Mundane methods of screwing with NPCs


Advice


The scenario...:
So in our current game, we're getting ready to go up against what I would deem a "boss encounter." This encounter has been somewhat spoiler-ed to us so as to keep the other two players in my party on point (because they generally dive into things without much forethought). There are 3 of us at level 3; a spell-less ranger (Open Design), a shaman (Kobold Qu. 21), and a rogue/fighter (Aldori sword style something-or-other).

Going into this encounter, I want us to take our time and deal with the enemy in much more subtle ways, because we are outmatched and outgunned. IIRC, the DM said this guy we're going after is going to be a CR6. I don't know if it's just the one guy or if that includes the others in his camp, either way, I think it's safe to assume that the best course of action if to remove his lackeys from the equation as efficiently as possible. I have not yet seen the camp, but plan to do some recon next session.

My plan is to sabotage their morale by messing with their stuff. The bad guys are bandits, and I imagine they are careful with their own personal stashes, even if they all live together. What I plan to do is to watch them, pick a few out, and move their things while they sleep. Take a necklace from bandit A, put with bandit C's things, take bandit B's prized knife and bury it up the haft in something that isn't good for it... maybe sand or something if there's any around. I figure this will make them resentful and lower their morale.

Then, I want to set up some traps around the camp (not inside it) so that if we are caught, we can lead them through the traps to either make our escape easier or make fighting less daunting. I'm going for things like deadfall traps, snares, pits, tripwire-activated crossbows, etc. (We've agreed as a party to pool our funds for this, and possibly go fund-raising for it if need be.)

The next thing is the trickiest: I want to wait for some manner of written message to be sent out by the bandit leader so that we can intercept it and have our rogue forge another letter in the guy's handwriting. The forged letter would be addressed to some fictional higher management or secret partner detailing his next heist: stealing from his own men.

These aren't actually in any particular order. The plan isn't even half-baked yet, I'm still trying to decide what else can make it sweeter. Any ideas? Bear in mind we have very limited spell-casting and are one party member down from the typical group.


Wow, your DM is nice! He gave you the CR and everything! I don't have that kind of luck. My last opponent (last session) gave me a huge beat-down (I'm a lvl 2 rogue). Didn't know his CR at all. But I did keep track of damage. Took 61pts of damage to take down the opponent. LOL!

Back on track: Ruin their food supply. Poison or otherwise taint their water. Make them get sick. I don't mean "ooo I have a sniffle" I mean more like "HOLY HELLS we have to amputate that before it spreads!". Send rats or other vermin through their camps. Find the bandit's families and do the same to overload their resources. Make it become too costly to operate in the area. If they have a cleric, poison that guy nightly (if possible) and steal his holy accoutrements. Despoil the holy water or whatnot.


You can also Scooby Doo them and make it seem like supernatural forces are at work. Strange noises, odd markings on trees, weird little twig totems in the forest for them to find.

Remember this is a world that actually has ghosts and fey and monster that mean people harm so you can add another level of obfuscation and confusion if you give them a "supernatural" red herring.

Also RAW require huge investments of time to create even some of the simplest traps, make sure you consult with your GM on how much time you need to set up some of the things you are asking.

If that fails just put ground glass in their food and go to the bathroom in their shoes.

TA DA!


Brox RedGloves wrote:

Wow, your DM is nice! He gave you the CR and everything! I don't have that kind of luck. My last opponent (last session) gave me a huge beat-down (I'm a lvl 2 rogue). Didn't know his CR at all. But I did keep track of damage. Took 61pts of damage to take down the opponent. LOL!

Back on track: Ruin their food supply. Poison or otherwise taint their water. Make them get sick. I don't mean "ooo I have a sniffle" I mean more like "HOLY HELLS we have to amputate that before it spreads!". Send rats or other vermin through their camps. Find the bandit's families and do the same to overload their resources. Make it become too costly to operate in the area. If they have a cleric, poison that guy nightly (if possible) and steal his holy accoutrements. Despoil the holy water or whatnot.

I think he only told us that because of the fact that the AP we're playing in is pretty brutal, there are only three of us AND we have lots of overlap in skills and abilities, and despite being the most actively engaged of the three of us, I roll the worst (I rolls 3s in strings, usually 3 or 4 times in a row, no matter what dice I use). He's being nice, but even with kid gloves on, it's been kinda tough.

