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Message: <blockquote data-quote="monboesen" data-source="post: 5449402" data-attributes="member: 4647">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 BruteAgari Forest Walker    Level 1 Elite Brute (Leader)Medium natural humanoid     XP 200HP 78; Bloodied 39AC 14; Fortitude 14; Reflex 11; Will 13Speed 5Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1Initiative +1Perception +5TraitsO Menacing Presence • Aura 2 Allies in the aura has a +1 bonus to attacks.Standard Actionsm Hand Axe Slash • At-WillAttack: Melee (one creature); +6 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 4 damage.r Thrown Handaxe • At-WillAttack: Range 5/10 (one creature); +6 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 4 damage.M Battering Swing • Recharge 5 6Attack: Melee (one creature); +4 vs. FortitudeHit: 4d6 + 3 damage and the target is Pushed 2 squares.Minor ActionsQuick Hands • At-WillEffect: Agari makes a Basic Attack.Triggered ActionsC Frenzied Slash • EncounterTrigger: Agari is Bloodied.Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee Close Burst 1 (all enemies in the burst); +6 vs. ACHit: 2d6 + 5 damage.Skills Acrobatics +6Str 16 (+3)    Dex 13 (+1)    Wis 10 (+0)Con 19 (+4)    Int 10 (+0)    Cha 13 (+1)Alignment      Languages —</blockquote>

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