KotS -- built for 5 PCs?

[Klaus]

After DMing a session of KotS, and seeing two kobold fights take most of the session, I decided to review the encounter numbers. They all seem to be geared at a 5-PC party. Seeing as I only have 4 PCs (dragonborn warlord, tiefling fey warlock, human fighter and human 2-weapon ranger), I decided to reduce later encounters to bring them closer to the XP value of the PCs (400 for a Level 1 encounter). In the Kobold Ambush, I'd have removed one of the two dragonshields across the road. Outside the lair, 3 minions will be removed. Inside the lair, I'll remove two minions and one skirmisher (the ones in the middle) from the first wave, and a dragonshield from the second wave.

Sidenote: keeping track of all the shifty shifting of the kobolds in a pain in the @**!

 

[Mengu]

They all seem like sound adjustments. You may also want to knock around 20HP's off Irontooth.

 

[Klaus]

They all seem like sound adjustments. You may also want to knock around 20HP's off Irontooth.

Oh, believe me, Irontooth will get an in-depth look.

The 4 PC party took so long to finish the 3 dragonshields, the wyrmpriest and the skirmisher in encounter A1 that I'll have to do something so help them finish off the first wave of kobolds before Irontooth shows up.

But first I gotta find a way to let them know about the Keep. So far they're searching for their mentor and going kobold-hunting for the lord.

 

[phil500]

im gonna dm it and play a cleric at the same time- my group is new, and i am too- is it weird to have a dm play a char in combat?

 

[zoroaster100]

I am running the adventure for a 6 player party, so I have to adjust in the other direction. Next game they'll probably tackle the kobold lair. I will probably add a skirmisher to the outside, and a slinger to the inside.

 

[Rechan]

Yes, the adventure is built for 5 pcs. In General, 1 monster per 1 PC (or 4 minions per PC). You might want to take a look at the final encounter, change some levels or add in different encounters to let the PCs level up more, because it's going to eat your party.

I am running the adventure for a 6 player party, so I have to adjust in the other direction. Next game they'll probably tackle the kobold lair. I will probably add a skirmisher to the outside, and a slinger to the inside.

Actually, I'd suggest you mix liberally with the new kobolds.

 

[Mouseferatu]

They all seem to be geared at a 5-PC party.

Yep. That's 4E's assumed default, in most cases.

 

[brehobit]

Just ran 3 encounters with a 3 person party. I've scaled back a bit, but the party just trashed the encounters. I mean, trashed.

Some luck (crit with the fighter's daily with a maul for 41 points, warlord got a 20 on a death save) and I may not have played all the baddies as best I could. But dude, they haven't had a serious problem so far...

Flaming sphere is huge.

Mark

 

[Surgoshan]

Flaming sphere is huge.

No it's not; it's Medium and only takes up one square.

 

[thegrizz]

im gonna dm it and play a cleric at the same time- my group is new, and i am too- is it weird to have a dm play a char in combat?

I started having to play a heal bot way back when. So no its not really weird having a new dm play a character in combat. The main thing is to remember that while you know what is up your character does not. Have him make good decisions about what powers to use when but allow the players to make decisions in regards to tactics and figuring stuff out. You should be all right then.

I will be running this adventure this Friday I actually have one too many players, what I intend to do is run the first encounter as written then adjust if it was too easy by adding more minions or perhaps and additional brute. However I am thinking that I may have to get a little more nasty than most DM's given my groups tendency to number monkey LOL