First level campaign

[Isearchfortraps]

I am new dm that is making a campaign for a group of 4 first level charecters (2 players with 2 pc's each). I know for a fact 1 will not optamize at all and the other will probly do medium optimizing. The plan was to have a city under attack by goblin swarms with diffrent mosters mixed in and have the pc's be hired to defend it. Now i have talked it out with the pc's and they agree it would be neat to have the city be locked in a long seige they were asking if it could last 3-4 levels. My question is this will a large Siige of goblins simple overrun the pc's at that that level isntantly orcould this work if the pc's play it smart? Also the pc's are Catfolk ranger, Asamar cleric with domains in healing and death, a monk, and a elf rogue (using bows to sneak attack). Also forgot to mention this is going to be a pathfinder game with some D&D 3.5 added in.

[Crossblade]

Nope. Players will be fine. Stick to the suggested formula for a challenge rating (pathfinder adds up experience points, and is based on a 4 person party) and you'll be fine. Just have the Goblins be encountered in squads, brigades, scouting parties or whatever you want to use as an excuse to have a set amount for each group of monsters.

[HunterOfJello]

The only problem I can see with what you've proposed is letting each player play 2 characters. I would have each player play 1 character and encourage them to seek out NPCs to help them accomplish their goals. Roleplaying 2 characters at the same time is very difficult and leads to both characters not developing properly.

[Isearchfortraps]

ok and now sense its a golin siege i was woudering what kinda added enems i could put in so that as they level it stays challenging but still makes sense i was thinkign the goblin dogs and possibly a few imps that are comander or something along that line. also dosue anyone know of any good programs for making maps for table top games that is free and not too hard to use?

[HunterOfJello]

If you're going to play online, then Maptools is good. Otherwise, I've never found a good program for creating maps. Grid paper is far easier and faster to use anyway.


As far as goblin allies go, goblins armies come in large groups along with worgs and dire wolves. Also remember that many of the monstrous humanoids hang out together along with the Goblinoids. Goblinoids include Goblins, the human-like Hobgoblins and the strongest of goblinoids, Bugbears. Ogres and Trolls often run or end up joining armies like this.

If the siege is going to last through level 4, then a good leader of the army would be an Ogre Mage or group of Ogre Magi who are controlling the other monstrous creatures. The worgs and dire wolves could be led by a Winter Wolf who has been working with the Ogre Mages.

You can also throw in some other races like a pair of giants that has chosen to join the army. Pick out one of the weaker giant types like Stone Giants or Hill Giants. They can be responsible for throwing huge boulders into the city.

[Isearchfortraps]

thx for the info this will help out alot in making interesting encouters. Now me and the group were talking and we were gana try make it semi realistic in terms of if somone sends a large bolder trough a house 2-3 times the house is going to collaps sense this campaign is going to alst awhie how alrge should i be making this city i was looking at medium to small but with a moderatly stable wall and builds so that by the 4th levle they pc's still have something to defend. I was also looking at makign a rather tall biulding near the center of town like a decent size chrge or somethign to allow the ranger and poosible rogue to cover the monk and cleric from afar but wasent sure if this would brake the game and make it to esaly (i was looking at makng the hole city 1 massive map so that i coudl have goblines move in from diffrent holes in the city wall at once. Forcing the group of 4 to brake up every know and then too keep things interesting. The other though i had was that the churge would msotlikely be the most sacure bulding to hide in so basacly the mian poit would be to keep the goblines out of the church so while they of course dont want to total the town as long at the poeple survive it would count as quest completed. this sound workable or agian abit to simple?