Bandits¶
Behaviors: ambush, rob
Bandits pick a stretch of road, a shipping lane, or a river and take from what passes. They fight for coinand a well-run band strikes fast, takes everything it can carry, and vanishes before the next patrol comes. The lair sits somewhere hard to reach, such as a defensible spot in the countryside, a hidden cove, a keep long abandoned.
A bandit band has a Faction Proficiency Bonus of +2.
Theme: Highway Robbers¶
Bandits who live off travelers and caravans on a road. A rough hideout in the trees, an abandoned house, or an old barn a mile or two off the highway. Weathered timber walls, hay-strewn dirt floor, gaps letting in light. Horse smell, woodsmoke, cheap ale, saddle leather. Dim inside, bright at the entries.
| Faction CR | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (700 XP) | 2 Bandit Squads, 1 Guard Dog Trainer | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard | Main Entry, Watchpost, Bunkhouse, Cache |
| 2 (2,225 XP) | 4 Bandit Squads, 1 Outrunner Squad, 1 Bandit Captain, 1 Guard Dog Trainer | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard | Main Entry, Watchpost, Bunkhouse, Cache, Chief's Quarters, Prisoner Pit |
| 3 (3,675 XP) | 7 Bandit Squads, 2 Outrunner Squads, 1 Bandit Captain, 2 Guard Dog Trainers | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard | Main Entry, Watchpost, Bunkhouse, Cache, Chief's Quarters, Prisoner Pit, Mess Hall, Trophy Room, Stables |
Theme: Pirates¶
Pirates who live off ships at sea and coastal towns. A hidden cove on an unfriendly stretch of coast, or a small island fort a day's sail from any lawful port. Salt air, tar, hemp rope, and driftwood smoke. Gulls, the boom of surf against the rocks, the sound of tide against the hull. Bright on deck by day; lantern-lit below and in the huts by night.
| Faction CR | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1,050 XP) | 2 Deck Watches, 1 First Mate | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard, Ship | Cove Beach, Cache, Lookout Post |
| 2 (2,450 XP) | 3 Deck Watches, 1 Boarding Squad, 1 First Mate, 1 Pirate Captain | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard, Ship | Cove Beach, Cache, Lookout Post, Sheltered Anchorage |
| 3 (3,900 XP) | 5 Deck Watches, 2 Boarding Squads, 2 First Mates, 1 Pirate Captain | Trait: Personality, Origin, Goal, Trouble, Marked Territory, Contacts, Lair Defenses, Hoard, Ship | Cove Beach, Cache, Lookout Post, Barracks, Sheltered Anchorage, Prison Hold |
Details¶
Creatures¶
Bandit Captain (CR 2, 450 XP) — the band's leader, usually found with a Bandit Squad. Bandit Captain stat block. Loot: +1 shortsword, +1 studded leather, plus a signet or medallion the Captain won or stole, 5d10 gp, a marked map of the territory, a personal trophy.
Bandit Squad (CR 2, 325 XP) — the band's basic unit. 1 Ringleader plus 5 Bandits. Loot: 5d10 gp
Boarding Squad (CR 3, 400 XP) — the pirate crew's assault unit for taking a ship or a coastal town. 1 Ringleader plus 8 Bandits. Loot: 5d20 gp, boarding tools (grappling hooks, boarding axes, ropes).
Deck Watch (CR 2, 300 XP) — the ship's watch or shore patrol. 1 Ringleader plus 4 Bandits. Loot: 3d10 gp cache.
First Mate (CR 2, 450 XP) — the pirate captain's second in command. Bandit Captain stat block. Loot: cutlass, brace of daggers, 5d10 gp, the ship's log.
Guard Dog Trainer (CR 1/2, 50 XP) — a Bandit and a Mastiff. Dog has 13 passive Perception and advantage on checks relying on hearing or smell. Loot: 1d6 gp
Outrunner Squad (CR 3, 425 XP) — mounted specialists. 1 Ringleader plus 3 Bandits on Riding Horses. Loot: 4 horses, 3d20 gp.
