Wanted: Dragonstar Top Secret project cleanup team

[tjoneslo]

I need a small, mobile team of experts who's job it is to remove witnesses and evidence of one or more top secret projects currently in progress in the Dragon Empire. A large, but not unlimited budget is available for equipment and supplies. Details proved upon request.

The players in my group have stumbled into one of these top secret projects in the process of being cleaned, and now need to be added to the list.

 

[Storyteller01]

What do you need??

 

[tjoneslo]

Sorry. being unclear is a habit of mine. I can come up with a group of NPC's, it will just look like every other group of NPCs I create. So I would like an outline of a few characters, I don't need full character sheets.

Example:

Grond: Magic-user/computer tech/leader. Usually directes from a safe place.
Ugly: Fighter type. Likes guns and things that go boom.
Surly: Fighter type, but a sniper. Usually Ugly is the spotter and backup when Surly fails.
Filtch: Thief/computer wizard; breaks codes, cyphers, locks, and other small objects.
Dower: mechanic/pilot/driver.: makes things go, and like to make them go fast.
Thing 1-6: Basic mooks. Move heavy boxes, provide cover fire, absorb damage.

This is the basic group I came up with, but don't like. So I thought I'd ask the collective wisdom of the board if they have any better ideas. Or if they like this one, provide a little fleshing out (suggested feats, skills, spells, spellware, magic items, etc).

 

[edventure]

Sorry. being unclear is a habit of mine. I can come up with a group of NPC's, it will just look like every other group of NPCs I create. So I would like an outline of a few characters, I don't need full character sheets.

Example:

Grond: Magic-user/computer tech/leader. Usually directes from a safe place.
Ugly: Fighter type. Likes guns and things that go boom.
Surly: Fighter type, but a sniper. Usually Ugly is the spotter and backup when Surly fails.
Filtch: Thief/computer wizard; breaks codes, cyphers, locks, and other small objects.
Dower: mechanic/pilot/driver.: makes things go, and like to make them go fast.
Thing 1-6: Basic mooks. Move heavy boxes, provide cover fire, absorb damage.

My refit.

Grond: Leader/Sniper. Directs team from far back usually through the large scope of a rifle.
Ugly: Fighter/Mechanic. Likes guns and things that go boom but also good with a wrench.
Surly: Fighter type, but prefers edged weapons. Silent but deadly.
Filtch: Thief/computer wizard; breaks codes, cyphers, locks, and other small objects.
Dower: pilot/driver/Demolitions. Makes things go, and like to make them go fast. If it can't be driven, at least it should explode.
Thing 1-6: Basic mooks. Move heavy boxes, provide cover fire, absorb damage.

 

[Storyteller01]

Quicky description of my player group. Former players always seem to make the best NPC's:


Gnome half dragon (Space) Mechanist/Psion (Shaper): Focuses on ship weapon and computer design. Traded some gnome abilities to be able to walk in space. Uses astral constructs to fight.

Human half-dragon (Blue) Rogue: Uses Imtimidation and guile to get things done. Not afraid to ask questions later. Makes good use of his immunity to blasters.

Halfling Pilot: Drunkard Power armor pilot (House rule)

Human looking construct Ranger/Rogue: Programmed to be able to kill a target regardless of location or defenses.

Fairy Sorcorer: has a ring with limited polymorph abilities (humans only). Prefers charm and spells to fighting (has the feat Innocent Demeanor). Works with the Half-dragon rogue in playing "good cop/bad cop".

Dwarven Cleric (Trickster)/Bard: General intelligence gathering. Always seems to know more than he lets on.

 

[tjoneslo]

Quicky description of my player group. Former players always seem to make the best NPC's:

See, this is what I'm looking for. None of the player in my group are half dragons. Some are drow, and all are pretty mundane compared to this group.

What are your house rules for the power armor piloting? I've got two players who want that skill in my group.

 

[Storyteller01]

Pilot can take the 'Power Armopr Prof' without the usual prereqs.

Power armor is considered a vehicle, so pilots may apply their class abilities to power armor.

For ease of play, I don't worry about rolling a Pilot skill in power Armor unless it has some other form of motion (jet packs, wheels, etc). (Pilots are used to working at faster speeds, so walking at a Speed of 40 should be nothing to them).

This gives the pilot better survivability in combat (as well as a chance to actually ENTER hand-to-hand combat), but they still are not as versatile as fighters in power armor.

Looking at making a Power Armor Ace. Could use some suggestions.

 

[tjoneslo]

Thanks for the ideas. Here's what I finally came up with. I need to put some details but I think this will work smashingly.

Grond: Half-Dragon (blue)/human: Bard/Negotiator: can talk candy out of the hand of a baby.

Ugly: an Iron Golem named "Mage Smasher". Armed with a Huge masterwork 2-handed sword and several high-tech monitoring devices.

Surly: Half-Orc Pilot/Fighter/Ace Combat: Can fly or drive anything that moves. The faster the better.

Filtch: Doppleganger Rogue: Has a twisted practical joker sense of humor. Likes bright shiny things.

Dower: Elf/Half-Dragon (red) Sorcerer: Likes fire.

George: Planetouched gnome Wizard/Mechanic/Technomancer: Not sure which plane, but he is defintely touched. Everything he fixes works perfectly, almost like magic...

Thing 1-n: ED-410 combat drones. Heavily armed and armored walkers, with a slight refit to be used as cargo handlers as well.

Power Armor Ace:
A feat to let the pilot treat the vehicle as a suit of armor (Dex bonus to AC, use skills like hide, etc.)

Combat Ace contains a Haste feat, allowing the pilot multiple half actions per turn.

Improved pushing the limit feat, to make the power armor go even faster.

Class construction is not my forte, but that might help.

 

[Storyteller01]

Suggestion for Mage Smasher: equip it with a sniper cannon and a rocket or two, as well as some form of propulsion (jet pack, wheels, etc). Keep the two handed sword.

If it relies on melee only, it has to go through the mages buddies, as well as come within range of the mages spells. It may be immune to most magic, but a clever mage can use indirect effects to his advantage (Empowered Melf's acid arrow on a bulkhead floor, for example)

Also, the rockets (using fire based damage) and the sniper cannon(using kinetic [ie protected by the protection from arrows spell]) will force a sorcorer to cast their spells on protective spells (less for offense). Wizards will use what they have memorized for defense and buffing. The big threat with wizards is the gear they create.

Once they blow all their spells (and Mage Smasher has blown all his ammo on the mage and his buddies) he can close in with the sword.

 

[Salcor]

Something that might help you for a few of your questions. I recommend picking up Arsenal and Factory by Perpetrated Press. http://www.perpetrated.com/index.html The are source books for creating magical modern weapons (arsenal) and Magic robots, computers, and powered armor (factory). Factory also includes rules for making robot player characters. I am using those for people who want to creat Soulmechs. So Mage Smasher could be a military robot player character, and for his ranged weapon he could have a Dispeller cannon. (instead of shooting for damage, he fires at the the mage and disables all of their spells, then hits them with the two hander).

Salcor