I'm going to run my first game as DM in 5e. My players are mostly new to D&D, but one has significant exp in 5e and another has exp in AD&D. The other four are pretty much raw material.
I need to set up some first encounters. Two of the choices lead to fights with bandits. The third choice I have so far is a fight where the party is tracking down and killing wolves. This leads to sighting worgs with goblin riders, but the first encounter is just killing wolves.
The first of these I was going to have the six of them attacked by three wolves, almost right out of the MM, but ...
I am giving the wolves this "reaction" to taking damage; if a wolf takes damage the DM rolls a d6. On 1-3 the wolf lets out a dog whimper and leaps away, out of range, from the party. On a 4-5 the wolf growls deeply and crouches a little as if to make itself a smaller target. On a 6 the wolf makes a reaction bite attack. So the players will have three chances in six of getting an Attack-of-Opportunity. I want to do this for two reasons. First, I want to help them learn the game mechanics. And second I want to tweak monsters from the MM so they are usually not exactly like the one in the book.
Thoughts on this 'wolf' idea?
Other ideas for first combat encounters?
BTW, choice 1 is to escort a merchant caravan to this other place, where they will be paid for their help and get somewhere.
Choice number 2 is to answer an ad for help in another place, but when they get there they find out the written ad was too good to be true. So they accept the offer to fight at higher odds for lesser rewards or they turn the noble man down.
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I'm going to run my first game as DM in 5e. My players are mostly new to D&D, but one has significant exp in 5e and another has exp in AD&D. The other four are pretty much raw material.
I need to set up some first encounters. Two of the choices lead to fights with bandits. The third choice I have so far is a fight where the party is tracking down and killing wolves. This leads to sighting worgs with goblin riders, but the first encounter is just killing wolves.
The first of these I was going to have the six of them attacked by three wolves, almost right out of the MM, but ...
I am giving the wolves this "reaction" to taking damage; if a wolf takes damage the DM rolls a d6. On 1-3 the wolf lets out a dog whimper and leaps away, out of range, from the party. On a 4-5 the wolf growls deeply and crouches a little as if to make itself a smaller target. On a 6 the wolf makes a reaction bite attack. So the players will have three chances in six of getting an Attack-of-Opportunity. I want to do this for two reasons. First, I want to help them learn the game mechanics. And second I want to tweak monsters from the MM so they are usually not exactly like the one in the book.
Thoughts on this 'wolf' idea?
Other ideas for first combat encounters?
BTW, choice 1 is to escort a merchant caravan to this other place, where they will be paid for their help and get somewhere.
Choice number 2 is to answer an ad for help in another place, but when they get there they find out the written ad was too good to be true. So they accept the offer to fight at higher odds for lesser rewards or they turn the noble man down.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt