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Making the game exciting for new players
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<blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 5051778" data-attributes="member: 463"><p>Re fights - I was going to say, the best advice I can give is to not just have them fighting kobolds or goblins in their first outing! I think it's really important that the PCs get to fight creatures of at least medium size. The first battle in my 4e campaign was against hobgoblin grunts, level 3 minions, backed up by a hobgoblin archer (artillery-3) and a soldier (4). Orc Drudge minions commanded by an orc skirmisher would also work well.</p><p></p><p>I think minions are a great way to get new players into the game and avoid frustrating them, but include a non-minion 'boss' as leader/champion.</p><p></p><p>My suggested encounter:</p><p>The PCs are on the road, when they see ahead a band of orcs ransacking a merchant wagon. The badly battered merchant is alive but unconscious. The PCs have a chance to ambush the distracted orcs. </p><p></p><p>Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 502: </p><p>8 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x8 = 352</p><p>1 Orc Raider, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150</p><p></p><p>This minion-heavy setup will favour Controller PCs. If your team is Striker heavy you could replace 3 Drudges with another Raider:</p><p></p><p>Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 520: </p><p>5 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x5 = 220</p><p>2 Orc Raiders, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150x2=300</p><p></p><p>This is potentially nasty though as an Orc Raider crit can potentially do 27 damage in one blow, and 2 of them makes it much more likely.</p><p></p><p>You could also scale this down if worried about a TPK, I'd suggest eg:</p><p></p><p>Sub-Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 370: </p><p>5 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x5 = 220</p><p>1 Orc Raider, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150</p><p></p><p>Make good use of terrain - trees and boulders to sneak up on the orcs, the wagon to jump on and fight off of, maybe stuff for the orcs to throw. Maybe have the road run by a steep slope down to a river, so characters can be bull-rushed down into the torrent. The idea is to make it exciting without killing any PCs.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="S'mon, post: 5051778, member: 463"] Re fights - I was going to say, the best advice I can give is to not just have them fighting kobolds or goblins in their first outing! I think it's really important that the PCs get to fight creatures of at least medium size. The first battle in my 4e campaign was against hobgoblin grunts, level 3 minions, backed up by a hobgoblin archer (artillery-3) and a soldier (4). Orc Drudge minions commanded by an orc skirmisher would also work well. I think minions are a great way to get new players into the game and avoid frustrating them, but include a non-minion 'boss' as leader/champion. My suggested encounter: The PCs are on the road, when they see ahead a band of orcs ransacking a merchant wagon. The badly battered merchant is alive but unconscious. The PCs have a chance to ambush the distracted orcs. Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 502: 8 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x8 = 352 1 Orc Raider, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150 This minion-heavy setup will favour Controller PCs. If your team is Striker heavy you could replace 3 Drudges with another Raider: Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 520: 5 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x5 = 220 2 Orc Raiders, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150x2=300 This is potentially nasty though as an Orc Raider crit can potentially do 27 damage in one blow, and 2 of them makes it much more likely. You could also scale this down if worried about a TPK, I'd suggest eg: Sub-Level 1 encounter (MM page 203) XPV 370: 5 Orc Drudge minions level 4, XP 44x5 = 220 1 Orc Raider, level 3 skirmisher, XP 150 Make good use of terrain - trees and boulders to sneak up on the orcs, the wagon to jump on and fight off of, maybe stuff for the orcs to throw. Maybe have the road run by a steep slope down to a river, so characters can be bull-rushed down into the torrent. The idea is to make it exciting without killing any PCs. [/QUOTE]
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