So I have some players, level 2 to 4 who are coming up on a thunderdome sort of scenario soon, and I'm looking for some unique one on one fights that will challenge them, but if they're smart about it, not kill them (I tend to lean on the side of making creatures more difficult because I can always fudge monsters hp from behind the screen). Summoners, druids, rangers, shamans, wizards and witches are allowed to bring their companion creatures as they are "Blood bonded" and therefore count as one being (and if they're really smart about it, they might be able to bluff their way in to the stadium with two players, convincing the enemies that they are blood bonded.) It's an anything goes, deathmatch style fight. What creatures and classes would you bring to fight. How would you arm them? They should probably be sentient, and generally humanoid because that's sort of the genre I'm going for here.
It's also more than likely the players will get frustrated and simply try to storm the place, but I'm hoping for a few good fights.
Monsters with class levels are perfectly acceptable.
Smart tactics and unusual environments. Blindfold the cleric and see how well she can fight.
Challenging but also out of the ordinary and therefore interesting.
I'd use nerf swords when challenging players to solo combat, but thats just me
I was definitely considering basing individual fighters around a single combat maneuver, like a rogue, ninja or slayer who is all about using feints. I'll have to look into dirty tricks.
What ways are there to make a combatant who is primarily a melee fighter interesting? A grappler? A tripper? I currently have a slayer who uses dirty tricks to bolster his sneak attacks, so maybe not that.
I'm thinking CR 3 or lower.
5th level warrior with a reach weapon and Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, and Pushing Assault, with lots of hazardous terrain: 10 foot pits, caltrops, campfires, etc. Just 1 to 1d6 damage hazards, or ones that stack a variety of negative conditions, like sickened, shaken, prone, dazzled, etc.
Honestly, if I'm doing important one-vs-one fights in my games I usually make them more of a cinematic ordeal and forgo the traditional turn by turn style. It's there, but it's much more of a flow as I describe the enemy's actions and the player responds. Dice are still being rolled, but in a more quick succession sort of way, that's hard to describe through text. Lots of environmental use and DM fiats like allowing reactions to things not always allowed or for specific situations. I try to make things as personal with the player as possible so that any fudging or class ability differences aren't as important.
An example would be when our Magus was called out into single combat with a master wrestler. We had specific interactions with being grappled from behind, the discovery that unleashing a shocking grasp spell out of a headbutt results in a not insignificant amount of potential brain trauma, and that our magus is a pretty vicious guy for being the smart one when his arms are pinned.
I agree with everyone above me on things to do, just that I would try to make those little bits feel more like they aren't just 'there', but really sell the personal nature of the fight. One on One brawls are all about feeling more than anything to most people, and if it feels good who cares if a couple rules aren't to the letter.
So I ended up having a lot of fun making these. Potentially too much fun. Hangman is especially weird because I built her around some homebrew ideas made from other classes achetypes that do a similar thing and that might really overpower her.
So all the players can choose whom they want to challenge if any at all (though if they come under the pretense of fighting, at least one person is fighting one of these guys) They can also gather intel on each of these creatures fighting styles, if they look for that sort of thing, which may lead them into not making hasty decisions on who to challenge.
There's also three CR 3 creatures I have not made yet (one is a halfling bard with a pipe of the sewers, and two are ratfolk twins (a swashbuckler and a gunslinger) who fight together because being twins means you are bloodbound.
Anyways, does this all look too hard? I may have gone overboard with "interesting" features rather than "beatable." I could probably tone down some of the creatures ability scores if that seems necessary. Also I might have done some class stuff wrong, there are a lot of rules.
(oh and "Sage" is my world's lingo for "magic user." Also anything that refers to initiative you should ignore because I'm using a weird homebrewed version based on Mike Mearl's initiative system. The "At sea or camp" bits are for taking all these guys on at once, which honestly will probably end in a TPK if they don't run.)
CR 2
XP 800
Steel-Breaker Brawler 3
LE medium humanoid (orc)
Senses darkvision 60
DEFENSE
AC: 14
Hp: 26
Fort: +5, Ref +3 Will +0
Ferocity
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 unarmed strikes +3 (1d6 +8), or unarmed strike +7 (1d6 +8) or Flambard +7 (1d10 +8) or swordbreaker dagger +7 (1d4 +4)
Ranged: Dayrunner (-2 to all ranged attack)
4 uses of Martial Flexibility, Flurry of Blows, Sunder Training,
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 20 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 8 Cha 8
Base Atk: +3 CMB +8 (+12 sunder, +8 for brawler’s flurry, +16 for swordbreaker dagger against blades, +16 for flambard against weapons made wholly or partially out of wood) CMD 15
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Combat Expertise, Will use martial flexibility to gain the benefit of exotic weapon proficiency (swordbreaker dagger) or (flambard) but may also use it to gain the benefit of improved steal.
