Changing Difficulty of Modules due to Party Size [Archive] - Wizards Community

Changing Difficulty of Modules due to Party Size [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
wanderer3791
05-02-07, 01:13 PM I am organizing a gaming group, and it will be my first true attempt at DMing.

To get started, I am going to use some published material; however I have noticed that many of the modules are designed for a party of 4 PCs. We will have 5 or possibly 6 PCs.

Is there a straight-forward way to make the modules a little harder so that all 6 PCs don't walk right through it? Perhaps making all the monsters have maximum HPs, or increasing the number of monsters?

Like I said, it is my first time DMing, so the more "idiot-proof", the better!

Thanks.
Brehon
05-02-07, 01:30 PM My suggestion is to leave things unchanged for a 5 person party. For a 6 person group I would increase all of the encounters by +1 CR by the most expedient means available, such as adding one or more creatures of the same type. I would recommend against using higher CR creatures, as the characters may not have the means to effectively combat them.
orionm42
05-02-07, 01:35 PM Your best bet would be to change the mix of monsters (e.g. add a few lower CR monsters) to raise the CR of each encounter slightly.

Here is an encounter calculator which may help...

http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm

You can plug in the number of party members and their level and the calculator will give you the overall party level. You can then adjust the CR of combat by adding monsters with different CRs to design a proper challenge.

Hope that helps! And good luck!

:)
AtmaWeapon
05-02-07, 02:31 PM Remember, the answer most of the time is to add more actions, not harder monsters. Even with harder monsters, the PCs will still easily outweigh them with pure actions, and that is what makes encounters as printed "too easy".

Also, you mention this is your first attempt at DMing. The *most* important thing to remember is that an EL equal to the parties level is supposed to consume approximately 20% of thier resources. That means it's not supposed to be super-challenging. EL+1 is a bit more risky, EL+2 is the first time that the possibility of death really rears it's head, EL+3 is "death is a very likely probability", and EL+4 is "party should run".
Neutronium_Dragon
05-02-07, 02:50 PM If you're just getting the group started then it might be better to leave the encounters as-is for now. It'll take a while for the group dynamic to sort itself out, and it's better to wait and see how things develop and make adjustments later if necessary.
jimpaladin
05-02-07, 03:21 PM If you're just getting the group started then it might be better to leave the encounters as-is for now. It'll take a while for the group dynamic to sort itself out, and it's better to wait and see how things develop and make adjustments later if necessary.

I agree here because you are new. The less you have to handle numbers wise the better. If you have the adventure down frontwards and backwards you could start by having the monsters be "ready" so they use cover and have the knowledge they would of the layout of the area. Upping HP is fine for this your first go! Let us know how it went:)
The man they call Boxhead
05-02-07, 04:09 PM Giving the monsters more hit points will make the combats take longer, but won't necessarily make the encounters harder.

Add more monsters. If you have 5 PCs, use 125% of the numver of monsters listed, 6 PCs, 150%, etc.

If an encounter calls for a single powerful foe, add some smaller minions.
Phrennzy
05-02-07, 04:16 PM Leave the first two or three encounters as written, so you can get a feel for things.

Then on the next encounter or two, if there are multiple creatures, add one more.

If it's a single creature, give it 50% more hit points. (and make it worth 50% more experience).

I would avoid changing the monsters simply because of your inexperience.

It is better for a new DM to have the fights be to easy than to wipe the whole party because he changed the 6 skeletons to 6 ghasts.
Nom
05-02-07, 09:40 PM As Phrennzy and Dragon said, leave things as-is for starters and see how they go. Over time, things will work themselves out anyway: if the party is larger then they get less XP and there is less treasure, so they advance a little more slowly and thus within a level or two everything will be calibrated about right.

