Training peasants to fight in a pinch

[Tayne]

Training the peaceful villagers.

It's an old trope. Seven Samurai. Army of Darkness. The Three Amigos. You've seen it before.

The brave, capable hero teaches the quivering, cowardly farmers how to fight those nasty banditos that keep takin their wimmins.

Have you done this in a campaign? How did you handle it? How WOULD you handle it?

Or are there rules in place for this that I've missed?

 

[Walking Dad]

I don't think there are rules for this in Pathfinder... maybe a spell I overlooked.

The only system I know for sure has something like this is Exalted (but as anything in it, it isn't realistic).

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I'm thinking that aid another for the specific battle might be an option.

Depending on the story, the length of training, the strategy, the number of people training, etc this could apply to one or multiple of the following:

AC
Hit
Damage
Saves
certain skill checks

MOVIE SPOILERS BELOW

e.g. In The Three Amigos "what is it your town does really well?...we can sew!" The amigos are doing most of the fighting, with the townsfolk acting as cover. I'm thinking that the costumes give them all a set disguise bonus that's pretty substantial (+10?) unless closely observed. We don't see the amigos training them at all, apart from making a few traps. In this case I'm thinking, if anything, a bonus to hide/stealth might be appropriate as they're using guile and hit and run tactics.

e.g. In Army of Darkness we see Ash do all sorts of training between making bombs, making a helicopterbladed car, training the peasants "HA! HOO! HAI! YAH!", and coordinating the actual attack. I'd give the peasants a +2 to hit and damage from the training, and I'd possibly give them bonuses in battle as he shouts commands (especially earlier in the battle when he tells the archers when to fire and such).

 

[IronWolf]

I would be tempted to apply a modified warrior NPC template after a certain amount of training. Probably limit the weapons they could use and such since they could not have been trained in all of them. A lot depends on just how much time they have to train.

If it is one of those you have 24 hours to ready the villagers for a pending attack, then the +2 Aid Another idea would likely work just as well. And pretty easy to handle as well.

 

[N'raac]

I question whether their abilities have really improved, or whether they have gained some confidence to use those abilities, and some tactical training. Most of these scenarios seem to involve bandits whose strength comes from numbers, not skill.

This makes the scenario hard to replicate in many game systems, where the heroes (and thus the villains) are markedly more skilled. eg. a 10 - 12th level Pathfinder party will walk all over even 100 or more bandits who are mainly 1st level, maybe only in NPC classes, so the bandits become much higher level, and the villagers need to gain far greater enhancements to be able to assist the PC's in any way.

If the bandits are, say, lead by a 12th level bandit, with a few 10th level lieutenants, and the rank and file bandits are only L1, the PC's cut through the rank & file with no effort, so why do they need the villagers? If the rank & file are, say, 6th - 8th level (so they pose at least some threat to 10th level PC's), then we need to bump those villagers from L1 - L2 commoners to what. 5th level warriors, to be able to defend themselves? If it's that quick and easy to rise through the ranks, why did the PC's take so long to earn 2nd level?

 

[spasemunki]

I think this is better handled cinematically-i.e. fudged- unless you actually plan on running a mass-combat system to resolve the battle. If you do go that route, you could allow knowledge: warfare or profession: drill instructor checks (or just an unmodified Int check) to modify the peasant's chances for success.

What might be a better way to do it would be to have the players come up with a strategy that the peasants can carry out Ewok-style without directly attacking the bandits.

Peasants are awful at direct combat, but great at digging pits, hauling boiling oil to the top of towers, stringing snares. Make the players think through the encounter in advance- and maybe scout out the opposition- rather than just an unrealistic brute forcing it where dirt farmers with pointy sticks beat back an army of ogres using their mighty +2 circumstance bonus.

 

[IronWolf]

I think this is better handled cinematically-i.e. fudged- unless you actually plan on running a mass-combat system to resolve the battle. If you do go that route, you could allow knowledge: warfare or profession: drill instructor checks (or just an unmodified Int check) to modify the peasant's chances for success.

This seems like a nice way to handle it as well. Let the village defense happen in the background, taking into account any preparations the party helped the villagers with as influencing the tide of battle.

Then the PCs can deal with some highlight of the battle, i.e. knocking out the higher level commanders who might be occupying a more defensible point on the battlefield and be an appropriate challenge for the PCs.

 

[KiloGex]

I would be tempted to apply a modified warrior NPC template after a certain amount of training.

Considering that a usual city or town guard is considered a level 1 warrior, I would still stat a group of hastily trained commoners as such. Even with training, they have no real-life experience putting their techniques to the test, thus they don't really have the experience to acquire a warrior status (in game terms).

 

[Thanael]

What you need is a bard or Cavalier to boost their combat abilities in the first few fights. If they gain enough XP to level up a few might take Warrior levels or get a useful feat. Also retraining rules could apply.

Also don't make the peasants 1st level commoners in the first place. Commoners should level up (slowly) too and unless they're adolescents they should generally be level 2+ imho. Also for example someone like Toothless Joe might be surprisingly effective in combat for an old toothless guy.

 

[Thanael]

Considering that a usual city or town guard is considered a level 1 warrior, I would still stat a group of hastily trained commoners as such. Even with training, they have no real-life experience putting their techniques to the test, thus they don't really have the experience to acquire a warrior status (in game terms).

I beg to differ. A first level warrior is a green recruit. But what about the old dog who's been in the city watch for 20 years? Check out the excellent NPC guard over lifetime thread for an example how a guard could be statted.