Pirate Captain (CR 3, 700 XP) — the ship master. Veteran stat block. Loot: +1 cutlass, +1 breastplate, a signet ring or a captured admiral's medallion (150 gp), 5d20 gp, the ship's articles, a marked chart.
Features¶
Personality. Roll d6 or choose.
Highway Robbers:
| 1. Disciplined (order matters; the Captain runs a tight camp). | 2. Desperate (short on food, coin, and time). | 3. Cocky (robs in daylight, keeps trophies). |
| 4. Vicious (kills and leaves examples). | 5. Reluctant (some are recent, would take a way out). | 6. Professional (old pros, contract to fences and buyers). |
Pirates:
| 1. Mercenary (just in it for the gold). | 2. Desperate (recent shipwreck or lost leader; short on food and supplies). | 3. Vicious (kills witnesses; leaves ships adrift and burning). |
| 4. Disciplined (the Captain runs the ship like a navy vessel). | 5. Romantic (thinks himself in a story; keeps a flag, a name, a code). | 6. Professional (letters of marque from a distant power; nominal legitimacy). |
Origin. Roll d6 or choose.
Highway Robbers:
| 1. Discharged militia (a village raised them, then let them go). | 2. Tax rebels (started as protest, turned to living off tolls). | 3. Disbanded mercenaries (a war ended but they didn't). |
| 4. Domestic (locals turned to robbery when a mill or mine closed). | 5. Escaped convicts from a Penal Work Camp (see Fortifications: Penal Work Camp). | 6. Organized (a distant Crime Boss's outfit; the Captain reports to him. See Criminals: Gang). |
Pirates:
| 1. Mutineers (rose against a legitimate captain; can't go home). | 2. Discharged privateers (a war ended, their patron pulled the papers, but they kept the ship). | 3. Escaped convicts from a Penal Work Camp (see Fortifications: Penal Work Camp). |
| 4. Native raiders (a coastal culture that raided by sea long before there were laws about it). | 5. Wrecked crew (a merchant ship put in for repairs that never ended). | 6. Organized (a distant Crime Boss's shipping arm; the Captain reports to him. See Criminals: Gang). |
Goal. Roll d6 or choose.
Highway Robbers:
| 1. One big score, then out. | 2. Dominate this stretch of road. | 3. Raise funds for something specific (a debt, a bribe, a pardon). |
| 4. Protect one specific person (a hostage, a wounded comrade). | 5. Grow into something larger (a Bandit Kingdom). | 6. Waiting for a signal (from a Crime Boss, a rebel lord, an exiled priest). |
Pirates:
| 1. One big haul, then out. | 2. Dominate this stretch of coast. | 3. Raise funds for something specific (a debt, a bribe, a pardon). |
| 4. Free or protect one specific person (a hostage, a family in a coastal town). | 5. Grow into something larger (a Pirate Fleet, a rebel court). | 6. Revenge against a specific enemy (a rival captain, a coastal lord, a merchant house). |
Trouble. Roll d6 or choose.
Highway Robbers:
| 1. The Captain is wounded and can't lead the next raid. | 2. A rival band is muscling in on the same road. | 3. A recent haul went missing; someone in the band is holding out. |
| 4. A local militia has a warrant and knows the hideout is close. | 5. A hostage the band was ransoming has escaped. | 6. A big convoy is coming through and the whole band is arguing over the plan. |
Pirates:
| 1. The Captain is drunk more than sober. | 2. A rival crew has been shadowing them. | 3. The last prize was thin and the crew wants loot now. |
| 4. A navy sloop was seen sailing this stretch of coast. | 5. An important person is held captive and there is a ransom. | 6. A treasure ship is inbound and the crew can't agree what to do. |
Marked Territory. The bandits know their turf. Within the same hex of their lair, they have a 50% chance to spot any approaching group a mile away and have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Contacts. The band keeps two people on the take in the nearest settlement:
- Fence. A Bandit (CR 1/8, 25 XP) who lives openly in the settlement and buys the band's hauls.
- Bribed Sentry. A citizen (a Watch guard, a harbormaster, etc.) paid to look the other way when the band passes and to warn them when someone asks about them.
