Help With Swamp Encounters [My players please stay out]

[diaglo]

Babblers, Bonecrushers, and Bloodhawks are cool too

 

[the Jester]

If you have the MM2, you might consider using a darktentacles- basically, it's a bunch of lurking tentacles. There's also a cool crocodilian critter called a mudmaw in there.

Also, stirges, bugs, disease, discomfort and low visibility. The flying invisible wizard is somewhat stymied if he can only see about 30', and if he's partially visible (bubble of no mist) when invisible.

It's going to be important for you to decide what kind of swamp this is- are there lots of trees? Are the reeds or grass 6' high? Etc.

Use the environment to make it nasty; give bonus xp accordingly.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Chuul
Dinosaurs
Dire animals
Gray Render
Harpies
Hydra
Manticore
Spirit Naga

Those just from the MM

 

[diaglo]

will-o-wisps

 

[Gregor]

It's going to be important for you to decide what kind of swamp this is- are there lots of trees? Are the reeds or grass 6' high? Etc.

Use the environment to make it nasty;

I think thats a really good point. I was thinking fairly tree heavy, high thick reeds and grasses that tug at their clothes, wipe dew and slime across their faces, floating logs (get your minds out of the gutter ) etc.

It will generally always be raining and really misty when its not, so generally visibility is going to be extremely poor.

I was also thinking of tossing in an NPC that they meet along the way, maybe a Troll Hunter who wants help wiping out a small den of the foul beasts somewhere in the swamps. Maybe an awakened snake or lizard that can provide information if the PCs dont mistake it for an enemy and kill it first.

What about a little green gobin who is wise in the ways of a mysterious 'force' who warns the PCs that what they will find in a cave is only "what you take with you"? No? No? Nah.....

Keep em coming, they're great.

 

[der_kluge]

The thing I did with a swamp IMC, was to actually make it a demi-plane in the para-elemental plane of Ooze. Plus, once they walked into it, they couldn't leave. They had to find a portal out. The only thing that knew where the portal was was a hive-minded collective of snakes that had been dispersed by the local population and couldn't gain any intelligence because the locals kept eating them. So, once the players finally put about 50 snakes in the box, they could telepathically communicate with it, and it told them what they needed to do.

That might be a bit *out there* for your game, though. Still, it was fun.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Hydras (particularly pyro and cryo) are great fun. They swim beneath the swamps in deep channels they've bulled out and let loose with simultaneous cones of painful death followed by a game of aquatic hide and seek.

All the plant critters. I'm fond of the Orcwort from MM2, mainly 'cuz I haven't used one yet.

Have a Yrthak come to investigate any noisy fight. Sonic cannons are great weapons, especially against that invisible, flying mage.

Colonies of shocker lizards. They are broken in the 3.0 MM in the way they can boost eachother. Watch the massive lightning bolts fly!

Giant centipedes. They can "hide" incredibly well by masquerading as a hillside.

Pirahana. 'nuff said.

Dryads (not everything has to be hateful, you know)

 

[Hand of Evil]

Poison Arrow Frogs - contact poison, the frogs leaping from tree to tree, sometimes falling on a player. Mmmmm, evil DM fun.

The type of swamp is important, look around and find one that your needs.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Oh, here are some from a local swamp that has just been made into a Nation Park...Congaree Swamp.