KotS with 4 PCs

[Crymson]

Ok, so I am going to be running an online game of Keep on the Shadowfell. We will only be having 4 PCs, not 5 as is assumed by the adventure, so I would like to scale the encounters appropriately.

Looking at the first encounter, it is worth 475xp (or 95xp per assumed PC). Multiplying the 95xp by 4 for my four PCs, I get 380xp total. In order to scale this encounter to my 4 PCs, should I change some of the combatants around until the encounter is worth around 380xp?

Is this how the scaling system of 4e is supposed to work? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Ok, so I am going to be running an online game of Keep on the Shadowfell. We will only be having 4 PCs, not 5 as is assumed by the adventure, so I would like to scale the encounters appropriately.

Looking at the first encounter, it is worth 475xp (or 95xp per assumed PC). Multiplying the 95xp by 4 for my four PCs, I get 380xp total. In order to scale this encounter to my 4 PCs, should I change some of the combatants around until the encounter is worth around 380xp?

Is this how the scaling system of 4e is supposed to work? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

The method looks right.

You can change it, but you probably don't have to. The encounter will probably be a bit tougher, but not extremely so. Since I don't have the book yet, I can't tell you if there are some (or rather which ones are) tough encounters you should change, but I think others can help you there.

 

[Heselbine]

I'm glad you've posted this as I have the same problem. I either need to find a new player in the West Sussex area in the next two weeks, scale down the adventure or run a DM-controlled NPC. My players hate it when I do the latter and I figure I'll have enough to think about. However, I am wary about scaling things down. I'm tempted just to run it as is with 4 PCs and see what happens.

 

[Naszir]

I have only 3 players to work with so I am curious too. I believe I have seen that 4 minions can be removed or one non-minion of the appropriate level per character missing from the party.

It will take a little tweaking but I am hoping that it really won't be that involved.

 

[Crymson]

For that first encounter I was simply thinking of removing a Kobold Dragonshield and adding a Minion, which will bring the total xp to 375.

The main reason for doing this is that the PCs may level up to quickly if I don't.

 

[Jack99]

What you outlined in the first post is indeed how it should be done. Basically you need encounters worth 100*#PC at first level (replace 100 by 125 at level 2, and by 150 at level 3).

However, most parties should (based on my testing) be able to handle +50% without too many deaths (ie 600 xp encounters at 1st level), especially if the level of the monsters are close to the players' levels.

If you are worried of a certain encounter (say you have a 500 or 600 xp encounter), you can (instead of toning it down by removing a monster or 2) adjust it by holding back said monster(s) a few rounds, before it enters the fray.

Cheers,

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I'm glad you've posted this as I have the same problem. I either need to find a new player in the West Sussex area in the next two weeks, scale down the adventure or run a DM-controlled NPC. My players hate it when I do the latter and I figure I'll have enough to think about. However, I am wary about scaling things down. I'm tempted just to run it as is with 4 PCs and see what happens.

If you're anywhere near Haywards Heath then my brother runs a game in that area - otherwise you should be OK with running it for 4 players if you take out a couple of the lower level monsters from each encounter.

 

[Heselbine]

Doh! Who do you think Heselbine is, Tallarn?

 

[Klaus]

I have only 3 players to work with so I am curious too. I believe I have seen that 4 minions can be removed or one non-minion of the appropriate level per character missing from the party.

It will take a little tweaking but I am hoping that it really won't be that involved.

I'm on the 3-PC boat as well.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Doh! Who do you think Heselbine is, Tallarn?

*facepalm*

Everyone, I'd like to introduce my brother....