Lair Defenses. Pick 3 at Faction CR 1, 4 at CR 2, 5 at CR 3. Place into Locations that may host one.
| Defense | Detect | Avoid | Effect | Themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barricade | — | — | Three-quarters cover; a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to climb. | Highway Robbers |
| Concealed Loft | DC 15 Investigation | — | Grants cover and the ability to hide. | Highway Robbers |
| Deadfall Across the Approach | DC 14 Perception | DC 13 Dex save | Falling rocks of logs cause 2d6 bludgeoning and block the trail. Clear the debris takes an hour. | all |
| Decoy Trail | DC 15 Survival | — | A false path leads pursuers to an empty ambush ground or an abandoned camp. Costs a day of pursuit. | all |
| Escape Tunnel | DC 15 Investigation | — | Concealed exit from the hideout. | Highway Robbers |
| False Cache | DC 14 Investigation | — | A decoy that looks looted; the real hoard is at a different Location. | all |
| Hidden Compartment | DC 14 Investigation | — | A smuggler's compartment in the hull or under a floorboard. | Pirates |
| Pit Trap | DC 13 Perception | DC 13 Dex save | 1d6 bludgeoning; prone. | all |
| Snare Trap | DC 13 Perception | DC 14 Dex save | 2d6 piercing; restrained until a DC 15 Strength check to escape. | all |
| Tripwire Bell | DC 13 Perception | DC 10 Dex save | Bell rings; the band is alerted. | all |
Hoard. Place at any Location marked "May have a hoard."
| Faction CR | Coins | Gems | Magic Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1x CR 0-4) | 350 gp | 2 rolls on Bandit Gems | 1 roll on Bandit Magic Items; on a d6 result of 5-6, a second roll |
| 2 (2x CR 0-4) | 600 gp | 5 rolls on Bandit Gems | 2 rolls on Bandit Magic Items; on a d6 result of 5-6, a third roll |
| 3 (3x CR 0-4) | 800 gp | 7 rolls on Bandit Gems | 5 rolls on Bandit Magic Items |
Junk (any hoard). Coach chests, coats and boots taken off travelers, a merchant's account book, a lord's signet ring, a bundle of letters worth blackmail, a scrapbook of coach schedules, personal effects from the last haul. For Pirates: sea chests, cargo from taken ships (spices, silks, salt, oil), a stolen chart, a bottle of wine older than the ship, foreign coins of unfamiliar mint.
Bandit Magic Items. Roll d20 or pick.
| d20 | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Potion of Healing |
| 2 | Potion of Climbing |
| 3 | Potion of Growth |
| 4 | Spell scroll of alarm |
| 5 | Spell scroll of disguise self |
| 6 | Spell scroll of pass without trace |
| 7 | Spell scroll of expeditious retreat |
| 8 | Dust of Disappearance |
| 9 | Cloak of Elvenkind |
| 10 | Boots of Elvenkind |
| 11 | Ring of Water Walking |
| 12 | Ring of Swimming |
| 13 | Wand of Magic Missiles (3 charges) |
| 14 | Wand of Web (3 charges) |
| 15 | Boots of Striding and Springing |
| 16 | Alchemy Jug |
| 17 | Cloak of Protection |
| 18 | +1 shortsword |
| 19 | +1 longsword |
| 20 | +1 studded leather armor |
Bandit Gems. Roll d10 or pick. All entries fit any hoard as a single roll; scale value by rolling more times. See Gems for how color determines affinity in crafting and spell components.
| d10 | Color (School) | Value | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorless (Any) | 10 gp | Milky quartz |
| 2 | Red (Evocation) | 10 gp | Red agate |
| 3 | Blue (Abjuration) | 10 gp | Lapis lazuli |
| 4 | Yellow (Transmutation) | 50 gp | Citrine |
| 5 | Red (Evocation) | 50 gp | Carnelian |
| 6 | Green (Conjuration) | 50 gp | Chrysoprase |
| 7 | Colorless (Any) | 50 gp | Rock crystal |
| 8 | Red (Evocation) | 100 gp | Garnet |
| 9 | Rose (Enchantment) | 100 gp | Coral |
| 10 | Yellow (Transmutation) | 100 gp | Amber |
Ship. The pirate crew's vessel. A single-masted sloop or two-masted brig. Deck with a wheel and a bell, forecastle with a hearth and a bunk row, hold below with cargo and provisions, Captain's Cabin at the stern (chart table, sea chest, hanging cot, a small stove, locked door). Ballistae or oil pots at the rails. Loot: the ship itself, cargo in the hold; the Captain's personal effects, wine and brandy, a bottle of good rum in the Cabin. May have: a hoard.
