New GM Needs Help Building Encounters

[Warhammer: 3025]

I'm a new GM (both to GMing in general and to Star Wars Saga in particular), and am having trouble building challenging encounters that I can reasonably expect my players to handle. The previous combat encounters I have put my players through have been relative cakewalks, with no major damage being taken by the players (who are all level 1) and the enemies being cut down in relative short order. The Gamemaster-specific section in to core rulebook is little help in this area (I almost wish there had been a separate book to cover GM-specific issues, like Dungeons & Dragons has).

I am anticipating the next session to be combat-heavy, culminating in a sort of boss encounter with a large creature (technically speaking, a Huge-sized creature), but am worried that such a beast might be going too far the other direction, and will be an unfair stacking-of-the-deck situation.

Any help how to make appropriately-leveled encounters would be much appreciated!

P.S. I'm certain that there have been many, many similar threads before this one, but as I'm not a subscriber to the forum, I cannot access the search function to look for them.

 

[Imbasel]

First, of all whats the setting and number of players in your group. Also, how many of each class? That will affect the encounter. Anyway, here is part of the process that I use when making a big fight.

You have a creature fight, from what you said so there are some very important factors. Reach is huge in SW SAGA, and can be useful as a creature can partial cover from low laying rocks. Also, what type of creature is it?

Also, terrain is important as well. If the starting distance is too great the characters can have potshots on the creature. To close and depending on the creature, they will decimate their foes.

Also, having creatures that follow the big one can make things interesting. If you are attacking a powerful acklay for example you could make some beasts that have lower hit die, to represent children. Never, forget the bonuses of aid another for an attack roll as that can make a huge difference when attacking Reflex strong characters.

Anyway, just my 2 cents when you post back about more information I will have more to say.

 

[Warhammer: 3025]

The setting is going to be a tournament-like, gladiatorial style arena fight. There are 4 characters, each will be level 2 by the time of the encounter, and fully rested. There is a Wookie Soldier with a Bowcaster, A Human Scoundrel, a Mon Calamari Scout (who up to now has been the primary damage dealer), and an Ithorian Noble.

The creature itself is a Dungeons & Dragons Remorhaz. I am currently attempting to generate a creature using the Beast creation rules in the rulebook that will satisfy the concept of a Huge-sized, burrowing worm, but that is still able to be handled by a pack of 4 low-level characters.

I was considering adding terrain hazards to help even the playing field, such as flaming patches and an electrified fence around the arena, but am still working on how the players would be able to push/pull/lure the creature into them in a fun way.

 

[Imbasel]

Ok here are my thoughts on the party tactics. The noble will buff the party or heal depending on the type of noble. The soldier will most likely, stay close to the noble to protect him or her as they are kind of squishy. The scoundrel and scout will creep around trying to get tactical advantage, and to create openings.

Now here is what I would do for the terrain. Make it kind of sandy representing how easy it is for the creature to burrow. That will make balance and running harder on the characters. Put some rock outcroppings for cover, for both parties, and maybe even quicksand.

For creature tactics I would use the burrow, grapple, bite technique. If I was feeling especially evil, I would grab a PC with the creature and then leave it in the tunnel as I progress. I would also say that wherever the creature emerges becomes rough terrain for the rest of the encounter as it disrupts the sand.

The creature will most likely go after the wookie first due to its might, and sheer size. It will probably then focus on the scout, or perhaps the noble depending on what they are both doing.

To help the party out, maybe have an island in the arena surrounded by water or a forested area. The creature can't burrow and its size will make progress slow.

Thats just some of my thoughts anyway.

 

[ValhallaGH]

The previous combat encounters I have put my players through have been relative cakewalks, with no major damage being taken by the players (who are all level 1) and the enemies being cut down in relative short order.

Then you're probably doing it correctly.
1) It's Star Wars. The PCs should walk all over the random opposition, only being troubled by overwhelming numbers or named villains.
2) A level-appropriate challenge is supposed to use about 1/4 of the party resources. So, if the fights used up about 1/4 the team's hp, 1/4 their ammo, and maybe a couple of Force powers then it worked exactly as designed.
3) Saga edition is generous to first level characters, making it very difficult to put them down immediately. That's because the weapons are mean (you need to be tough to handle them) and the tone of the setting says that heroes are tough and not easily stopped.

This seems like an issue of perceptions and expectations. Once you know what the system expects, you can tweak it to get what you want.

Good luck.

 

[Warhammer: 3025]

Then you're probably doing it correctly.
1) It's Star Wars. The PCs should walk all over the random opposition, only being troubled by overwhelming numbers or named villains.
2) A level-appropriate challenge is supposed to use about 1/4 of the party resources. So, if the fights used up about 1/4 the team's hp, 1/4 their ammo, and maybe a couple of Force powers then it worked exactly as designed.
3) Saga edition is generous to first level characters, making it very difficult to put them down immediately. That's because the weapons are mean (you need to be tough to handle them) and the tone of the setting says that heroes are tough and not easily stopped.

This seems like an issue of perceptions and expectations. Once you know what the system expects, you can tweak it to get what you want.

Good luck.

I wish the rulebook was more explicit about this kind of thing. I'd figured that I wasn't going far enough to challenge them, since we've only had one fight per session.

 

[teach]

I wish the rulebook was more explicit about this kind of thing. I'd figured that I wasn't going far enough to challenge them, since we've only had one fight per session.

I could be wrong, but isn't the 1/4 resources guideline actually a D&D 3e guideline? I also don't remember anything about that from the Saga edition. I do agree though that star wars is different from d&d in which combat should be kind of a cakewalk (at least, based on the movies). Maybe try to put more constrants on the combat like overwhelming numbers (the enemies keep respawning and the players can only slow them down, but can never beat them), stealth (they can't make a lot of noise during combat) and multiple objectives (they have to access a computer while holding off enemies).

When I have played star wars, I loved how easily I could take out enemies. It felt like star wars in that respect.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I could be wrong, but isn't the 1/4 resources guideline actually a D&D 3e guideline? I also don't remember anything about that from the Saga edition.

It started as a D&D mantra, carried into the previous two version of Star Wars role playing game, but the designers explained on the web site (now defunct, stupid WotC) that they wanted a similar encounter paradigm for Saga edition.

Have fun.