Encounter difficulty? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Encounter difficulty?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
boondocker
Jan 09, 2011 18:16:15 I'm going to run a one-shot, two-encounter session for only three characters, and I'm wondering how encounter building differs from 4E to GW. Last time (a different DM, we're trading off) three minions and two skirmishers nearly killed us (guardbots of some type), but then four Badders & Dabbers didn't stand a chance.

I'd like to make the encounters both survivable & challenging, but I'm unsure of how many enemies to put in. Any recommendations?
#2
Oraibi
Jan 09, 2011 18:27:35 It's more of an art than a science, but in general the rules given in the D&D Gamma World rulebook (pages 92 and 93) work decently enough for building encounters using XP budgets.

(By the way, I think the minion robots are overpowered.)
#3
Tony_Vargas
Jan 10, 2011 21:45:43 A simple rule of thumb is about as many standard monsters as PCs, of about there level. Elites count as 2 monsters, Solos count as 5. A minion counts as roughly 1/4 of a standard monster.

Gamma World is a lot swingier than 4e, though. Alpha mutations and Omega tech can really impact an encounter, turning a tough one into a cake walk; and players only have 1 shot of healing (second wind) per encounter, so if you drop a PC early, it gets grim.
#4
boondocker
Jan 11, 2011 9:15:57
Gamma World is a lot swingier than 4e, though. Alpha mutations and Omega tech can really impact an encounter, turning a tough one into a cake walk; and players only have 1 shot of healing (second wind) per encounter, so if you drop a PC early, it gets grim.

This is the kind of input I'm looking for, really. I've been playing and DMing 4E for a while, but GW seems a lot (as you say) more swingy.

I'm guessing that the survivability of the fights is going to be less about the composition of the enemy group and more about reacting to how things go during the fight. That's fine. As long as I'm not dooming the party by putting together an encounter per the 4E encounter building rules.
#5
Oraibi
Jan 11, 2011 15:19:36 Your party will probably do fine, but don't be afraid to have them get captured or something; give the villains motivations beyond simply killing someone!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 boondocker Jan 09, 2011 18:16:15	I'm going to run a one-shot, two-encounter session for only three characters, and I'm wondering how encounter building differs from 4E to GW. Last time (a different DM, we're trading off) three minions and two skirmishers nearly killed us (guardbots of some type), but then four Badders & Dabbers didn't stand a chance. I'd like to make the encounters both survivable & challenging, but I'm unsure of how many enemies to put in. Any recommendations?
#2 Oraibi Jan 09, 2011 18:27:35	It's more of an art than a science, but in general the rules given in the D&D Gamma World rulebook (pages 92 and 93) work decently enough for building encounters using XP budgets. (By the way, I think the minion robots are overpowered.)
#3 Tony_Vargas Jan 10, 2011 21:45:43	A simple rule of thumb is about as many standard monsters as PCs, of about there level. Elites count as 2 monsters, Solos count as 5. A minion counts as roughly 1/4 of a standard monster. Gamma World is a lot swingier than 4e, though. Alpha mutations and Omega tech can really impact an encounter, turning a tough one into a cake walk; and players only have 1 shot of healing (second wind) per encounter, so if you drop a PC early, it gets grim.
#4 boondocker Jan 11, 2011 9:15:57	Gamma World is a lot swingier than 4e, though. Alpha mutations and Omega tech can really impact an encounter, turning a tough one into a cake walk; and players only have 1 shot of healing (second wind) per encounter, so if you drop a PC early, it gets grim. This is the kind of input I'm looking for, really. I've been playing and DMing 4E for a while, but GW seems a lot (as you say) more swingy. I'm guessing that the survivability of the fights is going to be less about the composition of the enemy group and more about reacting to how things go during the fight. That's fine. As long as I'm not dooming the party by putting together an encounter per the 4E encounter building rules.
#5 Oraibi Jan 11, 2011 15:19:36	Your party will probably do fine, but don't be afraid to have them get captured or something; give the villains motivations beyond simply killing someone!