MIRACLE MAX: (opening a small window in the door) What? What?
INIGO: Are you the Miracle Max who worked for the King all those years?
MIRACLE MAX: The King's stinking son fired me. And thank you so much for bringing up such a painful subject. While you're at it, why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it? We're closed!
Miracle Max shuts the window. Inigo & Fezzik rap on the door.
MIRACLE MAX: (opening the window) Beat it or I'll call the Brute Squad.
FEZZIK: I'm on the Brute Squad.
MIRACLE MAX: (looking at the Giant) You are the Brute Squad.
...from "The Princess Bride"
Welcome back, Good Readers, to my series on large mobs as creatures for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. Last time, we looked at Angry Villagers. This time, we'll be taking a look at large groups of annoying thugs and guards that like to pester heroes just when they're managing to make some progress. I speak of: Brute Squads.
Brute Squads are useful in several different types of encounters, although you'll probably find they're most appropriate in a community (city, town, village, etc.) encounter of some kind. Brute Squads can represent any large group of armed humanoids. They can be used as local militia, aggressive press gangs, hunting posses, or even entire gangs of street thugs. While they can probably be managed pretty well at lower tiers, epic Brute Squads can sweep an entire town into a frenzy of violence.
Hmmm...that reminds me. I wonder if there should be a mechanic that allows Brute Squads to spawn Angry Villagers...
In any event, I present to you -- The Brute Squad!
As you'll read on the stat blocks, when a Brute Squad is brought down to 0 hit points, it disperses into a number of Dejected Thugs. Here are the stats for the appropriately tiered Dejected Thugs:
Join me after the Independence Day weekend, and I'll wrap up this little series with a creepy group of humanoids that are just dying to tell you about their salvation: Cultist Fanatics!
Until next time...
Game excellently with one another.
Loving these! Sounds stats and, more importantly, flavorful :)
ReplyDeleteI have an encounter in the adventure I'm planning that requires several floods of vampire spawn. With a bit of tweaking, I think your brute squad might fit nicely there.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
@The DM, @Gavin: Thanks, guys! I've really enjoyed working on these. Glad you're finding them useful!
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