I'd also strongly recommend using 25 points or elite array (DMG pg 169). Having characters of above-nominal power will make things "too easy" far quicker than 1 or 2 extra PCs.
danielinthewolvesden
05-03-07, 02:39 AM Drop in a few more monsters or give them the Elite array. But warning- a party of six is nearly twice as powerful as one of 4, but each indvidual party member is just as easy to kill.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
wanderer3791 05-02-07, 01:13 PM	I am organizing a gaming group, and it will be my first true attempt at DMing. To get started, I am going to use some published material; however I have noticed that many of the modules are designed for a party of 4 PCs. We will have 5 or possibly 6 PCs. Is there a straight-forward way to make the modules a little harder so that all 6 PCs don't walk right through it? Perhaps making all the monsters have maximum HPs, or increasing the number of monsters? Like I said, it is my first time DMing, so the more "idiot-proof", the better! Thanks.
Brehon 05-02-07, 01:30 PM	My suggestion is to leave things unchanged for a 5 person party. For a 6 person group I would increase all of the encounters by +1 CR by the most expedient means available, such as adding one or more creatures of the same type. I would recommend against using higher CR creatures, as the characters may not have the means to effectively combat them.
orionm42 05-02-07, 01:35 PM	Your best bet would be to change the mix of monsters (e.g. add a few lower CR monsters) to raise the CR of each encounter slightly. Here is an encounter calculator which may help... http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm You can plug in the number of party members and their level and the calculator will give you the overall party level. You can then adjust the CR of combat by adding monsters with different CRs to design a proper challenge. Hope that helps! And good luck! :)
AtmaWeapon 05-02-07, 02:31 PM	Remember, the answer most of the time is to add more actions, not harder monsters. Even with harder monsters, the PCs will still easily outweigh them with pure actions, and that is what makes encounters as printed "too easy". Also, you mention this is your first attempt at DMing. The most important thing to remember is that an EL equal to the parties level is supposed to consume approximately 20% of thier resources. That means it's not supposed to be super-challenging. EL+1 is a bit more risky, EL+2 is the first time that the possibility of death really rears it's head, EL+3 is "death is a very likely probability", and EL+4 is "party should run".
Neutronium_Dragon 05-02-07, 02:50 PM	If you're just getting the group started then it might be better to leave the encounters as-is for now. It'll take a while for the group dynamic to sort itself out, and it's better to wait and see how things develop and make adjustments later if necessary.
jimpaladin 05-02-07, 03:21 PM	If you're just getting the group started then it might be better to leave the encounters as-is for now. It'll take a while for the group dynamic to sort itself out, and it's better to wait and see how things develop and make adjustments later if necessary. I agree here because you are new. The less you have to handle numbers wise the better. If you have the adventure down frontwards and backwards you could start by having the monsters be "ready" so they use cover and have the knowledge they would of the layout of the area. Upping HP is fine for this your first go! Let us know how it went:)
The man they call Boxhead 05-02-07, 04:09 PM	Giving the monsters more hit points will make the combats take longer, but won't necessarily make the encounters harder. Add more monsters. If you have 5 PCs, use 125% of the numver of monsters listed, 6 PCs, 150%, etc. If an encounter calls for a single powerful foe, add some smaller minions.
Phrennzy 05-02-07, 04:16 PM	Leave the first two or three encounters as written, so you can get a feel for things. Then on the next encounter or two, if there are multiple creatures, add one more. If it's a single creature, give it 50% more hit points. (and make it worth 50% more experience). I would avoid changing the monsters simply because of your inexperience. It is better for a new DM to have the fights be to easy than to wipe the whole party because he changed the 6 skeletons to 6 ghasts.
Nom 05-02-07, 09:40 PM	As Phrennzy and Dragon said, leave things as-is for starters and see how they go. Over time, things will work themselves out anyway: if the party is larger then they get less XP and there is less treasure, so they advance a little more slowly and thus within a level or two everything will be calibrated about right. I'd also strongly recommend using 25 points or elite array (DMG pg 169). Having characters of above-nominal power will make things "too easy" far quicker than 1 or 2 extra PCs.
danielinthewolvesden 05-03-07, 02:39 AM	Drop in a few more monsters or give them the Elite array. But warning- a party of six is nearly twice as powerful as one of 4, but each indvidual party member is just as easy to kill.