Need a little feedback please! I’m a first time DM running LMoP with new players. A situation has come up where one of the doppelgangers in the campaign has actually replaced one of the PCs. I talked to the player outside of the game and he is excited to help me with this scenario. His actual character is captured and he will be playing as the Doppelgänger for me, trying to lure the other PCs into an ambush.
Him and I discussed how to run a decent ambush, and he had the idea to do it while everyone was sleeping during a long rest. He could have some goblins or other creatures assist. My question is just how would we run this encounter?
Be careful so that you don't make the ambush too strong, especially with the advantage of having one of the PC's ambush the party while they're resting. Having said that.....
The obvious one is have the Doppelganger ambush the party while it's on watch. That will make it so that no one is wearing armor and only one real party member is awake when the ambush happens. In order to avoid just completely killing the party if the Doppelganger is on watch by itself, have it disarm everyone one by one and let everyone make Perception checks one by one as it steals their primary weapon, arcane focus, or divine focus.
If that still isn't enough to make the Doppelganger a challenging fight for the party by itself, have it's allies enter the fight after the second round of combat and have them use the Doppleganger's knowledge to attack the party's weaknesses instead of it's strengths. You won't need many allies if you do this. If someone in the party specializes in area of effect spells, have them be encircle the party and attack from all directions. Alternatively, if the party is mainly big melee fighters, have them use bows until they're forced into melee and then focus on one party member at a time. Etc.. With the Doppelgänger's telepathy it will know the party's weaknesses so target them.
Need a little feedback please! I’m a first time DM running LMoP with new players. A situation has come up where one of the doppelgangers in the campaign has actually replaced one of the PCs. I talked to the player outside of the game and he is excited to help me with this scenario. His actual character is captured and he will be playing as the Doppelgänger for me, trying to lure the other PCs into an ambush.
Him and I discussed how to run a decent ambush, and he had the idea to do it while everyone was sleeping during a long rest. He could have some goblins or other creatures assist. My question is just how would we run this encounter?
Thanks in advance!
Be careful so that you don't make the ambush too strong, especially with the advantage of having one of the PC's ambush the party while they're resting. Having said that.....
The obvious one is have the Doppelganger ambush the party while it's on watch. That will make it so that no one is wearing armor and only one real party member is awake when the ambush happens. In order to avoid just completely killing the party if the Doppelganger is on watch by itself, have it disarm everyone one by one and let everyone make Perception checks one by one as it steals their primary weapon, arcane focus, or divine focus.
If that still isn't enough to make the Doppelganger a challenging fight for the party by itself, have it's allies enter the fight after the second round of combat and have them use the Doppleganger's knowledge to attack the party's weaknesses instead of it's strengths. You won't need many allies if you do this. If someone in the party specializes in area of effect spells, have them be encircle the party and attack from all directions. Alternatively, if the party is mainly big melee fighters, have them use bows until they're forced into melee and then focus on one party member at a time. Etc.. With the Doppelgänger's telepathy it will know the party's weaknesses so target them.
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