Murderous Marauder

Murderous Marauder (CR 27)

Pure Evil - Medium - Humanoid


Lore:	Know (Local)
51		72
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

50


Perception:
55	+45
Passive	Active

Ambush:

7+

on a d20

Lore Notes: Identifies as an equal-CR Constituent if lore check is failed

Senses:

Standard Senses
Low-Light Vision
Bandits can, if the GM wishes, be assigned special senses based upon their original Race. For simplicity, they are assigned a basic Low Light capability to represent their 'average' sight.

Movement Types:

Walk 60 ft.
Greater Flight 60 ft.
Lesser Swim 40 ft.
Bandits can, if the GM wishes, be assigned special movement types based upon their original Race. For simplicity, they are assigned a basic Walk, Swim, and Flight capability to represent their 'average' movement abilities, to represent the magical devices they have stolen or looted over their long careers of evil.

Defense

AC

54

Man Def

57

Monster Health
2,489	1,244	54
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+30
Refl:	+25
Will:	+25

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense


Size:	Medium
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+38

Man Off

+47

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

1x Hacking Attack +38 (6d8+48/19-20 x2)
as hacking (physical, uncommon)

Full Attack (Melee):

3x Hacking Attack +38 (6d8+48/19-20 x2)
as hacking (physical, uncommon)

Standard Attack (Ranged):

1x Throwing Axes +38 (6d8+48/19-20 x2)
as hacking (physical, uncommon)
(Increment: 100 ft.; Max Range: 500 ft.)

Full Attack (Ranged):

3x Throwing Axes +38 (6d8+48/19-20 x2)
as hacking (physical, uncommon)
(Increment: 100 ft.; Max Range: 500 ft.)

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

36

STR

32

DEX

36

CON

30

INT

18

WIS

36

CHA

Skills:

Bluff: 50
Knowledge (Local): 50
Might: 50
Movement: 45
Perception: 45
Sleight of Hand: 50
All other skills: 40 (no ranks)

Languages: Common

Feats:

Special Abilities

Pass For Normal (Ex) Varies

Bandits in a civilized location may attempt to Pass For Normal. That is, they do not look like monsters, they look like civilized citizens. They may make a Bluff check of a d20 plus their Bluff skill (see above), and the DC for any attempts to discern that they are Bandits uses the result of that skill roll as the DC. Much like invisibility, Pass For Normal assumes that an active perception roll is required to even make a check. Much like stealth, once combat begins and they make attacks, it is immediately obvious that they are Bad Guys. However, if a Lore check to discern what they are is attempted and failed, they will still identify as mere Constituents.

Murderous Marauders often use this ability to set up trade agreements and make territorial deals or treaties with their neighboring civilized states...at least until those states get wise to the utter unfairness and brutality of deals made with such monsters.

Brutal Kick-Down (Ex) Free if have a Flank

If two or more Bandits have a flank on an enemy creature, and at least one of them is adjacent to that creature, each of the adjacent Bandits may, as a free action, roll a Subdual attempt against their target by attempting a Sleight of Hand skill check versus their target's Maneuver Defense. Bandits frequently want to take victims alive for various bad reasons. Note that if successful, this subdual roll inflicts their normal Hacking Attack damage as well.

Pepper Pot (Su) Swift Action

Bandits often have special alchemical brews they use in their attacks. One of the most common ones is their nasty Pepper Pots, brewed from all manner of stinging, choking, and vile plants and herbs and animal ingredients.

When used, the Bandit chooses a square within 50 feet of their space to toss a pot of brew into. This square must not be blocked, and they must have line of sight and line of effect, but they can throw a Pepper Pot into the space of an enemy, and frequently do so. There is no scatter chance or roll to-hit, as it does not do immediate damage.

Once they affect their target square, that square and all squares within fifteen feet of it (a 7x7x7 space) are filled with a dense white cloud of stinging vapor that blocks line of sight. This is an obscuring effect and can be removed by dispersing effects. Any creature that enters the area of effect or ends their turn within the area of effect of a Pepper Pot, suffers 6d10+66 points of acid (energy, common) damage.

