Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sisial 10-08-07, 02:36 PM	The party I've been DM-ing for has been complaining about not having challenging enough encounters. In leu of this fact I've decided that I'm going to up the encounters for the next session, but I need some advice about balance. Currently they're a party of 2nd level adventurers. 3-5 will be at the next gaming session. They're in the middle of an adventure. About to traverse a room with simple low damage traps, but otherwise they're completely untouched. What I plan is for them to start to move down a hallway. In the hallway is a large spider's web Spot DC 20, Escape DC 26, Break DC 32, Hit Points 12. Hopefully one of them will be stuck in it (the one in front). The spider is waiting on the other side and will attack after a player gets stuck or when the players begin to move past. The spider itself is a standard large spider (MM) CR 2, that won't use web during it's fight (I just think it's tacky). I'm thinking about adding a swarm of diminutive-sized spiders. Kind of like the large spider's children. This swarm will be the same as a diminutive-sized viper swarm (CR3) in the Fiend Folio in all respects except the following: Poison DC 11 Fort, 1d2 Str Init & 2nd, Damage may be changed to 1d4 from 1d6, Hp might change to 4d8+4 from 5d8+5, won't have scent ability. What do you think? Is this too much, or will this be just what my players are looking for? Should I adjust Damage and Hp of the spider swarm from the viper swarm? Should I use web just to make things more interesting? And anything else you care to add. Thanks!
Vanraya 10-08-07, 02:56 PM	I think they'll be fine if (and this an important if) they have a way to deal with the swarm.
Grod_The_Giant 10-08-07, 03:13 PM	well...uh... with 3 to 5 people, encounters could be a bit hard to plan for. 5 and a normal one would be easier, 3 and its harder. But let's assume there are 4 people: the single spider is technically an appropriate challenge, but one opponent vs multiple PCs doesn't end up well. The swarm of children is good, but I'd call it a CR 4 creature with the poison and greater damage and HP. That encounter probably won't end well (ECL 5) I would recommend switching out the CR 3 spider swarm. You could try substituting Small monsterous spiders (2 if you have 3 players, 3 with 4 players, and 4 with 5 players), or the CR 1 Spider Swarm given in the MM (1 or 2 would be quite dangerous)
Morrowner 10-08-07, 04:03 PM	The escape and break DCs are all but impossible for the level 2s I'm guessing. Whoever gets stuck could be in for a rough one. That and the beefed up swarm are the two most difficult things. I'd put this on the order of being a pretty hard 3, perhaps 4, by the book its even harder. If all 5 players show up it won't be a total party kill, just a rough day at the office. Maybe a death or two if you roll really well and they roll poorly.
Sisial 10-08-07, 05:22 PM	I think they'll be fine if (and this an important if) they have a way to deal with the swarm. That's a point I took into consideration and one I'm also worried about. As the party stands now there are no spellcasters with effective area damage spells. However two new characters will probably be introduced at the next meeting, which could change things around. well...uh... with 3 to 5 people, encounters could be a bit hard to plan for. 5 and a normal one would be easier, 3 and its harder. But let's assume there are 4 people: the single spider is technically an appropriate challenge, but one opponent vs multiple PCs doesn't end up well. The swarm of children is good, but I'd call it a CR 4 creature with the poison and greater damage and HP. That encounter probably won't end well (ECL 5) I would recommend switching out the CR 3 spider swarm. You could try substituting Small monsterous spiders (2 if you have 3 players, 3 with 4 players, and 4 with 5 players), or the CR 1 Spider Swarm given in the MM (1 or 2 would be quite dangerous) Yar, small spiders are a pretty good idea. They had an encounter with two together earlier in the dungeon that the they (3 of them) hacked apart recieving only 2 bites and making their Fort saves each time. Small might be a good idea. Maybe more tiny spiders instead. The CR 1 spider swarm is exactly what I had in mind, but I don't own the 3.5 MM book. The escape and break DCs are all but impossible for the level 2s I'm guessing. Whoever gets stuck could be in for a rough one. That and the beefed up swarm are the two most difficult things. I'd put this on the order of being a pretty hard 3, perhaps 4, by the book its even harder. If all 5 players show up it won't be a total party kill, just a rough day at the office. Maybe a death or two if you roll really well and they roll poorly. The DCs are very high. However my party rolls really well, and I expect one of them will probably spot the web in time. If not...welll their party members had better be willing to cut them out fast :smirk: 12 hp isn't too much to deal with. Then it's just a matter of getting them to the back of the hall quickly and healing a lot. I think it'll build the right dramatic tension... Thanks everyone for your comments!
Varl 10-08-07, 05:42 PM	Throw it at them. If they come out alive, it was okay. :devil:
NyMpHoMaNiAc_FaNtAsIA 10-09-07, 12:21 AM	The CR 1 spider swarm is exactly what I had in mind, but I don't own the 3.5 MM book. Remember the SRD is your friend! :) http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/swarm.htm
Sisial 10-09-07, 12:24 PM	Remember the SRD is your friend! :) http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/swarm.htm Oh man! I never knew! Thanks so much! :D