I would love some suggestions for a cool monster encounter for a party of 6 lv3 characters taking place inside a town. This is a mid-point encounter on way to their main objective, but I would like to build someething up narratively with an interresting monster (ranging CR 5 to 8). Ideally something the townspepole would be very affraid of or be under its influence.
A Dusk Hag (CR 6) or night hag (CR 5) might be an interesting fight, if you set it up as a town plagued by nightmares. Could be a mystery setup to figure out what is causing the nightmares and then catching the hag in the act.
A more traditional option might be a group of dragon cultists led by a dragonborn of tiamat (from the recent Fizban's book) which has raided the town.
At CR 5 - 8, the options are more abundant that the limitations. And that is an understatement (IMO).
I have always been a fan of the Night Hag, which could also have a Succubus working with her at the nicest Inn in town. The old Otyugh in the sewer trick is fun if you want pets and children that stray from home at night to go missing. Vampire Spawn fall into the lineup, with the promise of having a master around somewhere....maybe the mayor? Maybe there's a Bodak killing families that have a specific music box in their possession. How about an Oni working (disguised) as a sweet old baker making sweetbreads for all the kiddos in town and haunting their dreams at night. How about a Hydra that is destroying the towns fishing trade or preventing travel through the river that the town relies on for transport.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
be aware that single monsters make for dodgy encounters per the CR calculator. Either they hit hard enough to down a PC in one attack or flurry of multiattacks, or they will lack the action economy to pose any sort of threat.
You might be better making an encounter with 2-3 monsters who are working together, either in a pack or as a team. I've found it makes for much more interesting and less challenging (as a DM) encounters. With single monsters, you sometimes have to increase their HP on the fly, or reduce their damage because holy whut they do how much, twice?
If you need help balancing those encounter ideas, I'm sure there would be ample feedback on that topic as well.
Best of fun!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
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Good morning D&D comunity!
I would love some suggestions for a cool monster encounter for a party of 6 lv3 characters taking place inside a town. This is a mid-point encounter on way to their main objective, but I would like to build someething up narratively with an interresting monster (ranging CR 5 to 8). Ideally something the townspepole would be very affraid of or be under its influence.
Any suggestions?
A Dusk Hag (CR 6) or night hag (CR 5) might be an interesting fight, if you set it up as a town plagued by nightmares. Could be a mystery setup to figure out what is causing the nightmares and then catching the hag in the act.
A more traditional option might be a group of dragon cultists led by a dragonborn of tiamat (from the recent Fizban's book) which has raided the town.
At CR 5 - 8, the options are more abundant that the limitations. And that is an understatement (IMO).
I have always been a fan of the Night Hag, which could also have a Succubus working with her at the nicest Inn in town. The old Otyugh in the sewer trick is fun if you want pets and children that stray from home at night to go missing. Vampire Spawn fall into the lineup, with the promise of having a master around somewhere....maybe the mayor? Maybe there's a Bodak killing families that have a specific music box in their possession. How about an Oni working (disguised) as a sweet old baker making sweetbreads for all the kiddos in town and haunting their dreams at night. How about a Hydra that is destroying the towns fishing trade or preventing travel through the river that the town relies on for transport.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Those are pretty cool ideas! thanks!
be aware that single monsters make for dodgy encounters per the CR calculator. Either they hit hard enough to down a PC in one attack or flurry of multiattacks, or they will lack the action economy to pose any sort of threat.
You might be better making an encounter with 2-3 monsters who are working together, either in a pack or as a team. I've found it makes for much more interesting and less challenging (as a DM) encounters. With single monsters, you sometimes have to increase their HP on the fly, or reduce their damage because holy whut they do how much, twice?
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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You're welcome!
If you need help balancing those encounter ideas, I'm sure there would be ample feedback on that topic as well.
Best of fun!
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad