So I've designed a one shot and I am planning on having three main instances of combat. I'd like some help planning that since this is my first time trying to DM. Ive attached the last iteration of the campaign in word doc, but here's some important info:
The PCs will be level 7. I haven't limited their class choices, but I have laid out some magical weapons that i have designed to have neat effects, but nothing game breaking. I confirmed with one of my DM buddies that they'd work well for the levels and setting.
For first combat, I want it to have hordes of enemies coming at them, small creatures without any set hit point value solely there to give the PCs a chance to learn and figure out their weapon abilities (ex: one pulls nearby enemies closer and another pushes away a tad). I was planning on just free lancing the quantity of these hordes until I threw in a couple brute enemies to really sink their teeth into. If there's four PCs at level 7 with a little bit of a bonus with these magical weapons, what CR should I look for in this encounter? Or quantity of enemies? It's a cave-type setting where any enemy they see is basically going to be shadow or dark mass versions of the real creatures.
Second combat will be short and more distraction. They'll be in a puzzle room and they'll be holding enemies at Bay while one or two party members try and stop a trap-triggered poison from killing them all. For this I had planned a free brutes or one large enemy. Just a body to occupy two or three of them. I've debated taking this out if they're moving slowly and just have them solve the puzzle in the room. Wanted to leave myself options...
The final combat has the boss. This will be almost solely focused on taking out Mr. Boss man with I think two ranged baddies off to the side. It'll start impossible and I'll try and get them close to death. Once that happens, a story-driven event kicks in and the boss is killable now through magical means. What CR would I look at for a single opponent boss against four level 7 PCs? He'll ideally be a shadow/dark humanoid enemy so I'm wondering what I should model him after. Any knights or abyssal beings that would be close to this?
If it's a reference that you suggest or specifics, that's fine. I'm just kind of lost with building encounters and I really want this to go well. Being my first bout at DMing, they'll be patient, which is why I'm focusing more on story and encouraging them to get into the RP. Our sessions usually last 3-4 hours so I've gotta cram a lot of stuff into that time.
The PCs will be level 7. I haven't limited their class choices, but I have laid out some magical weapons that i have designed to have neat effects, but nothing game breaking. I confirmed with one of my DM buddies that they'd work well for the levels and setting.
For first combat, I want it to have hordes of enemies coming at them, small creatures without any set hit point value solely there to give the PCs a chance to learn and figure out their weapon abilities (ex: one pulls nearby enemies closer and another pushes away a tad). I was planning on just free lancing the quantity of these hordes until I threw in a couple brute enemies to really sink their teeth into. If there's four PCs at level 7 with a little bit of a bonus with these magical weapons, what CR should I look for in this encounter? Or quantity of enemies? It's a cave-type setting where any enemy they see is basically going to be shadow or dark mass versions of the real creatures.
Second combat will be short and more distraction. They'll be in a puzzle room and they'll be holding enemies at Bay while one or two party members try and stop a trap-triggered poison from killing them all. For this I had planned a free brutes or one large enemy. Just a body to occupy two or three of them. I've debated taking this out if they're moving slowly and just have them solve the puzzle in the room. Wanted to leave myself options...
The final combat has the boss. This will be almost solely focused on taking out Mr. Boss man with I think two ranged baddies off to the side. It'll start impossible and I'll try and get them close to death. Once that happens, a story-driven event kicks in and the boss is killable now through magical means. What CR would I look at for a single opponent boss against four level 7 PCs? He'll ideally be a shadow/dark humanoid enemy so I'm wondering what I should model him after. Any knights or abyssal beings that would be close to this?
If it's a reference that you suggest or specifics, that's fine. I'm just kind of lost with building encounters and I really want this to go well. Being my first bout at DMing, they'll be patient, which is why I'm focusing more on story and encouraging them to get into the RP. Our sessions usually last 3-4 hours so I've gotta cram a lot of stuff into that time.