D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)

[RangerWickett]

So you're clearly throwing encounters at the party that are higher level than they are. About how difficult are you going, because I always run into slow down if I set it more than 2 levels above the PCs, whereas the fights always seem too easy if I go any lower. This conundrum has frustrated me mightily about 4e.

 

[Piratecat]

So you're clearly throwing encounters at the party that are higher level than they are. About how difficult are you going, because I always run into slow down if I set it more than 2 levels above the PCs, whereas the fights always seem too easy if I go any lower. This conundrum has frustrated me mightily about 4e.

Well, I'm staying within the XP budget. Three lvl 4 lizardmen are (3 x 175 = 475 xp), vs. a 500 xp budget. I tend to use fewer more powerful monsters in areas where space is more limited, and a greater number of weaker monsters in areas where the fight can spread out. I like using minions as well, because they die so nicely when hit with area attacks.

That xp budget seems to be a thing of beauty. The dog-gobblers were generally lots of lvl 1 and 2 monsters, but more of them, and the fights were the right level of challenge. One thing to keep in mind is that fewer, more powerful monsters focus their (more powerful) attacks on fewer PCs. In that sort of a fight you'll have a few people on death's door and a few people who are virtually uninjured. This makes fights go faster - fewer attacks for you to roll - while still maintaining menace and danger for the PCs.

 

[KidCthulhu]

A final note: KidCthulhu, playing Strontium, does an absolutely amazing job voicing her Warforged character. She manages to convey a clearly non-human, machine-like voice without being the slightest bit hokey, and delivering plenty of inflection and personality-appropriate humor. It’s really cool.

Aw, shucks. I can't take complete credit for Stron's voice. I stole it from the audiobook of Terry Prachett's Making Money. There's a golem character in the book, and I liked the voice. They came together in Stron.

 

[Plane Sailing]

So you're clearly throwing encounters at the party that are higher level than they are. About how difficult are you going, because I always run into slow down if I set it more than 2 levels above the PCs, whereas the fights always seem too easy if I go any lower. This conundrum has frustrated me mightily about 4e.

FWIW in my experience 'soldiers' is where it becomes a potential problem, since they have higher defences and a higher level soldier becomes much more difficult for a given level of PC to take down. I've not seen it as an issue for any other monster type.

Cheers

 

[KidCthulhu]

Can't disagree with that!

Actually, my rogue was already in the water; the boat wasn't big enough for the whole group, and since he's a decent swimmer, he volunteered to swim along behind while tethered to the boat by a rope. The croc went for him first (though it missed with its bite).

Just chiming in on this comment. Strontium now calls Cobalt his "chum" because of this incident. Partially because they are comrades and partially because you dangle him behind the boat to attract predators.

Stron considers this the height of humor, which should tell you a great deal about Stron.

 

[Rel]

Just chiming in on this comment. Strontium now calls Cobalt his "chum" because of this incident. Partially because they are comrades and partially because you dangle him behind the boat to attract predators.

Stron considers this the height of humor, which should tell you a great deal about Stron.

You and Kevin just sit around all day telling increasingly horrible puns, don't you?

 

[Aravis]

So you're clearly throwing encounters at the party that are higher level than they are. About how difficult are you going, because I always run into slow down if I set it more than 2 levels above the PCs, whereas the fights always seem too easy if I go any lower. This conundrum has frustrated me mightily about 4e.

We felt like he was continually ratcheting things up after the lizardmen. So, we developed a theory that he was never actually going to let us get to level 2. Instead, we figured he was just going to keep ratcheting things up until he found out just what it takes to TPK a party of 5 first level characters.

Alas, we were wrong. We get to go to level 2.

Aravis

 

[Aravis]

So, a few comments.

3. A small amount of hit points make a huge difference. Toiva stayed on his feet due to his toughness feat, and three or four of my baddies died when they were reduced to -1 hp. A few more, and they would have stayed up and attacking.

4. My dice were hot, and the players' were not. Stron the wizard missed something like three of his four attacks (and was mightily disappointed that magic missile is no longer an auto-hit, let me tell you.) I, on the other hand, rolled two criticals in the same round with two monsters.

Actually, Toiva does not in fact have toughness. An oversight that will be corrected next time. What kept her on her feet was bolstering strike, a heal potion, and a lay on hands.

And let me tell you how annoying it was to miss on BOTH of Toiva's charges. What's the point in having a weapon that does an additional d8 on a charge when you can't hit!

Aravis

 

[RangerWickett]

I have that exact same problem. 5th level warlord, vanguard spear, and I always miss with it. I know from a tactics standpoint I should wait until I can sharge into a flanking position, but narratively, it's silly to call yourself the vanguard if you wait for your rogue buddy to get behind an enemy before you attack.

I dig these reports. Keep 'em coming.

 

[blargney the second]

I have that exact same problem. 5th level warlord, vanguard spear, and I always miss with it. I know from a tactics standpoint I should wait until I can sharge into a flanking position, but narratively, it's silly to call yourself the vanguard if you wait for your rogue buddy to get behind an enemy before you attack.

Ready an action to charge into a flank as soon as the rogue is in the right spot.
-blarg