Level 1 combat-heavy one shot 4e game. Help?

[Xethreau]

Hello all,

Later this week, I plan on hosting (and running) a one shot 4e game. It will be a level one game, and it will be combat heavy (lots of newbies to D&D, particularly 4e, so we want to fight lots of things, and fast). The only problem is that I have little inspiration as to what the adventure should be. I thought about running a "adventurers stumble across a frontier town being invaded style game," but that seems railroading to me, and will not be good for the "short rest" aspect of 4e.


Any ideas, anyone?

 

[Festivus]

Why not run Kobold Hall in the back of the DMG? It's combat heavy, includes a light plot hook and runs in a farily short timeframe.

 

[TheNovaLord]

too mnay combats may put them off

we played PREV-1 at a con (its like the one in the DMG), but by the fourth kobold fight we were bored silly

have written all the adventures we have played since then, and have yet to put a kobold in it!!

 

[Timeboxer]

If you're afraid of railroading narratively but don't want to spend too much time on plot, try offloading the railroad into the adventure itself -- a dungeon being the classic one. One possibility could be starting in medias res with the party being captured and thrown into a deep pit, and having to fight their way out of a dungeon (which may be more than it appears). Freedom is often a motivating incentive.

 

[Xethreau]

If you're afraid of railroading narratively but don't want to spend too much time on plot, try offloading the railroad into the adventure itself -- a dungeon being the classic one. One possibility could be starting in medias res with the party being captured and thrown into a deep pit, and having to fight their way out of a dungeon (which may be more than it appears). Freedom is often a motivating incentive.

Ding! We have a winner! Thanks for this idea, now I have something concrete to go on! Thank you.

 

[Falstaff]

I always like the "gladiators surviving the arena" set-up for quick, one shot, battle heavy sessions.

 

[Foxen]

Please note that 4e, especially to "new players" is going to be a very complicated matter. In an ideal setting for a one shot adventure, I would have all the pre-gen characters' powers listed...with bonus to-hit, damage, and what not (which the PHB character sheets rather poorly provide for) pre-listed. This will speed up combat rounds.

It also helps for players to declare what attack they are using, and what "defenses" the attack is challenging (like AC or Reflex, etc.). If they have cheat sheets or crib sheets for combat actions it will greatly help them out.

My bane right now is for our players to learn their powers and possible actions they can take. we only have three PHB floating amongst about seven or eight players...been a bit frustrating when players don't really know the rules nor what their powers can do (for example, our eldarin wizard learned that he can make more than 1 encounter power...as Fey Step did not take up one of his wizard enounter powers...or that our half-elf pally, now 2nd level, has not chosen her Dilettante yet.

Fox