Designing challenging and engaging encounters.
0
votes
2answers
92 views
How to challenge a high DPS party [closed]
I could use some ideas for one of my current games.
The Background
I need assistance challenging a party of 12th level characters in a Pathfinder game. The full party (and role is as follows)
...
32
votes
7answers
1k views
What do you do when a player intimidates your campaign boss to surrender?
So my players recently fought a big bad campaign boss. The (custom made) boss was a kind of solo beserker king, and the encounter difficulty was designed to be fairly moderate until the boss became ...
11
votes
2answers
448 views
My players almost die in my encounters every time. Does this mean my encounters are too hard?
I'm running my first campaign with three friends. This is the first time any of us have done any table-top role-playing. I'm working the party through the H1: Keep on the Shadowfell campaign using ...
11
votes
2answers
168 views
Reducing a monster below CR 1
There are many instances in Pathfinder and other 3.5 based systems when you might need to reduce a monster below 1 or 1/2. For example, if I'm using a CR 1/2 monster from a 3.5 source in Pathfinder, ...
5
votes
2answers
134 views
How can I gauge the strength of my PCs in Legend?
I've been trying to run Legend on and off lately, and I find myself faced with a frustration. Though I find the Mook rules easy enough to comprehend, I can't seem to create appropriate challenges for ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
How to factor the xp cost of poison/magic weapons into an encounter
I'd like to design a 4E encounter with some monsters using poisoned weapons, but I am a little unsure of how to factor this into the XP budget. The DMG (pg 50) gives the GP cost and level for various ...
12
votes
5answers
299 views
How can I balance an enemy that my players might encounter at different levels?
My story revolves around 8 angels that my players must defeat. The thing is I want them to look for them in no particular order. How can I balance an enemy easily in advance, since they may encounter ...
5
votes
1answer
91 views
Do I need both DMG1 and 2 to create adventures?
I'm working on my first custom campaign for my players (I have previously run modules out of books and Dragon magazine), and I am wondering if I should read both DMG1 and 2 or if it's possible to just ...
4
votes
2answers
78 views
Monsters of Encounter Levels below 1 in Legend
In legend, antagonists/monsters/loot-on-legs are made the exact same way as PC's, though less restricted.
I have always loved hordes in epic fantasy, but the rules make this hard to portray at lower ...
15
votes
2answers
539 views
Creating solo monsters
One thing I haven't found in 4th edition online is a plethora of solo monsters. The idea of these fights are fascinating! Sadly though, all the products in 4th focus on multiple opponent fights (with ...
14
votes
5answers
308 views
As a GM, what aids could I use to create adventure scenes on the spot?
As a GM, many a time I run into a situation that I know nothing of, am not prepared about, and need something, NOW! Maybe it is a freeform adventure and plot was not prepared, maybe I prepared some ...
3
votes
3answers
241 views
Non-magical wilderness (forest) threats
What are some ways that a group of several agile and fit individuals can be (mortally) threatened in a large forest in the autumn? Temperate climate, realistic setting , low magic - I would prefer to ...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
Encounter templates
A standard encounter for a five man party is determined by the formula n + (2/4)
What I don't understand is what I'm supposed to do when the party I'm making the encounter for is level 1.
Let's take ...
6
votes
1answer
190 views
How to balance the numbers and equipment of an encounter in Shadowrun 4E?
I'm having trouble creating NPCs for my game, especially regarding their number and their equipment. Their skill level is ok, but these points are problematic. I know that most of the time, the ...
7
votes
3answers
488 views
Do monsters higher or lower level than the PCs play well in combat?
In D&D 4e, an encounter's XP budget suggests one standard monster of the player's level for each party member.
Does it work well to spend the XP budget on smaller number of high level opponents, ...