Skills: Handle Animal +4, Ride +8, Swim +5,
Languages Common, Orc
BEHAVIOR
“Snapper” will only ever fight an enemy once they are entirely rid of their weapons and armor.
At camp or sea: “Snapper” will attempt to sunder the weapons of every individual, then moving to sunder their armor. He will not stop trying to destroy the enemies’ weapons or armor even at less than 0 health when staggered. He will attack the enemies with flurry of blows once they are otherwise disarmed.
In single combat: “Snapper” will attempt to break every weapon on the person of the combatant, then moving to sunder their armor with flurry of blows. He will not stop trying to destroy the combatant’s weapons or armor even at less than 0 health when staggered. Only when the combatant is totally disarmed of weapons and armor will he attack them, using flurry of blows.
CR 2
XP 800
Rustler Rogue 1 Druid 2 (but no spells, kind of it's own thing i made up)
LE medium humanoid (dwarf)
Senses darkvision 60
DEFENSE
AC: 16
Hp: 27
Fort: +4, Ref +7 Will +6
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee masterwork rope noose +6 (1d3 +1 nonlethal), Knife +3 (1d4+1),
Hangman’s Noose, Sneak attack (1d6)
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 12 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 7 Wis 14 Cha 5
Base Atk: +2 CMB +3 (+6 grapple with masterwork rope noose) CMD 14
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rope noose), Undersized Mount
Skills: Handle Animal +4, Ride +8, Swim +5, Profession (Sailor) +6
Languages Common, Dwarven
Hangman’s Noose (Ex)
Maisie “Hangman” Mountainstone can wield a rope noose as a net or whip or lasso, at the same time. Upon a successful hit, she can decide whether or not this applies damage or the entangled condition upon the target.
If the target is entangled Masie can use a standard action, to use the rope noose to grapple, gaining the benefits of Improved Grapple with it. she takes no penalty on combat maneuver checks with the noose for having the noose in his hand, but she still doesn’t add any bonuses he might have with a net or whip (such as weapon enhancement bonuses or benefits from Weapon Focus) on the check. He can spend 1 minute to weave a magical or masterwork net or whip into a noose, thereafter gaining these benefits with it.
Walter
CR 2
XP 800
Animal companion 1
N animal (walrus)
Senses low light vision
DEFENSE
AC: 14
Hp: 26
Fort: +5, Ref +4 Will +2
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft. swim 40ft
Melee gore +3 (1d6 +4)
Combat trained, Riding,
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 14 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 2 Wis 13 Cha 9
Base Atk: +2 CMB +4 CMD 15
Feats: Power Attack, Diehard
Skills: Handle Animal +4, Ride +8, Swim +5,
Languages
BEHAVIOR
Masie will move to the water at the first opportunity, riding upon Walter. She will attempt to entangle, then grapple her opponents at reach and pull them into the ocean. Regardless of whether or not this is possible, Walter will attack at close range.
In single combat: Masie will move into the difficult terrain ocean surrounded by jetsam, reducing Walter’s move to 20 ft.
At sea or camp: Maisie jump off the boat or camp riding Walter, and then will try to pull anyone who Juk has poisoned with his debilitating venom into the sea.
CR 2
XP 800
Grippli Poison Darter Ranger 3
LE Small humanoid (grippli)
Senses darkvision 60
DEFENSE
AC: 16
Hp: 28
Fort: +4, Ref +7 Will +6
Favored Terrain: Water (-1 to initiative)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +0 (1d3 -3)
Ranged blowgun +7 (1d3 + poison), Net +7
Debilitating Venom x6 (DC15, 1d3 dex, 1/round for 4 rounds), Bloodroot x2 (onset 1 round, DC 12, 1 con 1 wis damage, 1/round for 4 rounds)
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 5 Dex 18 Con 12 Int 7 Wis 18 Cha 7
Base Atk: +3 CMB -1 CMD 10
Feats: Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Endurance,
Skills: Climb +8, Knowledge Arcana +1, Knowledge Geography +6 (untrained), Perception +6, Profession (Sailor) +8, Stealth +6, Survival +6, Swim +4,
Languages Common, Grippli
BEHAVIOR
On ship or camp: Do not assume all his debilitating venoms are prepared. Juk will locate a sage and attempt to put them out of commission using his poisons. He will then begin to target those who have been dis-armored by “Snapper”
Single combat: Juk will attempt to challenge any sages he sees. Juk will have prepared all his debilitating venoms for this battle. Juk will throw a net, then begin making his way to the wall while shooting his dex poison at the enemy until it takes. If the enemy is a sage, and the dex poison has taken hold, then he’ll start using an appropriate poison targeting their casting ability score. If they are not a sage, he will just shoot debilitating venom darts at his enemy until he runs out. He will drag anyone unable to move to the water and have them drown.
