Easy DMs Anonymous

Okay, okay I'll admit it! I am an easy DM--but I'm not proud of it, and I want to change. Granted, I have been only DM-ing for a few months, but I feel that most of my encounters have been on the easy side for my players. I don't think my players have noticed yet how handily they have gone through, but I wonder how long this will last. Of course, I could just throw at them encounters 4+ CR levels higher than themselves, (a party of six having just advanced to 3rd level) but that seems sort of unfair as well. Maybe I'm just apprehensive of what may happen with the players if their character dies.

Anyway, I would love some suggestions on how to toughen up encounters, and also to play smarter (i.e. tactics for lower level monsters).

Thanks in advance,
RavenSinger

The easiest thing to do is gauge the combat, and alter it accordingly. i.e. if you plan an encounter, but the party seems to be having too easy time of it, have reinforcements arrive.

"Just as you think you're gaining the upper hand, three more goblins appear over the rise..."

Alternatively, you could simply bump up the HP mid-combat. I don't like to do this too often, though, because I think it's heavy-handed and ruins the consistency I like to have.

Be wary of simply bumping up encounters by 4+ CR. That can be enough to wipe out an entire party. However, you may want to experiment. Next combat, raise the CR by 1 and see how the party handles it. If that's still too easy, then raise it by another 1.

Also, you might consider simply adding more encounters, rather than tougher ones, between resting periods. The more encounters a party has to face, the lower their resources and the tougher they get, even if the CR is relatively low. This is also a good way to challenge a party without blasting them with a CR they aren't ready for.

Just some ideas.

Step right this way...

It is tough learning how to handle critters and pace encounters sometimes! Fortunately, this board contains a wealth of knowledge contained in the brains of ol' crusty guys like me!

Check out the "Tactics Lesson" here - about 3/4s down the page. Whip some of these on your PCs next time they are having a cake-walk and watch them pee their kilts...

Tactics for Bad Guys - Check about 3/4 of the way down the page

Have fun and be evil!

Old One

Baahhh!

To make it easier...here is the text from the other post!

As some of you may know, I am an ex-military officer and a couple of people have posted asking about tactics that I use or have used in the past for NPCs and monsters. I will preface my tactics section with a couple of general comments to take into consideration when designing tactics for your own use:

General Considerations

Alignment - Typically, the more "lawful" in alignment, the better the overall tactics are going to be. For example, gnolls (CE) might be able to set-up a great ambush, but once it is sprung, every gnoll is fighting on their own and will not respond well to further orders except from a very strong leader. Hobgoblins, on the other hand, might execute a great ambush, then respond well to complex additional commands throughout the battle.

Training/Experience - Very important! Don't expect town guards or militia to be capable of intricate maneuvers or independant action. Also, rank and file members of humanoid tribes (goblins, orcs, etc) typically aren't going to be able to more than advance, attack and retreat absent additional training or very good leadership. These types tend to follow the last orders they were given, aren't very imaginative and their morale tends to be pretty brittle.

Veteran soldiers and humanoids with a strong culture (hobgoblins) should be capable of a variety of situational tactics, will use terrain intelligently, will use scouts and other intelligence gathering sources (like familiars) and are capable of independant action without constant leadership direction.

Leadership - Critically important, especially with poorly trained troops and creatures. One or two strong leaders can make a huge difference and spur even ill-trained forces to achieve great things. Conversely, the loss the such a leader will typically affect a poorly trained force much more than a veteran force, often causing them to break and run.

Morale - Great training and superior leadership can all be sabotaged by poor morale. Likewise, good morale can enable a force to stand in the face of overwhelming odds and continue to function. Poorly trained and led forces tend to have brittle morale, so a couple of casualties or the loss of a leader will cause them to turn and run. Elite forces can sustain enormous casualties and still fight - but virtually every unit does have its breaking point. In addition, failing morale is usually contagious. If a unit (or individual, in small unit actions) breaks and runs, then surrounding units often do as well, turning a retreat by the few into the rout of the many. Up through the Napoleonic period, most casualties on the losing side were suffered during the pursuit after the army broke and fled the field of battle.

Culture - In some cultures, honor and glory come from individual combat (Homeric Greece, Celts and Germanic tribesmen), not neccessarily from winning the battle. Such cultures are far less likely to develop and utilize complex battlefield tactics and fight as individuals or small family groups once swords are crossed.

Intelligence - Most creatures have a fairly strong sense of self preservation and will seek to survive whenever possible. Very few creatures will fight to the death unless they are: (a) Complete fanatics (b) Convinced they will die if they surrender (ie, fighting a foe they know kills all prisoners) (c) Fighting against an immediate threat to home and loved ones (d) Very stupid. They will either seek to flee or, if flight is impossible, they will try to surrender. All too often, I see DMs have every creature that enters combat with the PCs fight mindlessly to the end, even when hopelessly outmatched.

Tactics

Tactics - These are some that I have found useful and that I posted to another board. The discussion was about hobgoblins, so they are referenced throughout the commentary.

(1) Concentration of Firepower - Typically, each enemy matches up against a PC. This is STUPID! Instead, they should concentrate all of their attention on the most dangerous looking PC first...all offensive spells, missile fire and melee attacks go against one PC until that one drops, then action moves to the next PC and so on. Enemies that can't attack, due to placement, will hold position with either readied actions or full defense.

