an intersting encounter (to steamroll)

[big teej]

greetings playgrounders, after a much longer hiatus from behind the screen than I'm happy with.

it's my turn to DM again.

last time I DM'd we had our first two casualties (Ever) and nearly had a TPK. the players are hunting a dragon, so it kinda only gets harder from here.


the thing is, I want to give them at least 2 (maybe even 3) encounters that they can, for want of a better term, steamroll right through. partly to help the two new characters (A cleric and a bard) get settled, and partly to restore the party's confidance in their ability to not die. (which will be crushed by the dragon in a few weeks, but hey.)


so I'm looking for a few interesting encounters that while "challengeing" (or at least time consuming) the party can essentially curbstomp the opposition.

the terrian is temperate mountians, they're hunting a dragon, they now have a morbid fear of orcs with class levels.

the bulk of the dragon's army I have accounted for. (all of which are going to be challenging encounters I feel)

and I'm sort of at a loss for something 'puny' to toss at them that 1) fits the terrain, and 2) doesn't LOOK like I'm deliberately letting them steamroll an encounter.


thoughts?
suggestions?

oh, before I forget
party is level 4 and consists of
Human Paladin
Dwarf Fighter
Gnome Cleric - replacement character
Human Barbarian
Gnome Bard - replacement character
Elf Druid - MIA for the past month IRL, I don't know when she's coming back
Human Ranger

sources I have to draw from
the SRD
DMG I & II
MM I & II
PHB
BOVD
BOED
A&EG
Races of Stone
Masters of the Wild
Tome and Blood
Sword and Fist
Song and silence
Defenders of the Faith
Enemies and Allies
Magic of Incarnum
Dieties and Demigods

that should be everything.

thanks in advance.

[Firechanter]

Level 4 is a bit lowish, but basically Large creatures that look stronger than they are are good for this kind of morale-boosting action.

Then again, throw something at them where the characters can make the most of their racial and class abilities. Looking at your party composition, that could involve Undead (for Cleric and Pally to Turn), Orcs and Goblins for the racial To Hit pluses of Gnomes and Dwarf, and some Ogres to let them enjoy their huge AC bonuses. Stuff like that.

Most of these racial abilities lose steam pretty soon after the lowest levels, so let the players enjoy them while they make a difference. ^^

[big teej]

Level 4 is a bit lowish, but basically Large creatures that look stronger than they are are good for this kind of morale-boosting action.

Then again, throw something at them where the characters can make the most of their racial and class abilities. Looking at your party composition, that could involve Undead (for Cleric and Pally to Turn), Orcs and Goblins for the racial To Hit pluses of Gnomes and Dwarf, and some Ogres to let them enjoy their huge AC bonuses. Stuff like that.

Most of these racial abilities lose steam pretty soon after the lowest levels, so let the players enjoy them while they make a difference. ^^

any suggestions for 'large that looks stronger'?

they're already getting huge use out of their racial abilities, the bulk of the Dragon's army consists of Orcs, goblins, bugbears, and ogres

I was looking for some fun non-goblinoid things to throw into the mix to break up the pattern, and still have that 'just right' amount of challenge.

[Z3ro]

I'd second sending undead against them. The paladin and cleric can turn, making the encounters less dangerous, and I find that many players have an irrational fear when facing undead. Just some skeletons and zombies could make a great encounter.

Alternatively, one of my favorite low-level monsters is the small fire elemental. They're something many people don't throw against low level players, they look impressive, can cause lots of collateral damage, and the party should be able to handle several and still make it an easy encounter.

[Diarmuid]

Unfortunately, at level 4 you dont have a whole lot of "wiggle" room.

One thought is to have them come upon the end of an encounter between two sides where some "tougher" monsters or animals have been softened up for them so they're able to take things down that they might not have before.

Dont know if going "Large" or animal is the right way tho as size modifiers means more AoO's against the party, and a lot of animals get very good use out of trip and/or grapple which can really mess with a PC who's not set up to really deal with it.

[HalfDragonCube]

any suggestions for 'large that looks stronger'?

they're already getting huge use out of their racial abilities, the bulk of the Dragon's army consists of Orcs, goblins, bugbears, and ogres

I was looking for some fun non-goblinoid things to throw into the mix to break up the pattern, and still have that 'just right' amount of challenge.

Dire wolverines are always good.

