Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jonthegm 04-28-05, 02:55 AM	Ok, I've gone from not having enough people to too many people (Oh dear, what a problem to have!) They're a good group (well, at least 6 good ones and 3 not bad ones) and well focused. I'm trying to get the hang of what a "balanced" encounter for them would be, and I'm going to be throwing their first major combat at them next session. Since the negotiations were done rather poorly, the group ended up with a human guide through the Lizardfolk infested Q'Barra. They'll find themselves accidentally walking into a Lizardfolk holy site, and will be acted against accordingly. So... the players in this little play: the PCs (all level 2) Human Fighter (Deneith) Human Sorcerer Human Fighter/Artificer Halfling Cleric (Jorasco) Human Monk Human Monk/Rogue Human Rogue Warforged Fighter/Barbarian (muuuunchie!) Human Fighter The Lizardfolk 4 Warriors (melee specced) (CR2) 2 Warriors (ranged specced) (CR2) 1 Sorcerer with a wand of glitterdust. (CR3) By the RAW, this is an EPL of 4.3 versus a CR of 7.4, but I'm afraid it'll be either way too easy, or way too hard.
Makabriel 04-28-05, 08:23 AM	It'll be too easy. Your meleers will be able to double team your badguys way too easily One thing you can add to assist you is the terrain. Lots of nooks and crannies, or debris. In a wide open area, your players will have no problem double teaming (flanking) your badguys. Make sure that their angles of attacks are limited. Your archers will most likely be firing into combat, so make sure they have feats or gear that will help with that. Always hit them hard in the beginning. It's more worthwhile for them to barely make it through starting off tough, then to start easy and try to make it challenging with half your NPCs dead. It's also easier to start "fudging rolls" in the end of the battle...
Twinblades 04-28-05, 09:01 AM	I definitely agree with Makabriel - in a straight fight your lizardmen will be hard pressed to last a couple of rounds - especially if the party does well in the initiative. The Warforged will probably be capable of one-hit kills, especially if raged, and if he gets anywhere near the sorceror in the first round it'll be game over. My advice would be to "prepare" the battlefield. Ensure the sorceror and archers have cover and good lines of retreat. Maybe scatter the area with traps - not necessarily damaging ones but entangling nets or pits that'll hamper PC movement. The sorceror could be standing directly behind a spiked pit or similar - which would buy him a round to hit back and escape. Why would a group of lizardmen take on a (presumably) well equipped party that outnumbers them on their own turf unless they had some aces up their sleeves? As Makabriel says - hit them hard at the start of the encounter then let them fight their way back into the battle. The point about being able to "fudge" rolls towards the end of combat is well made - you can always cut the PCs a bit of slack if the fight's going badly for them, or even "roll" the odd critical hit if things need spicing up a bit.
Gurv 04-28-05, 09:15 AM	By the RAW, this is an EPL of 4.3 versus a CR of 7.4, but I'm afraid it'll be either way too easy, or way too hard. I got an EL of 7.8, but that's splitting hairs. I'm with everyone else. This encounter will keep the busy for a few rounds, maybe burn some resources, but not for long. Circumstances, IMO, is what makes encounters easy or hard, memorable or not. In a grassy field, this will be a simple enough encounter, as has been said before. But if the lizardfolk are on their swampy home turf, with deeper pools that they can dive into and get away from slower swimmers, then things could change entirely. If it is their holy site, then they know the terrain well and should make use of that knowledge. Cover, concealment, deep water, etc. Why do they have a sorcerer instead of a druid, if they are at a holy site?
jonthegm 04-28-05, 03:23 PM	I got an EL of 7.8, but that's splitting hairs. I'm with everyone else. This encounter will keep the busy for a few rounds, maybe burn some resources, but not for long. Circumstances, IMO, is what makes encounters easy or hard, memorable or not. In a grassy field, this will be a simple enough encounter, as has been said before. But if the lizardfolk are on their swampy home turf, with deeper pools that they can dive into and get away from slower swimmers, then things could change entirely. If it is their holy site, then they know the terrain well and should make use of that knowledge. Cover, concealment, deep water, etc. Why do they have a sorcerer instead of a druid, if they are at a holy site? Because I needed something that could use "Ray of Enfeeblement" and some other will-based save stuff. Unfortunately, clerics and druids don't get much of that at 1st level. (And only the sorcerer, bard, or wizard can use a Glitterdust spell, the DC13 is difficult for the fighters...)
Psymnotica 04-28-05, 06:34 PM	Your encounter will likely be too easy. So, here are some ideas to help make it harder. :) One thing to do, which I have found effective in combat as both a player and a DM, is to control your enemies movement. Caltrops, trip-wires/snares, tanglefoot bags (excellent against rogues, bards and others with a high Dexterity or movement rate), pits, pools, rough terrain, etc., are all useful for either concentrating a group together or scattering them out so they can be ganged up on without reinforcements getting there quickly enough. Other things I like to do to my players is have the enemy use the same sort of equipment that the players may use. Alchemical goodies like smokesticks and thunderstones can be disorienting against large parties, especially combined with guerilla tactics, and exotic poisons that reduce Dexterity can be nasty in a fight. But if you want to really make the perils of the jungle sink home, use a poison that affects Wisdom... which is used for both Will saves and the Survival skill. And it doesn't wear off right away, but takes days to heal. Also, you might want to mix and match the types of Lizardmen if you have Monster Manual III, just to throw the players a curveball. And don't forget the Aid Another action, just in case any of your players should have a character with a disgustingly high AC.