Pepper Pots do not stack: throwing them so they overlap does not increase the effect, but can re-fill squares that have been dispersed.

Pepper Pots are subject to removal by Dispersing effects, to include:

Elbow Smash (Ex) Swift Action

As a swift action, against an adjacent enemy, a Murderous Marauder may make an Elbow Smash attempt. Elbow Smash is resolved as a Shield Bash attempt, even though Bandits frequently don't even have shields, which is why they use their elbows, instead.

The Bandit rolls their Might skill added to a D20 against the maneuver Defense of their victim. If they succeed, they inflict their normal Hacking Attack damage, and the target gains the Jostled condition, or if made by 5 or more, the Rattled condition.

Note that if they have a flank they may also attempt a Brutal Kick-Down as well, which can make bandits seem like flailing amateurish combatants...unless you're the one getting flogged by their fighting style.

A Dash of Nails (Su) Swift Action 1/Enc

Another of the alchemical nasties that Bandits of this might have access to is a nail that multiplies itself. Vicious Reavers use this both to attack enemies and cover their escape from a battle.

If they are attacked from range, some Vicious Reavers will use their Dash of Nails abilty to hurl their alchemical nail into the midst of their foes. They choose a square to which they have line of effect, although line of sight is not required. When the nail lands, that square and all squares within 20 feet of that square (a 9x9x9 square space) are filled with a hurricane flurry of buzzing, sharp, deadly nails. All enemy creatures in this area of effect will suffer 6d10+66 points of spindling (physical, rare) damage. A reflex saving throw made against a DC of 37 will reduce this damage by half.

Far worse, after A Dash of Nails has been used, all squares in the area of effect which have a surface suitable for a Walk or Climb move is considered difficult terrain, as razor-sharp nails are sticking out of everything solid. This effect persists until the end of the encounter unless Dispelled or otherwise removed.

Murderous Marauder

Bandits are monsters, whose awfulness is made all the worse by the fact that they are usually drawn from the 'civilized' races. Humans, Barani, Ifrit, Oreads, Vanx, Dwarves, all these races and more, born and raised in the gentle refinement of the 'Civil', can fall until they are little more than beasts wearing a skin. Yes, you will often find Orcs, Gnolls, Goblins, even Ogres and some Giants among bandits, but usually, always, the majority are drawn from races with the Spark.

Bandits can be found in the wilds and hinterlands, preying upon all others, but they especially delight in falling upon their former brethren and attack outposts of civilization, such as farms, trading posts, and the like.

Even worse, since many Bandits come from the civilized races, it is discouragingly common to find bandits operating right in the heart of Civilization, as humanoid Bandits can 'clean up' and pass for respectable people for at least a while. It is sadly common for settlements to find their gates thrown wide open in the middle of the night as infiltrating bandits kill the gate guards and allow in their entire band of monsters. Such nights of bloody murder, vile rapine, and wanton looting and burning are too terrible to describe, and are the reason that bandits are usually hunted by the Guard, and often adventurers, without falter, hesitation, or remorse.

Many Bandits have short, violent careers, and are expunged from the world promptly and thoroughly. Unfortunately, Bandits, since they come from the Civil Races, still have the ability to advance and learn, even if their craft is as a horrible thief and murderer. After a band of Bandits have gained a good amount of notoriety, fled a pogrom or two, and escaped from a few bands of adventurers, they eventually get better at their vile trade.

Indeed, after a few years of surviving and excelling at the terrible craft of reaving, some Bandits even start to get ambitions to political power, and set up bandit fiefdoms, examples of the rudest sort of feudal strong-arming. The most powerful and skilled of these awful brigands actually can get Bandit Kingdoms up and running in a terribly dysfunctional and brutal fashion, but one that makes a lot of money and causes a lot of suffering. From these wretched feudal nightmare states they set out with skulking cruelty, and these highly-skilled and deadly bandits are collectively called Murderous Marauders.

