D&D 5E Small tweaks to improve Out of the Abyss [DMs toolbox; SPOILERS]

[CapnZapp]

For some play groups, the frequency of random encounters can be unsatisifying. Having only one or two encounters a day (but the adventurers don't know that) can make it easy to win fights.

Suggestion if this is a problem for you: instead of rolling twice a day at a table with 40% chance of something happening, roll eight times a day at a table with 10% chance of something happening.

 

[Leopold]

Problem: The NPC's do not have stats presented. Also, how do I level them up as they journey with the PC's?

Suggestion: Build a mini cheat sheet using stats from the book and online to create what each NPC needs to be. Put them on a piece of paper with one side a picture of the NPC, on the other their stats and motivations.

The second part involves a bit of discussion. Based on the first sessions I'll be building the NPC's at every level to keep on parity with the PC's. Maybe ever other level would work (1,3,5,7,upto 15). I have to fully read the module to see how far some of these NPC's can go. From there I'll bundle them all together in a PDF and use it on my tablet. Honestly taking a first level scout with a 5th level party is ridiculous and they will be killed without mercy.

 

[CapnZapp]

Problem: The NPC's do not have stats presented.

Just a small clarification: NPCs do have stats, they're just not presented.

(Each bold term, such as the dwarf Eldeth being a Scout refers you to the Monstrous Manual (page 349 in this case). Leopold is addressing the need to constantly cross-reference that book)

Carry on

 

[CapnZapp]

Honestly taking a first level scout with a 5th level party is ridiculous and they will be killed without mercy.

Well, in that case you have bigger problems. The adventure doesn't hesitate providing "reinforcements" to an 8th level party that consists of anything from a Shield Guardian (15 Hit Dice, CR 7), a respectable addition to a party of that level; to a hapless trio of... wait for it: Scouts (3 Hit Dice, CR 1/2), mounted on Giant Lizards (also 3 HD, CR 1/4).

It's evident Scouts are to be used only for scouting, and NPCs in general mostly used for social and exploratory encounters rather than combat. In particular, care must be take to keep them safe from any area effects.

This is a clear expression IMHO of this "bounded accuracy" thing - that WotC clearly expects even a level 3 creature to add a meaningful contribution to a high-level party. Which was unheard of in pretty much every previous edition.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Just a small clarification: NPCs do have stats, they're just not presented.

(Each bold term, such as the dwarf Eldeth being a Scout refers you to the Monstrous Manual (page 349 in this case). Leopold is addressing the need to constantly cross-reference that book)

Carry on

But don't you have to take the scout and then apply the dwarven racial mods to it? I like it so far but I think WOTC has left a lot to be desired with DM support on it.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the way NPCs were handled. I get that it's supposed to both streamline prep and illustrate the wonders of bounded accuracy, but I'd much rather have fewer NPCs who scale with the heroes. Not least because I'd rather have fewer NPCs with colorful backgrounds and personalities than an endless supply of faceless fodder.

Suggestion: throw away the templates and re-create the starting NPCs (fellow slaves) as actual characters. Level them with the PCs.

 

[77IM]

I'm planning to let the followers gain hit dice when the PCs gain levels. I'll also let them calculate hit points and proficiency bonus as a PC (max hit points for 1st hit die, proficiency bonus increase every 4 hit dice). In a 7th-level party, a 7-HD scout is not terrible and won't die instantly or anything. This seems to me like a good compromise between treating the followers as cannon fodder vs. statting them up as full-fledged characters.

 

[CapnZapp]

But don't you have to take the scout and then apply the dwarven racial mods to it?

I guess the changes are so small it wasn't deemed worth the effort. That is: the Scout NPC stat block is supposed to work equally well for both an Elf scout and a Dwarf scout. You might see the difference between a +2 check and a +3 check, but the players certainly won't. Just imagine it's a slightly less sturdy dwarf (to account for the scout not having above average STR and CON) or a slightly less agile elf (to account for the scout not having above average DEX and INT).

It might bear to mention that the module does tweak stat blocks; mainly for drow NPCs. Apparently, getting Drows to actually sport Drow racial stats was important enough. I guess you don't want to leave your 120' darkvision at home

Then, of course, there are a few curious instances. Take the Deepking, for instance - it's an NPC with no less than eight modifications to his MM stat block (the knight). I'm thinking it would have been easier to just reproduce the full, modified, stat block in this case. (I do realize that if everything goes according to plan, he's not meant to fight the PC, which at least somewhat excuses the not-served-on-a-platter statistics)

 

[77IM]

I'm hoping WotC puts out an on-line supplement with all of the "denormalized" stat blocks.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the way NPCs were handled. I get that it's supposed to both streamline prep and illustrate the wonders of bounded accuracy, but I'd much rather have fewer NPCs who scale with the heroes. Not least because I'd rather have fewer NPCs with colorful backgrounds and personalities than an endless supply of faceless fodder.

Suggestion: throw away the templates and re-create the starting NPCs (fellow slaves) as actual characters. Level them with the PCs.

I'm planning to let the followers gain hit dice when the PCs gain levels. I'll also let them calculate hit points and proficiency bonus as a PC (max hit points for 1st hit die, proficiency bonus increase every 4 hit dice). In a 7th-level party, a 7-HD scout is not terrible and won't die instantly or anything. This seems to me like a good compromise between treating the followers as cannon fodder vs. statting them up as full-fledged characters.

To be honest, the only critical area is their lack of hit points. Really, "level" in 5th edition can be said to be expressed in hit points and that's it. (I know this is a rough estimate, but there's a lot of truth to it)

So I'd just double the hit point total of a Scout to get a 6 HD Scout. Bounded accuracy will take care of the rest (meaning that, sure, this NPC will need to roll a few points higher than a properly made NPC, but it won't be a big deal).

Sure, go ahead and build NPCs from scratch. But remember - this way is so much faster and easier