How many players is Keep on the Shadowfell designed for?

[Asmor]

Seems like a simple question, but I'm having a heck of a time finding an answer! How many players is Keep on the Shadowfell designed for? With it just around the corner, I'm trying to get a group together, and I need to know how many can play it...

I'm guessing 6, since I seem to recall that being the assumed default of 4th edition, but can't find anything to back that up.

 

[frankthedm]

5 is the default 4e party size

 

[Saishu_Heiki]

That is a damn good question. I did some searching, but I could only ever find repostings of the blurb on the WotC site about "an adventure for PCs of level 1-3".

Anyone else able to do better?

 

[Jack Colby]

Ask Mearls on his Blog.

 

[KidSnide]

I don't remember where the link is, but one of the WotC folks said that there were 5 characters included in the quick start rules.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

There are 5 pregen characters in the folder with levels 1, 2, and 3 versions for each.

Fitz

 

[Staffan]

I remember one of the designers saying that since the default combat setup is now group of PCs vs group of monsters instead of group of PCs vs one big monster, it would be easier to modify encounters in accordance with encounter size. Just throw in some more/remove some monsters if the party is bigger/smaller than expected.

 

[Enoch]

Good question!

I didn't even think about it. I assumed 6 too.

Well its good there's 5 in there. I have 5 people interested. Hopefully no one else wants to play. There are plenty of pregenerated characters flying around, but they are all first level.

Hmm, I wonder what the 5 characters will be.

-Joshua

 

[eleran]

The default is 5. Also thought you might find this interesting if you happen to have a 6th player like my group does.

WotC Mearls
D&D Designer


Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Renton, WA
Default Re: Just wanted to say hi and Thanks
Hey man,

Adding a sixth character shouldn't be hard, though you might have to either duplicate a PC or cobble together a PC from the demo ones or from the info on the wizards web site.

To balance the encounters, just add an extra monster of the encounter's level to the encounter.

So, if there's a level 2 fight, add one level 2 monster. Try to add a soldier, brute, or skirmisher in preference to one of the other roles. It's not a huge difference, but I find that having more monsters of those roles usually works out better.

- Mike

Quote:
Originally Posted by eleran
Mike,

I am a big fan and reader of your blog. I just wanted to say hi and thanks for all your hard work on 4e so far. I have a small problem tho, maybe you'd have a suggestion. Through bad planning I have 6 players committed to my 4e campaign, which isnt the bad part, the bad part is all 6 players plan to play when we kickoff 4e with Keep on the Shadowfell. Of course that will only have 5 pregen characters included. How unbalanced would it be to add a 6th character and how difficult will it be to alter encounters to account for the extra character?

eleran
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Mike Mearls
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Friend to norkers, ally to qullans, champion of Fiend Folio 1e
"Mike Mearls = Gary Gygax on steroids...those poor hapless and unsuspecting players..." - nastynate, CO Boards

 

[Jack99]

There was (I am pretty sure) a WOTC employee that said he was going to talk to someone (presumably his boss or the one in charge) about adding a few more options via the DDI.