First off, let me start by wishing everyone happy holidays!
So I need a little help with structuring a series of encounters for a split party one-shot I'm running with my group. The gist is that the their are two groups of three PCs (level-five) who, while probably not openly hostile to each other, are from separate, warring factions. In the scenario one faction is sieging a city that the other is currently defending. Though the two PC groups eventually meet up and end up facing against a threat that forces them into a temporary truce in order to defeat it.
So that's the base-level theme. I won't go into the nitty gritty because ultimately that's not important. Mechanically, I'm envisioning both parties fighting against separate threats simultaneously within eye and earshot (while technically not in the same room or encounter). Theoretically this should allow me to run both sets encounters real-time and keep everyone engaged.
Seems difficult, if you need any kind of meaningful separation between the two groups.
One, war is noisy and messy. If two potentially hostile groups are within earshot of one another, then they are very, very close. They could end up fighting one another before the first encounter finishes. Or might attempt to lure their opponents to their enemies to make them fight one another, depending on how many factions are in play.
Having them separated by some significant obstacle, such as a moat or wall would let everyone be on the same map, but at 5th level they will have access to spells like Fly, which can let things move in weird directions.
One option would be to not have them within the immediate vicinity of one another, but use a split-map, so that the left side represents one group and the right side represents the other. Both groups are trying to get to the "center" and may reset to the far side of the map a few times to simulate covering greater distances. Once the combined amount of distance covered hits a threshold, the game switches to a combined map where the final encounter occurs.
Considering it's a one shot and its a PVP style, you should consider just making it a tower defense one shot. As mentioned, war is messy and complicates things. I'd recommend having the two groups split and starting with tower defense approach. Make the defenders figure out what they want to do to protect themselves, ie; scout, defend, ambush, set traps and fortify. While the attackers make options to start an attack against the defenders as well kind of the same as defenders.
If you are making other threats as well, consider just making them taken care of instantly. Like, 1hp instantly or making it so one choice is not available if they choose to deal with the threat such as defending against the attacking players. It's annoying to have to keep chopping down Generic Soldier 10HP but that would make sense when it boils down to just the two main opposing factions.
Update on the oneshot: True to form, the PCs did everything in their power to attack eachother and eventually killed off the rival group before the "forced cooperation" portion of the oneshot. Oh well, that's D&D for ya.
Overall, the event was fun for everyone and opens up some opportunities to expand on the lore of the surviving characters in some extra sessions (this oneshot occurred 40 years in the past and takes place in the world where the main characters are actively questing). Yay world building!
Another plus is the therapeutic aspect of killing another PCs character. Who knows, this whole one shot may have alleviated some unsurfaced tensions between players by allowing them to duke it out with expendable characters.
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First off, let me start by wishing everyone happy holidays!
So I need a little help with structuring a series of encounters for a split party one-shot I'm running with my group. The gist is that the their are two groups of three PCs (level-five) who, while probably not openly hostile to each other, are from separate, warring factions. In the scenario one faction is sieging a city that the other is currently defending. Though the two PC groups eventually meet up and end up facing against a threat that forces them into a temporary truce in order to defeat it.
So that's the base-level theme. I won't go into the nitty gritty because ultimately that's not important. Mechanically, I'm envisioning both parties fighting against separate threats simultaneously within eye and earshot (while technically not in the same room or encounter). Theoretically this should allow me to run both sets encounters real-time and keep everyone engaged.
Thoughts, ideas, vignettes?
Seems difficult, if you need any kind of meaningful separation between the two groups.
One, war is noisy and messy. If two potentially hostile groups are within earshot of one another, then they are very, very close. They could end up fighting one another before the first encounter finishes. Or might attempt to lure their opponents to their enemies to make them fight one another, depending on how many factions are in play.
Having them separated by some significant obstacle, such as a moat or wall would let everyone be on the same map, but at 5th level they will have access to spells like Fly, which can let things move in weird directions.
One option would be to not have them within the immediate vicinity of one another, but use a split-map, so that the left side represents one group and the right side represents the other. Both groups are trying to get to the "center" and may reset to the far side of the map a few times to simulate covering greater distances. Once the combined amount of distance covered hits a threshold, the game switches to a combined map where the final encounter occurs.
Considering it's a one shot and its a PVP style, you should consider just making it a tower defense one shot. As mentioned, war is messy and complicates things. I'd recommend having the two groups split and starting with tower defense approach. Make the defenders figure out what they want to do to protect themselves, ie; scout, defend, ambush, set traps and fortify. While the attackers make options to start an attack against the defenders as well kind of the same as defenders.
If you are making other threats as well, consider just making them taken care of instantly. Like, 1hp instantly or making it so one choice is not available if they choose to deal with the threat such as defending against the attacking players. It's annoying to have to keep chopping down Generic Soldier 10HP but that would make sense when it boils down to just the two main opposing factions.
Thanks to everyone who responded to the thread!
Update on the oneshot: True to form, the PCs did everything in their power to attack eachother and eventually killed off the rival group before the "forced cooperation" portion of the oneshot. Oh well, that's D&D for ya.
Overall, the event was fun for everyone and opens up some opportunities to expand on the lore of the surviving characters in some extra sessions (this oneshot occurred 40 years in the past and takes place in the world where the main characters are actively questing). Yay world building!
Another plus is the therapeutic aspect of killing another PCs character. Who knows, this whole one shot may have alleviated some unsurfaced tensions between players by allowing them to duke it out with expendable characters.