Zardnaar
Legend
So I haven't really used WotC encounters RAW since 2015 abd i usually either beef up official ones or run them through official dungeons under leveled. Eg I used a level 9 5.0 dungeon with 5.5 level 6 PCs (before new MM).
General guideline I uses is 1 NPC of half CR give or take per PC add a lieutenant or boss type CR close to PCs. Solo boss fight CR X2. I ad hoc a lot. I'll reduce difficulty if environment is a drastic influence.
Mooks remove the tough monsters double or triple the numbers up to 1/4 CR.eg 10 ogres vs 5 level 8 PCs.
Only encounter of day double the encounter they can nova off. If they're being ambushed at night dial it down. If I mess up a bit cancel additional encounters. Tension is desired goal not deaths.
1 fatality in 5 years, 2 if you count a suicide in effect toxic player.
PCs have a time limit. 8 hours. Goal is survive the night. Carnival of Souls.
Encounter 1 sort of. Booze named last breath. Poisoned condition 50 minutes. 1 PC decided to try it.
2. Encounter 2. Euphoric smoke. Exhaustion level 1 DC 17. Drunk one failed inspiration and lucky feat used.
Not really encounters. Monk went into his first combat drunk and exhausted though. 2014 monk he acquired a vicious staff this session via a infernal deal a PC cut.
Xp budgets. 10500 high, 8500 moderate. 5000 low. DMG 5.5 advice careful if PCs are outnumbered 2-1 or more.
Encounter 3.
1 CR 8, 10, X6 CR1 (2014) 9400 xp. Close to a high encounter. Also included a lair effect. Asked random PC if they liked fire, blood or chains and gave them that effect. They chose blood then they got chains then fire.
Sorcerer burnt x2 4th levels, x2 3rd levels. Cheesy grin. Wife "he prepared 10 encounters today". I neglected to mention it was a mix of social and debuff type ones. I did keep track of their actions.
Encounter 4.
4 CR 5, 1 buffed CR 5 (call it 6). 9500 xp. Close to a high encounter. More conservative spell use. Session ends (mostly expliration/RP until end. Fairground rides, clown scams, etc).
Planned
Encounter 5. 6 CR1, 1 CR 6. 3500 xp. Not even 5k low encounter. Basically a freebie.
Encounter 6. As 6 add extra CR 6. 5800xp. Slightly tougher low encounter.
Encounter 7-9 mostly moderate encounters. Cameron's. Legion devils etc.
Encounter 10 Boss Fight. CR15 Survivors of 1-9 may join in.
Actions have consequences. One of these encounters was due to PCs actions. One of them may have accepted a fiendish pact. Didn't even have her soul up for grabs. Only if she failed. Target was a NPC who had wiggled out of a soul pact. He had a month to go. She had a month to get the deed done and accepted payment. Job done in a day oh well. Hells always get their due. New player she's a bit more ruthless and is a drow.
NPC interventions.
PC good deeds from previous adventures will be rewarded. Going back to Stormwrack Isle people they've helped will aid them. Dragon, Gith, a Paladins Soul and Selunes blessing. An NPC joined a fight as well helping speed things up. Secretly a villain but redeemable one.
So combat took place in a tweaked witchlight carnival. Big top they got drugged. I'm tweaking some encounters might play Easter Monday bonus session. They will avoid several of the encounters due to actions in last few sessions. I've planned the encounters what ones they face exactly depends. Vampires, demons, devils and evil clowns and jesters are involved. NPCs used were performers, vampire spawn and rakdos performers/NPCs from Ravnica.
This is the stinker night of death at carnival of souls. They've offended a large vampire coven with a horde of spawn. Rival vampires are involved. Heretics and faithful of Dead 3.
I'm working in NPCs from previous adventures. Good works and misdeeds will matter. If they can flip some villains via role playing. Last few sessions have been low combat after a large dungeon was completed. Level 8 boss fights a vampire, 9 aspect of myrkul and more vampires, 10 Aspect of Bane, 11 aspect of bhaal, level 12 Herald of Apocalypse (dead 3 heresy boss). Campaign ends. Rough plan subject to change.
Revenge from previously defeated foes eg Shar will be attempted debuffs.
Turns out my ad hoc 1-2 NPCs per PC +1-2 isn't to far off the new guidelines anyway. One way of dealing with daylight spells is bury them in more vampires and encounters attrition them out. I don't like 6-8 encounters but sometimes they make sense. A couple of PCs are fire and forget types, a couple ae short rest based, 1s long rest but bit more conservative.
Of things go tit's up NPCs can conveniently heal or aid them. Still experimenting with new MM. 10-12 individuals would be upper limit of an encounter for the time being. Smart ones spread out. Dumb ones/mindless happily walk through zones and emanations.
Not all encounters will be used and still putting togather the boss fight. I'm thinking 3 more using the easier ones, 5 total then boss turns up. Short rest classes may be at an advantage. Bless is starting to look really good for those who went a bit hard on spells early.
