Fun Low level bad guys

[budman]

Wanted Fun Low level bad guys that Have not been done to death or if they have new thing to do with kobolds and orcs :D

[Lugh]

I haven't seen much done with faeries. Take your standard pixies, sprites, grigs, etc. Turn them mean. Put some more potent corrupted fey behind them, giving them orders. Create/borrow some folklore for combating faeries (e.g., they can't cross a line of salt, putting your coat on inside out renders you invisible to them, they can't resist good bread and honey). That will get your players thinking in new and different ways, as it will pretty much never be a straight-up fight.

I like ettercaps. I think they're fun. Unfortunately, as solitary creatures who are trappers rather than conquerors, there's only so much you can do with them.

I haven't seen formians used. They have the advantage of being able to easily scale up across a campaign.

A campaign about battling oozes, especially as an advance horde of an aboleth Ooze Master, could be fun. Be careful about nuking your rogue's sneak attack, though!

[ResplendentScorpion]

I seccond fairies. Don't make them mean. I would even advise making then try to be helpful. Why kill when you can annoy?:D

[Master Of Desaster]

I haven't seen much done with faeries. Take your standard pixies, sprites, grigs, etc. Turn them mean. Put some more potent corrupted fey behind them, giving them orders. Create/borrow some folklore for combating faeries (e.g., they can't cross a line of salt, putting your coat on inside out renders you invisible to them, they can't resist good bread and honey). That will get your players thinking in new and different ways, as it will pretty much never be a straight-up fight.

I like ettercaps. I think they're fun. Unfortunately, as solitary creatures who are trappers rather than conquerors, there's only so much you can do with them.

I haven't seen formians used. They have the advantage of being able to easily scale up across a campaign.

A campaign about battling oozes, especially as an advance horde of an aboleth Ooze Master, could be fun. Be careful about nuking your rogue's sneak attack, though!

Go fey! Go!

I seccond fairies. Don't make them mean. I would even advise making then try to be helpful. Why kill when you can annoy?:D

Just think about a Roman/Greek setting. Almost all supernatural creatures are titled Nymphs. And Nymphs are lesser gods and/or blessed beings.
There are also cursed beings (Medusa, Gorgo, Hephaistos (a GOD), Chimeras).

And the nice thing about a Roman/Greek Setting is: You never know wheter a Nymph (aka Fey) is friend or foe before you check it out (or hear rumors).

[ResplendentScorpion]

Check out nymphs.... yeah, I went there.:D
In a related story, one of the best low level enemies are diseases. But that kind of game simply isn't considered fun by some D&D players.

[budman]

Check out nymphs.... yeah, I went there.:D
In a related story, one of the best low level enemies are diseases. But that kind of game simply isn't considered fun by some D&D players.

not for a 2nd level pladin-monk gesault with +7 inall saves

[Particle_Man]

housecats :)

Zombie housecats

Skeleton housecats

Fiendish housecats

You get the idea...

[budman]

housecats :)

Zombie housecats

Skeleton housecats

Fiendish housecats

You get the idea...

dire housecat :D

[Shadetree]

dire housecat :D

Then you can make it a Horrid Housecat
(Template from ECB)

edited to add something actually useful.


Why not use elves or dwarves. They can be just as greedy as anyone else(specially those dwarves) but are rarely used as the baddies unless they are specifically evil such as the duergar or drow. seems a shame.


I mean the local town is slowly dying of hunger because the dwarves are secretly stopping supplies getting to it to quietly drive the population away so they can mine the recently discovered gems nearby without those damn greedy humans trying to take a piece of the action.

[Srathnal]

In 3E I ran a campaign that had a 'side world' very similar to the Feywild. In that world, the PCs found the pixies had been subjugated by dark elves. Such that most of the pixies were frightened subjects (willing to inform on the interloping adventurers - out of fear of reprisal should it be discovered they knew and didn't tell). But some of the younger pixies were raised in a world where all they knew was the dark elf propaganda.

These were some twisted little fey.

Imagine tiny little fetish driven fairies. S&M was the way of the day,... don't ever get captured. Those tiny little hands can inflict a disproportionate amount of pain.

