PotA encounter balance question (**SPOILERS**) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

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#1 Avross Apr 16, 2015 5:46:12	While having some of the random encounters being Deadly for a group of 4 1st level characters doesn't really bother me, since it definitely clearly calls out that 'sometimes the party needs to know when to run'. But there's a few points where the encounters the party "must" complete seem excessively overpowered. Show The Necromancer's Cave is optimized for (as the module clearly states) a party of 4 1st level characters. I'm specifically looking at room L5, which contains *a Medium Difficulty monster groupat one end and a Deadly Difficulty monster group* at the other. Now, I realize that it is a large chamber, but if the party enters the room at the center, or doesn't deal with one group quickly, they could have to fight both groups at once. What I'm wondering is ...am I missing something? Is there a reason that 4 skeletons shouldn't be considered Deadly? It seems pretty early in the campaign to have a potential TPK. I'm also thining that the skeletons being sent to attack is inevitable. After seeing undead everywhere, manyparties are going to assume that the first living person they see (especially one who is unarmored and hiding behind 4 skeletons) is probably a caster of some sort, and assume that they should take him down fast.
#2 Byakugan01 Apr 19, 2015 3:02:47	In my game i added a 2nd zombie in with the one along with the claws...the skeletons are specifically guarding the exit. I had Oreoth hiding in the passageway behind the skeletons. He was aware of the party and had caught 3 of them with the rockfall trap before. I just had him pop out and do his monologue and cast crown of madness on the first person to come within range. Then he ordered the skeleons to attack and fled. As soon as he was alerted to danger he pre-cast a lv 3 false life so hes 'really' got more like 52 hitpoints. Skeletons arent really very dangerous. Oreoth however is really super deadly and you basically have to play him like a moron to not TPK the party. If you only use normal magic missile upcast to hit everyone once each, half the party will still likely be unconscious by the end of round 2. You'll have to start skipping actions to monologue or using cantrips etc or you'll kill everyone. If you cast his vampiric touch he'll probably kill everyone. 2-3 MM darts will knock out nearly anyone. My table had a warlock druid ranger and paladin. The paladin was level 2 and he was the only conscious character and at 5 hp when O finally went down.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Avross

Apr 16, 2015 5:46:12

While having some of the random encounters being Deadly for a group of 4 1st level characters doesn't really bother me, since it definitely clearly calls out that 'sometimes the party needs to know when to run'.

But there's a few points where the encounters the party "must" complete seem excessively overpowered.

Show

The Necromancer's Cave is optimized for (as the module clearly states) a party of 4 1st level characters. I'm specifically looking at room L5, which contains a Medium Difficulty monster groupat one end and a Deadly Difficulty monster group at the other. Now, I realize that it is a large chamber, but if the party enters the room at the center, or doesn't deal with one group quickly, they could have to fight both groups at once.

What I'm wondering is ...am I missing something?

Is there a reason that 4 skeletons shouldn't be considered Deadly? It seems pretty early in the campaign to have a potential TPK.

I'm also thining that the skeletons being sent to attack is inevitable. After seeing undead everywhere, manyparties are going to assume that the first living person they see (especially one who is unarmored and hiding behind 4 skeletons) is probably a caster of some sort, and assume that they should take him down fast.

Byakugan01

Apr 19, 2015 3:02:47

In my game i added a 2nd zombie in with the one along with the claws...the skeletons are specifically guarding the exit. I had Oreoth hiding in the passageway behind the skeletons. He was aware of the party and had caught 3 of them with the rockfall trap before. I just had him pop out and do his monologue and cast crown of madness on the first person to come within range. Then he ordered the skeleons to attack and fled. As soon as he was alerted to danger he pre-cast a lv 3 false life so hes 'really' got more like 52 hitpoints.

Skeletons arent really very dangerous.

Oreoth however is really super deadly and you basically have to play him like a moron to not TPK the party.

If you only use normal magic missile upcast to hit everyone once each, half the party will still likely be unconscious by the end of round 2. You'll have to start skipping actions to monologue or using cantrips etc or you'll kill everyone.

If you cast his vampiric touch he'll probably kill everyone. 2-3 MM darts will knock out nearly anyone.

My table had a warlock druid ranger and paladin. The paladin was level 2 and he was the only conscious character and at 5 hp when O finally went down.