In the campaign I'm currently in we faced two at first lvl.

Me, a 1st level drow cleric and another half-elf cleric with the plant domain saved the party's skins. I cast entangle and then we both repeatedly cast Doom at them.

Just don't make the wolverines angry. Then they go rargh.:smalleek:

[FMArthur]

Monstrous Centipedes are probably the lowest CR per size increase that you can get: Huge Monstrous Centipedes, summonable by Summon Monster III, are CR 2. The next step up, Gargantuan Monstrous Centipedes, are CR 6 and are rather weak as Summon Monster VI candidates.

Be warned that they will easily win against most opposed combat checks due to their size though, so this is certainly not the way to go for making a grappler feel good.

[big teej]

I actually really like the fire elemental idea, as well as the wolverines/centipedes


unfortunately, undead is vetoed due to a recurring villian who has it in for the paladin (I've already got an undead combat planned for after the dragon)


I think I'm definitely going with the elemental and the centipedes.

the centipedes can easily be worked in as they're leaving the forest.

but a fire elemental....

any suggestions for why a fire elemental would be present?

any suggestions that DON'T involve adding in another BBEG for the party?

so far they have
a ancient evil after them
+ all of it's servants
a necromancer has it in for the paladin
the dragon they're hunting
the dragon's parent (not that they know that yet)

but I digress....

why would an elemental be present in these mountians?

[begooler]

Another fun thing to do is to take advantage of the mountain terrain.
Perhaps goblinoid (cultists?) on higher ground that are flooding the battlefield with monstrous centipede and/or small fire elemental summons. If you don't want them to be high enough level to summon those, make them just low level adepts and give them wands. (Treasure!)
At first the PC's are fighting monstrous centipedes and fire elementals, wondering why the heck these are in the mountains and why they are collaborating. More centipedes and fire elementals appear! Then, they notice the cultists summoning them from the rocks above them. They have to climb up to the cultists to attack them, but once they do, they are easy to take down.
Let the cultists summon lots of the monsters. Since there's a limited duration on the summons, the PC's can take cover (give them appropriate terrain to do so) if they are overwhelmed. This also forces them to find a way to get to the cultists and stop them from summoning.

Perhaps the adepts are cultists of Obox-ob, the demon prince of vermin. (Fire elementals are appropriate for his cultists to summon also.) I think this could tie into your ancient evil enemy in some way, as he is one of the more ancient demon lords. If you don't think they fit in as servants of the ancient evil you already have, perhaps they are a small rival group.

[Z3ro]

why would an elemental be present in these mountians?

Well, what kind of dragon? If it's something like a red dragon, fire elementals seem like natural henchmen (as far as how they came around, the players don't need to know). If the dragon's color is undecided, or unrevealed, it could always be changed to red to accomidate.

Otherwise, have a crazy wizard in the mountains. Not as a villian, per se, but as an interesting NPC that just happens to be insane. The players can befriend him, or kill him, or leave him alone. He just happens to release some elementals that attack the party.

[big teej]

I don't have time for an in depth response, but I like the suggestions I'm getting...


and the dragon is blue, and the party knows it.

[Parasyn]

well they won't exactly steamroll this but it is probably my favourite low level monster is the Voor from MMIII, they are quite challenging so it probably wont be what you are looking for but the paladin would make great use of smite evil
ah i just looked at your book list and saw you didn't have mm3 :(

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Well, to get your party used to casters (since dragons do have magic), you may want to have the kobold minions of the dragon try a swarm. It would make the battlefield control guys in your party feel real useful. It would also give your people a chance to try out some of the area effect stuff they've always wanted to try out.

Now, to throw some fun stuff into the mix, there's a couple of 1st level Kobold Sorcerers (no, we're NOT going to pull any dragonwrought shenanigans, we want to challenge the party, not TPK them), and give them Sleep.

Now, at 4th level, Sleep will affect ONE party member at a time, and it allows a Will save. So if the kobold's CHA is only around 12 or so, the DC on the save is 12. That's pretty easy to make, but at the same time, will give them a taste for dealing with casters.

Give the other one Ray of Enfeeblement, so they know what debuffing feels like, without it being a WTFPWN situation.

Now, these things are NOT Tucker's Kobolds, they have no tactical wit. They just charge in and get slaughtered, with the casters in the back tossing their spell.

For their 1st level feat, just give them Eschew Materials.