Just looking for suggestions if people would be so kind as to suggest some low-level monsters for either a solo level-1 or group of level-1-type NPC's to take on for funsies.
It's for backstory purposes not actual combat so don't worry *too* much about the lethality - essentially we're going to be playing a Wildemount campaign and I've got a nice idea for a Bloodhunter and putting together a 7 year backlog of events leading up to the campaign - we're making some use of existing factions within the wider world of CR's Exandria so it seemed ideal to have them be a part of the Slayer's Take from C1, so the bulk of that time will be roving around the varying small locations dotted about the western continents avoiding as many major plot points & characters of either campaign as I can just hunting stuff 😂.
essentially I wanna create something realistic, we're starting at lvl 1 so coming with a list that says; 'me, the level 1 Bloodhunter singlehandedly slew a Tarrasque' is the power-fantasy bullshit I'm looking to avoid, but I would like some cool stuff in there that a group of him and his cohorts could have realistically taken down whilst he was learning the trade, so weird, unusual, rare but low level creatures would be cool.
He was part of at varying points a 7 strong group (6+ him) so I imagine a couple of rangers, cleric, fighters, barbarian type colleagues if that helps for some of the beefier stuff.
Like I said not looking for full encounter stats, just some cool monster names I can look up and use - I'm only venturing into DM'ing myself with Waterdeep & Strahd so I'm still using the pre-gen'd encounters/tables so I'm gonna be borrowing some of them but would like some more flavour to throw in with the meat and veg of the backstory!
Per the DMG’s chapter on encounter building a deadly encounter for 7 1st level characters has a threshold of 1400 XP (7x100/0.5(modifier for parties over 5)) which lies somewhere between a CR 4 - CR 5 creature. Presuming the party size modifier still applies they would have a daily threshold of 4200 XP (w/ 2 short rests) which is just north of a CR 8 monster. You can use DnD Beyond to filter monsters by CR level to see what would be “reasonable” and strikes your fancy.
That being said there are humorous/lucky ways to kill a monster that may lie beyond the rules:
Accidentally feeding a vampire garlic soup or bumbling away from one, blinded by mist and losing all track of time, until both you and the vampire realizes it’s high noon as the sun burns the mist away.
Falling through a rotted floor while exploring an ancient tomb. Shattering the lid of a sarcophagus and landing on top of a mummy lord, fortunately for you your still lit torch lands on top of it as well...
A single sling stone to a giant’s forehead.
Perhaps a lich who should have known better used a precariously perched, fragile vase as a phalactery.
Maybe a medusa saw its reflection in the blade of your shiny, new shovel.
As long as you don’t expect the tactic to work in actual gameplay.
Ah thanks mate - I suppose the CR Cap was kind of the limit I was struggling with so knowing I could spread some higher CR 1-4 bads in the backstory mixed some piddly ones in the 0.5/0.75 category over the timeframe as well really helps so thank you greatly!
I bet you could come up with something cool using mephits! There are six variants (that I'm aware of) in the CR 1/4 - 1/2 range and they have a bunch of neat elemental abilities.
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"I like my belly and intend to keep it, thank you. I may even add some more to it!"
Hi All!
Just looking for suggestions if people would be so kind as to suggest some low-level monsters for either a solo level-1 or group of level-1-type NPC's to take on for funsies.
It's for backstory purposes not actual combat so don't worry *too* much about the lethality - essentially we're going to be playing a Wildemount campaign and I've got a nice idea for a Bloodhunter and putting together a 7 year backlog of events leading up to the campaign - we're making some use of existing factions within the wider world of CR's Exandria so it seemed ideal to have them be a part of the Slayer's Take from C1, so the bulk of that time will be roving around the varying small locations dotted about the western continents avoiding as many major plot points & characters of either campaign as I can just hunting stuff 😂.
essentially I wanna create something realistic, we're starting at lvl 1 so coming with a list that says; 'me, the level 1 Bloodhunter singlehandedly slew a Tarrasque' is the power-fantasy bullshit I'm looking to avoid, but I would like some cool stuff in there that a group of him and his cohorts could have realistically taken down whilst he was learning the trade, so weird, unusual, rare but low level creatures would be cool.
He was part of at varying points a 7 strong group (6+ him) so I imagine a couple of rangers, cleric, fighters, barbarian type colleagues if that helps for some of the beefier stuff.
Like I said not looking for full encounter stats, just some cool monster names I can look up and use - I'm only venturing into DM'ing myself with Waterdeep & Strahd so I'm still using the pre-gen'd encounters/tables so I'm gonna be borrowing some of them but would like some more flavour to throw in with the meat and veg of the backstory!
All input appreciated - thanks folks!
Per the DMG’s chapter on encounter building a deadly encounter for 7 1st level characters has a threshold of 1400 XP (7x100/0.5(modifier for parties over 5)) which lies somewhere between a CR 4 - CR 5 creature. Presuming the party size modifier still applies they would have a daily threshold of 4200 XP (w/ 2 short rests) which is just north of a CR 8 monster. You can use DnD Beyond to filter monsters by CR level to see what would be “reasonable” and strikes your fancy.
That being said there are humorous/lucky ways to kill a monster that may lie beyond the rules:
Accidentally feeding a vampire garlic soup or bumbling away from one, blinded by mist and losing all track of time, until both you and the vampire realizes it’s high noon as the sun burns the mist away.
Falling through a rotted floor while exploring an ancient tomb. Shattering the lid of a sarcophagus and landing on top of a mummy lord, fortunately for you your still lit torch lands on top of it as well...
A single sling stone to a giant’s forehead.
Perhaps a lich who should have known better used a precariously perched, fragile vase as a phalactery.
Maybe a medusa saw its reflection in the blade of your shiny, new shovel.
As long as you don’t expect the tactic to work in actual gameplay.
Ah thanks mate - I suppose the CR Cap was kind of the limit I was struggling with so knowing I could spread some higher CR 1-4 bads in the backstory mixed some piddly ones in the 0.5/0.75 category over the timeframe as well really helps so thank you greatly!
I bet you could come up with something cool using mephits! There are six variants (that I'm aware of) in the CR 1/4 - 1/2 range and they have a bunch of neat elemental abilities.
"I like my belly and intend to keep it, thank you. I may even add some more to it!"
-Rumblebelly
kobolds goblins and orcs