Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ArgulFraster 01-03-08, 09:45 PM	I'm running my first D&D game at my school soon, and I've made a simple dungeon to introduce my fellows to the game. The main problem is that I want to keep the dungeon small so that I can keep the players' attention, but I still need enough monsters so that we can stop dealing with CR1 creatures and get to the interesting stuff. There is one room with six goblins in it. Each goblin has a CR of 1/2, but I don't remember how to combine CR, and I remember hearing something about fractional Challenge Ratings requiring a different system from regular ones. So far as I know you just add the CRs together, but I'm not sure... Argh, I feel like such a noob. Help please?
Slagger the Chuul 01-03-08, 10:04 PM	Page 49 of the Dungeon Master's Guide has a nifty little table.
ArgulFraster 01-04-08, 12:32 PM	Arright, thanks. The dungeon has four rooms in total, one of which is the "boss," both figuratively and literally, a fourth-level goblin Adept who specializes in buffing himself. Lemme show you his stats for your opinion? Ghrull The Unpredictable Small Monstrous Humanoid, Goblin Adept4 HD: 4d6+4, +4 familiar, +3 Toughness (21 HP) Init: +1 Speed: 30 Feet AC: 13, touch 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0 Attack: Sickle +1 Melee or Touch of Fatigue Full Attack: Sickle +1 Melee or Touch of Fatigue Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft Special Attacks: See Combat Saves: Fort +1, Ref+1, Will +4 Abilities: Wis 15, Int 12, Cha 9, Con 12, Str 8, Dex 13 Skills: Heal +6, Concentration +5, Knowledge: Arcana +5, Spellcraft +5, Hide+4 Move Silently +4, Ride +4 Feats: Alertness (via familiar), Toughness CR: 2 Treasure: 70 GP, human skull inscribed with runes (symbol of Nerull), sickle of magic weapon (10/15 charges before battle Languages: Common, Goblin, Orc, Abyssal. Alignment: Chaotic Evil Familiar: Toad Spells: 0: Guidance, Touch of Fatigue, Resistance 1: Summon Monster I, Protection from Good Ghrull the Unpredictable was always an ambitious goblin…and one day got a chance to take over an entire clan of his fellows. The goblin adept learned the ways of magic instinctively, and had he received even a little training might have become a powerful sorcerer. Nevertheless, the little beast managed to slaughter the chief of his old band by careful use of Resistance and Inflict Minor Wounds, and is now in charge of the Cave Of Bane, which he saw in a vision. Ghrull knows there is a portal to Baator in the cave, but has no idea how to activate it permanently. He has managed to open it once, contacting the fiendish scorpion Zklrn and setting a deal with him. Unfortunately one of the four swords required to activate it fully has been stolen, and this has angered the little adept to no end. Combat: When attacked Ghrull will immediately summon a fiendish monstrous scorpion, one with which he has a long-standing contract. His toad will hide nearby, granting him the Alertness feat. The following turns he will buff himself with Protection from Good, Resistance, and Guidance. After he has fully buffed himself he will attack with his sickle and Touch of Fatigue. My thought is that if my players find the Studded Leather Armor +1 in one of the rooms, they should be fine, and that if the encounter level is only one higher than their party's level, it should be a challenge without being a TPK. Since nobody wants to play a rogue I've left no traps and I've set up the dungeon to be as simple as possible. The greater part of Ghrull's forces are out raiding while the PCs are fighting Ghrull and the home front. Here's the list for the dungeon: Atrium: 3 goblins Goblin Barracks: 6 goblins Hobgoblin Barracks: 2 hobgoblins I think I need to expand the dungeon a bit but I have no idea how. Suggestions?
AddPick 01-05-08, 07:21 AM	Goblins... Well, you could drop the number of goblins over all and provide them with stone, bone and hide equipment, then mount some of them on a couple of tamed riding, rust monsters. Add a pit trap with a gelatinous cube in it (Goblin waste disposal), plus provide the goblins with cover or concealment options and plenty of ranged weapons, so they can hit and fade, weakening the player characters from a safe distance. Increasing the tactical strength of the goblins should raise the EL of each zone in your encounter site. Hope that helps.
ArgulFraster 01-05-08, 10:40 PM	Gods, no. This is a 1st-level adventure, I want the PCs to get to second level so we can start fighting things without the Monstrous Humanoid (Goblinoid) type.