Appropriate encounter for 8 level 8s? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Appropriate encounter for 8 level 8s? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DarthMarasmus
10-06-06, 12:46 AM I've maybe just overlooked it, but I couldn't find an appropriate encounter in the DMG for 8 level 8 PCs.

Sorry if this is a stupid question.
tsuyoshikentsu
10-06-06, 12:52 AM I'd say 8 level 8s could probably handle a CR 10, especially if it was eight CR 6s.
Balseraph
10-06-06, 01:02 AM Eight level 8 PCs?
They will tear a normal CR 10 to pieces and chew on it for a while.
I think the eight CR 6 idea is a good one for a CR 10 challenge, tsuyoshikentsu.

Give that a go, Darth Marasmus, it's worth a shot.
Personally, I like to hit my party with things 1-2 CRs higher than their average level anyway, it makes them sweat and feel really good about victory. ;)
DarthMarasmus
10-06-06, 01:09 AM Eight level 8 PCs?

I'm afraid so. However, only about half of them even try to participate. I feel like the others are just there because their friends are playing. I thought maybe if I give them a nice challenge that they'll come out of their shells...

Generally go a little above their level just to keep them on their toes. I've noticed that when I hit them with several that are below their level, they get complacent. Well, maybe that's not a reason to stop doing so, maybe they'll learn not to act stupid about things... such as protecting their mage...
TheWerg
10-06-06, 01:13 AM I always go at least 1 above my party's level... the whole four encounters before a rest really doesn't work out with them since they just rest whenever they have problems... I've run a game that size before. Go at least 2 above their level, maybe throw in a special twist to make it more challenging.
PhaedrusXY
10-06-06, 01:16 AM Take the two CR 8 vampires I put in the Encounter Resource, and add a level or two to them. The CR 9 "Untouchable Zhent Artillerist" I put in there might put some pep in their step, also.

I always found annoying, recurring, and practically unkillable villains to really get the players' blood boiling, and get them motivated to hunt such individuals down. ;)
ChaoticGood
10-06-06, 02:47 AM I'd personally throw two CR 10 monsters at them. I'd think that a 9-headed pyro-hydra and a 9-headed cryo-hydra at the same time will do the trick. Bwahahaha!
Rhomphaia
10-06-06, 03:17 AM Three words: Old kobold warren.

Seriously, think about this one. It's not an encounter (more like a whole adventure) but an old kobold warren doesn't get old by letting every team of adventurers that comes by stomp all over it. No, they learn tricks and traps that are plain nasty and meant to kill parties of adventurers.

Also, they will have probably built dummy tunnels that they never use that are filled with traps and ambushes and choke points meant to destroy adventuring parties. These tunnels will intersect with the main warrens at some points but were mainly designed into fooling adventurers that this is the real deal, complete with putting treasures and cannon fodder and fake living spaces and all that in it.

Now of course not all the traps will work, the party will fight their way out of ambushes and successfully charge through choke points, but the fact remains that in their environment, kobolds are the single deadliest critter in D&D. Use that to your advantage.

As far as a good encounter for 8 8's? I would go for a EL of 12 on this one. Actually, try out this encounter and see how they do.

Light forest (if you can choose the setting) with one displacer beast lord and three normal displacer beasts. I was in a group of three level 5s that beat this thing, but we used very clever tactics and had luck on our side. This should be a challenging encounter for 8 level 8s to try and strong-arm through.
Kradlo
10-06-06, 09:27 AM "Oh my god, it's Tucker's kobolds! RUN!!!!"
fawr
10-07-06, 01:57 AM By the book 4 8th level characters should face one CR 8 monster. So 8 8th level characters should face 2 CR 8 monsters.

tsuyoshikentsu pointed out that 1 CR 10 is equal to 2 CR 8 monsters (as is 4 CR 6 monsters). However you have to be careful with one CR 10 monster as it's very good at focusing on a single PC (and may also have resistances that the players aren't yet at the level to overcome).

As you have heard from others above, most experienced DMs with experienced players prefer to up the challenge a CR or two. But if you have some uninterested, inexperienced players and you are an keen or experienced DM then you probibily don't need to do that right now.
DarthMarasmus
10-07-06, 03:27 AM Well, 2 of my players are pretty experienced, but one of them plays really weird (more on that in a minute). The others are pretty green, but one of them GMs our Star Wars games, so he's catching on pretty quick. Honestly, I'm not the most experienced of DMs, but nobody else wanted/had time/had ideas to do it, so I ran with it. Unfortunately, the games sort of on "life support" at the moment, partly due to my weird methods, partly due to the simultaneous loss and gain of a couple of players.

