Please! Need help with encounters for next session!

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! I have a campaign that just begun last week and will have my players trekking through the plains, stopping at a city and later venturing into the woods, ideally all in the same session.

The party make-up is as follows:

-Druid 8

- Aasimar clr6/RSoP1

- FTr2/wiz4/spellsword1/Eldrithck Knight1

-ranger 8

The party wil be following the trail of a pilgrimage through the plains, which will eventually lead them to the city. However, as everyone knows, pilgrimages through open plains in the wild can be dangerous. I would like to throw some hazards at them, but not overpower them (this is their first "combat session" and I want them to shine without seeing it as a cake-walk)

These are the ideas I had for the plains.

Encounter 1: Pesky Bandits

The party finds a derelict caravan on the side of the road. The road is lined with large boulders so as to direct caravans (placed there by an age old empire as route markers). Trapped under the caravan, they spot a human (Spot DC 5) whimpering for help under the strain of the caravan. Should the party attempt to help the stranger in any way (by interacting with it), they see it's an illusion (DC 15 to disbelieve). At this point, 4 bugbear rog2 and 1 ogre brb2 leave their hiding spots behind the boulders (Spot DC 20) to see them. The bugbears toss tanglefoot bags at the party and the ogre rages and rushes in.

Encounter 2: War at the Gates

The party will reach the gates of the city, which have been closed due to the large amounts of people wanting to go through and into the forest (the pilgrimage is a big part of the campaign at this point). The PCs will witness a fight ensue between the commoners and city militia at this point. The event could end in a bloody massacre unless the PCs intervene with a Diplomacy check to affect Hostile behavior or engage in non-lethal damage (if they choose to) in order to avoid further casualties. Ultimately, the party may pay the substantial entry fee the city has placed upon any visitors due to the pilgrimage and just walk in.

Encounter 3: A Fledgling Thief

Once inside the city, the group will want to gather information on where their destination in the forest lies. Talking to the local bard (a supposed 5th PC joining tomorrow), they'll learn of the woods beyond the city, but first. They will be invited by the city's ruling official (depending on their actions at the gate) to a seasonal ball in his manor. The party's main attraction will be a rare jewel belonging to the city's ruler. Well protected by 4 level 1 warriors. A Spot DC 20 check well into the evening will reveal the mask is gone, replaced by junk of similar color to distract the viewers (who by thsi time have averted their eyes from the pedestal and may be too drunk and interested in other matters. A further Spot check DC 25 will reveal a cloaked halfling attempting to escape with said jewelry. If the party manages to catch the thief and recover the jewerly or simply recover the jewelry, they are paid reasonably well and given a map of the woods beyond the city.

And that´s all I have so far. If anyone has any ideas, please, I would be most grateful. Thank you in advance.

[dantiesilva]

Why not a lion or a rhino? they are easy and natural to the environment? The more natural seeming the better. Even a tribe hunting is a good one.

[AlanBruce]

Thank you! I hadn't thought of that scenario. Maybe the local trappers are hunting a dire animal for sport or food and they ask the party to help. Could be interesting with a druid in the party.

[Gavinfoxx]

Just remember that any animals you encounter might end up being BEST FRIENDS with the Druid and/or Ranger.

So if there is an Elephant, the party gets a Pet Elephant.

[dantiesilva]

Even a local drought or animals attacking people because their is a loss in their natural food supply. Because you have the druid and ranger in the party you want to make sure they have their places to shine just as much as everyone else. For example the elephant that was suggested maybe local tribes worship them as their totem and as of late they have been finding them dead everywhere, their tusk always gone. Obviously its for the ivory, but tracking down those that do it and helping the tribes people is a small mini quest in and of itself in which the ranger and druid get to shine as well as the fighter and cleric.

For a drought you could even have it as a walker in the waste from sandstorm trying to turn the place into a desert, a little out in left field, but it is something that most players would not expect, saying long periods of no rain in the plains is a normal occurrence. So finding out that it is actually not a normal occurrence when they walk into this one place where they find sand where their shouldn't be could make them wounder if it is not really fowl play. Even a blighter could work in this case.

Funny but cruel one, saying I was just watching lion king with my son, a stampeded. It makes it so they have to think about how they are going to get by and overcome the problem. After all they can't outrun it forever, and eventually will get overrun or the predators will go for them. I hope this helps you.

