I am hoping to get a little insight into setting up a one shot adventure. The characters all exist, but they have been "off screen" for a while so they can be any level. There are going to be 10 of them. So, what level do you think will be right for a fight, in lair, versus an Ancient Red Dragon (CR 24 per the MM)?
A couple notes: I run large groups relatively regularly and I have noticed that big groups inherently punch above their weight class. Throw in the fact that they are likely to be able to be fresh upon entrance to the lair, I am thinking that the party does not have to be especially high level. The thing has an astoundingly low AC and its saves are not magnificent either. Now, it can dish out a lot of damage and can probably kill a non-barbarian PC per round almost regardless of level, but even with 500+ hit points I don't see it lasting long enough to kill all 10 characters.
What level would you make the PCs in order to make this an entertaining, difficult and tense encounter with a decent chance of killing more than a couple of them, but a relatively low chance of a TPK?
Thanks.
A couple notes: I run large groups relatively regularly and I have noticed that big groups inherently punch above their weight class. Throw in the fact that they are likely to be able to be fresh upon entrance to the lair, I am thinking that the party does not have to be especially high level. The thing has an astoundingly low AC and its saves are not magnificent either. Now, it can dish out a lot of damage and can probably kill a non-barbarian PC per round almost regardless of level, but even with 500+ hit points I don't see it lasting long enough to kill all 10 characters.
What level would you make the PCs in order to make this an entertaining, difficult and tense encounter with a decent chance of killing more than a couple of them, but a relatively low chance of a TPK?
Thanks.