But no matter their title, all Bandits are irredeemable monsters. If they ever had the Spark, they lost it, or sold it, or killed it. They have to be killed in order to stop them.

Combat Tactics

All Bandits love setting ambushes, and Murderous Marauders are no exception. They will frequently attempt ambushes in the wild, or on roadways, or in back alleys, or in sewers, or in a dungeon hallway, or in an abandoned ruin, or, or, or.... If Bandits are encountered in a running engagement, they will immediately use Pepper Pots to stop enemies from shooting at them, and will then close to the edge of the cloud and attack enemies rushing them.

Marauders carry several advanced Pepper Pots with them, that only damage their enemies. They will throw them frequently during battles to keep things nice and close. Marauders are dangerous at any range, but they especially revel in their Brutal Kick-Down and Elbow Smash abilities, and lots of Pepper Pots are a good way to keep battles nice and tight, just the way they like them.

Murderous Marauders will also typically throw a Dash of Nails or two as well, both to damage their foes and convert the terrain inside their Pepper Pot clouds into difficult terrain, just to make things more difficult. Marauders have a better version of Dash of Nails which only targets their enemies, so they will use them without hesitation. In all cases, they will always try and save at least one or two Dash of Nails to the end of a fight, to help cover their escape along with Pepper Pots if they have to do so.

In battle, bandits fight well. Murderous Marauders will always try to set up flanks so they can roll their savage Brutal Kick-Down ability, both for the extra damage they may inflict, and to catch some victims. Bandits are not slavers, but they often have....uses....for captives, and they may sell used up captives to actual slavers like Hobgoblins or Aranea. In all cases, they will throw an Elbow Smash every round if they are adjacent to a foe, and this is one reason why Murderous Marauders prefer to ambush and close with their prey, as a lucky set of rolls can put even tough warriors into a dire place quickly. If a Murderous Marauder sees an opportunity to hit many enemies with a Dash of Nails they will often do so, especially if there is a highly mobile foe making life difficult.

Bandits are remorseless and vicious, but not stupid. If a fight is going badly they will try to use Pepper Pots and A Dash of Nails to leave, promptly. Pursuing Bandits into a stinging cloud of acidic vapor while getting shredded by nails and dealing with difficult terrain is no fun. If they are in a city, this is often very effective, their good Knowledge Local skill allowing them to seemingly vanish. If they manage to flee, they do NOT award experience or loot, as the eradication of Bandits is of critical importance.

Out of Combat

Bandits are civilized people who have Gone Very Wrong. Whether through bad luck, bad choices, curses, or sheer evil selfishness, Bandits have managed to lose their Spark of Civility, casting themselves down into the ranks of the irredeemable monsters that infest the world. If the GM wishes to run a slightly less bleak view of banditry, sprinkling in a few Constituents to represent the more redeemable sorts in a band of these vile criminals is possible, but a Bandit is not generally a Robin Hood type, they are more usually sociopathic, violent, and cannibalistic.

Bandits can be run as 'generic humans', or, they can be inventively described, with Goblin Bandits having the Tiny Pattern, ogres the Giant pattern, and various specialists with Sneak, Killer, Leader, or Heavy roles to make them much more interesting.

Murderous Marauders have set up some sort of a darkly majestic Bandit Kingdom, often magically hidden, from which they are launching their attacks, and when they get such political ambitions is when Bandits finally realize, belatedly, the value of allies. Marauders can be found in all sorts of unlikely places, and Murderous Marauders have even been known to field armies and join wars with their allies, both civilized and monstrous, although they are usually treacherous.

In all cases, bandits are terrible monsters, as bad as any Orc or Gnoll, regardless of how they were born.

Rewards

XP: 3,280,000

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 591,769 gp.

Weight: 270 lbs. Volume: 10.8 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)

Murderous Marauder

Murderous Marauder (CR 27)

Defense

Offense

Statistics

Special Abilities

Murderous Marauder

Combat Tactics

Out of Combat

Rewards

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