Modules and bigger parties...

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Some good ideas here... I'll conduct some testing and see how we get on with it...

kaomera - that's just plain mean.

 

[buzz]

Having 6-7 players instead of 4 means that there is a somewhat reduced chance of a TPK, but other than that you should be fine.

FWIW, I've run part one of CotSQ with 6-7 PCs, and it was far too easy. My players specifically asked me to start beefing up the encounters because the challenges simply were not enjoyable. Once you go beyond 5 PCs, you need to adapt the encounters.

The best and most useful advice I've gotten is, as others have said, to up the NPCs hit points and increase their numbers. Be careful with the latter, though, as sometimes more opponents are just more time-consuming, rather than more challenging. E.g., if you've got an orc squad with a leader and grunts, add a few more grunts, but add another leader, too. If you've got the free time and inclination, maybe add a new class type, too, such as a spellcaster or other kind of elite warrior.

Also, rather than increasing an NPC's level, it's better to just boost their stats. Give them elite arrays (15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. 8) or better, instead of the standard array. This is easier than leveling them up, and keeps them from having access to advanced abilities the party isn't ready to cope with yet.

 

[Eccles]

My thoughts exactly. I mostly run pre-written modules and I have 6 players in my group. I don't want to give the villains extra abilities etc by pumping their levels, so I simply make them harder to knock down by maxing out their Hit Points which makes them last a little while longer and provides for less of a one-sided fight. Seems to work just fine.

I'm worried now. My DM from 5 years ago is offering suggestions to my potential next DM. Very concerned.

 

[Gold Roger]

I was considering running The Red Hand of Doom module.

However, I'm likely to have 6-7 PCs. Enough extra that I feel I might need to beef up some aspects of it:

Treasure will need to be increased in proportion to the number of PCs.

For encounters with large numbers of creatures, I'll keep the ratios of PCs: NPCs the same. 4 hobgoblins will simply become 6.

Single BBEGs pose more of a problem IMO. Think tacking on a level or two would make them far more lethal. Particularly the spellcasters. Leaving them as is and I think they'll be too easy.

Any thoughts or experience with this?

When I want to beef up a NPC without increasing lethality, I add levels in classes that don't add much offensive capability. For example monstrous spellcaster often get barbarian levels. Boosts fort and HP and once they are out of spells, they rage for some extra fun.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Yikes Mr Eccles - that's a strange coincidence

Some extra leader types sounds like a good idea. From having a browse through the modules NPCs, there's quite decent variety. However, this way I could use some of the optional extras that I'll be slotting in.

Unrelated class levels sounds like a good idea. Although I may well be lazier and add a few points here or there.

 

[Joshua Randall]

In my experience, the larger the party is, the easier time it will have with a single target, (almost) regardless of the target's CR relative to the APL. The reason is that the larger party gets more actions, but the single target doesn't. And actions (standard, move, full-round) are the single most important resource in D&D combat.

Think of it this way: no matter what the initiative rolls, after the bad guy acts, the PCs get 6+ rounds' worth of actions before the bad guy can do anything. That is an overwhelming advantage for the PCs.

I strongly recommend you add additional combatants to the single-bad guy battles. Even if they are only speed bumps for the PCs, they will at least buy time for the bad guy to do something impressive.

 

[Gold Roger]

In my experience, the larger the party is, the easier time it will have with a single target, (almost) regardless of the target's CR relative to the APL. The reason is that the larger party gets more actions, but the single target doesn't. And actions (standard, move, full-round) are the single most important resource in D&D combat.

Think of it this way: no matter what the initiative rolls, after the bad guy acts, the PCs get 6+ rounds' worth of actions before the bad guy can do anything. That is an overwhelming advantage for the PCs.

I strongly recommend you add additional combatants to the single-bad guy battles. Even if they are only speed bumps for the PCs, they will at least buy time for the bad guy to do something impressive.

Very true.

Changing the terrain so it gets harder to bring high umbers to bear (and everyone still has something to do, even if it's just jump and swim checks) can really help there as well.

 

[Chupacabra]

I would reccommend adding mooks or obstacles or other distractions to the BBEG encounter rather than simply beefing up hitpoints or saves. 6 on 1 is still 6 on 1. That is to say its 50% more firepower than the supposed 4 on 1 ratio that the encounter is scaled against. Thats a big jump. Unless you are going to make the BBEG 50% more powerful (which is hard to do unless you start monkeying around with levels) its better to just delay or hamper the PC's from reaching him and bringing to bear their weapons/spells/etc.

If the big bad guy can buy a few rounds where he can act w/o too much interference from the majority of the party, thats worth more than an extra 20 hitpoints or so.

 

[Pyrex]

Just increase their Hit points or something simple like that.

That doesn't really make up for the disparity in available actions each round though.

Instead of beefing the BBEG, give him an extra (L-2 or so) bodyguard.

 

[Endur]

FWIW, I've run part one of CotSQ with 6-7 PCs, and it was far too easy. My players specifically asked me to start beefing up the encounters because the challenges simply were not enjoyable. Once you go beyond 5 PCs, you need to adapt the encounters.

No, you don't need to adapt the encounters. Just make listen checks. 6-7 PCs make noise. All the monsters in the dungeon come running. encounters are fixed.