What would the cr be on.

[Aust Diamondew]

Interesting idea for a battle. I might have to borrow it.

Out of curiosity what is your fluff for it?

Keep in mind if they are sufficiently clumped together when at lower levels one strong area effect spell could kill them all.
This factor should lower the CR significantly. I might put the CR at around 10 given this major weakness.

 

[Stalker0]

I have run the exact same encounter, but mine was with dire lions, and I gave them stat boosts as others died instead of levels and they also healed up as others died.

The first few rounds are a walk in the park if you party has fireballs and the like. They are just resource wasters and they alert the party to what's going on. As it goes on it will get a little tougher.

I found the key in this scenario is to make sure the guys can do DAMAGE!! You want the party fretting about whether to heal their buddy or to keep blasting. If they are just unloading their spells, this encounter will be over very quickly. Further, if the party is smart wall spells can dominate in this situation. If the horde is only able to approach the party from one side it will be a cakewalk.

You don't need gear, but you need a big bump to hitpoints, AC, attacks, damage, and saves as the forces get stronger. Else your CR 20 guy will be complete chump.

In general, my party didn't find this encounter too deadly when I ran it, but it did exhaust a lot of their resources. I will warn you that using a horde of mundane creatures like this is really a hit or miss proposition at high levels. If the party has the right spells, this won't be a challenge at all. If the party doesn't have certain key powers, it could be an intense fight.

 

[shilsen]

First time I ever heard someone seriously plan to use the reverse ninja rule

You'll have to post and tell us how it goes.

 

[Bad Paper]

No matter how you streamline it, it still seems like a bookkeeping nightmare to me.

Work out some kind of power-up for the equipment, maybe borrow from Weapons of Legacy or something. So survivors' equipment also feeds off its deader brethren. Hence, at level 20, you have a guy with an intelligent +5 sword of TPK, you know?

And what is the ninja rule, Shilsen?

 

[darthkilmor]

And what is the ninja rule, Shilsen?

I think thats the:
There are always more ninjas!
?

 

[Jdvn1]

So what I am wondering what kind of CR should I put on this horde. Also I would like to hear what people think about this.

I'd CR each creature individually based on what they kill.

190 CR 1's killed
137 CR 2's killed
etc...

Unless, of course, the party is able to defeat more of them at a time (ie, kill all 380 CR 1's at the same time, or something).

 

[Jdvn1]

I think thats the:
There are always more ninjas!
?

I thought it was that the power of any ninja is the power of the most powerful ninja, divided by the number of ninjas.

Or something.

 

[Sejs]

Man, I can't help but look at this and think one Fire Storm and it all gets shot straight ta hell.

If you're able to deal out a small amount of damage all at once over a large area, there could be problems with the concept.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

My suggestion: Treat the whole horde as a single entity/creature with one CR, like a swarm or a mob. Cutting the individual members down simply consolidates the remaining hp/powers/etc in the remaining members. Make their "gear" natural attacks that otherwise function like the weapon they appear to be wielding, and as for loot, just have a stash somewhere nearby.

Now there's a thought I'll have to use later: A ghost-like undead that's comprised of all the spirits of a defeated army, haunting the site of their final stand.

Quentin

 

[Notmousse]

The inverse Ninja theorum (sp?) is that the power of a ninja is inversely proportional to the number of ninja encountered.

Kinda like the Highlander effect.