In addition to arrows that cause sleep... they also had arrows that caused little true damage... but disabling pain. They were the perfect terrifying enemy. They could turn invisible at will, fly, and were hopelessly insane.

Good times.

[budman]

In 3E I ran a campaign that had a 'side world' very similar to the Feywild. In that world, the PCs found the pixies had been subjugated by dark elves. Such that most of the pixies were frightened subjects (willing to inform on the interloping adventurers - out of fear of reprisal should it be discovered they knew and didn't tell). But some of the younger pixies were raised in a world where all they knew was the dark elf propaganda.

These were some twisted little fey.

Imagine tiny little fetish driven fairies. S&M was the way of the day,... don't ever get captured. Those tiny little hands can inflict a disproportionate amount of pain.

In addition to arrows that cause sleep... they also had arrows that caused little true damage... but disabling pain. They were the perfect terrifying enemy. They could turn invisible at will, fly, and were hopelessly insane.

Good times.

Nice twist

[salvagebar]

The Fey and quasi-fey Greek creatures (satyrs, nymphs, some other Greek mythologicals) are a good idea, especially if you use them with a "contract" model of magic. If you think about Ray Wise's Satan on the TV show "Reaper" or Queen Mab in the "Dresden Files" books, then you know what I mean. Look at the leprechaun's last wish ability. If the leprechaun is trying to beat up your PCs instead of conning them, you are probably doing it wrong.

Hell, think of Rumplestiltskin. From the fey point of view, Contracts Must Be Honored. Rumple S. held up his end, giving the heroine the powerful magical ability to turn worthless straw into gold, which secures her great station and advantageous marriage way above her class. In return, the tart cheats him out of the rightful payment he had bargained for, namely her firstborn child.

Here are some ideas for how this might work:

1) Contracts Must Be Honored. Break a deal, and you're going to have a bad time.
2) Contracts Must Be Entered Into Freely. Usually, the person seeking a contract sells it, phrasing the terms in advantageous or vague terms. Both parties must know that an agreement is being reached, or else the contract has no power.
3) No Penalties For Refusal. The contractor (your PCs, say) may be imprisoned, enslaved, or otherwise desperate, but they must have the option to refuse the offer without further repercussions from the contractee.
4) The Contract is a Trade. The contractor gains stuff and/or power. The contractee gets paid and or/places limitations. It is up to the contractor to negotiate the best deal for whatever they sell. If you don't know what your soul goes for in this market, you are going to get hosed.
5) Break Your Word and You Will Pay. These creatures are effectively much more powerful when dealing with those who have broken contracts with them. You could increase their Hit Dice, add supernatural abilities, feats - 'poetic justice' is the name of the game here.

It seems to me that this is a way to allow low-level PCs to deal with fairly powerful magic, while giving them a fair degree of control at the same time.

Leprechaun stat sheet at d20zines.com (http://www.d20zines.com/v7/node/979)

[Master Of Desaster]

Does somebody else have anything but Fey (and Greedy Dwarvs) ?

It would be interesting.

Cultists of a "hippie cult". Inhaled drugs can ruin the best fighters day ... and give a bard inspiration to write the worst songs ever ^^

[Shadetree]

Formians?

workers are only cr1/2 and can ramp up from there

they could utilize
Giant Ants, Bees, and firebeetles(all CR 1 or less) for variety

also monstrous spiders and centipedes




and thats just from the SRD

[salvagebar]

Here is a concrete example for how this might work.

Your PC is invited to join as the fourth in a game of contract bridge. The cardplayers tell you that they are wagering for real gold, and one of the opposite team is a leprechaun. You are intrigued and agree - all shake on it. It is a fair game, with no cheating or shenanigans. Many hours and unwise bids later, you get beaten badly, and you owe a hefty 604gp, 3sp.

You refuse to pay. The leprechaun storms out in a rage. There weren't any specific terms about this, but if you break a deal with a fey, you pay. Next sunrise or sunset, he gains 4 HD, only for the purposes of fighting or resisting spells and actions from you or any in your party. This effect lasts until the leprechaun releases the PC from debt, or the debt is paid.

