Bluepaw
2011-09-02, 03:25 PM
A question for you fine folks on encounter design. I'm starting up a game (4e) with a party composed of a father and two sons (and probably an NPC to balance out the party until we have a fourth). I'm interested in throwing a monkey wrench in the typical protocol by having the father starting a couple levels higher than the other two, which would obviously make sense from a story point of view.
What are some of the hazards and opportunities of doing this? I know I need to avoid either boring the higher-level guy or crushing the lower level guys. But since the father is playing a Monk, he's well-equipped to go toe-to-toe with the stronger critters in a given encounter, while the others spread out their attacks. And I like the idea of an extra layer of strategy in the encounters -- that is, PCs needing to switch targets if they discern they're mismatched.
What are your thoughts? Have you been in or run a successful party with characters of different levels?
What are some of the hazards and opportunities of doing this? I know I need to avoid either boring the higher-level guy or crushing the lower level guys. But since the father is playing a Monk, he's well-equipped to go toe-to-toe with the stronger critters in a given encounter, while the others spread out their attacks. And I like the idea of an extra layer of strategy in the encounters -- that is, PCs needing to switch targets if they discern they're mismatched.
What are your thoughts? Have you been in or run a successful party with characters of different levels?