(2) Feigned Retreat - One of my favorites, especially if you have PCs that break from the group to chase fleeing enemies. After the PCs take a couple out, the remainder turn and flee to a pre-arranged ambush/rally spot - usually around a blind corner or a room with good cover (ie, storage room with crates). Once there, they turn and pounce on the pursuing PC(s).

(3) Playing Dead - This one works great with (2) above. After swords are crossed, a couple of the opponents drop right after being hit and the remainder turn and flee. Of course, the ones that fell are only playing dead and rise up behind the pursuing PCs, catching them in a vice when the ambush is sprung (the old 'hammer and anvil' trick).

(4) Break Contact - Not used nearly enough by most DMs. If the PC clearly outmatch them, the combat team breaks contact and flees, preferrably by seperate routes, to a pre-designated rally point. Slugging it out with a clearly superior enemy toe-to-toe is foolish. The adepts/sorcerers might have a scroll with obscuring mist or wall of fog to help assist with this.

(5) Critical Mass at the Point of Attack - Use several combat teams to hit the PCs from different directions using the tactics above. The PCs will think they have died and gone to hell! Have the enemies break contact, regroup, drink their healing potions and come at 'em again and again.

(6) Hit and Run - Don't stand and fight! Pop out of a corridor, launch a round of attacks and move out. Use space and time to wear the party down, use up their resources and weaken them. Concentrate attacks and fire on obviously wounded PCs to take them out of the action.

If your PCs are getting cocky or don't use sound tactics, it is time to give them a drubbing they will never forget!

Old One

Remember the assist other option, this is especially useful when a large group of low CR creatures are facing the PCs. IME that option is forgotten very often both by DM and players. This can be especially dangerous with reach weapons. It just is a shame that goblins are too small to use reach weapons...

Never be afraid to manouvre. PCs do not stay put when outflanked, so why should NPCs do that?

Flanks attacks from big mobs of weak monsters (give some of them a couple levels of Rogue to get in the occasional sneak attack as well)

Attacking from ambush with rapid/point blank shooting kobolds w/shortbows.

Poison (add to anything to make a really nasty encounter Con damage is fun but I like Str against fighters and Int vs wizards myself)

Touch attacks from mid level clerics (nothing says "I love you" like 3d8+5 points of damage with no save and all you get is your dex bonus to AC).

Druids. Druids are just a nasty class in general. Have the PCs encounter one that has cast Awaken on a couple of trees , add animal compaions, mix well and serve

Then of course there are ways to challenge the party without combat.

Murder mysteries (very good at low level without the Detect Lies/Commune spells to fall back on the PCs will have to interview & investigate the suspects and then decide who they believe and why)

Political intrigue - gaining favour with the local ruler to sway him./her for or against a certain course of action. This would involve not only speaking to the ruler but also those around him.

Just a few things off the top of my head. take them for what they are worth.

I always try to make combat as balanced as possible... I like to sometimes use many smaller creatures than what many DMs do which is using one big foe only.

Many small creatures are less tough than their CR would indicate... since most of them cant hit every round and they tend to miss more % wise than a bigger monster... and of course the PCs every round will kill some baddies whittling down the menace.

The big advantage of smaller baddies is that there will always be one more around the corner... I set up a combat with 2 dire wolves.. the group archer hit him critically first round killing him with only two arrows !! So I conveniently placed one more wolf at the bottom of the cave...

I dont like killing PCS... but once in a while you should put something so obviosly dangerous that the PCs should run away... I think it keeps them humbled and on their toes... Should they be stupid enough to attack kill one and let the rest run. This is to stop the silly notion that the DM would never put anything beyond their skills. Sometimes put an easy encounter or one were sneakiness will do them more good than force entreing.

Thanks Y'all!

I had some problems posting this yesterday afternoon, but. . .

Just wanted to say thanks to all who responded (so quickly) to my post. Especially Old One for the schooling on tactics. My players will not know what hit 'em.

And a note to Holy Bovine:

Druids. Druids are just a nasty class in general. Have the PCs encounter one that has cast Awaken on a couple of trees, add animal companions, mix well and serve

Click to expand...

I got you covered. . .the whole campaign is starting with the PCs getting involved what will eventually amount to a Druid War. A final showdown is in the works with a relatively high level druid with some nasty animal companions with added Wood Elemental templates from MoP. Yum-Yummy!

I can't believe I am saying this but i wish my past and present DMs would read this thread. All too often I have been faced with the classic one or two goblins/orcs/whatevers on each PC and they fight to the death using "stand and take it, no matter what" tactics.

Okay, now you have a whole bunch of options. So avoid one major trap, don't over use the tricky ones. It is so cool to have that Ambush work, and create an incredible battle, but you have to let it lay for a while. Yes some tactics should always be used if the combatents are smart enough (flanking and defensive fighting). The tactics that rely on surprise should be spread out.

You do not want to become a One Trick DM, IMHO.

Re: Thanks Y'all!

RavenSinger said:

I got you covered. . .the whole campaign is starting with the PCs getting involved what will eventually amount to a Druid War. A final showdown is in the works with a relatively high level druid with some nasty animal companions with added Wood Elemental templates from MoP. Yum-Yummy!

Click to expand...

reason number 6,780 to finally breakdown and get Manaul of the Planes - my B-Day is just too long to wait for this one!