Hey! So I've only played a few games of D&D, but i'm trying to get a group of friends together to start!
The question I have is: How do you pick level appropriate monsters? For instance, in a campaign I have planned, I really want to have the main "boss" be a vampire. How do I make sure I'm not over taxing the group and that I'm not giving them a "boss" they have no chance of beating? I was thinking of having the group start at lvl 2.
It really depends a lot on the style of your play. How difficult do you want the battle experience to be? What do you think your friends would enjoy? Obviously you know your friends better than any of us ever will. Do they tend to like strategic games or puzzles, being faced with difficulty and overcomming it, or are they more into the dramatic flair of being adventurers exploring and conquering the wild? If you're unsure, ask them! A lot of issues can be solved simply by communicating with your players.
On the subject of balance, if you want to go for a difficulty that suits most new players, just go for the Challenge Rating system. The Challenge 'stat' under every monster in the Monsters Manual shows what would be considered an average difficulty fight for a party of four characters. For example; A minotaur with a challenge rating of 3, is considered an average challenge for 4 level 3 characters.
When your players starts to get more experienced, you're probably gonna have to up the stakes a bit to keep them engaged. Also worth noting is that the system isn't perfect. Always remember to take a few second to look at monster to realize things like; "Huh, this monster is resistant to all physical damage, and the only caster in our group is an illusionist" Stuff like that. If you want some interesting advice on creating encounters, then Matthew Colville has done some good YouTube videos on the subject.
Honestly, you want the characters to want to exceed what the norm might be. Since vampires are considered CR 6, perhaps they encounter it at lvl 4-5, but only have to take it to half/three-quarters hp before it flees.
Vampires tend to have thralls and other henchmen about, escpecially if it’s not at the lair yet. You could have them do other semi-related adventures that tie into the campaign of the vampire hunt.
Late to the party but did a search so I didn't create a new topic.
Let'S say I create a 1-3 dungeon, and want the boss to be a typical 6 challenge monster, what would the calculation to bring that monster down to 3 be?
I always start at level two just because I don't want to have them jumping over walls for the first session. and if you want to have the main boss be a high-level vampire you can have them fight at the beginning and lose but then get saved or for some reason the vampire saved them. I would have them saved by someone and then because they are in debt with them now, they have to do this and then this and this and this so they can level up and then go in for round two.
i fought a vampire once. we were level five. dunno how easy he would be to beat, since he was sleeping in his coffin when we found him. we set him on fire, poured liquid sun on his face, and he was dead in three seconds. it was a boss fight though... dont give you characters liquid sun.
For low level characters, (and I start at level 1) I find the best is to give them an environment with some breathing room, railroading them into combat situations tends to lead to less interesting character development. As boss fights go, even a couple of zombies wearing chain mail can provide a challenge that can be overcome with some ingenuity. Really depends on your campaign. Depending on your group, you may want to use less intelligent enemies for the low levels and get them with the harpy singing from the other side of a pool of oil at level 3 or so...
I just finished session one with my campaign of 6 players, all level 1, and only one has played 5e and another once played AD&D.
Eight wolves (CR 1/4 50XP) would have wiped out the party if I had played them optimally. The party consists of a Human Fighter, an Elf Druid, and Elf Paladin, a Dwarf War Cleric, a Gnome Ranger and a Gnome Bard. To prevent the party wipe I sent the wolves in in pairs. The first round two pair of wolves went in and attacked. The second round another pair joined in. The fourth round another pair joined in.
So something as simple as wolves can really hurt level 1 characters.
You're starting at level 2. They would be much more resilient against wolves, but this could still drop PCs so use some care.
I hope you enjoy your game as much as my players appear to be enjoying mine.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
The question I have is: How do you pick level appropriate monsters? For instance, in a campaign I have planned, I really want to have the main "boss" be a vampire. How do I make sure I'm not over taxing the group and that I'm not giving them a "boss" they have no chance of beating? I was thinking of having the group start at lvl 2.
I'm going to assume that your question is about building combat encounters that are level appropriate, as social encounters absolutely do not have to be level appropriate. A good read would be Chapter 3 of the DMG - Creating a Combat Encounter. I will warn you that this method requires some math if you follow it as written. Once you run through it a couple of times, it should get easier. For example, CR 1/8 = 25XP, 1/4 = 50 XP... Then reference the table provided to see how many of what you need to build the encounter difficulty you're looking for.
I would suggest that for your party of level 2 characters that you stick to low CR monsters between 1/8 and 1/2. Also of note, its ok to build an encounter or two that the PCs can easily mop up. Sometimes they need that easy win to change the tension of the adventure.
Lastly, since you mention Vampire, I'm assuming you're wanting to run something with an undead or old world feel to it. Select monsters that would be appropriate to your world and the locations that the PCs will be in. Hope this helps. Good Luck and Have Fun!
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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
The campaign I ran before my current one had a vampire as the final boss. The party was tasked on Session One to go to a dungeon and clear it out, and they took with them a sympathetic, friendly NPC who says he wants to atone for shunning his adventuring kids years ago.
When the party accidentally released the vampire that was being held captive in the dungeon, guess who the vampire killed before leaving to go take over the neighboring city?
The patented Trap NPC - someone super likeable who the DM makes purely to kill off and give the party motivation. Does it work every time? Certainly not. But when combined with the need to establish a powerful villain early (and not kill PCs) it works perfectly.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
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Hey! So I've only played a few games of D&D, but i'm trying to get a group of friends together to start!
