TheSagaContinues

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Well, that last level of NH would not be strictly by the rules. But as the difference is so small I guess it could be OK anyway. Also, those stats are pretty min/maxed. But most of that could be moved around a bit as is needed.

I do really like these NPC builds, but they would be terrifying to encounter at 4th level! Two of them should be a tough but fair encounter for four 4th level PC's per the encounter rules. But I think it is very likely that those would wipe the floor with the PC's.

While it may not be done is it said you couldn't go from heroic levels to non-heroic ones?  Besides that at least I'm generally starting them with 15 point buys and if these characters get "heroic" buys I generally value them at +1 CL because of it.

While I may not really appreciate min/max for PCs when it comes to NPCs I do it so they can punch hard and actually present a challenge to higher level PCs.  I'm sure you've seen the GMs who throw higher level heroic types at PCs and while the CL says it should be a slaughter the PCs often seem to win because the NPC isn't played to the fullest.  My goal with these CL4 Elite Troopers isn't so much to use them against 4th-level heroes but rather against say 7th-12th level heroes who now think "they're too good" to face "weak" troops.

Against your 4th level heroes these certainly have a better BAB than the Soldier 4 although the sample Soldier does have higher DEX.  REF is similar between the two because armor is used as a great balancer otherwise the Soldier would have a small edge there.  Where the NH-ET is really hurting is in that WILL Defense department and while I've got the Soldier4 at WILL 15 the NH-ET is only WILL 11 providing an alternative angle to attack.