Creating a Rival Party group

[Mavrickindigo]

Hello, everyone. I'm running "Rise of the Runelords" wiht a group of six people and they are wiping the floor with the encounters as written, so I'm thinking of having them take on a rival group of adventurers. I want a group that could give them a run for their money. Here's what I have in my group.

Elf Wizard (Universalist) (builds constructs, focuses on buffing)
Dhampyr Kinslayer Inquisitor
Human Ranger (a viking guy, has wolf companion. Very straight-up ranger)
Kitsune Rogue (high on charisma skills, party face, big on disguise)
Human Pistelero/Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger (a traveler who moseyed on into town, hiding from his past (a past he doesn't entirely remember)
Kobold Beastrider Cavalier (Order of the Tome)- loves books, wants to get a raptor for a mount.

I already have a FEW ideas, but I don't want to say what they are in case they decide to read up on the forums.

What ideas do you guys have?

[Kimera757]

I'd have 6 NPCs as well, of the same level. You can't really go wrong with the classic fighter, rogue, wizard and cleric. (Or equivalents. Barbarians can sub in for a fighter, etc.) Is there a dual-channel feat so a cleric can channel both positive and negative energy? Can an evil cleric take control of a dhampyr?

I wish I knew what level they were, as I've not been through that AP.

I notice you don't really seem to have a combat caster. Too bad, would have loved to have read an after action report involving someone using feats like Step Up. Ah well, the enemy wizard should try a different tactic, either control or blasting.

One of the NPC spellcasters needs to use Dispel Magic.

And, since you have a disguiser and a mysterious stranger, I think one of the NPCs should disguise their class somehow. Maybe a wizard who uses an illusion to look like a fighter, or a monk/assassin that everyone just thinks is a monk.

[Wally the Wizard]

The first thoughts that came to my mind when I read each player's description. I didn't make any consideration to party composition or why they would be together:

Elf Wizard --------- Orc Blaster Sorcerer (orc blooded or draconic going in to dragon disciple)

A rampaging destroyer who embodies the black mask of netheys.

Dhampyr Kinslayer Inquisitor-------Human Cleric of Pharasma (evangelist)

He respects that you kill the undead and if you weren't a half-blood abomination he'd buy you a drink. Too bad you have to die. He'll put in a good word with Pharasma for you.

Human Ranger-------- A Tiefling(Qlippoth-Spawn) blight druid

Outcast and unloved his hate for the world extends to wanting to destroy nature itself

Kitsune Rogue - Elven rogue (poisoner)/master spy

Think spy vs spy.

Human Pistelero/Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger-----His wife

She was taken by his rival and tortured. He thought she was killed but she was actually captured and tortured until she broke and she blames him. I like a monk since she'd have good touch ac.

Kobold Beastrider Cavalier (Order of the Tome)-----Dwarven Ranger (beastmaster)

I get the image of a pack of wolves/dogs taking down his mount and cornering him while the ranger looks on and readies his axe for the finishing blow.

[Broken Zenith]

I have an anti-party of rivals in my game, and it is great fun! My suggestion is to have the anti-party have the exact same classes as the heroes, but different archetypes. That way the heroes get a good sense of what its like to fight themselves, but it is still interesting!

[Sic_Pixie]

I have done this several times, the only issue I have ever found with it was when they finally kill the opposition they tend to get a large boost in items.

This can be mitigated slightly by having them performing some of the actions the party should be doing or those they miss and picking up the magical items they find there.

However I feel the rewards sometimes outweigh the issues as the party feel a huge amount of accomplishment having defeated them and it can improve the game overall to have another opponent they get to fight against.

Try skirmishing the group, quick strikes attempting to take out a single target or weaken the party for the days activities. Soon the party should get paranoid enough to take precautions and these will also eat into the group’s resource which is what you need to do.

Yes there is a benefit of making the opposition a direct mirror of the party but there also a lot of mileage creating a group with is balanced; the choice is yours.

Personally I had a booklet which I used for the opposition and the players used to groan when I take it out and flick through it. Was effective to just place the booklet on the table some nights and never touch it. They knew if I used something from there it could go very badly for them.

If they manage to kill one or two of them they withdraw taking bodies if they could; at higher levels using resurrection magic to bring them back and at lower levels they would source replacement members. Each member’s equipment is a significant investment which they would take away with them if they can while weapons are usually dropped from lifeless fingers everything on the body could be dragged away if they manage to escape with the corpse.

The left weapons and occasional kitted out member they manage to keep was reward enough up until the time they killed them all. Although the first time one of the ones they killed came back they were much more creative with disposing of the corpses.

Play them smart and as a team and it will be a terror to the disorganized party.

[Sic_Pixie]

Oh and nice link Zenith; didn't read it till afterwards. Makes my post a little redundant :)