As for the weird player, he's playing a paladin. However, he plays the paladin like he's on a raid in WoW or something. None of the things he does make sense! For example, they fought a couple of gorgons the other night. The mage, druid, thief, and ranger basically took both of them down with their bows (and a few spells from the mage). What did the paladin do? Nothing. He didn't do a damn thing. He just stood there, away from the fight, out of the area threatened by the gorgons. Basically, it seems like if the monster that is trying to kill them isn't evil, he doesn't want to bother fighting it. What should I do with this goober?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DarthMarasmus 10-06-06, 12:46 AM	I've maybe just overlooked it, but I couldn't find an appropriate encounter in the DMG for 8 level 8 PCs. Sorry if this is a stupid question.
tsuyoshikentsu 10-06-06, 12:52 AM	I'd say 8 level 8s could probably handle a CR 10, especially if it was eight CR 6s.
Balseraph 10-06-06, 01:02 AM	Eight level 8 PCs? They will tear a normal CR 10 to pieces and chew on it for a while. I think the eight CR 6 idea is a good one for a CR 10 challenge, tsuyoshikentsu. Give that a go, Darth Marasmus, it's worth a shot. Personally, I like to hit my party with things 1-2 CRs higher than their average level anyway, it makes them sweat and feel really good about victory. ;)
DarthMarasmus 10-06-06, 01:09 AM	Eight level 8 PCs? I'm afraid so. However, only about half of them even try to participate. I feel like the others are just there because their friends are playing. I thought maybe if I give them a nice challenge that they'll come out of their shells... Generally go a little above their level just to keep them on their toes. I've noticed that when I hit them with several that are below their level, they get complacent. Well, maybe that's not a reason to stop doing so, maybe they'll learn not to act stupid about things... such as protecting their mage...
TheWerg 10-06-06, 01:13 AM	I always go at least 1 above my party's level... the whole four encounters before a rest really doesn't work out with them since they just rest whenever they have problems... I've run a game that size before. Go at least 2 above their level, maybe throw in a special twist to make it more challenging.
PhaedrusXY 10-06-06, 01:16 AM	Take the two CR 8 vampires I put in the Encounter Resource, and add a level or two to them. The CR 9 "Untouchable Zhent Artillerist" I put in there might put some pep in their step, also. I always found annoying, recurring, and practically unkillable villains to really get the players' blood boiling, and get them motivated to hunt such individuals down. ;)
ChaoticGood 10-06-06, 02:47 AM	I'd personally throw two CR 10 monsters at them. I'd think that a 9-headed pyro-hydra and a 9-headed cryo-hydra at the same time will do the trick. Bwahahaha!
Rhomphaia 10-06-06, 03:17 AM	Three words: Old kobold warren. Seriously, think about this one. It's not an encounter (more like a whole adventure) but an old kobold warren doesn't get old by letting every team of adventurers that comes by stomp all over it. No, they learn tricks and traps that are plain nasty and meant to kill parties of adventurers. Also, they will have probably built dummy tunnels that they never use that are filled with traps and ambushes and choke points meant to destroy adventuring parties. These tunnels will intersect with the main warrens at some points but were mainly designed into fooling adventurers that this is the real deal, complete with putting treasures and cannon fodder and fake living spaces and all that in it. Now of course not all the traps will work, the party will fight their way out of ambushes and successfully charge through choke points, but the fact remains that in their environment, kobolds are the single deadliest critter in D&D. Use that to your advantage. As far as a good encounter for 8 8's? I would go for a EL of 12 on this one. Actually, try out this encounter and see how they do. Light forest (if you can choose the setting) with one displacer beast lord and three normal displacer beasts. I was in a group of three level 5s that beat this thing, but we used very clever tactics and had luck on our side. This should be a challenging encounter for 8 level 8s to try and strong-arm through.
Kradlo 10-06-06, 09:27 AM	"Oh my god, it's Tucker's kobolds! RUN!!!!"
fawr 10-07-06, 01:57 AM	By the book 4 8th level characters should face one CR 8 monster. So 8 8th level characters should face 2 CR 8 monsters. tsuyoshikentsu pointed out that 1 CR 10 is equal to 2 CR 8 monsters (as is 4 CR 6 monsters). However you have to be careful with one CR 10 monster as it's very good at focusing on a single PC (and may also have resistances that the players aren't yet at the level to overcome). As you have heard from others above, most experienced DMs with experienced players prefer to up the challenge a CR or two. But if you have some uninterested, inexperienced players and you are an keen or experienced DM then you probibily don't need to do that right now.
DarthMarasmus 10-07-06, 03:27 AM	Well, 2 of my players are pretty experienced, but one of them plays really weird (more on that in a minute). The others are pretty green, but one of them GMs our Star Wars games, so he's catching on pretty quick. Honestly, I'm not the most experienced of DMs, but nobody else wanted/had time/had ideas to do it, so I ran with it. Unfortunately, the games sort of on "life support" at the moment, partly due to my weird methods, partly due to the simultaneous loss and gain of a couple of players. As for the weird player, he's playing a paladin. However, he plays the paladin like he's on a raid in WoW or something. None of the things he does make sense! For example, they fought a couple of gorgons the other night. The mage, druid, thief, and ranger basically took both of them down with their bows (and a few spells from the mage). What did the paladin do? Nothing. He didn't do a damn thing. He just stood there, away from the fight, out of the area threatened by the gorgons. Basically, it seems like if the monster that is trying to kill them isn't evil, he doesn't want to bother fighting it. What should I do with this goober?