D&D 5E Starter Set Tweak -- Starting at a higher level

[Boarstorm]

I'm finally going to be running the Starter Set next weekend and I'm thinking of starting the PCs off at a higher level (2nd... maybe 3rd...) and tweaking the encounters through use of Mearls' encounter building guidelines.

What do you guys think? I know it's easily doable, but do you think it's a good idea to skip the more vulnerable levels?

 

[Agamon]

The game assumes you'll get to 3rd pretty quickly. I don't see a problem with it.

 

[Thaumaturge]

If you're worried about killing the PCs, I think it's easier to just have the enemies in the first part of the adventure knock a character out if the character is reduced to 0 hp instead of killing them. The enemies have already shown they take captives. They also believe they'll profit from captives.

If they all get knocked out, they wake up in the caves and get to make an escape. Maybe the NPC in charge of watching the prisoners sets them free because he wants to make a powerplay against the leader of the group.

At the end of the caves section, they'll be 2nd level, so they'll have more hit points and hit dice after that.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Nemio]

If you're worried about killing the PCs, I think it's easier to just have the enemies in the first part of the adventure knock a character out if the character is reduced to 0 hp instead of killing them. The enemies have already shown they take captives. They also believe they'll profit from captives.

If they all get knocked out, they wake up in the caves and get to make an escape. Maybe the NPC in charge of watching the prisoners sets them free because he wants to make a powerplay against the leader of the group.

At the end of the caves section, they'll be 2nd level, so they'll have more hit points and hit dice after that.

Thaumaturge.

Everyone seems to assume that the PC's will go to the cave first but going to town and encountering / taking on the Redbrands first is also possible right?

Your solution might be the same though.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Everyone seems to assume that the PC's will go to the cave first but going to town and encountering / taking on the Redbrands first is also possible right?

It is possible, I suppose. The adventure says that happens "within a day or so" of their arrival in town, so I'd probably not have it happen unless the party just stuck in town and didn't seem too interested in going back.

Your solution might be the same though.

And, yeah, I think it is.

Thaumaturge.

 

[jodyjohnson]

I'm more likely to start them with their 2nd or 3rd level HP, but leave everything else at 1st level so they can grow into their character. Depends on the danger level they want.

I may up the number of goblins slightly (I'll also downgrade their equipment).

After the second session (hideout and redbrands) they'll be right where they should be.

For completely new, or 'roleplayed to their detriment' characters they can still get knocked out.

Hot dice and poor tactics can multiply misfortune and a dozen to 2 dozen extra HP won't make much of a difference.

 

[DMZ2112]

I was really pleased by the balance through the first dungeon. We have eight players and I am balancing the encounters accordingly. There was serious damage taken in every combat but the group worked together well and there were no fatalities -- not even any incapacitations -- until the final combat when the big bad one-shotted the cleric in the surprise round (she had taken some damage from an arrow previously in the round).

Ultimately the fatality was the player's fault; initial perception checks didn't reveal the hiding enemies, but it was the last room in the dungeon and the party knew enemies remained.

You could do that first dungeon at 3rd level but I think it is an unnecessary precaution. It will also mean a lot of monsters. Even upping the numbers to compete with twice the party size makes maneuvering tricky in some constricted locales.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I agree that the first dungeon is well balanced. I wrote up my experience with a table of relatively new players in another thread. We had a blast. The fighter went to 0, but (s)he survived. I can see how things could get deadly, but that just doesn't match my experience.

Thaumaturge.

 

[DMZ2112]

Everyone seems to assume that the PC's will go to the cave first but going to town and encountering / taking on the Redbrands first is also possible right?

I would definitely recommend warning PCs off this course of action and not forcing the confrontation in town until they've run the cave hideout on the trail -- the Redbrands are 3 HD warriors. They pulled off a surprise round in the first encounter in my campaign and really gave my 2nd level heroes pause.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Absolutely. No reason to start in the Apprentice Tier if you don't want to play through the PCs' apprenticeships.