the Leader who has a +1 Returning Half-Spear of Wounding.

They also all have a Brooch of Shielding.

The leader also has two Rust Bags of Tricks, and an Eversmoking Bottle and a Spyglass.

They also carry a couple of doses each of Large Scorpian Venom.

Tactics.
The Red Claw will always try to make sure any fight they enter is in a place of their choosing. They will set an ambush up.. using the spider climb ability to their best advantage.. their first step is to web the whole area that the foe is in, and then they shoot everybody at least once. Once they have done that, they will concentrate on casters, especially Healer types (if they can pick it).
They also coat the first bolts/half-spear with the venom.. 5% chance of a stuff up.. meh, these are brave warriors.

Once they are sure that they have hit everybody, and if they are unsure if they can defeat the party, they will retreat. The leader will unstopper his Eversmoking bottle for a couple of rounds and throw down a couple of monsters, and tell them to intercept anybody who makes it out. They will all then retreat to a predetermined location and the Leader will watch with his spyglass to see what damage they have done.

If things look bad.. out comes the retreat plan. If it looks like a person is getting out of the web.. up pops another web if necessary or out pop some summoned animals to harry them.. They also will start to concentrate fire after they have hit the cleric. Their favourite strike time is about midnight when most groups are vunerable. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha.
I would probably set the above strike team with equal numbers.. Also, I would prefer Short Bows, but Kobolds have low strength..

If you think they are weak.. make them Tauric (Savage Species) and have them sit out of range on a roof upside down.

 

[krichaiushii]

It is a tad difficult to make strike teams without knowing who is overall in charge of these teams.

I'd think that hobgoblins (or other Lawful Evil humanoid races)would be good for systematically sending out strike teams. Ally them - either as hired mercenaries or those in charge - with other LE critters. Off the top of my head...

Green and Blue Dragons
Manticores
Fire Giants
Medusae
Devils
Barghest
Ogre Mage
Humans

and certain half-breeds of the above. With class levels.

I have not the books you do, so I am sure there are more to choose from.

In addition, non LE humanoids might work under hobgoblin leaders - bugbears and goblins, certainly, as well as an assortment of dire and fiendish animals.

An all purpose team might consist of a:

Half-devil/half-hobgoblin psionic sort (I don't use psionics, so am very unfamiliar with them) that can report to higher (via travel or long distance chat). His heritage makes for a strong combatant should things go awry.

3 or 4 (or more) fighter (lvl6) or fighter/rogue (3/3) hobgoblins act as the stealthy grunts. Straight fighters for an assault team, fighter/rogues for a scouting/assassinating team.

Half black or green dragon/half hobgoblin wizard or sorcerer. If this team is primarily for scouting/assassinations then a wizard.
If primarily for assaults, a sorcerer.

Arm them with intelligent feat, skill, spell, and tactics choices, MW weapons and other equipment, poison(s) of your choice - both killer and for subdual, hobgoblins know the power of knowledge, multiple healing potions and/or buff potions, appropriate scrolls and wand(s) for the arcanist, some alchemist goodies. The only members of this team that should have permanent magic are the half-breeds.

A mean, but funny thought - UMD and wands for the fighter/rogues. Offensive or buffing wands with few charges. Something different for each one, to minimize use of elemental protection magics on the PCs part.

Suggested tactics for a meeting engagement with an equal or weaker force might be blast with evocation wands (or illusion wands to distract low will save types) while the melee sorts flank around and take out those still functional from the blast. A meeting engagement with a more powerful force would be to break contact, covered by spells/psionics.

In case of stalking a target, the arcanist/psionicist gather information via scrying and more direct observation. Then an ambush is set. The team will be buffed on protective and buffing spells/potions, as well as optimally placed for maximum coverage of an area. Hobgoblins are bright enough to target obvious spellcasters first, followed up with focused fires on individuals - drop one guy, then move to the next. Coup de grace ASAP. If you feel merciful (or bastardly) have the hobgoblins kidnap a PC or two for a hostage situation instead of killing the PCs straight out. Oh, wands of shatter and/or grease that target enemy weapons go a long way towards taking the fight out of those meddling PCs. This is bastardly, too.

If possible (time and personnel available), the strike team hires some local thugs to "soften up" the PCs. As the PCs are finishing off the thugs, let the hobgoblins strike - without regard for the surviving thugs.

Should the party take out a few of these teams (similar builds and tactics), stronger assassin teams WILL be sent out, perhaps consisting of all half-breeds, higher-leveled mixes, hordes of bruisers (bugbears led by ogre magi), maybe a straight dragon or devil (or two).

That was a bit long and disjointed, my apologies, its been a long day.

Enjoy.

 

[Terraism]

It is a tad difficult to make strike teams without knowing who is overall in charge of these teams.

Definitely true. You posted in the General thread a breakdown of what kind of teams you were looking for, but nothing of this calibre. Are we looking at the big boss being the Thayans? The Shades in the Anaurach? Demons from the Abyss? Each of those changes things in a lot of different ways. Any info?

 

[NarlethDrider]

Well, theres a trinity of goddesses at the moment---(also the game is set some 70+ years after Lloth 'went silent') Shes been back for quite a bit (imprisoning/destroying other gods of the drow pantheon by meaans of her greater power & some major artifacts) one of her allies is Sharess, & the third I havent totally decided on though Lovitar is a possibility.

Anywho, she has physically changed many of the drow---those who were faithful are physically & magically powerful---the worshipers of her enemies/rivals has also been reformed to serve her needs---thte drow culture is (somewhat) more structured---rivalries between houses are settled differently, more births encouraged, etc...but its still a society where only the strongest survive---these effects also affect her other creations--driders, chitne, choldriths, etc....(so feel free to use the drider template). Theres also the reemergance of some ancient races of which I'll go into later as it is late & my brain is tired )

Basically, it boil down to assorted allies establishing a network, that will hopefully be setup to rain havoc (quietly in some cases) upon the realms---also, drow are not the only race paying homage to the now greater goddess---she has gotten a foothold among the rich & influential of many nations---

I'm going to bed now as I probably stopped making sense a while back---hopefully you can gain some info from this