Help the Little Guy (Low Level parties in Faerun) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help the Little Guy (Low Level parties in Faerun) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zargain
08-29-06, 02:40 AM This thread isn't just for me, but its also for any other DM wanting to run the realms but has the same problem...

How do you start out low level characters for the realms? Its a big world out there full of monstrous trolls, brutish ogres, swarming orc hordes but what do you do for the 1st-3rd level parties. They can't fight the big (trolls, ogres ect.) and they can't handle too much of the little guys either (goblins, orcs ect.) So how do you tend to keep realism while ensuring the party doesn't get clubed and their bones eaten?

My own method:
A clasic dungeon crawl with small little squads of orcs and goblins with occasional dire rats and stirge pairs tend to work for me well enough. I crafted a dungeon big enough to level up the party to level 2 by their completion. it doesn't solve everything and doesn't work in every situation, but its a start.
Faraer
08-29-06, 04:24 AM For a band beginning its adventuring career, exploring into the local forest or foothills is high adventure, so assuming they're based somewhere at least slightly civilized they won't run into giants or whole goblinkin tribes. Depending on the region, they might find ogres or owlbears, in which case they'd best run (and the companies that don't learn to run don't last long). A dungeon big enough to advance the party a level would be a major focus of the campaign; you might prefer to use one or two mini-dungeons (stonedelves) -- and the brigands who've been using it as a cache, etc.

Also, you probably want to run various intrigues going on in the town or village and have the PCs encounter spies of power groups, local secret societies and merchant alliances feuding with each other, ambitious magelings and priestlings... which the PCs can negotiate with their wits, without needing to survive dragonbreath. A gang of local ruffians who need teaching manners, perhaps.

They might travel further afield accompanying a merchant caravan as guards (see Hand of Fire for caravan life).

If you put out these various leads, the players can decide what they want to get involved in (and hopefully realize that the circle of beholders the peddler says are ravaging the next kingdom along is out of their league for the nonce).

Swords of Eveningstar and FRQ1 Haunted Halls of Eveningstar are essential reading here. The various accounts of adventuring companies scattered through the sources, such as the Old Grey Box and Ruins of Myth Drannor, should provide additional ideas. Look at Ed Greenwood's thoughts on a starter Realms campaign (search for those words) in the Unapproachable East, here (http://www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/sse/sse_020304-04.htm).
_andi_
08-30-06, 09:55 AM Also, you probably want to run various intrigues going on in the town or village and have the PCs encounter spies of power groups, local secret societies and merchant alliances feuding with each other, ambitious magelings and priestlings... which the PCs can negotiate with their wits, without needing to survive dragonbreath. A gang of local ruffians who need teaching manners, perhaps.

This is what I would recommend as well. I realize that every gaming group differs but I thoroughly enjoy the RP aspect of my group.

When starting new campaigns, many times our experience comes from RP scenarios and events taking place from our start point or locations not far from our starting point.

We all have to start somewhere, so I would imagine that many of the big baddies have younglings as well. Peons, grunts in training, you get the idea.

What's great about the challenges for the low level groups is that they can use their own creativity to overcome many obstacles or foes. *grins*
Telesaken
09-01-06, 07:34 PM As the other posters stated, I like to start out in small areas and have the players expand from there. I tend to use small villages secluded from the large cities, that way they feel like big fish even at low level. They can solve town RP issues and beat up a few of the henchmen, and then find a reason to move on to the rest of the world. This can be where the campaign plot is first seeded.

If I need to adapt to specific areas (say I want to run a game that is based entirely on ships or in Waterdeep,) I start them off small with protection gigs, resolving noble feuds, and other devices. But I also believe that just because they are low level, that doesn’t mean the adventures should be less grandiose than the high level adventures. I feel that the low level adventures are typically more significant in the player’s minds because they are often times more difficult to overcome, as you cannot just rely on casting high powered magic to get you out of possibly tough situations.
Nickpire
09-02-06, 01:47 PM Generally, I start players at level 5 in the realms. I find it's a good balance between low level play and tougher monsters.

Actually getting to your question though, like oe of the above posters said, start out small. Scouting the foothills of town, being asked to protect someone on a trip, or driving off the small cadre of Kobolds. The classic low level dungeon crawl works great and if you were a fan of prefabricated adventures, the Sunless Citadel can be put into any setting.

This goes a bit easier on your players, but if you wanted until they get to level 4 or so, have everything do half damage to them. It doesn't really remove the element of danger, they're still getting mauled, but it allows you to throw slightly more powerful monsters at them if you so desired. I'd advise telling the PC's you were doing this though or they'll wonder what's going on when you stop.
Lone_Arrow
09-06-06, 10:41 AM How do you start out low level characters for the realms? Its a big world out there full of monstrous trolls, brutish ogres, swarming orc hordes but what do you do for the 1st-3rd level parties. They can't fight the big (trolls, ogres ect.) and they can't handle too much of the little guys either (goblins, orcs ect.) So how do you tend to keep realism while ensuring the party doesn't get clubed and their bones eaten?