The question I have is: How do you pick level appropriate monsters? For instance, in a campaign I have planned, I really want to have the main "boss" be a vampire. How do I make sure I'm not over taxing the group and that I'm not giving them a "boss" they have no chance of beating? I was thinking of having the group start at lvl 2.
It really depends a lot on the style of your play. How difficult do you want the battle experience to be? What do you think your friends would enjoy? Obviously you know your friends better than any of us ever will. Do they tend to like strategic games or puzzles, being faced with difficulty and overcomming it, or are they more into the dramatic flair of being adventurers exploring and conquering the wild? If you're unsure, ask them! A lot of issues can be solved simply by communicating with your players.
On the subject of balance, if you want to go for a difficulty that suits most new players, just go for the Challenge Rating system. The Challenge 'stat' under every monster in the Monsters Manual shows what would be considered an average difficulty fight for a party of four characters.
For example; A minotaur with a challenge rating of 3, is considered an average challenge for 4 level 3 characters.
When your players starts to get more experienced, you're probably gonna have to up the stakes a bit to keep them engaged. Also worth noting is that the system isn't perfect. Always remember to take a few second to look at monster to realize things like; "Huh, this monster is resistant to all physical damage, and the only caster in our group is an illusionist" Stuff like that. If you want some interesting advice on creating encounters, then Matthew Colville has done some good YouTube videos on the subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xANZTijbrw8 <- Challenge Rating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDjD0Gjtgik&t=127s <- Dice Math
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_-JDmlnFiU <- Designing an Encounter, part 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wl_v7V3-uU <- Designing an Encounter, part 2
I've watched a lot of his stuff and its been AMAZING!
So the vampire I was thinking of has a difficulty rating of 6. Would that be 4 level 6 characters then?
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Honestly, you want the characters to want to exceed what the norm might be. Since vampires are considered CR 6, perhaps they encounter it at lvl 4-5, but only have to take it to half/three-quarters hp before it flees.
Vampires tend to have thralls and other henchmen about, escpecially if it’s not at the lair yet. You could have them do other semi-related adventures that tie into the campaign of the vampire hunt.
The idea I had involved a few thralls and such. I may make it their first multi session campaign once they have gotten their sea legs.
Late to the party but did a search so I didn't create a new topic.
Let'S say I create a 1-3 dungeon, and want the boss to be a typical 6 challenge monster, what would the calculation to bring that monster down to 3 be?
I always start at level two just because I don't want to have them jumping over walls for the first session. and if you want to have the main boss be a high-level vampire you can have them fight at the beginning and lose but then get saved or for some reason the vampire saved them. I would have them saved by someone and then because they are in debt with them now, they have to do this and then this and this and this so they can level up and then go in for round two.
i fought a vampire once. we were level five. dunno how easy he would be to beat, since he was sleeping in his coffin when we found him. we set him on fire, poured liquid sun on his face, and he was dead in three seconds. it was a boss fight though... dont give you characters liquid sun.
For low level characters, (and I start at level 1) I find the best is to give them an environment with some breathing room, railroading them into combat situations tends to lead to less interesting character development. As boss fights go, even a couple of zombies wearing chain mail can provide a challenge that can be overcome with some ingenuity. Really depends on your campaign. Depending on your group, you may want to use less intelligent enemies for the low levels and get them with the harpy singing from the other side of a pool of oil at level 3 or so...
I just finished session one with my campaign of 6 players, all level 1, and only one has played 5e and another once played AD&D.
Eight wolves (CR 1/4 50XP) would have wiped out the party if I had played them optimally. The party consists of a Human Fighter, an Elf Druid, and Elf Paladin, a Dwarf War Cleric, a Gnome Ranger and a Gnome Bard. To prevent the party wipe I sent the wolves in in pairs. The first round two pair of wolves went in and attacked. The second round another pair joined in. The fourth round another pair joined in.
So something as simple as wolves can really hurt level 1 characters.
You're starting at level 2. They would be much more resilient against wolves, but this could still drop PCs so use some care.
I hope you enjoy your game as much as my players appear to be enjoying mine.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
I'm going to assume that your question is about building combat encounters that are level appropriate, as social encounters absolutely do not have to be level appropriate. A good read would be Chapter 3 of the DMG - Creating a Combat Encounter. I will warn you that this method requires some math if you follow it as written. Once you run through it a couple of times, it should get easier. For example, CR 1/8 = 25XP, 1/4 = 50 XP... Then reference the table provided to see how many of what you need to build the encounter difficulty you're looking for.
I would suggest that for your party of level 2 characters that you stick to low CR monsters between 1/8 and 1/2. Also of note, its ok to build an encounter or two that the PCs can easily mop up. Sometimes they need that easy win to change the tension of the adventure.
Lastly, since you mention Vampire, I'm assuming you're wanting to run something with an undead or old world feel to it. Select monsters that would be appropriate to your world and the locations that the PCs will be in. Hope this helps. Good Luck and Have 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
May I join
The campaign I ran before my current one had a vampire as the final boss. The party was tasked on Session One to go to a dungeon and clear it out, and they took with them a sympathetic, friendly NPC who says he wants to atone for shunning his adventuring kids years ago.
When the party accidentally released the vampire that was being held captive in the dungeon, guess who the vampire killed before leaving to go take over the neighboring city?
The patented Trap NPC - someone super likeable who the DM makes purely to kill off and give the party motivation. Does it work every time? Certainly not. But when combined with the need to establish a powerful villain early (and not kill PCs) it works perfectly.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?