Orc Archer - overpowered?

[Klaus]

Except that someone hidden in one of those apparently 'unoccupied' squares would have been subjected to the attack as well.

You're right. 9 arrows it is (meaning the orc archer can fire 3 volleys and one single shot and then morph into a minion drudge).

 

[The Human Target]

Yeah, artillery is often very mean and can be pretty hardcore for players to handle.

The orc archers have a good to hit and great damage, but are so weak and easy to hit once you get to them they crumple quick.

But I'm currently running an orc town invasion, and the players still find the orc archer threatening even thought the party is 7th level.

 

[S'mon]

You should take off one for every attack roll he makes. If he cluster-colleys into a group of 4 PCs, take off 4 arrows.

Thanks, I realise that now.

I think the feeling I get from this thread is that the Orc Archer is ok vs 4th+ level PCs, and a lone one is ok - the way one would use an artillery mage - but a group of them will murderise 1st-2nd level PCs.

 

[Aegeri]

if I used 5 of these guys together and they won init vs a close-grouped level 4 party I think they'd slaughter 'em.

Why on earth would you use like 5 of those things in one encounter though? Whenever I use 5 of the same creature it's usually a pretty boring/trivial encounter (or has a really interesting gimmick to justify that). 9/10 it's because I didn't have enough time to prepare a proper encounter :O

Unless it's a really huge encounter, but then I don't see me using 5 artillery even in a big encounter.

 

[S'mon]

This power is exactly the same as the Hunter Ranger's at-will rapid shot vs. trick shot: -2 to hit, lose special effect (push 1), hits an area. Actually, hunters have more options and attacks (as is befitting a PC vs. a monster.) So, are hunters over powered?

I don't know, but powers that are ok for Striker PCs can be overpowered for monsters; monsters have more hit points and tend to appear in groups of the same monster.

 

[S'mon]

Except that someone hidden in one of those apparently 'unoccupied' squares would have been subjected to the attack as well.

Hmm, good point.

 

[S'mon]

Why on earth would you use like 5 of those things in one encounter though? Whenever I use 5 of the same creature it's usually a pretty boring/trivial encounter (or has a really interesting gimmick to justify that). 9/10 it's because I didn't have enough time to prepare a proper encounter :O

Unless it's a really huge encounter, but then I don't see me using 5 artillery even in a big encounter.

I normally start from a world-simulationist perspective, so eg if I have an Orc fortress, I'll put a bunch of orc archers on the walls. But if I just grabbed the deceptively named "Orc Archer" from MV I'd have a too-deadly encounter. So I need to think of him as "Orc Hunter Ranger", in which case he's fine as a squad leader/orc hero, and just use one of him with a bunch of artillery minions as his squad.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes, normal orc archers are minions.

And i used minions of them vs lvl 2 party that was camping at the time and they were still terribly dangerous.

1d10+6 vs a whole group is very good. It is using single target damage on an area attack.

 

[S'mon]

Yes, normal orc archers are minions.

And i used minions of them vs lvl 2 party that was camping at the time and they were still terribly dangerous.

1d10+6 vs a whole group is very good. It is using single target damage on an area attack.

OK thanks. I think I'll put some level 4 "Orc Bowman" minion stats in pencil beside him, just to remind me! Take out the burst fire and make the single-target attack ATT +9 for 6 damage.

 

[Mengu]

1d10+6 vs a whole group is very good. It is using single target damage on an area attack.

Thinking about it, perhaps the burst attack was meant to be an encounter power or on a recharge. That would be a 25% increase from the regular multi-target damage, which is inline with limited damage expressions.