[ThiagoMartell]

Sorry, but... why are you using ad hoc DCs?

[AlanBruce]

Thank you everyone for the ideas, They are all very good. The walker in the waste could be implemented as a taste of things to come, since eventually the party may end up in the desert.

As for the DCs, I handwaved them at the moment. I willlook into the actual spells and abilities for the rogues in order to get a more reasonable DC.

[dantiesilva]

happy i could help. Need anything else?

[AlanBruce]

happy i could help. Need anything else?

Thank you so much, dantiesilva! By all means, I'm trying to throw them challenges that they can overcome ith relative ease. That us, until they reach the woods, beyond the city. The pulgrimage they are following will lead them into woods., I had planned a large scale map with many winding passages, and therefore, different encounters (mind you, not all need to be overcome, some can/should be avoided). I was thinking of fey, many fey and the occasional humanoids setting camp in specific areas. Does anyone know of a program that can layout forest maps so as to make my job a tad easier? Thank you again!

[dantiesilva]

Though I do not know of a system I myself find only using a map when an encounter is underway is always helpful. For every half hour they spend in the jungle role a d% and depending on what you set the result as they either run into an encounter or they don't. An encounter can be as simple as watching a deer cross an area that it is struggling with, to being attacked by a pack of wolves and or a bear. If you go the poachers route, I would suggest keeping them around still. The fey...maybe have them having some kind of games where they are all competing on something. After all it is not unheard of the fey using people just because they can. A Dryad charming one of the PC's while the others are asleep to protect her tree for example. It has many different things that have to be done. First they all need to realize the character has come under the spell. Then they have to find the tree, and either demand for their friends release or try to kill it. Saying you got the druid and ranger negations will probably take place in which she explains that the trees have been disappearing recently and the forest feels like its dieing (the walker in the waste from before perhaps, or the blighter). And it would not be out of the place for them to charm the men of the group just for well fey things.

You have something good going let it role. Have it so a orge king rules an area of the woods they have to pass through to continue their pilgrimage and demands tribute for using " his" road. If they don't ( my PCs never would) he keeps on sending people to attack them. Eventually they will go after the person who keeps on harassing them. And the orge king has a pet fey creature, or the fey creature has the orge under its charm. I hope this helps you like the other suggestions did. Just make it natural, don't try to make something work because you want the PC's to do something. I don't know your group so I can not customize a encounter for you, only suggest on whats in the party. A fighter likes any challenge, Druid and rangers work well with animals. You can use the rangers favored enemy to your advantage in this aspect, and if its fey it would make it all the more better if he was the one that got taken over with the charm by the fey, or wants to kill it for charming a friend. Cleric, well he is a cleric of pelor, in complete chammpign it explains that to advance in the church healing and killing undead raise it up in the churches eyes. So healing injured creatures and such always works in its favor, and throwing in some undead in the middle of the woods ain't so hard to believe. Have a swamp like area, or maybe that walker in the waste brought with him a salt mummy. ( after all at level 3 a cleric can meet all requirements to become a WitW).

[dantiesilva]

And after looking at the MM I have found that a Dryad has a CR of 3 and their are normally a group of 4-7 together. Sure not powerful, but throw in two levels of marshal and make it the aura that grants powers on all cha based skills and checks, it increase how hard it is to resist its charm. Throw in druid levels to finish it off or something and you have an effective challenge, even at CR 3 7 of them will not be a challenge to your players, well maybe if they are obsessed with sleeping with a member of every intelligent race, don't ask actually had a player like that.

Eladrin in the MM are CR 6 and 13. And though the 13 will be a challenge. If it is only one and it is with the Dryads on changed it should be relatively easy saying a level 8 druid is extremely powerful on its own.

A nymph though out of place in the plains, extremly so if drought is going on is CR 7 and has many dangers any PC has to look out for.

Satyrs though yet again out of area would fit well with the dryads, at CR 4 throw on some bard levels. The sprite though low in CR could prove to be more of a puzzle like challenge, they play tricks on the PCs and they have to figure them out. Taking their gold for example. Something simple, a scroll that they need. And they leave a riddle that leads to where they hid whatever it is they took.

