Three unrelated questions

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I need some advice. I have a DnD session I'm running in two weeks.

The players have gone rogue and have ticked off the knights of Fallcrest. I've statted up the knights (basically reskinned human guards from the Monster Manual bumped up to 5th-level) and they ride horses (bumped up to 5th-level as well).

The PCs are are only 3rd-level, so I doubt I'll use more than two knights at a time,* unless the PCs prove they can easily defeat them. Also, large armies of knights are easy for the PCs to avoid.

So I have one problem. The knights have a "charge" ability, which is a function of them riding a horse. It gives them +5 damage but (I believe) doesn't allow the horse to attack. I'm fine with that; I'd rather have the horse act as a vehicle and combat amplifier than make its own attacks.

However, this means the knight doesn't have an ability of its own. Compare to the human guard, which has Powerful Strike (recharge does +4 damage and knocks the victim prone). The only idea I can come up is an "even better charge ability" which could easily be overpowered and also kind of unflavorful. So, does anyone have any suggestions? Knights are more than just heavy cavalry.



Second question: Are there any monsters in the Monster Manual that create mobile zones as an attack? That would be really handy as a "template" for the shaman NPC I'm drawing up.


Third question: This is based on the DMG. Can anyone figure out the math behind a classed NPC? The NPCs in the Fallcrest section of the DMG seem to be much weaker (at least in terms of damage output) than the NPC Improvement Table indicates. (That's the table that gives bonus damage and other stats based on level.) Making things more confusing, NPCs already get an AC boost per level. Is there a thread with a literal step-by-stop guide for making classed NPCs? So far when making "classed NPCs" I've just used the DMG's monster maker rules but used class abilities instead of following the numbers given in the DMG.



Fourth question: Which page of the DMG holds the "expected treasure tables"? (I don't mean treasure by encounter, but starting a character at 3rd or whatever level.)


*That's actually four 5th-level NPCs including the horses, so it should, at least theoretically, be pretty difficult for the party.

 

[Caliban]

The only idea I can come up is an "even better charge ability" which could easily be overpowered and also kind of unflavorful. So, does anyone have any suggestions? Knights are more than just heavy cavalry.

A few suggestions:

Give them an overrun attack when mounted? (allows them to move through a character when charging, and allows the mount an attack vs. Reflex)

Allow them to mark, and give them fighters Combat Superiority (stopping movement on an OA) or Combat Challenge (immediate interrupt attack if target attacks somone else or shifts) abilities.

Give them a bonus to defense while mounted (or a bonus against OA's only).

Give the knights an immediate interrupt attack when an adjacent enemy attacks one of their allies. If the knight's attack hits, the enemy has a -4 on the attack. (represents their training together and focus on defending each other.)

Second question: Are there any monsters in the Monster Manual that create mobile zones as an attack? That would be really handy as a "template" for the shaman NPC I'm drawing up.

Goblin Hexer, page 137
Shadar-Kai witch, page 230.

Third question: This is based on the DMG. Can anyone figure out the math behind a classed NPC?

Can't help you there.

Fourth question: Which page of the DMG holds the "expected treasure tables"? (I don't mean treasure by encounter, but starting a character at 3rd or whatever level.)

No table.

Just page 143, step 7.

You get:
an item of character lvl +1
an item of character level
an item of character level -1
gold equal to an item of character lvl -1 to buy any other minor items you want.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

This is great advice. Thanks!