Now this all depends on the party, If you have rouges, swashbucklers, assasins, mages etc you could devise a simple urban/widerness adventure a bit like this:

The mayors daughter has been kidnapped!!!!!
or A Wealthy Merchants Daughter etc: the culprit A rival, Brigands, Oh good one Priates you could then aid or mount a rescue / investigation. This has a way of building into another adventure hook or Full Campagne
Lone_Arrow
09-06-06, 10:42 AM Damn spelt campaign wrong D'OH

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zargain 08-29-06, 02:40 AM	This thread isn't just for me, but its also for any other DM wanting to run the realms but has the same problem... How do you start out low level characters for the realms? Its a big world out there full of monstrous trolls, brutish ogres, swarming orc hordes but what do you do for the 1st-3rd level parties. They can't fight the big (trolls, ogres ect.) and they can't handle too much of the little guys either (goblins, orcs ect.) So how do you tend to keep realism while ensuring the party doesn't get clubed and their bones eaten? My own method: A clasic dungeon crawl with small little squads of orcs and goblins with occasional dire rats and stirge pairs tend to work for me well enough. I crafted a dungeon big enough to level up the party to level 2 by their completion. it doesn't solve everything and doesn't work in every situation, but its a start.
Faraer 08-29-06, 04:24 AM	For a band beginning its adventuring career, exploring into the local forest or foothills is high adventure, so assuming they're based somewhere at least slightly civilized they won't run into giants or whole goblinkin tribes. Depending on the region, they might find ogres or owlbears, in which case they'd best run (and the companies that don't learn to run don't last long). A dungeon big enough to advance the party a level would be a major focus of the campaign; you might prefer to use one or two mini-dungeons (stonedelves) -- and the brigands who've been using it as a cache, etc. Also, you probably want to run various intrigues going on in the town or village and have the PCs encounter spies of power groups, local secret societies and merchant alliances feuding with each other, ambitious magelings and priestlings... which the PCs can negotiate with their wits, without needing to survive dragonbreath. A gang of local ruffians who need teaching manners, perhaps. They might travel further afield accompanying a merchant caravan as guards (see Hand of Fire for caravan life). If you put out these various leads, the players can decide what they want to get involved in (and hopefully realize that the circle of beholders the peddler says are ravaging the next kingdom along is out of their league for the nonce). Swords of Eveningstar and FRQ1 Haunted Halls of Eveningstar are essential reading here. The various accounts of adventuring companies scattered through the sources, such as the Old Grey Box and Ruins of Myth Drannor, should provide additional ideas. Look at Ed Greenwood's thoughts on a starter Realms campaign (search for those words) in the Unapproachable East, here (http://www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/sse/sse_020304-04.htm).
_andi_ 08-30-06, 09:55 AM	Also, you probably want to run various intrigues going on in the town or village and have the PCs encounter spies of power groups, local secret societies and merchant alliances feuding with each other, ambitious magelings and priestlings... which the PCs can negotiate with their wits, without needing to survive dragonbreath. A gang of local ruffians who need teaching manners, perhaps. This is what I would recommend as well. I realize that every gaming group differs but I thoroughly enjoy the RP aspect of my group. When starting new campaigns, many times our experience comes from RP scenarios and events taking place from our start point or locations not far from our starting point. We all have to start somewhere, so I would imagine that many of the big baddies have younglings as well. Peons, grunts in training, you get the idea. What's great about the challenges for the low level groups is that they can use their own creativity to overcome many obstacles or foes. grins
Telesaken 09-01-06, 07:34 PM	As the other posters stated, I like to start out in small areas and have the players expand from there. I tend to use small villages secluded from the large cities, that way they feel like big fish even at low level. They can solve town RP issues and beat up a few of the henchmen, and then find a reason to move on to the rest of the world. This can be where the campaign plot is first seeded. If I need to adapt to specific areas (say I want to run a game that is based entirely on ships or in Waterdeep,) I start them off small with protection gigs, resolving noble feuds, and other devices. But I also believe that just because they are low level, that doesn’t mean the adventures should be less grandiose than the high level adventures. I feel that the low level adventures are typically more significant in the player’s minds because they are often times more difficult to overcome, as you cannot just rely on casting high powered magic to get you out of possibly tough situations.
Nickpire 09-02-06, 01:47 PM	Generally, I start players at level 5 in the realms. I find it's a good balance between low level play and tougher monsters. Actually getting to your question though, like oe of the above posters said, start out small. Scouting the foothills of town, being asked to protect someone on a trip, or driving off the small cadre of Kobolds. The classic low level dungeon crawl works great and if you were a fan of prefabricated adventures, the Sunless Citadel can be put into any setting. This goes a bit easier on your players, but if you wanted until they get to level 4 or so, have everything do half damage to them. It doesn't really remove the element of danger, they're still getting mauled, but it allows you to throw slightly more powerful monsters at them if you so desired. I'd advise telling the PC's you were doing this though or they'll wonder what's going on when you stop.
Lone_Arrow 09-06-06, 10:41 AM	How do you start out low level characters for the realms? Its a big world out there full of monstrous trolls, brutish ogres, swarming orc hordes but what do you do for the 1st-3rd level parties. They can't fight the big (trolls, ogres ect.) and they can't handle too much of the little guys either (goblins, orcs ect.) So how do you tend to keep realism while ensuring the party doesn't get clubed and their bones eaten? Now this all depends on the party, If you have rouges, swashbucklers, assasins, mages etc you could devise a simple urban/widerness adventure a bit like this: The mayors daughter has been kidnapped!!!!! or A Wealthy Merchants Daughter etc: the culprit A rival, Brigands, Oh good one Priates you could then aid or mount a rescue / investigation. This has a way of building into another adventure hook or Full Campagne
Lone_Arrow 09-06-06, 10:42 AM	Damn spelt campaign wrong D'OH