Examples of use of creatures

The enemy lurks in shadows
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2023 3:34 pm

Hi all.

Could those of you who have purchased some of the scenarios published by C7 give som examples of how npcs and creatures look stat wise ?

for example the average:
- watchman
- soldier
- Types of Skavens
- Orcs
- etc

Thank you in advance
macd21
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:28 am

The level of detail given to NPCs in adventures varies a lot. While there'll always be a full Attribute stat line (WS, BS etc), some NPCs get all the skills and talents appropriate for their career(s), while others will only get skills the writer deemed important (usually the combat focused one - you'll need to know what a goblin's Melee (Basic) is, but probably not what his Lore (Theology) might be). I think there's been a shift towards more complete stats in later products. There's no set rule for NPC generation, but I think the trend has been for "average" NPCs to get about 10 advances in their "career" skills (ie warrior-types will usually get ten advances in Melee (Basic)), along with 5 to 10 advances in "career" attributes.

The Horned Rat Companion has stats for a bunch of different Skaven types. I think there's about 4 different types of clanrat (for different Skaven Clans). They generally have a WS + Melee Basic of about 45 (though one instead has Ranged: Blackpowder 45, with Melee Basic of 40, I think), along with a smattering of other skills and talents. There's also various other Skaven archetypes, like assassins. In one of the Enemy Within adventures, "Skaven Warriors" have a Melee (Basic) of 50.

Another example of an "average" creature would be the Forest Goblin Skirmisher in the Cluster Eye Tribe supplement: Dodge 55, Perception 40, Ranged (Bow) 50, Ride (Spider) 65, the Flee! and Marksman Talents.
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2023 3:34 pm

Thx macd21.

How about creatures such as spiders, how are skills hanlded fo rthem. Im looking in the Imperial Zoo and wondering.
It would have been nice if the developers had been a bit more explicit or had tested some it for balance. When I look at the Arachnarok spider Im thinking that 4 soldiers (early lvl 2 soldier career) could take it out. They would have around 60 in melee and get +40 for outnumbering. The poor beast only has 55 in WS. of course it gets 4 SL for size, but it is attacked 4 times... So if it doesnt get an advantage early on or ambushes, I think it will have a hard time with just 4 soldiers.
The WS for most creatures would in my mind be suiting for 2nd edition, but nok 4th.
macd21
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:28 am

Yes, you can add stats to creatures like spiders. There’s a few examples of that in the Imperial Zoo (take a look at Ol’ Gribbleback on page 19, compared to the base Razorgor).

I think you might also be underestimating the base Arachnarok, however. The outnumbering modifiers are very powerful in 4E, yes, and a lot of people find that it’s too easy to overwhelm individual creatures, no matter how powerful they are. That said, note that the Arachnarok will be causing Terror, which could cripple the Soldiers. It has 136 Wounds and Toughness + Armour of 7, so it will take a lot of hits. It can’t be pinned in combat, so it can charge back and forth as it likes. Its hits will have the Impact quality, and damage will be multiplied x3, and trying to block its attacks will be at -6 SL, so the soldiers better have good Dodge! And if it hits it can attack another opponent (Deathblow rule).

So a typical encounter between an Arachnarok and 4 Soldiers would be for the Soldiers to be terrified or fearful, then the Arachnarok charges (gaining advantage), probably hitting (as the Soldier has to Dodge rather than use Melee (Basic), then quite possibly killing or crop him in one hit. And then it attacks again and again, as long as it keeps hitting (and as it gains advantage with each hit…). The first round of combat could easily result in all 4 soldiers downed, and even if some survived there’s a decent chance they’ll be Broken.
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