From publisher blurb:
Gruesome Gangs is an exciting Pathfinder Roleplaying Game® compatible product line providing the Game Master with a collection of non-player characters (NPCs) designed to work together from the perspective of backstory, game mechanics, or both. The groups are presented at different Challenge Ratings to increase their utility for multiple gamers. In addition, this allows player characters (PCs) to encounter one of these groups early in a campaign and then again after both teams have gained experience with minimal extra work for the Game Master!
If the entire team is unsuitable for inclusion in the campaign at the time, then NPC stat blocks can be used individually as needed. A mixed approach can also be interesting. By introducing a single foe into the campaign, this product gives a number of friends or allies that foe could call upon after running afoul of the PCs! This gives the Game Master a ready-made answer to who would the NPC go to for assistance, or even who would come to avenge his death at the hands of the PC party!
Using This Product
This product presents the overall history of the NPC team as well as the backstory for each individual member of the gang.
Each NPC has four stat blocks (CR 4, CR 9, CR 14, and CR 19) demonstrating his progression and growth over time. As a visual indicator, the color of the name bar designates which stat blocks from each NPC are of equivalent Challenge Rating along with the CR text.
Composition
Each gang is comprised of multiple members which can include a mixture of races, class levels, and templates. This section helps the Game Master compare different gangs’ capabilities and make-up at a glance without having to review each stat block.
Team Members
Doblok Blackscale – LE male kobold
Garn Scanlon – LE male kobold
Kenina Sera – NE female gnome
Mardig Flusterfoot – LE male halfling
Yerba Rek – LE female kobold
Team Summary
Every one of this vicious team of murderers and assassins is a member of a small race. Their size and training makes them remarkably skilled at stealth and infiltration. However, their size puts them at a disadvantage against many foes in a straight battle. To compensate, this team excels in deception and traps. They attack from ambush after preparing the battlefield with pits, snares, bombs, and other hazards to sway the tide in their favor. They utilize ranger trapper abilities alongside sorcerous conjurations and alchemical explosives and poisons to setup these perils.
This team is primarily comprised of kobolds, and they bring their devastating knowledge of traps. However, to function within civilized lands, they are joined by a pair of assassins: an enchantment-spinning gnome and a halfling monk. These two handle the social aspects of their trade while their unseen allies construct trap-riddled escape routes and ambush zones.