Interesting concept with circus fight. Monsters can hide in plain sight as part of a performance. Killer Klowns and pubs. One of the legendary performers s Freddo Electrum from a bard trope known as Emperor.
General guideline I uses is 1 NPC of half CR give or take per PC add a lieutenant or boss type CR close to PCs. Solo boss fight CR X2. I ad hoc a lot. I'll reduce difficulty if environment is a drastic influence.
Mooks remove the tough monsters double or triple the numbers up to 1/4 CR.eg 10 ogres vs 5 level 8 PCs.
Only encounter of day double the encounter they can nova off. If they're being ambushed at night dial it down. If I mess up a bit cancel additional encounters. Tension is desired goal not deaths.
1 fatality in 5 years, 2 if you count a suicide in effect toxic player.
PCs have a time limit. 8 hours. Goal is survive the night. Carnival of Souls.
Encounter 1 sort of. Booze named last breath. Poisoned condition 50 minutes. 1 PC decided to try it.
2. Encounter 2. Euphoric smoke. Exhaustion level 1 DC 17. Drunk one failed inspiration and lucky feat used.
Not really encounters. Monk went into his first combat drunk and exhausted though. 2014 monk he acquired a vicious staff this session via a infernal deal a PC cut.
Xp budgets. 10500 high, 8500 moderate. 5000 low. DMG 5.5 advice careful if PCs are outnumbered 2-1 or more.
Encounter 3.
1 CR 8, 10, X6 CR1 (2014) 9400 xp. Close to a high encounter. Also included a lair effect. Asked random PC if they liked fire, blood or chains and gave them that effect. They chose blood then they got chains then fire.
Sorcerer burnt x2 4th levels, x2 3rd levels. Cheesy grin. Wife "he prepared 10 encounters today". I neglected to mention it was a mix of social and debuff type ones. I did keep track of their actions.
Encounter 4.
4 CR 5, 1 buffed CR 5 (call it 6). 9500 xp. Close to a high encounter. More conservative spell use. Session ends (mostly expliration/RP until end. Fairground rides, clown scams, etc).
Planned
Encounter 5. 6 CR1, 1 CR 6. 3500 xp. Not even 5k low encounter. Basically a freebie.
Encounter 6. As 6 add extra CR 6. 5800xp. Slightly tougher low encounter.
Encounter 7-9 mostly moderate encounters. Cameron's. Legion devils etc.
Encounter 10 Boss Fight. CR15 Survivors of 1-9 may join in.
Actions have consequences. One of these encounters was due to PCs actions. One of them may have accepted a fiendish pact. Didn't even have her soul up for grabs. Only if she failed. Target was a NPC who had wiggled out of a soul pact. He had a month to go. She had a month to get the deed done and accepted payment. Job done in a day oh well. Hells always get their due. New player she's a bit more ruthless and is a drow.
NPC interventions.
PC good deeds from previous adventures will be rewarded. Going back to Stormwrack Isle people they've helped will aid them. Dragon, Gith, a Paladins Soul and Selunes blessing. An NPC joined a fight as well helping speed things up. Secretly a villain but redeemable one.
So combat took place in a tweaked witchlight carnival. Big top they got drugged. I'm tweaking some encounters might play Easter Monday bonus session. They will avoid several of the encounters due to actions in last few sessions. I've planned the encounters what ones they face exactly depends. Vampires, demons, devils and evil clowns and jesters are involved. NPCs used were performers, vampire spawn and rakdos performers/NPCs from Ravnica.
This is the stinker night of death at carnival of souls. They've offended a large vampire coven with a horde of spawn. Rival vampires are involved. Heretics and faithful of Dead 3.
I'm working in NPCs from previous adventures. Good works and misdeeds will matter. If they can flip some villains via role playing. Last few sessions have been low combat after a large dungeon was completed. Level 8 boss fights a vampire, 9 aspect of myrkul and more vampires, 10 Aspect of Bane, 11 aspect of bhaal, level 12 Herald of Apocalypse (dead 3 heresy boss). Campaign ends. Rough plan subject to change.
Revenge from previously defeated foes eg Shar will be attempted debuffs.
Turns out my ad hoc 1-2 NPCs per PC +1-2 isn't to far off the new guidelines anyway. One way of dealing with daylight spells is bury them in more vampires and encounters attrition them out. I don't like 6-8 encounters but sometimes they make sense. A couple of PCs are fire and forget types, a couple ae short rest based, 1s long rest but bit more conservative.
Of things go tit's up NPCs can conveniently heal or aid them. Still experimenting with new MM. 10-12 individuals would be upper limit of an encounter for the time being. Smart ones spread out. Dumb ones/mindless happily walk through zones and emanations.
Not all encounters will be used and still putting togather the boss fight. I'm thinking 3 more using the easier ones, 5 total then boss turns up. Short rest classes may be at an advantage. Bless is starting to look really good for those who went a bit hard on spells early.
Interesting concept with circus fight. Monsters can hide in plain sight as part of a performance. Killer Klowns and pubs. One of the legendary performers s Freddo Electrum from a bard trope known as Emperor.
Last edited:
