[3.5] Encounter Ideas?

[W3bDragon]

It seems I'll be running a 3 session game with a very specific agenda. A friend of mine, who happens to be my old GM, would like to familiarize himself again with 3.5. He DMed 3.5 a few times before, but that was a long time ago, and he's forgotten a lot of the rules (not that he knew them very well to begin with. Still has 2nd edition rules in his head). He'd like to run a 3.5 game soon, but to get used to the rules again, I'll be running a game with him as a player, plus another volunteer player. I'll be doing it as a set of independent encounters to demonstrate the most common combat rules.

I expect that we'll have time for perhaps 3 to 4 encounters a session. So a total of 9 to 12 encounters all the way through.

So far the ideas I've got are to have an encounter each to demonstrate...

Grapple/Bullrush Rules Trip/Disarm Rules Difficult Terrain Different modes of movement Counterspelling Concealment/Cover


That's 6 encounters more or less. Any more ideas? I'd love to hear specific encounter ideas as well for each of the ones I mentioned, or others. Especially if you know of a great monster or encounter that can demonstrate a specific set of rules.

We'll be playing mostly core 3.5. The PCs will be 12th level. My old GM will be playing a prestige classed wizard/cleric of some sort, since spells are a weak spot for him as well and he wants to learn.

Note: These encounters shouldn't be dumbed down. We both agree that he should jump into the deep end to pick things up, so complicated, within reason, is good.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[balistafreak]

Ambushing.

Because a LOT of people out there don't understand how surprise rounds and initiative work. Seriously.

This isn't so much a single encounter "station", though, as it is something to impress upon the player across all of them: the different ways an encounter begins, with your/their/both/neither side being surprised.

Good to see you caught cover/concealment, though. That one confuses people often as well.

Also note: starting with a spellcaster is a terrible, terrible, way to learn the 3.5 rules, because spells are literally rule-breakers. :smallamused:

Also also note: it might do you good to start at a lower level. 12th level tends to be pretty wonky in terms of scale, especially for a "newbie". I'll go ahead and say that I still believe the sweet spot is at 4th-8th, but that's just me.

Also also also note: if he's a caster, why does he need to know combat maneuvers so bad? They don't really need separate stations for the degree he'll need them in, except for maybe bull rushing (Melf's Unicorn Arrow yeaaaaaaaah!).

[W3bDragon]

Ambushing.

Because a LOT of people out there don't understand how surprise rounds and initiative work. Seriously.

Good catch. I'll add that to the encounters themselves.


Also also also note: if he's a caster, why does he need to know combat maneuvers so bad? They don't really need separate stations for the degree he'll need them in, except for maybe bull rushing (Melf's Unicorn Arrow yeaaaaaaaah!).

He's playing a spellcaster to learn more about 3.5 spells. He needs to learn about combat maneuvers because he'll be DMing a 3.5 game after this refresher game.