Little Thom

Little Thom, Pre-Searing NPC
Nation: Ascalon

Affiliation: Ascalon Army

Little Thom is first seen as a profession trainer for warriors in Barradin's Estate in pre-Searing Ascalon. After the Searing, Farrah Cappo in Piken Square requested help in locating Little Thom with the quest The Red-Cloaked Deserter. He was said to have deserted Ascalon forces being rampaged by Charr.

Quests given

 * The Vineyard Problem

Quests involved in

 * Little Thom's Big Cloak
 * The Red-Cloaked Deserter (post-Searing quest)

Location

 * Pre-Searing Ascalon
 * The Barradin Estate

Dialogue

 * "They call me Little Thom, yar they do. I'm the axe trainer in these parts. Not to brag, but I'm the best there is. The fastest too. What would you like to talk about today?"

Little Thom, Brawler Henchman
Profession: Brawler (Axe Warrior) Armament: Axe and Round Shield

Available for hire as a henchman from Yak's Bend onwards.

Location

 * Shiverpeak Mountains (all towns and outposts)
 * Kryta (all towns and outposts)
 * Maguuma Jungle (all towns and outposts)
 * Crystal Desert (all towns and outposts)
 * Ring of Fire Islands (all towns and outposts)

Skills used


From Dragon's Lair on and in Hard Mode:
 * (Elite) (replaces Sprint)

Evaluation
Little Thom is described as a "Brawler" henchman. He carries an axe and charges into battles as soon as they are initiated. He is most useful to supplement a party lacking in high-damage Warriors. Be aware that if not already fighting, Little Thom immediately engages any enemy that attacks a party member, be it by ranged attacks, spells or melee. This means of course he will very often rush right into the middle of an enemy group, drawing the attention of more enemies. He is also very reluctant to back off an enemy and retreat; you will have to run away quite far before he stops fighting and begins trying to catch up.

Little Thom is a fair alternative to Stefan with higher damage and a little less defensive strength. If you are not a warrior, it may be more effective to take both of them. By taking both they manage to corner enemies and hold their attention better, and of course if one dies you still have another tank to fall back on.

Pros Cons
 * Can take a beating.
 * Deals a fair amount of damage.
 * Can be quite useful against enemies who use a lot of stances because of Wild Blow.
 * Stefan is slightly better defensively.
 * Has same pathing issues as Stefan.
 * Has a little deserter in him. Little Thom (unlike Stefan or Devona) has a tendency to back away if severely damaged to try and heal himself or get healing. He also tends to leave the party each time you enter a town or outpost.
 * Although he gets "Charge!" later in the campaign, he does not use it often.

Dialogue

 * "Don't tell anyone you've seen me. I've got a few "unpaid debts" if you know what I mean. I'm a survivor that's for sure. Word of advice, when I get started you had best stay out of my way, for when I am in the midst of combat I often cleave so mightily that I'll slice through friend only to encounter foe! Or is it the other way around? I forget."

Quotes
Idle quotes in the Shiverpeak Mountains:
 * "Bah! 'Tis colder than an ice beast's rear end, it is!"
 * "I don't know how those wee fellas survive up here."
 * "I'd like to get my hands on a barrel of that Deldrimor grog. 'Tis tasty stuff, I hear."
 * "I've got snow in my boots."
 * "I've had enough snow to last a lifetime, so I have."
 * "Someone ought to build a fire."
 * "That King Jalis is a giant among Dwarves."

Idle quotes in Kryta:
 * "Aye, a wee hut and a wee boat, and I could be happy for the rest of my days."
 * "I'd fancy a little hut on the beach, so I would."
 * "I'll wager the fishing here is excellent. Did you see that beast just off the shore?"
 * "There's something a little off about these White Mantle fellas, is there not?"
 * "To think not so long ago Kryta was the sworn enemy of Ascalon. I never thought to see these lands in peaceful times."

Idle quotes in the Maguuma Jungle:
 * "All manner of beasts have fallen to my axe, but I never thought to battle a plant!"
 * "I've heard tell of druids in this jungle."
 * "Monsters I can take, but these mosquitoes are not to be borne!"
 * "This place is not fit for man or beast."
 * "Those Centaurs are a testy lot, are they not?"

Idle quotes in the Crystal Desert:
 * "I'll wager the dead outnumber the living in this place."
 * "I tell yer, I don't like taking orders from a ghost."
 * "My old granddad used to tell us stories about this place. Tales of lost spirits and treasures untold."
 * "This place has claimed many lives, but it won't have mine, that's certain."
 * "What in Balthazar's name are we doing out here?"

Idle quotes in the Ring of Fire Islands:
 * "I don't like to speak it aloud, but I fear this place is too much even for Little Thom."
 * "I thought the jungle was bad, but I'd take it over this hell hole any day!"
 * "I'm sweatin' like a pig, I am!"
 * "If I never see another volcano again, it'll be too soon."
 * "The sooner we put this place behind us, the better, I say."

Battle quotes:
 * "By the gods, ye'll be sorry ye met Little Thom!"
 * "Come now, don't keep me waiting. My axe is thirsty!"
 * "Foul creatures! Come and meet yer end!"
 * "I'll kill every one a' yer! Twice!"
 * "There's still time to run if you'd not face my axe!"

Trivia

 * Little Thom apparently had a younger brother named Ryan who died in the Searing, as evidenced by a quote he says on occasion (locations unconfirmed, likely around Ascalon):
 * "My little brother died in the Searing. Ryan was his name. Bah! I've something in me eye."

Gate Guard Hollis refers in Barradin's Advance of picking up a deserter which links with Farrah Cappo's remarks in the quest Red Cloaked Deserter
 * A quest NPC, Sergeant Clark, looks almost identical to Little Thom.


 * Almost certainly a reference to Little John.