CR 2
XP 800
Goblin Acrobat Unchained Rogue 3
LE Small humanoid (goblin)
Senses darkvision 60
DEFENSE
AC: 19 Touch 16, Flat Footed 12
Hp: 19
Fort: +1, Ref +9 Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged repeating crossbow +8 (1d8)
Sneak attack (+2d6)
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 8 Dex 22 Con 10 Int 7 Wis 10 Cha 5
Base Atk: +2 CMB +2 CMD 17
Feats: Roll with it, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Repeating Crossbow)
Skills: Acrobatics +18, Climb +18 Swim +6
Languages Common, Goblin
BEHAVIOR
At sea or camp: Gerbo will hold back and take potshots at enemies.
In single combat: Gerbo will refuse to take on any sages or characters who look proficient in ranged weapons, instead opting to take on the melee fighters, even challenging them directly. Gerbo will try to stay as far as he can from the other combatant. If he does get attacked, he’ll use his roll with it ability to attempt to negate any damage taken, and move as far from his enemy as possible.
CR 2
XP 800
Catfolk Bounty Hunter Slayer 3
LE Medium humanoid (catfolk)
Senses low-light vision
DEFENSE
AC: 17
Hp: 20
Fort: +3, Ref +8 (+10 when using catnip) Will +1
Sprinter: +10 speed
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee two claws +8/+9 (1d4/+1)
Studied Target, Dirty Trick, Sneak attack(+1d8)
Catnip (-1 to initiative and +2 to reflex saves)
STATISTICS
Stats: Str 10 Dex 20 Con 10 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 10
Base Atk: +3 CMB +8 (+9 when replacing sneak attack damage) CMD +15
Feats: Agile Maneuvers, Extra Slayer Talent
Skills: Acrobatics +13,
Languages Common, Catfolk
BEHAVIOR
Jasper will always use acrobatics when moving through threatened squares. He will also consume a dose of catnip before battle.
At sea or camp: Jasper will attempt to get flanking on any designated target. If he can not get flanking, he will attempt to blind targets to deliver a sneak attack during his next attack. Do not assume Jasper has studied the target.
In single combat: It is safe to assume Jasper has taken a move action to study his target during single combat. Jasper will use a blinding dirty trick before every attack and try to sneak attack his foes. His second sneak attack will always be another attempt to blind opponents with dirty trick. If foes are not currently blinded, he’ll run (use withdraw and the +10 speed to get out of there) and try to blind you from range, before moving back in to strike.
CR 1
XP 400
NE Small humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
Aura spatio-temporal reversal (20 ft., Will DC 11)
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 size)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will -1
Defensive Abilities damage reversal
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee morningstar +1 (1d6)
Ranged javelin +2 (1d4)
STATISTICS
Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 10
Feats Alertness
Skills Perception +5, Ride +5, Sense Motive +1, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Languages Goblin
Gear studded leather armor, morningstar, 3 javelins
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Damage Reversal (Ex)
When struck by any attack that would normally damage the nilbog, it actually gains hit points equal to the damage the attack would have otherwise dealt. A nilbog gains any extra hit points above its normal total as temporary hit points, though it can never have more than twice its normal hit points. (Excess hit points are simply lost.). The nilbog can only be damaged through the use of curative magic and effects (cure light wounds and healing potions, for instance). Curative magic deals damage equal to the amount it would normally heal.
Spatio-Temporal Reversal (Ex)
A nilbog constantly emanates an aura of confusion in a 20-foot-radius. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 11 Will save or be affected as if by a confusion spell (caster level 4th). The save DC is Constitution-based.
Oh and because everyone's been asking about the arena, it's a floatilla on the sea surrounded by the arena walls. Some of it is uneven terrain because it's made of jetsam, but some of it is walkable. A 40 feet circle of it is "ground" consisting of some uneven terrain, surrounded by 10 feet of loose debris which the players can fall into (and uneven terrain for water, causing higher swim checks and lower swim speeds), another 10 feet is a water channel, surrounded by a ring of 5 feet of more loose debris and 5 feet of walkable terrain, which is bordered by the arena wall. Drawbridges lower the combatants onto the walkable inner portion of the arena, raising before the battle has begun. Also there is a net which is pulled taught 15 feet above the arena, so flying isn't especially useful. If the fight takes longer than a minute (10 rounds), the people running the battles will start dropping large numbers of rats into the arena, until about a minute an a half (15 rounds) when they coalesce into a rat swarm. (the arena doubles as the "Camp" in case the players feel up to the challenge of taking them on at once.)