That's all I saw for things with the actual fey descriptor in the book. But gives you lots of ideas to work with. I would put the dryads in a protected grove with shambling mounds and the like of intelligent plant creatures around and Satyrs go their to dance with the Dryaids which are under the protection of the Eladrin who is investigating what is going on because a nymph went to him asking for help because her lake dried up. It will be harder then you want if they actually pick a fight but with the druid and ranger I don't see them picking a fight. Maybe the Sprite took the PCs belongings to the grove to heal the trees that the Dryads live in because they are dieing without the water as are the other plant creatures. They did not mean to cause trouble, but hoped that by taking it they would help their friends get help because the are to weak themselves to go and search for it. I actually may use that one myself. It flows very well and everything fits together. It is a group of encounters that the PCs should avoid fighting in at all costs. After all the spells create water and such are low level and thus easy for them to cast.If they help the fey the fey offer them something in return that is an utter mystery to them, but comes to be something that is very important to the pilgrimage, say the sheath of the person they are following in their footsteps, a medal the person received and lost in the woods. A holy book that was lost during a battle. The possibilities are endless. I hope this helps you out I'm pretty sure it will but never know.

[AlanBruce]

Amazing! Thank you so much! This will most definitely keep the players immersed. The pilgrimage does go beyond the city and into fey woods. The object of the pilgrimage is to reach a hidden village somewhere in the woods, where a supposed "goddess" dwells. People have kept the location secret for hundreds of years, but now, the secret has leaked, and many want to go see this goddess, who apparently can heal every malady a mortal may suffer. Thing is, she is kept within this village, she does not leave (for reasons the PCs will find out later). Thus, the fey creatures that live in the forest may have suffered for her lack of protection. Enter the walker in the waste, trying to dry up the whole place. Brilliant, friend. Thank you so much!

[dantiesilva]

It was my honor, I'm surprised more experienced DMs did not jump on this. I have done talk through with my friends and training missions with them. But that was because I have been designing a whole new world for them.

If their is any more help you need just PM me I'm more then happy to help. And at a CR8 optimized build you can turn flesh to sand, but not create golems yet. You may want to make him a reoccurring villain until level 13 when they become a dry lich, though then again where there is one the council is not far behind. Good luck my friend and I will keep a eye on this so that if you need help i can respond right away.

[Averis Vol]

It seems to me that you have relatively weak monsters to throw at your PC's. now thats all fine and good if they don't have good combat capabilities, but one color spray from the wizard will win the entire encounter. instead what you could do is put the caravan on top of a small hill, maybe a normal trade route and have the boulders set up just beyond eye sight. have them make a dc 10 listen check to hear a man moaning in pain and maybe make the wagon look like its on fire. they will (assuming they are good and care about things without a plausible CR) rush up the hill to help.

Now, in the grass below the rise there will be archers in gillie suits (of a sort, camouflaged armor) that will pull a string or some such to alert those up top who will in turn roll the boulders down the hill in an attempt to crush the PC's. if they survive (Which they should, reflex save vs 3d6 boulders, say 3 of em. tweak to your Pc's stats) the archers will wait until the PC's move up to harass the javelin throwing bugbears before standing up and firing upon them. now from this point they're pincered between and need to determine who they are going to go for. now again, if your PC's arent decent at char op don't over do it but i would take the base bugbear stats and make the archers scout 5 and the ones up top fighter 2rogue 1barb 1. if they battle their way up top have the bugbears willingly retreat, in specific parts of the hill you could put in dugout holes with sharpened sticks and recover them with the top layer of grass. yes this is crude but you'll be surprised how easily your player will walk into it. if they manage to down all they will find that there is, in fact, a burnt out wagon, the noise? coming from a man with his legs broken laying behind a boulder. When talked to he will thank the party and tell them his story. what that is, as the DM, is up to you but point them in the direction of the bug bears loot they had stashed in a secret tunnel on the other side of the hill.

Again, remember to adjust the levels to your parties capabilities; put more enemies or less enemies or raise or drop their levels. the main thing is to use deception and planning on your enemies part, play them like they want to survive and not just die like the chunks of xp they are. Even an 8 int creature could come up with an easy ambush like this.