Once per day, the leprechaun can evoke the compact by being in the PCs presence and verbally demanding payment. With each refusal, he gains a new power over the PC at the next sunrise or sunset.

1st refusal - he gains 4 HD as above, becoming a 5HD creature, with associated bonuses
2nd refusal - +7 on all skill checks dealing with you and your party; the person who owes him is at -8 to any saving throws to resist any effects, abilities, or spells from our leprechaun (he would probably use his high Hide and Sleight Of Hand skills to steal his money back, but let's say he doesn't).
3rd refusal - gains the ability to cast daze and ghost sound once per day on the PC who owes him, as a 5th-level bard.
4th refusal - gains lesser confusion and silent image, as above
5th refusal - gains cause fear 1/week
6th refusal - gains hideous laughter 1/week
7th refusal - gains blindness/deafness 1/year

Given the amount of money involved here, I would probably cap the powers at this level, though you might think I am being too tough or too lenient.

[budman]

Here is a concrete example for how this might work.

Your PC is invited to join as the fourth in a game of contract bridge. The cardplayers tell you that they are wagering for real gold, and one of the opposite team is a leprechaun. You are intrigued and agree - all shake on it. It is a fair game, with no cheating or shenanigans. Many hours and unwise bids later, you get beaten badly, and you owe a hefty 604gp, 3sp.

You refuse to pay. The leprechaun storms out in a rage. There weren't any specific terms about this, but if you break a deal with a fey, you pay. Next sunrise or sunset, he gains 4 HD, only for the purposes of fighting or resisting spells and actions from you or any in your party. This effect lasts until the leprechaun releases the PC from debt, or the debt is paid.

Once per day, the leprechaun can evoke the compact by being in the PCs presence and verbally demanding payment. With each refusal, he gains a new power over the PC at the next sunrise or sunset.

1st refusal - he gains 4 HD as above, becoming a 5HD creature, with associated bonuses
2nd refusal - +7 on all skill checks dealing with you and your party; the person who owes him is at -8 to any saving throws to resist any effects, abilities, or spells from our leprechaun (he would probably use his high Hide and Sleight Of Hand skills to steal his money back, but let's say he doesn't).
3rd refusal - gains the ability to cast daze and ghost sound once per day on the PC who owes him, as a 5th-level bard.
4th refusal - gains lesser confusion and silent image, as above
5th refusal - gains cause fear 1/week
6th refusal - gains hideous laughter 1/week
7th refusal - gains blindness/deafness 1/year

Given the amount of money involved here, I would probably cap the powers at this level, though you might think I am being too tough or too lenient.

awesome one of the players is known for playing gamblers i'd up the debt but stolen

[pspahn]

Wanted Fun Low level bad guys that Have not been done to death or if they have new thing to do with kobolds and orcs :D

How about a local gang of human thieves?

What about a human or group of humans with some trained attack dogs? Or maybe a gypsy clan with thieving, knife throwing, and crossbow skills and a trained dancing (and attack) bear or hawk or dogs. Plus, with gypsies, you could still keep the gambling aspect.

My favorite low-level underused nonhuman bad guys are lizard men and gnolls. I have a thing for gnolls in particular. Have you ever seen a real hyena? Looked into its eyes? Those things are like aliens. They never seem to relax and you can tell there are some dark thoughts going on in their brains.

Pete

[Doc Eldritch]

Gnolls are a favorite of mine, even over orcs and kobolds. Heck, if WFRP did not have the wrong feel for the fantasy game I want to run, I would use it JUST for the Skaven and the Beastmen!

Hmm....Skaven in DnD....now that could be fun!

Human or demihuman cultists are also great low and mid level enemies, as it covers the gamut of adventure ideas from political/religious to horror to smack-em-up action.

Animals of various kinds can also be good. There are reasons that even in modern society, tigers and the like that are known to be man-killers are feared. And feral livestock, particularly in a medieval/fantasy setting are dangerous and feared by the local peasants.