Nice idea on the poison, though poison is much more expensive than cheap tricks. I'll look into that.

What do you think it would do to someone if they ingested a large amount of lamp oil?


Lochmonster wrote:

You can also Scooby Doo them and make it seem like supernatural forces are at work. Strange noises, odd markings on trees, weird little twig totems in the forest for them to find.

Remember this is a world that actually has ghosts and fey and monster that mean people harm so you can add another level of obfuscation and confusion if you give them a "supernatural" red herring.

Also RAW require huge investments of time to create even some of the simplest traps, make sure you consult with your GM on how much time you need to set up some of the things you are asking.

If that fails just put ground glass in their food and go to the bathroom in their shoes.

TA DA!

Time is not an issue. I expect to take days or even weeks pulling this off.

Ground glass seems... harsh, but probably effective. Peeing on their clothes and food sounds hilarious, though. Using fey creatures as a scape goat could prove effective as well, considering my ranger's background and the location.


You could leave them creepy signs, like their symbol broken and bloody or dead/ rotten animals where ever they go. (You could put rotting stuff in their food supply and hope they get sick)
If they have any sort of superstition or believe you could focus on that.
Maybe you could find a friendly gnome to haunt them with ghost sound and dancing ligth?


Foghammer wrote:


Peeing on their clothes and food sounds hilarious, though.

I don't think you quite got me.

THIS GUY has the right idea!


Good grief, man! That's...

...hilarious...!


Do some of them ever leave their lair? Ambush them to reduce their numbers, then attack the lair before el hefe knows anything is wrong.


Ciaran Barnes wrote:
Do some of them ever leave their lair? Ambush them to reduce their numbers, then attack the lair before el hefe knows anything is wrong.

I haven't scouted the place out yet, but I don't see how it could be a self-contained, self-sustaining settlement full of people whose sole income is stealing from other people. This is also something I have considered. If nothing else, depending on how well the scare tactics play out, we can catch a few as they flee the "hauntings" or maybe even their treacherous "allies."

We might have made allies with some nearby kobolds for this deal if they hadn't be nearly wiped out by some local fey swarm. That setback really sucked. Kobolds are good with traps, right? They had some in their lair. Maybe we should try to find their chieftain before we set the traps out.


pour sugared water all around their camp... it'll attract ANTS... and no one enjoys living near those buggars. Also... leave raw meat around their camp... it attracts scavengers.

Put up a quarantine sign near their water supply.

Hire beggars to visit them.

Steal a bear cub... and tie it up near their camp... hopefully mama will want revenge.

Post notices in town of a Big Prayer Meeting... with the location of the bandit camp.

Saltpeter.


DirkTyrant wrote:

pour sugared water all around their camp... it'll attract ANTS... and no one enjoys living near those buggars. Also... leave raw meat around their camp... it attracts scavengers.

Put up a quarantine sign near their water supply.

Hire beggars to visit them.

Steal a bear cub... and tie it up near their camp... hopefully mama will want revenge.

Post notices in town of a Big Prayer Meeting... with the location of the bandit camp.

Saltpeter.

Ooh, water supply. I wonder if they're using one of the nearby rivers... That would be a good place to do some "scary stuff." Throw a shiny sword to the water-runner from the river and tell him he's the chosen one. Let him go back to his leader with THAT story. XD

Leaving food about the camp to attract unwanted guests sounds like a good way to make it seem like nature has turned against them, if I can hide the fact that it was food left out, somehow...


Foghammer wrote:
Brox RedGloves wrote:

Wow, your DM is nice! He gave you the CR and everything! I don't have that kind of luck. My last opponent (last session) gave me a huge beat-down (I'm a lvl 2 rogue). Didn't know his CR at all. But I did keep track of damage. Took 61pts of damage to take down the opponent. LOL!

Back on track: Ruin their food supply. Poison or otherwise taint their water. Make them get sick. I don't mean "ooo I have a sniffle" I mean more like "HOLY HELLS we have to amputate that before it spreads!". Send rats or other vermin through their camps. Find the bandit's families and do the same to overload their resources. Make it become too costly to operate in the area. If they have a cleric, poison that guy nightly (if possible) and steal his holy accoutrements. Despoil the holy water or whatnot.

What do you think it would do to someone if they ingested a large amount of lamp oil?

Give me 48 hours and we'll find out! HARHARHAR!

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