[Andorax]

One thing I've put into overland travel-focused campaigns is non-encounters. Things that break up the players' impression that every time the DM starts into a description box, there's about to be a fight. Consider describing scenic vistas or unusual sights that DON'T end up as a combat. Call for some spot checks, roll a few dice behind the screen...then move on.


Front PC(s): Spot check (DC 20). On a success, describe a fine spiderweb stretching between two trees on either side of the trail. Catch sight of the 3" wide blue and yellow spider up on a branch that skitters out of sight.

On a fail...someone gets a facefull of web.


Tracking check to notice a deer's tracks. On a success, the PCs can cut their travel short for the day, but get a large bonus to a subsequent survival check to feed everyone.


Describe weather changes.


I've never been a fan of on-site random generated encounters. Go ahead and generate them randomly, but do it ahead of time so you can look everything up, write everything down, and brainstorm a good description or tweak that makes the scenario interesting.

Sure, your random dice have said "dire lion"...but where is it? What is it doing? How hungry is it? A dire lion protecting its recent kill behaves differently from one that's starving, or one that's just napping in the shade of the tree (and drawing your attention away from the two lionesses sneaking up behind you).


Ankhegs. Worse is a valley with an infestation of brown ankhegs and green ankhegs (same stats, slightly different appearance)...which hate each other and are constantly fighting/tunneling. Perhaps an initial encounter with a green ankheg that's dead on the road, but inspecting it gets green ankheg pheramones all over the PCs/caravan members...which then leads to a frenzied attack from brown ankhegs later.

[AlanBruce]

Thank you so much for the amazing suggestions! The party as of last session is about to enter the fey woods, where a blighter has made an unlikely alliance with a walker in the waste, burning and desiccating the plant and fey life around them. I have taken cues from posters here and designed a lovely grotto for the remaining (albeit weak) fey and an eladrin to keep them safe. As for the encounters in the forest itself, nothing should unsettle the party more than desiccated pilgrims laid around the forest only to twitch and rise as dry salt mummies.

[dantiesilva]

So I take it the walker in the waste is level 9 or higher. I believe it is level 6 that they gain the ability dnt got the books infront of me at the moment.

Edit they learn it at level 8 so effective level 11 character. At level 6 they make golems. sorry so unless the council gave it to him or...their are two of them you will need some fluff if they have sandstorm.

[AlanBruce]

The walker in the waste will leave the odd mark through his trek in the fey woods- patches of sand, dried up nymphs, and the occasional salt mummy. The Blighter in question will have been in the woods for a time, as a regular druid, but certain circumstances made him want to access a certain part of the woods which he cannot enter by his powers alone. The walker was sent to aid him from far off lands to assist him (while the interested parties gain access to this area). The PCs may see the walker, but they won't have a chance to engage him. He will leave the blighter to fend off against the PCs with a few salt mummies as backup.

[dantiesilva]

Sounds good saying the blighter can summon and transform himself.

[AlanBruce]

I looked at the Blighter in CD, the sample one for the PCs to fight. Sad to say, she isn't that optimized compared to the PCs. So I could create a blighter from scratch to challenge them accordingly or use the sample one in the book + the salt mummies.

The PCs do not have access to some of the "villain" spells and abilities from books such as sandstorm. Naturally, this will not be abused. Those powers are there to mark a difference from what they can do vs. the NPCs

[dantiesilva]

What level you need I'll get to work on one for you now. And tell me what race so on so forth. I normally do natural 18's on Bosses but up to you how i do stats. Once i get this I will get to work and pm it to you.

I would suggest a gnoll or Killoren.

[Andorax]

Hmm...

What happens when dessicated, blighting, desert-infused magics are used upon the inhabitants of the wood?

Surely, dustform and skeletal versions of the deer, bears, and other such creatures are the easy solution...but what happens with something darker?

A treant driven to insanity as its very form is ravaged and infused with corrupted earth and stone? Stats to follow soon on this one.

A jeering, tormenting host of dust and salt mephits...perhaps even an encounter where PCs come upon a pitched battle between mephits and sprites?


I'm not hugely up on the motives of dry liches, but I know blighters are obsessive about corrupting what other druids once held sacred, so think about whatever evil and demented ways you can twist things.

