Tips for tweaking encounters based on group composition

[NewJeffCT]

My 3.5E campaign was built around a series of climactic combats, as I had a large group that could dish out a ton of damage. So, I needed large groups of evil guys to challenge them adequately. This usually limited the game to one big encounter per session, with role-playing and story tossed in where we had time (before, during or after the combat encounter). However, I got to know my group really well and became very good at tweaking these encounters so they'd be pushed the the edge, do some tightrope walking and then barely come out on top in the end.

With the faster combats in 4E, we usually can get through 2-3-4 combats per session. I'm still feeling out how to handle a running series of challenges to the players instead of one big climactic combat per session. So, I am still trying to get a feel for balancing encounters.

I am running part of a converted 3.5 adventure path that was designed for a group of five players. But, I want some advice on what I should be looking for in terms of challenging six players based on group composition.

The six players are:
Defenders: Human Fighter and Human Swordmage/Artificer hybrid
Strikers: Elf Ranger (archer) and Eladrin brutal rogue
Leader: Human shaman
Controller: Human tome of readiness wizard

The group can dish out a lot of damage via the two strikers (and, both have had several memorable "strikes" in game), and also take a lot of punishment because they now have two defenders.

What can I do as a DM to adjust an encounter to put the players in a difficult/unusual situation, and/or to get them worried? The upcoming encounters involve undead, which might be difficult with only the wizard having a limited amount of radiant damage to dish out. Should I use more minions to round out an encounter (add XP to it because it is six PCs, where the AP is designed for five), or do I throw in another soldier type, or bump a soldier to an elite? Something else?

Thanks

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Depends on how long you want the combat to last. In these forums there's a lot of talk about actually speeding up combat by giving the monsters 25-50% less hps but amp their damage up by 25-50% in the process giving the PCs a bigger challenge in that they are taking much harder hits. If you want to keep combat relatively speedy you can do this or add a couple more minions. If you add another regular soldier type, elite, etc into the combat it'll slow things down for sure.

I'm a fan of raising the damage, and lowering hps to make things more interesting though. The look on the player's faces when they get nailed by hard hitting enemies is priceless and it really makes them worry and try to think tactically on how to avoid those hits and take out the enemies as fast as they can before they get taken down themselves.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Thanks - I've already learned that a SOLO monster won't last very long against my group, as the two strikers will dish out a ton of damage to it. So, in two of the last three solo monsters, I've added another monster to serve as a helper to the solo, be it to flank or just suck up damage from the party. (it could have been even worse for Solos, as the guy playing the swordmage/articificer was almost another striker)

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Try to get some more ambushes on the PCs would help scare them a bit more too. Combine traps, waves of minions, etc could be interesting too. Get the players to blow their bigger dailies and encounters then throw in another powerful enemy who was lurking around in back at them when they think they are almost done.

 

[Abstruse]

That's a really well balanced group, so you might have problems challenging them. The strikers can deal the damage, the defenders can keep the controller and leader protected, and the controller and leader can do their thing. Solos (even MM3/MV solos) aren't going to last long without support.

Against a group like that, I'd use a lot of weaker enemies rather than a few strong ones. Don't mix monster types (if you use more than 2-4 different monsters/NPCs in an encounter, it ALWAYS drags combat), but throw a lot of minions or weaker enemies at them. At least a couple will sneak past the defenders and hurt the back line folks, while the strikers and defenders are trying to thin down the numbers. Don't let them group up either so the wizard can't just blast them all.

Another trick would be to use terrain against them. A fight on the edge of a cliff or with several "zones" or something like that. Put acid pools everywhere and use monsters immune/resistant to acid. Put them on a cliff fighting dwarves (with their "Slide me WHERE now?" racial ability) or flying creatures. Traps with jets of fire and fire resistant/immune enemies. Cover the floor with ice that causes them to make balance checks or fall prone.

Another great trick is to make them do a skill challenge during the battle. If you've seen the Robot Chicken videos from WotC, you'll see how well that can work. Depending on the skill challenge in question and its consequences for failure, the bad guys might be able to lock down the party's controller and/or striker for the entire encounter without having to waste a single monster doing it.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Another great trick is to make them do a skill challenge during the battle. If you've seen the Robot Chicken videos from WotC, you'll see how well that can work. Depending on the skill challenge in question and its consequences for failure, the bad guys might be able to lock down the party's controller and/or striker for the entire encounter without having to waste a single monster doing it.

Good suggestions - XP awarded.

Do you have a link to the specific videos?

 

[NewJeffCT]

adding a quick reply to see if I get a few more responses.

 

[Quickleaf]

I DMed a group of 6 players with a very similar role composition actually.

Split the party, maybe have two areas they need to access simultaneously.
Artillery on perches. Even worse if the battle start at range.
Threaten the back line with lurkers.
Minions that can absorb opp attacks for standards making the fighter sweat. Or a creature like the Tiefling Shadowblade where taking an opp attack on it makes you blind or something.
Cover blocking LoS making it harder for swordmage to teleport to rescue allies.
Sending a monster after the shaman's companion.
Waves of minions from multiple directions making the wizard and ranger sweat.
Keep a soldier with marking attacking the ranger but don't make it one of the high value targets (a lower level standard will do).
Skirmishers that focus on flanking the rogue to return the favor of CA striker damage. A bonus if they have ability to grant CA to other monsters or have other ways to get it themselves.

For undead specific stuff...

Skull Lord. Nuff said.
Spectral Tendrils.
Wraith spawning artifact (when a PC is first bloodied).
Minions whose powers stack like Hanged Ones.
Terrain dealing necrotic damage/bolstering necrotic attacks.
Devices which allow PCs to phase momentarily so they can pursue phasing undead or bypass insubstantial (though it vagrants insubstantial to all other monsters for the PC who is phased/in ghost world). But make some risk like they are or may be weakened when returning to the world. Think ethereal plane. Great if combined with a puzzle.

Happy hunting

 

[NewJeffCT]

I DMed a group of 6 players with a very similar role composition actually.

Split the party, maybe have two areas they need to access simultaneously.
Artillery on perches. Even worse if the battle start at range.
Threaten the back line with lurkers.
Minions that can absorb opp attacks for standards making the fighter sweat. Or a creature like the Tiefling Shadowblade where taking an opp attack on it makes you blind or something.
Cover blocking LoS making it harder for swordmage to teleport to rescue allies.
Sending a monster after the shaman's companion.
Waves of minions from multiple directions making the wizard and ranger sweat.
Keep a soldier with marking attacking the ranger but don't make it one of the high value targets (a lower level standard will do).
Skirmishers that focus on flanking the rogue to return the favor of CA striker damage. A bonus if they have ability to grant CA to other monsters or have other ways to get it themselves.

great ideas -thanks.