Can a dozen orcs challenge a 17th level party?

[maggot]

I'm trying to design an encounter where twelve orcs straight from the MM (that is, 1HD), attack a party of 17th level characters. (Don't ask why.)

I know the party is going to mop the floor with the orcs, but that's okay. I just want the orcs to live for at least a round so every PC can act at least once. Ideally, the orcs would get to act as well (although they are going to be ineffective).

But some spells like Holy Word will end the orcs day flat. Any orcs within 40' simply die.

I'm willing to give the orcs a slightly higher level leader (like say 3rd) and maybe a 1st level shaman or something. But they should be built like a party that you might encounter at lower levels.

 

[diaglo]

CdG in the party's sleep

 

[smootrk]

Make sure you engineer the encounter so that the orcs have a surprise round to act, and give the orcs some sort of trap or environmental element that they can work around so that the players have to divide their efforts.

Several Orcs should be bowmen at range and dispersed widely.

Have at least one or two leader types who have something special to contribute, like an illusion or conjuration magic.

You could also have some of the orcs operating some sort of seige equipment that might actually damage the high level party with a good shot.

If you have enough of the orcs, use the DMGII rules for a mob.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Try to arrange an ambush, where the party is penalized on their Spot/Listen checks due to outside interference. (Maybe the sound of rushing water nearby helps hide the orcs' approach.)

Don't have the orcs attack from one direction, to prevent the "single fireball ends the fight" scenario.

Try to find some way for the orcs to attack in the dark, so members of the party without darkvision or low-light vision have a miss chance.

Have the orcs attack after the PCs have already faced several fights of their appropriate CR that day, so they aren't at full strength.

Let the orcs thing and fight tactically. Flank. Gang up on people. Focus a lot of attacks on spellcasters, hoping to bring them down quick.

Have the orcs keep moving, so as to deny the higher-level fighters multiple attacks per round where possible.

You're still looking at a massacre, but it might last a few rounds.

 

[shaylon]

I'm trying to design an encounter where twelve orcs straight from the MM (that is, 1HD), attack a party of 17th level characters. (Don't ask why.)

I'm really sorry about this. I generally read and follow instructions well. Why? Why are you doing this? What purpose does it serve?

-Shay

 

[LordBOB]

maybe some background on your party would help all of us out.

12 orcs SHOULDNT be a threat to a 17th lv. party especially if they are only 1st level. Cause that means that the party fighter should EASILY be able to take out 3 a round. and if he has greater cleave than the orcs are in for a serious whoopin.

If the party has at least 4 members, i would at least DOUBLE the amount of orcs you throw at them. Just watch out for a fireball cause that could get dangerous.

Yes... Make the orcs get a suprise round and try to trample everyone. Use your terrain to your advantage

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

What other said: archers for sure, disperse them around the party, and give a cuople of them reach weapons - they might get lucky and crit.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Personally, this is the kind of encounter I'd gloss over. "You're attacked by a dozen orcs but mop them up easily before continuing on. The poor things never stood a chance, it must not have been their lucky day." Anything else, I consider wasted time rolling dice pointlessly.

Unless you're looking for a morale boost for the players because they've been having a hard time recently. If that's the case, use two "waves" perhaps to have all the PCs able to do something, using the same initiative. After they're all dead, the second wave attacks. Then you just have to have a reason for the orcs to rush into certain death.

 

[painandgreed]

Give them very advantagous terrain such as their own lair that they know very well with lots of hiding spots and ambush points. Install traps. Let them use area effect weaons such as tangelfoot bags or oil. Perhaps give the area some magical effect that aids the orcs and hinders the party. Have the orcs run away because if a gorup of 1st level orcs manages to attack them and escape, they'll probably hate it more than if the orcs actually damaged them but died.

 

[Voadam]

Murder holes.