The Common Enemy: Do you prefer one common type of enemy or lots of different ones.

[Aramax]

I use a lot of Undead of various types,I think that still counts.But overall I made a common,uncommon and rare monster chart.I think it makes the world more believe able if there is only a small(75 or so)number of monsters that are seen often.Undead,skaven,lizard men,Gnolls and giant spiders make up about 40% of what my party sees.

 

[Solarious]

Themes are great for setting campaign tones, but I like to break it up once in a while to keep things fresh and keep the players on their toes. 'sides, no rogue wants to fight undead and their anti-sneak-attack relatives all the time, any less than a high level Ranger with a favoured enemy of demons from level 1 and never get to face one the entire campaign.

A change of pace with new tactics and different situations to make those PCs earn their levels is a good thing in my book!

 

[megamania]

In my current Eberron campaign the Emerald Claw is but one of several reoccuring villians I use. Garrow and his lts are doing a lot of hit n' run tactics with the PCs while LoB's people come charging in, House Cannith (and various sanctions within) play games with PCs and several other groups manupilate everyone. How I love the Chamber for this.


I think its good to have a mixture of encounters / villians.

 

[Frostmarrow]

If you'd said Undead and Orks rather than Undead and Nazis I'd have voted. As it is, the quaestion seems to revolve around buying minis anyway. (I've got my old group of Orc lead minis that work just fine, thanks.)

I just added nazis for the z. Think of it as zebras. -Zombies or zebras?

-And it's me planning to buy stuff. I just like to get a grip on how unpopular a common enemy would be without asking my players. Seems there is a 50-50 split but most people enjoying themes with a little variation.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

I voted "compromise."

I like having a diversity of opponents, but then again, I also like to have common enemies, particularly when they're the servants/henchmen/troops/etc. of the BBEG. When I ran an Eberron game, it was Emerald Claw flunkies. With my homebrew, it's another batch of baddies.

Then again, my common enemies tend to have a degree of diversity--more or less different mercenary groups or units all under the command of the same BBEG. Or, in other cases, the PCs have just made that many enemies that they'll try to go after them time & time again.

 

[Goblyn]

I like to have a couple of 'theme' enemy groups with splashes of unique encounters.