Having trouble finding low level encounters
- Thread starter arcanaman
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the8bitdeity
First Post
Those are the first level monsters, for encounters you work with a budget depending on the complexity of the encounter. An average encounter is equal to 100XP per character (for first level). Therefore if you want a first level encounter for 5 players, spend 500 XP as you wish, this includes adding monsters from say level 2 or 3, at most maybe a single 4th level monster.
frankthedm
First Post
Reskinning the level one Decrepit Skeleton provides lots of minions. Drop the undead resists & vulnerabilities, add a racial trait from the new race and Bing
Hobgoblin sky darkener.
Green Human archer
Malnourished Gnoll archer
Hobgoblin sky darkener.
Green Human archer
Malnourished Gnoll archer
Mr. Teapot
First Post
If you don't want to use kobolds, goblins or undead, I'd suggest looking at the PC race writeups of monsters in the back of the MM.
Then you take those over to the NPC creation rules in the DMG (~page 185, not the NPC class templates a few pages earlier). And make some NPCs for the PCs to fight. Actually, you could use the PHB races to make some NPCs as well, but there's a certain charm to forcing 3rd level characters to fight githyanki and other higher level foes.
Then you take those over to the NPC creation rules in the DMG (~page 185, not the NPC class templates a few pages earlier). And make some NPCs for the PCs to fight. Actually, you could use the PHB races to make some NPCs as well, but there's a certain charm to forcing 3rd level characters to fight githyanki and other higher level foes.
Remember you are suppose to have an encounter mix of
1 Encounter at Party Level -1 (at first subtract 100 from the XP budget)
3 Encounters + Major Quest at Party Level +0
3 Encounters at Party Level +1
1 Boss Encounter at Party Level +3
So for a first level party you might use some of these sample encounters out of the MM:
L Monsters:
1 2 Fire Beetles (brute 1) 1 Kobold Slinger (artillery 1) 2 Kobold Skirmishers (skirmisher 1)
1 2 goblin warriors (level 1 skirmisher) 2 fire beetles (level 1 brute) 1 goblin blackblade (level 1 lurker)
1 2 kobold skirmishers (level 1 skirmisher) 2 fire beetles (level 1 brute) 1 stirge (level 1 lurker)
1 2 kobold slingers (level 1 artillery) 8 kobold minions (level 1 minion) 1 stormclaw scorpion (level 1 soldier)
1 2 stormclaw scorpions (level 1 soldier) 2 kobold skirmishers (level 1 skirmisher) 1 kobold slinger (level 1 artillery)
2 2 elf archers (level 2 artillery) 1 elf scout (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gray wolves (level 2 skirmisher)
2 2 guard drakes (level 2 brute) 2 elf archers (level 2 artillery) 1 elf scout (level 2 skirmisher)
2 2 halfling slingers (level 1 artillery) 2 halfling thieves (level 2 skirmisher) 2 guard drakes (level 2 brute)
2 2 kobold slingers (level 1 artillery) 4 kobold minions (level 1 minion) 2 dire rats (level 1 brute) 1 rat swarm (level 2 skirmisher)
2 4 halfling stouts (level 2 minion) 1 halfling thief (level 2 skirmisher) 2 guard drakes (level 2 soldier) 1 needlefang drake swarm (level 2 soldier)
Boss Encounters:
4 1 ettercap webspinner (level 5 controller) 2 ettercap fang guards (level 4 skirmisher) 2 deathjump spiders (level 4 skirmisher)
4 1 gnoll huntmaster (level 5 artillery) 6 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 human mage (level 4 artillery) 2 human bandits (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gravehounds (level 3 brute) 3 zombie rotters (level 3 minion)
4 1 kobold slyblade (level 4 lurker) 4 kobold dragonshields (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 pseudodragon (level 3 lurker) 1 human mage (level 4 artillery) 2 human guards (level 3 soldier) 2 human bandits (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 visejaw crocodile (level 4 soldier) 3 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher) 1 greenscale darter (level 5 lurker)
4 1 warforged captain (level 6 soldier) 1 warforged soldier (level 4 soldier) 3 human guards (level 3 soldier)
4 1 young white dragon (level 3 solo brute) 1 dragonborn soldier (level 5 soldier)
4 2 cavern chokers (level 4 lurker) 3 hobgoblin soldiers (level 3 soldier) 1 hobgoblin warcaster (level 3 controller)
4 2 dwarf hammerers (level 5 soldier) 2 dwarf bolters (level 4 artillery) 1 cavern choker (level 4 lurker)
4 2 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher) 2 visejaw crocodiles (level 4 soldier) 1 vine horror (level 5 controller)
4 2 orc raiders (level 3 skirmisher) 2 orc berserkers (level 4 brute) 1 dire boar (level 6 brute)
4 2 wererats (level 3 skirmisher) 4 dire rats (level 1 brute) 6 human rabble (level 2 minion)
4 3 kruthik adults (level 4 brute) 2 corruption corpse zombies (level 4 artillery)
4 3 warhorses (level 3 brute) 3 human guards (level 3 soldier)
4 3 zombies (level 2 brute) 4 zombie rotters (level 3 minions) 4 kruthik hatchlings (level 2 minions) 2 wererats (level 3 skirmishers)
4 4 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gnoll huntmasters (level 5 artillery)
4 4 phantom warriors (level 4 soldier) 1 specter (level 4 lurker)
Naturally you can mix and match but these should give you a good start.
