D&D 4E D&D 4E Tips/Tricks/Advice

[Rechan]

Here's a general tip. Encounters consist of multiple monsters. Those multiple monsters could of course come from adjacent rooms when they hear the PCs engage in fighting one or two monsters in the first room. However, be very careful about not to pour two encounters worth of monsters (I.e. 4-5 normal monsters is an encounter, 9-10 normal monsters is 2 encounters). Doing so is deadly.

As an example, there's the potential for this in the first leg of KotS, where some DMs have had the kobolds outside of the waterfall fall back (or those inside coming out), combining their numbers with those inside. This is lethal.

WARNING: SPOILERS

I have at hand two adventures to start with, Kobald Hall from the DMG and Keep on the Shadowfell; having only briefly skimmed each, I was thinking of starting the group with KH then moving onto KotS. Any trouble with doing this?

Okay, if you're going to run KH and then KotS, I have a few suggestions.

Connect KH to KotS. Make KH the kobold nest, instead of the waterfall lair. Otherwise, your players will be fighting 10 encounters worth of kobolds, and will be sick of them. The Dragon of KH is their leader, who has been paid off by Karalel (maybe make the item in the dig site pertinent to the dragon, as sort've a "Pay off").

I would advise to take a look at this PDF of more kobolds (you have to get an account at Wizarrds' site to see it) and use a few of these kobolds instead of the ones in the module. Just because there's some more real fun stuff in there.

Finally, here are some side treks for KotS.

On a related note, are there any tips/tricks/advice for running either one of those adventures? The reviews I've read have prepared me for KotS not being a Shakespeare's masterpiece, but do either of the modules have any problem areas that might not be noticable at first glance?

If you are attaching KH to KotS, then you won't have to worry about one of the nastiest encounters: Irontooth. He apparently has beat a lot of parties.

The real problem of KotS, in my opinion? It's repetitive. You fight 5 encounters of kobolds. Then 6 encounters with goblins. Then 4-5 encounters with just hobgoblins. Interspersed are various undead enemies, sure, but it's boringly repetitive. There's also a lot of encounters, so it's a real slog to go through them all.

My advise? Reduce the number of encounters in each level, then mix up the encounters with varying monsters. Example: in the first room of the keep (the rat swarm in the pit), instead have a goblin with its hand on a lever, holding some sort of monsters in cages. When the PCs come in, goblin yanks lever and runs for help. PCs fight monsters. Then you could have a sneaky goblin slip in from the side to stab the PCs in the kidneys as they fight the monsters.

Guard drakes are a little brutal (+6 damage automatically when close to allies). Might want to just give them +1d6 damage.

For the "Zombies in the graveyard, oh no!" scenario, the PCs have to leave and go back to town. How do you get them to leave the dungeon? If the PCs sleep in it, have them experience serious nightmares due to it being so close to the Shadowfell; maybe they start experiencing some of what Sir Keegan felt. Have them not regain 1 or 2 healing surges as a result. Or, you could have them find a captive in the dungeon, someone from Winterhaven who is badly hurt and needs to be returned to town.

Finally, here is a free PDF (you have to register) with counters for all the monsters you'll fight in KotS. You just print these out, cut them out, and instant makeshift minis.

 

[Rechan]

Oh. A productive gentleman put all of the KotS monsters on easy to print cards for your usage.

 

[Iron Sky]

Power cards are a must.

For HP, healing surges, and action points our group does the following:

We have four colors of glass beads: white, blue, red, dark blue. At the start of the session, each player grabs:

Red beads equal to their bloodied total.
Blue beads equal to their total hp - bloodied.
One white bead for their action point.
Spare white beads and dark blues(for temp hp) go in a communal pile where anyone can grab them if they need them.
A d8, d10, or d12 to track healing surges, depending on each player's max.

When players take damage, they remove dark blue first, then blue. When they are out of blue, they are bloodied. Remembering if you have an action point/action points is easy since they are right there with your hp. The dice that tracks how many healing surges goes right in the middle of where your hp are stacked/spread on the table so you know not to grab it. When a player uses up a healing surge, they just grab the dice, reduce it to the next lower number, and put it back in with their hp.

The biggest things our group forgets is cursing and quarrying for the warlock and ranger(often remembering it right after the attack roll when it's too late to do it), and remembering exactly what status effects everyone has during those big fights when everyone unloads on their status-effect-heavy dailies against monsters with their own status effects.

 

[Shabe]

I would advise to take a look at this PDF of more kobolds (you have to get an account at Wizarrds' site to see it) and use a few of these kobolds instead of the ones in the module. Just because there's some more real fun stuff in there.

Just be careful with the rat guy, hes a little more butch than other monsters, especially with his at will and aura.

My advise? Reduce the number of encounters in each level, then mix up the encounters with varying monsters. Example: in the first room of the keep (the rat swarm in the pit), instead have a goblin with its hand on a lever, holding some sort of monsters in cages. When the PCs come in, goblin yanks lever and runs for help. PCs fight monsters. Then you could have a sneaky goblin slip in from the side to stab the PCs in the kidneys as they fight the monsters.

Good advice, Although it makes thematic and narrative sense for all the kobolds, goblins and hobgoblins, chucking in a few trained or even untrained attack beasts may make encounters a bit more interesting. Although my players did gain a healthy respect for kobolds after fighting them a few times.

 

[Godaikin Engineer]

really good stuff

This is incredibly helpful. Thanks so much!

