For my Bloodstone campaign (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?55042) I created some mass combat templates to use when I need to have hundreds of
somethings for the PCs to beat up on.
I've yet to use them (no chance), but do have one scheduled for the next session or the session after it (depending on where the players go). The templates cover formed units and unformed mobs:
| Unit | Size | Type |
| Squad | 8 - 24 | Elite |
| Company | 80 - 480 | Solo |
| Rabble | 10 - 20 | Elite |
| Angry Mob | 100 - 400 | Solo |
Here's what I have so far. (http://www.colugo.org/jmcmurra/DnD/MassCombatTemplates.html) Any input would be greatly appreciated. These templates should hopefully be a threat at any tier, without being too powerful.
Well, remember that a party of 5 can fight 20 minions on their own as a single encounter; it's kind of a boring encounter and I would actually recommend using 16 minions and a soldier (leader) (or even 12 minions and an elite soldier leader).
Otherwise, in 3E I was using the swarm/mob rules to do this. I think the minion rules work perfectly in 4E for this sort of thing. I'm going to read your templates and then I'll edit in my responce.
I made the templates to mimic the incredibly large battles in the H series. They used the Battlesystem rules. In our 3E campaign, we had battles with over a thousand troops on each side. Minions can make for large fights, but not that large unless they're too low level to be a threat.
At epic levels especially, there are tons of ways to do automatic damage, making minions even more boring.
Something I immediately noticed. You gave one a minor action to "tighten ranks", which makes it take extra damage but doubles the damage it deals. The only problem with this is that you let them end it as an immediate reaction, so there is absolutely no penalty for them spend the minor action, attack, and then the first time they're attacked they end it.
This needs to be ended as a minor action, so they will at least suffer a round of extra damage.
A reaction happens after the action that triggers it, so there's at least one attack that will deal more damage. I don't worry too much about exploits in my house rules. I know I won't be fiddling with timing to tweak the ability to maximum efficiency. If the template was going to end up in a book or something I'd definitely change it to a minor. The way I envision it happening is the unit tightens ranks and charges, but when they start taking heavy area attacks the commander (some nebulous member of the unit) shouts "break!" and they split up.
True, true. I can't believe I made that mistake; I'm blaming it on my medicine.
Why did you choose to use a different amount of extra HP for your Elite template? Elite normally doubles the HP (well, it adds the HP of the role of the template), but you have it only giving 4 per level (instead of the 8 I would assume). Or am I making more mistakes here?
Because it also lowers the damage they take. In that regard its somewhat like insubstantial except that it doesn't affect everything, and doesn't make the unit more vulnerable to force efefcts coupled with a paragon feat. I don't know that I got it right though, I just went with what felt appropriate and figured I'd massage it after its seen action.
Speaking of seeing action, here's the first group I've mad with the template. With any luck it'll see action next Friday.
Dread Wraith Squad Level 25 Lurker
Gargantuan shadow humanoid (undead) XP 14,000
Initiative +25 Senses Perception +18; darkvision
Shroud of Night aura 5; bright light in the aura is reduced to dim light, and dim light becomes darkness.
Flashing Blades aura 1; A creature starting its turn in the aura is subject to a Dread Blade attack.
HP 244; Bloodied 122; see also death strike
Regeneration 20 (if the dread wraith takes radiant damage, regeneration is negated until the end of the wraith's next turn)
AC 39; Fortitude 35, Reflex 38, Will 37
Immune disease, fear, poison; Resist 30 necrotic, insubstantial;
Vulnerable 15 radiant (see also regeneration above)
Speed fl y 10 (hover); phasing ; see also shadow glide
m Dread Blade (standard; at-will) ¦ Necrotic
Reach 2; +28 vs. Refl ex; 2d10 + 9 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends).
C Death Shriek (when reduced to 0 hit points) ¦ Psychic
Close blast 3; targets enemies; +27 vs. Will; 4d6 + 9 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is not dazed.
Combat Advantage ¦ Necrotic
The dread wraith deals an extra 3d6 necrotic damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
Shadow Glide (move; encounter)
The dread wraith shifts 6 squares.
Spawn Wraith
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Extended Space
Size increased to Gargantuan. One square per round can be chosen as an immediate reaction on to movement on another's turn , or as a free action on the squad's turn. That square is considered to have threatening reach until another space is chosen.
Tighten Ranks
The squad draws together to fight at closer ranks. It takes ¾ damage from melee and ranged attacks instead of ½ (3/8 after reduction for insubstantial). It's Dread Blade deals 4d10 + 9 base damage.
Swarm-Like
The squad takes ½ damage from melee and ranged attacks (1/4 after reduction for insubstantial).
Looks like they won't be going in the direction of the dread wraith unit. Maybe next week (there's not really a good place to slide a mass combat unit into where they're headed).