Edit the first number is level of encounter for 5 PCs where the line wrapped obvious this number of monsters.
1 Encounter at Party Level -1 (at first subtract 100 from the XP budget)
3 Encounters + Major Quest at Party Level +0
3 Encounters at Party Level +1
1 Boss Encounter at Party Level +3
So for a first level party you might use some of these sample encounters out of the MM:
L Monsters:
1 2 Fire Beetles (brute 1) 1 Kobold Slinger (artillery 1) 2 Kobold Skirmishers (skirmisher 1)
1 2 goblin warriors (level 1 skirmisher) 2 fire beetles (level 1 brute) 1 goblin blackblade (level 1 lurker)
1 2 kobold skirmishers (level 1 skirmisher) 2 fire beetles (level 1 brute) 1 stirge (level 1 lurker)
1 2 kobold slingers (level 1 artillery) 8 kobold minions (level 1 minion) 1 stormclaw scorpion (level 1 soldier)
1 2 stormclaw scorpions (level 1 soldier) 2 kobold skirmishers (level 1 skirmisher) 1 kobold slinger (level 1 artillery)
2 2 elf archers (level 2 artillery) 1 elf scout (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gray wolves (level 2 skirmisher)
2 2 guard drakes (level 2 brute) 2 elf archers (level 2 artillery) 1 elf scout (level 2 skirmisher)
2 2 halfling slingers (level 1 artillery) 2 halfling thieves (level 2 skirmisher) 2 guard drakes (level 2 brute)
2 2 kobold slingers (level 1 artillery) 4 kobold minions (level 1 minion) 2 dire rats (level 1 brute) 1 rat swarm (level 2 skirmisher)
2 4 halfling stouts (level 2 minion) 1 halfling thief (level 2 skirmisher) 2 guard drakes (level 2 soldier) 1 needlefang drake swarm (level 2 soldier)
Boss Encounters:
4 1 ettercap webspinner (level 5 controller) 2 ettercap fang guards (level 4 skirmisher) 2 deathjump spiders (level 4 skirmisher)
4 1 gnoll huntmaster (level 5 artillery) 6 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 human mage (level 4 artillery) 2 human bandits (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gravehounds (level 3 brute) 3 zombie rotters (level 3 minion)
4 1 kobold slyblade (level 4 lurker) 4 kobold dragonshields (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 pseudodragon (level 3 lurker) 1 human mage (level 4 artillery) 2 human guards (level 3 soldier) 2 human bandits (level 2 skirmisher)
4 1 visejaw crocodile (level 4 soldier) 3 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher) 1 greenscale darter (level 5 lurker)
4 1 warforged captain (level 6 soldier) 1 warforged soldier (level 4 soldier) 3 human guards (level 3 soldier)
4 1 young white dragon (level 3 solo brute) 1 dragonborn soldier (level 5 soldier)
4 2 cavern chokers (level 4 lurker) 3 hobgoblin soldiers (level 3 soldier) 1 hobgoblin warcaster (level 3 controller)
4 2 dwarf hammerers (level 5 soldier) 2 dwarf bolters (level 4 artillery) 1 cavern choker (level 4 lurker)
4 2 greenscale hunters (level 4 skirmisher) 2 visejaw crocodiles (level 4 soldier) 1 vine horror (level 5 controller)
4 2 orc raiders (level 3 skirmisher) 2 orc berserkers (level 4 brute) 1 dire boar (level 6 brute)
4 2 wererats (level 3 skirmisher) 4 dire rats (level 1 brute) 6 human rabble (level 2 minion)
4 3 kruthik adults (level 4 brute) 2 corruption corpse zombies (level 4 artillery)
4 3 warhorses (level 3 brute) 3 human guards (level 3 soldier)
4 3 zombies (level 2 brute) 4 zombie rotters (level 3 minions) 4 kruthik hatchlings (level 2 minions) 2 wererats (level 3 skirmishers)
4 4 hyenas (level 2 skirmisher) 2 gnoll huntmasters (level 5 artillery)
4 4 phantom warriors (level 4 soldier) 1 specter (level 4 lurker)
Naturally you can mix and match but these should give you a good start.
Edit the first number is level of encounter for 5 PCs where the line wrapped obvious this number of monsters.
Remember you are suppose to have an encounter mix of
1 Encounter at Party Level -1 (at first subtract 100 from the XP budget)
3 Encounters + Major Quest at Party Level +0
3 Encounters at Party Level +1
1 Boss Encounter at Party Level +3
Is this a basic layout for an adventure? Is it presented like this on the DMG?
1 Encounter at Party Level -1 (at first subtract 100 from the XP budget)
3 Encounters + Major Quest at Party Level +0
3 Encounters at Party Level +1
1 Boss Encounter at Party Level +3
Is this a basic layout for an adventure? Is it presented like this on the DMG?
Yes, that is quoted from the DMG pg 104, with mild paraphrasing, when the DMG is talking about typical encounters for an adventure. That list should advance the characters one level so it’s appropriate for a short adventure.
I really ended up liking the DMG and I didn't expect to. In particular the chapters on Building Encounters, Non Combat Encounters, Adventures and the DM Toolbox are actually helpful in setting up encounters 4E style.
The only chapter I really didn't think helpful was the Fallcrest setting section. I thought that would have been much better as a web enhancement which would have allowed them to use the pages for something else.
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