Troop (D&D creatures)

Just as a mob represents a wild and dangerous crowd, a troop represents an organized group acting in unison. Like a mob, a troop is very dangerous, but unlike a mob its actions have direction and purpose.

A troop is treated as a single entity similar to a swarm, except that it is made of larger creatures. A troop can be composed of Small or Medium creatures, but all the individual creatures must be of the same type. A troop that incorporates a crowd of goblin wolfriders and a crowd of humans is best modeled by two separate troops. You can use the following template to create specific types of troops.

"Troop" is an acquired template that can be added to any Small or Medium construct, elemental, humanoid, outsider, or undead. A troop can incorporate any riding animals used by such creatures. The statistics of the mounts are ignored, except when determining speed.

A troop is deliberately formed and requires a degree of training and organization beforehand, as well as at least a few minutes of actually ordering ranks and such. Unintelligent creatures must be under the direct control of intelligent creatures in order to form troops. A troop uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: A troop is a Gargantuan creature composed of twenty-four creatures. The troop’s type remains unchanged from the base creature.

Hit Dice: A troop has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points. Troops have ten times the hit points and Hit Dice of the base creature. Reducing a troop to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Troops are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage.

Speed: A troop’s speed is 10 feet slower than that of the base creature. If the base creature is mounted, use the mount’s speed.

Armor Class: As the base creature, with a +4 troop bonus. Ignore the Troop’s -4 size modifier.

Base Attack: Do not use the base attack bonus of the troop as a whole; instead the troop attacks using the attack bonus of the base creature, with a +4 troop bonus. A troop never receives additional attack because of high base attack bonus.

Grapple: Do not use the base attack bonus of the troop as a whole; instead the troop grapples using the grapple bonus of the base creature, with a +4 troop bonus.

Attack/Full Attack: The troop a number of attacks depending on how the base creature is armed. A normal troop has six attacks each round. Add a number of additional attacks based on the following table. All modifiers are cumulative. Troops cannot effectively fight with two weapons or double weapons.

Base creature is small +3 attacks
Reach weapons +3 attacks
Light weapons +3 attacks
Piercing weapons +3 attacks
Missile Weapons +3 attacks
Multiple identical natural attacks +3 attacks

If a troop uses several different sets of weapons, it might have a different number of attacks with each set. All troop attacks in a given round must use the same set of weapons.

Space/Reach: 20 feet/10 ft. Larger troops are represented by multiples of single troops. Troops armed with reach weapons do not have reach; the effect of reach weapons is included in the number of attacks.

Attack Options: Troops gain the following attack options.
Expert Grappler (Ex): A troop can maintain a grapple without penalty and still make attacks against other targets (normally, attacking other targets while grappling imposes a –20 penalty on grapple checks). A troop is never considered flat-footed while grappling. Pounce (Ex): A troop can charge and still make a full attack.
Multiple Opportunities (Ex): Each time a troop makes an attack of opportunity, it can use its normal number of attacks.
Troop Anatomy (Ex): Troops are made up of relatively small numbers of individual creatures, so spells or effects that target specific numbers of creatures can have an effect on a troop. Each specific creature that is slain, disabled, or otherwise incapacitated by spells or effects that target specific creatures inflicts damage to the troop equal to the hit points of the base creature. Effects that affect single creatures which do not incapacitate as above have no effect.
Although troops are treated as one creature, it sometimes becomes necessary to determine the fate of a specific individual caught up in the troop. If a troop is dispersed by nonlethal attacks, there are no casualties. If the troop is dispersed by lethal attacks, assume that 30% of its number are slain and 30% are reduced to 0 hit points. To determine a specific individual’s fate, simply roll d%: a result of 01–30 indicates death, 31–60 indicates the victim is reduced to 0 hit points, and a roll of 61–100 indicates the victim escapes relatively unscathed.

Saves: A troop’s saving throws are recalculated based on its new hit dice. A troop makes saving throws as a single creature.

Abilities: A troop’s abilities are the same as the base creature.

Skills: Same as the base creature; do not recalculate based on the troop’s new Hit Dice, but do include modifiers for changes in size and speed.

Feats: Same as the base creature; do not recalculate based on the troop’s new Hit Dice.

Organization: Solitary, platoon (2-4), battalion (5-10), or army (11-200). Troops are often accompanied by leaders and officers of the same size as the base creature, who can occupy the same space as the troop because of the size difference. Challenge Rating: As base creature +6. Advancement: As base creature. Level Adjustment: —.

Sample Troops

The following statistics blocks, presented in a new format.

Elven Warband (Troop of Elven warrior 1) CR 5

CG Gargantuan humanoid (troop of Medium elves)
Init +2; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2
Languages Common, Elven
AC 20 (+2 Dex, +3 studded leather, +1 light shield, +4 troop) touch 15, flat-footed 18
Hp 35 (10 HD)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee 6 Longswords +6 (1d8+1/19-20)
Ranged 12 longbows +8 (1d8/×3)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +5; Grp +6
Atk Options expert grappler, pounce, multiple opportunities
Abilities Str 13, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
SQ elf traits, troop anatomy
Feats Weapon Focus (longbow)
Skills Hide -10, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2

Veteran Cohort (Troop of Human warrior 3) CR 8

LN Gargantuan humanoid (troop of Medium humans)
Init +4; Senses Listen -1, Spot -1
Languages Common
AC 22 (+4 chain shirt, +4 wall shield, +4 troop) touch 14, flat-footed 22
Hp 166 (30 HD)
Fort +18, Ref +10, Will +10
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee 12 Shortsword +7 (1d6+1/19-20)
Ranged 9 Javelin +6 (1d6+1)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +7; Grp +8
Atk Options expert grappler, pounce, multiple opportunities
Abilities Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 9
SQ troop anatomy, wall shield
Feats Weapon Focus (short sword), Weapon Focus (javelin), Improved Initiative
Skills Climb -5, Jump -9

Dwarf Elite Pickmen (Troop of dwarf warrior 4) CR 9

LG Gargantuan humanoid (troop of Medium dwarfs)
Init +4; Senses Listen 0, Spot +3
Languages Common
AC 27 (+8 masterwork full plate, +2 masterwork heavy shield, +4 troop, +3 phalanx) touch 17, flat-footed 27
Hp 300 (40 HD)
Fort +24, Ref +15, Will +14
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares)
Melee 12 Light pick +10 (1d4+1/x4)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +8; Grp +10
Atk Options expert grappler, pounce, multiple opportunities
Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
SQ troop anatomy, darkvision (60 ft), dwarf traits
Feats Weapon Focus (light pick), Phalanx Fighting, Hold the Line
Skills Climb +3, Spot +3

Air Elemental Horde (Troop of medium air elementals 4) CR 8

N Gargantuan elemental (troop of Medium air elementals)
Init +9; Senses Listen +3, Spot +4
Languages Auran
AC 22 (+5 Dex, +3 natural, +4 troop), touch 19, flat-footed 17
Hp 260 (40 HD)
Fort +15, Ref +27, Will +14
Speed Fly 90 ft. (perfect) (18 squares)
Melee 6 Slam +12 (1d6+1)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +7; Grp +8
Atk Options expert grappler, pounce, multiple opportunities, air mastery, whirlwind
Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
SQ Troop anatomy, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits
Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Skills Listen +3, Spot +4