Review of The Manor of Deceit by Blackbyrne Publishing

[Neuroglyph]

I think we are all too used to encounters all being around Level - Level +1. Something that really peaves me in the 'standard' modules.

That last fight sounds fine - even if it wasn't the only fight for the day. Our games often include creatures of higher level, etc.

I would agree that using only Level/Level+1 monsters can be a bit dull. I myself design encounters with up to Level +3 monsters in the mix. However, I tend to make the higher level monsters skirmishers and artillery types, which are roles with lower hit point values.

When reviewing an encounter and looking at the monsters involved, I tend to drop a "red flag" when there are an excessive number of hit points across the entire monster pool. Creating a mix of monsters with elites (double normal hit points), brutes, and soldiers tend to cause longer and more drawn out battles that expend all the heroes' encounters (and possibly even dailies), which leave them trying to finish the combat with only at-will powers.

Certainly, having a couple fights over the course of an adventure which tax the parties offensive powers to their uttermost is fine, but in my opinion, when that sort of fight is used overmuch, it just bogs the pacing of the plot down to a series of long 3-4 hour combats.