On a note for the future, will the players level up enough from KH and KotS to move immediately into Thunderspire Labyrinth and then whatever the third pyramid adventure is?

(I don't mean to give the impression that I'm completely lacking in DM creativity, but I don't mind large training wheels while I'm getting comfortable with a new system, and my free time is always short these days.)

I'm definitely going to work up some power cards, get some poker chips for various PC/monster ailments, and some kind of tokens for healing surges and action points. This is different than any kind of D&D I've played before, but looks fun!

 

[Horatio]

I found really usefull these things:

I use small colored glass beads for:
-action points & surges (when a character uses action point or surge, they hand it over back to me)
-mark, quarry, curse (each type and character has different colored beads)

I use intiative cards. It's amazingly faster than typing down numbers and searching who's turn it is.
-Every character and every monster / group of monsters has a card with their name (and sometimes a picture).
-At the start of the combat I stack all cards according to the rolled initiative, the highest on the top, a special card called "end of turn" rests on the bottom.
-Who is on the top -> acts. Afther they are done, card goes to the bottom. Wash, rinse, repeat.
-Who delays or readies an action goes to the side, returning to the stack when they resume taking actions.
-If new combatants join the fray, there are 2 possibilities. If they were aware of the combat, they choose when to act. If they weren't, they automaticly go just before the end of the turn (after everyone else).

 

[Rechan]

This is incredibly helpful. Thanks so much!

On a note for the future, will the players level up enough from KH and KotS to move immediately into Thunderspire Labyrinth and then whatever the third pyramid adventure is?

It should, yeah.

I personally am going to buy the adventures and steal encounter areas out of them (H2 and H3 are full of really interesting things, even if you don't run the adventure wholesale).

One tip: when handing out magical items, write the magical item properties on an index card. When the players find out what it is, hand the card over. It's a physical item they can hold, and has all the relevant info. And if they ever get rid of the weapon, ask for the card back.

(Incidentally, I would tell the PC to do the math for their character using that weapon on the card too. I.e. if it's a +2 sword, then write their normal attack and damage on the back of the card).

One area you might have problems with is players relying on their Basic attacks, rather than their At Wills. Or they may rely on their at wills, never really using their encounters. I have this one.

 

[Rechan]

Two more things.

1) Party size vs. Encounter size.

The default assumption is you have 5 players. However, if you have more, or less, it's easy to adjust up and down. This is also important if a player can't make that session.

What do you do? The rule of thumb: Add or subtract a monster.

3e assumed 4 PCs vs. 1 monster. 4e assumes 1 PC = 1 Monster. Thus, 5 PCs = 5 Monsters in an encounter.

The way the numbers break down:

Solo monster = 5 Pcs.
Elite monster = 2 PCs.
Normal Monster = 1 PC.
Minion = 1/4 PC.

So 4 minions + an Elite = 3 PCs.

This is not an exact science; if the wizard doesn't show up that day, then minions are going to hurt them. If the defender doesn't show up, then skrimishers or soldiers might be bad news. That's why it's a rule of thumb.

2) If you plan on running Thunderspire Labyrinth (H2), here is a bunch of DM aids.

 

[Godaikin Engineer]

Two more things.

1) Party size vs. Encounter size.

[.....]

2) If you plan on running Thunderspire Labyrinth (H2), here is a bunch of DM aids.

Thanks again for all the tips - the rule of thumb will be very helpful, as I anticipate my game to be casual-friendly (whoever can play that day gets to play, so party size may vary a bit).

Another question: assuming limited party size (3-4 people), what would be the most important roles to have filled? I'm assuming my players won't do anything easy like one of each. Or should they try to cover each base with limited people?

(I've read that the least useful in limited-PC situations can be the Controller/Wizard, but have no actual play to back that up.)

 

[Rechan]

Thanks again for all the tips - the rule of thumb will be very helpful, as I anticipate my game to be casual-friendly (whoever can play that day gets to play, so party size may vary a bit).

Another question: assuming limited party size (3-4 people), what would be the most important roles to have filled? I'm assuming my players won't do anything easy like one of each. Or should they try to cover each base with limited people?

Leader. Out of combat, everyone can just spend healing surges. But combats get dangerous because PCs can only use one Second Wind. If no one has the Heal Skill, no one can help resuscitate a PC currently making death saves.

However, you can probably get by with a paladin and someone who's multi-classed into Warlord or Cleric. And healing potions allow a flat healing rate (10 HP for a healing surge, IIRC).

What's the second most important role? It's a toss up between Defender and Striker. It really depends on the situation. Defenders can take the heat for other people, but strikers can end a fight quicker (and also have decent ranged options; something Defenders and melee Leaders don't have). A Leader/Defender duo have a lot of staying power compared to two strikers or a striker/controller duo.

Another nice thing is that several of the classes sort've have overlap. Strength-based clerics are secondary defenders (can mark, bring on the hurt), while Wisdom based clerics are secondary controllers (ranged damage, area damage, create a few zones). Charisma-based pallies are second-rate leaders, because they can buff and do a little healing. Warlocks have a tiny bit of controller in them. A dragonborn (with their breath weapon) can put the hurt on a wave of minions.

And then there's multi-classing, to plug any necessary holes.

But again, your best bet is just tailoring encounters a little to handle the roles you have to work with. If only the rogue and the wizard show up, a brute is going to send them to the graveyard.