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I am working on city-guard NPCs that are fighters much like the Athenians. Not professionals like the Spartans, but highly, highly dangerous in groups of four or five, due to their phalanx strategies. People that you know you could take out if they were on their own, but who you don't want to mess with when they come in force.
Here's list of things that I want them to have;
1. A polearm with reach.
2. A tower shield.
3. Sneak attack.
4. Combat reflexes.
So the idea here is that these either bunch up or fan out with at maximum two 5-foot square between each other, to cover as much threatened squares as possible. Each round, they use the "total cover" action.
Because they stand closer together, whenever a PC or somebody else tries to close in and get behind their total cover, they provoke two attacks of opportunity, of which at least one will be flanking, provoking sneak-attack damage.
These are NPC guards, but I like to make a point out of allowing players to do the same if they really wanted to. In this case, they really wouldn't gain much benefit from it, but what I am looking for is a way to use a reach weapon one-handed, tower shields and still gain sneak attack.
How can you do that at an as low level as possible. Preferably something that's lower level than a Phalanx Fighter 3, Rogue 1.
Weapon Trick with polearm for 'Choke Up' allows it as of 1st level, with the appropriate BAB and skills requirements. But the attacker takes a -2 on attack and damage rolls.
Link is here: LINK.
Here is what I would do, and low as I could get it and still have a chance against competent players at low level. 15 PB, standard NPC WBL. Tactics are the key here, which allows us to keep the CR rating for these guys individually a little lower. Trade off, no one-handed pole-arm use, but a tactically sound reach sneak attacking force.
The Tactics/Equipment Variation Breakdown: Seven man unit, four armed with gladius, tower shield, sling combo, three armed with glaive, pilum combo. Formation centered on two two shield users side by side, two others on the left and right, that can form a longer shield wall, or turn to cover the formation flanks. Behind them the three glaive users, moving short moves to keep their shield buddies covered with a reach weapon, and one man serving as a "rear guard" to the formation cannot be easily hit from behind without the foe eating attacks of opportunity from reach. You could add a 5th shield user to make it an eight man team to cover the rear guard gent if you wanted as well. Alas, no one handed polearm use, but a solid example reach sneak attack teamwork, IMHO.
Stat Block (armor check penalties not factored into skill modifies in block)
"tactical response unit folks" CR 2
LN Human Fighter 2nd/Rogue 1st
Medium humanoid
Initiative +1 Armor Check Penalty -3 or -12
HP 29 (2d10+1d8+10) AC 21 or 17 touch 11 flat-footed 20 or 16 (Armor +6, Dex +1, Shield +4) Speed 20 ft. (30 ft.)
Str 16 +3
Dex 12 +1
Con 16 +3
Int 10 0
Wis 10 0
Cha 8 -1
Fort 6 Ref 3 Will 2
BAB +2 CMB +5 CMD 16
Melee glaive +6 (1d10+4/20x3), gladius +4 (1d6+3/19-20x2)
Missile pilum +3 (1d8+3/20x2), sling +1 (1d4+3/20x2)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (glaive or gladius),Iron Will, Phalanx Formation, Extend the Bulwark.
Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +7, Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +5, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +6, Profession +4, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +5, Swim +3.
SQ Sneak Attack +1d6, Bravery +1, Trapfinding
Languages Common
Gear masterwork breast plate, masterwork glaive or masterwork gladius, 2 pilum or sling and 10 sling bullets, masterwork tower shield