Monster Creation

[Thoras]

Sounds good, I'll work on the defenses and tweak based on your suggestions. I tried to keep the damage a bit lower then suggested, as I'm actually designing these guys for a specific set of encounters.

It'll be my first shot at DMing(and my intro to see if I can do it/like it) and for the adventure to work thematically, it requires the encounters to be done without an extended rest. I was also going off suggestions I found that 4-5 Encounters is reasonable without an extended rest. My attempt to "force" this without actually forcing it, was by keeping the damage down a bit and hopefully encouraging them to just push through that way.

I was going to post that up as a whole for critique once I typed it up and refined it, but I'll toss up the rough version now. I've left out everything but the bare bones for the encounters.

My set up at the moment:

Encounter 1(Ambushed)
2 x Archers
2 x Spearsmen
2 x Clubmen(Reskinned as Sworsdmen)
1 x Thief

This encounter is not meant to run all the way, as it involves the bandits ambushing a merchant train, holding the PCs off until the thief can pick a lock in one wagon and then escape with a statue. So the bandits will only force the fight if the PCs do, otherwise they pick the lock and run away. They will also retreat immediately once the thief has the statue.

Encounter 2(Chase/Tracking)
Skill Challenge(Either chasing the retreating bandits or tracking them, based on the PCs actions)

Encounter 3(Hideout Entrance, Outside)
Fight with the survivors of Encounter 1(If less then 4, add two archer bandits)

Encounter 4(Hideout Entrance, Inside)
2 x Clubmen
1 x Archer
1 x Guard Dog pack leader
6 x Guard Dog Minions

Encounter 5(Hideout Barracks)
3 x Clubmen
2 x Clubmen(skinned as sworsmen)

Encounter 6(Hideout Greathall)
Agari
2 x Clubmen
1 x Thief
4 x Guard dog minion
2 x Archers

 

[monboesen]

A bit of advice on the adventure structure. Beware of railroading, which just means that you should leave room for the adventure not following the structure you outlined.

1. Do you have a reserve plan if the players manage to stop the bandits from stealing the statue? Because they just might. At least make sure they perceive what the bandits are trying to do (steal the statue) and can try to stop them.

So you need some kind of motivator if the players stop the bandits from fleeing with the statue. Maybe the merchants will offer a suitable reward if the players end the bandit threat once and for all. Maybe the last of the bandits surrenders and bargain for their lives by spilling details of the bandits’ hideout and the treasures found there.

2. A chase can work as a Skill Challenge if the bandits and the players are fairly close AND the players have a realistic chance of catching up with the bandits (because that should be the outcome if they succeed, failures should deduct healing surges and complete failure should result in tracking rather than chasing). And if they catch up with them you need a contingency plan for keeping the players interested in the rest of the adventure. Again pleading and bargaining bandits selling out their leader may do the trick.

Tracking does not in my experience suit itself well to be a Skill Challenge. It’s boring and you really need the players to succeed anyway. Otherwise the adventure ends right there. The downside to end up tracking rather than chasing should be better prepared enemies in the next encounter.

3. A nice way to make an encounter seem dangerous but turn out alright is minions. I would probably redesign the bandit clubmen and archers as minions. Or make an additional type of "Bandit" which should be a minion. I would then replace 1-3 enemies in each encounter with minions (4-5 minions per enemy removed).

4. If you want to make Agari a foe the players remember he should be an elite creature. That keeps him in the fight longer and makes him the focus of the last fight.

Here is an example of Agari as an Elite Brute

Agari Forest Walker Level 1 Elite Brute (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 200
HP 78; Bloodied 39
AC 14; Fortitude 14; Reflex 11; Will 13
Speed 5
Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1
Initiative +1
Perception +5

Traits
O Menacing Presence • Aura 2
Allies in the aura has a +1 bonus to attacks.

Standard Actions
m Hand Axe Slash • At-Will
Attack: Melee (one creature); +6 vs. AC
Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage.
r Thrown Handaxe • At-Will
Attack: Range 5/10 (one creature); +6 vs. AC
Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage.
M Battering Swing • Recharge 5 6
Attack: Melee (one creature); +4 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 4d6 + 3 damage and the target is Pushed 2 squares.

Minor Actions
Quick Hands • At-Will
Effect: Agari makes a Basic Attack.

Triggered Actions
C Frenzied Slash • Encounter
Trigger: Agari is Bloodied.
Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee Close Burst 1 (all enemies in the burst); +6 vs. AC
Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage.

Skills Acrobatics +6
Str 16 (+3) Dex 13 (+1) Wis 10 (+0)
Con 19 (+4) Int 10 (+0) Cha 13 (+1)
Alignment Languages —