Locations¶
Barracks. Shore huts where the pirate crew sleeps between voyages. Rows of hammocks or straw pallets; a hearth; personal chests. Loot: personal effects. May have: a hoard.
Bunkhouse. Where the band sleeps. Straw pallets, a hearth, saddle bags, blankets. Boots on the floor. Loot: personal effects. May have: a hoard.
Cache. Where the band hides coin between hauls. A strongbox, a hollow tree stump, a hole in the cliff face, or a chest buried under a shore hut. May have: a Lair Defense; a hoard.
Chief's Quarters. The Bandit Captain's private room. Bed, table, chest, a window on the road. Loot: the Captain's personal effects; a bottle or two of decent wine. May have: a Lair Defense; a hoard.
Cove Beach. The strip of sand between the sea and the pirate crew's shore huts. Longboats pulled up; a barrel of drinking water; a driftwood fire ring. Casks landed from the last cargo raid. Loot: casks and crates on the beach. May have: a Lair Defense.
Lookout Post. The vantage point above the pirate cove or on the cliff. A hut with a cracked spyglass, a lantern for signals, a bell rope for alarms. Loot: the spyglass. May have: a Lair Defense.
Main Entry. The primary way in and out. A door, a trailhead, a plank bridge. Guarded during the day, barred at night. May have: a Lair Defense.
Mess Hall. Where the band eats. Long table, benches, cooking pots. Loot: stores; the kitchen coin (2d20 sp).
Prison Hold. The ship's hold or a shore pit where the pirate crew holds captives. Loot: captives' effects.
Prisoner Pit. A dug out pit or shed where the band holds hostages for ransom or leverage. Loot: prisoners' effects. May have: a Lair Defense.
Sheltered Anchorage. The deep water where the pirate ship rides at anchor. Narrow rocky mouth; a hidden reef makes approach dangerous without a pilot. Ropes across the mouth to slow a chase or a raiding boat; sometimes a chain.
Stables. For the band's horses. Straw, tack, feed. Loot: horses (50 gp each); tack (5 gp per set).
Trophy Room. Where the band displays plunder that isn't worth selling. Weapons on the wall, cloaks on hooks, a coach lantern, a scrapbook of coach schedules. Loot: art and oddments. May have: a hoard.
Watchpost. The lookout perch. A hunter's blind, a tree platform, a rooftop, or the top of a corner tower. Loot: a watchman's kit; a signal horn (10 gp). May have: a Lair Defense.
Mapping¶
Once the band is composed, draw the map with dice.
- Take a d6 for each Location. Drop all dice onto a page. Each die represents where a Location is. Assign the highest die (or one of them) to be the Main Entry.
-
Read each remaining die, and assign a Location to it:
- 5-6: near the entry. Watchpost, Lookout Post, Cove Beach.
- 3-4: the working spaces. Bunkhouse, Barracks, Mess Hall, Cache, Sheltered Anchorage.
- 1-2: the deep interior. Chief's Quarters, Prisoner Pit, Prison Hold, Trophy Room, Stables.
Mark each Location and its depth on the map. 3. Connect the Locations. Every Location has at least one connection. The Main Entry connects to at least one Watchpost or Lookout Post. 4. Place Creatures. Roughly half the Locations hold a creature at any given time. Watchpost / Lookout Post and Chief's Quarters almost always do. If any creatures don't fit, they are assumed to be away raiding, scouting, or patrolling. 5. Place Lair Defenses. Assign each pick from the Lair Defenses table to a Location. 6. Place the Hoard. Assign the hoard to a Location.