[Andorax]

Necromental Earth Element Treant CR 10
NG Huge Undead (augmented elemental, earth)
MM 244, MotP 192, LM 113
Init -2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense
60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +5
Languages Common, Sylvan, Terran, Treant
--------------------------------------
AC 24, touch 6, flat-footed 24
hp 45 (7 HD); DR 10/slashing, fast healing 5
Fort +7, Ref +0, Will +4
Weakness vulnerable to fire
--------------------------------------
Spd 30 ft; burrow 20 ft.
Melee 2 Slams +13 (2d6+10)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +5; Grp +23
Atk Options create spawn, double damage vs objects, energy
drain (one attack per round, DC 13), trample 2d6+15
Special Actions animate trees
--------------------------------------
Abilities Str 31, Dex 6, Con -, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1
SQ earth mastery , elemental traits
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power
Attack
Skills Diplomacy -3, Hide -10 (+6 in forest), Intimidate +0,
Knowledge (nature) +0, Sense Motive +5, Survival +5 (+7
above ground)
--------------------------------------
Animate Trees (Sp): A treant can animate trees within 180
feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a time. It
takes 1 full round for a normal tree to uproot itself.
Thereafter it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights as a
treant in all respects. Animated trees lose their ability
to move if the treant that animated them is incapacitated
or moves out of range. The ability is otherwise similar
to liveoak (caster level 12th). Animated trees have the
same vulnerability to fire that a treant has.

Create Spawn (Su): An elemental slain by a necromental's
energy drain attack rises as a necromental 1d4 days after
death.

Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 23 half.

Earth Mastery (Ex): An earth element creature gains a +1
bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe
touch the ground. If an opponent is airborne or water-
borne, the earth element creatures suffers a -4 penalty
on attack and damage rolls.

--------------------------------------

This is a direct translation. You might want to consider some minor 'tweaks' that fit thematically, even as they're not officially supported. Were it me, I'd remove the fire vulnerability (as a result of the earth element template...there's not enough wood left), and rework their animate trees ability (such that the trees aren't truly animating, just thrashing wildly about in tormented pain (no movement rate, but a single attack against all within reach as per the Whirlwind Attack feat).

This latter ability gets particularly scary if you consider that the Necro-element-treant can hide underground, sense them with tremorsense, and direct trees to thrash them while remaining undetected. Add a blackened, unholy aura that surrounds the trees as they're being tormented this way, and describe the damage they, themselves are suffering (oozing sap, splintering and breaking, etc.).

When they make a run for a nearby clearing, have it rise up to confront them directly. Remember, it's not so bright, so it's not going to use ingenious or optimal tactics on them, just torment them a while as its crude pseudo-memory suggests, then close for the kill when the tormenting isn't an option any more.

[AlanBruce]

Thank you so much for the ideas! The treant hadn't occurred to me. Having the woods get more corrupted as the PCs venture further in should create an interesting atmosphere. I have alredy prepared sufficient encounters in there (not all combat related, thankfully) for the PCs to hack and talk their way into solving the mystery of the fey woods and finding the elusive goddess.

[dantiesilva]

Don't forget the blighter has to destroy at the very least 20ft of forest a day to be able to cast spells. So the longer it takes them the more destruction it will cause saying it can destroy a total of 80ft a day with just deforestation never mind its second level ability.

WitW on the other hand does not need to do this but can choose to. He would be destroying all water and turning the area into basically a wasteland. So ground zero would be trees that look purely evil and dead, petrified. But some are still treants and stuff. Hell even have the animal be getting corrupted from the effects. Food becomes more scare so animals are more likely to attack the longer it takes. Day one may only be 80ft of desert. But end of week 1 that is 560ft. of wasteland. Food starts getting really sparse very quickly.

[AlanBruce]

Absolutely agree with you there! I seldom use the "timed" missions option Mostly because other campaigns I ran were lower level, so resting after every battle was a must. However, seeing athey are fairly high level, they should be able to rush through the forest, while gathering info from the local fey about what is going on.

I wonder what their reaction would be to getting jumped by a squirrel swarm?

[dantiesilva]

I think they would go nuts when they lose their trail rations. XD

Plus it would make it feel more real to them. If they got nothing to eat, and no one can make enough, the druid or ranger is going to have to try and find food and will realize what little is left is being guarded by all the animals. Try going to pick a berry from a bush and getting a swarm of birds swooping down on you. You are tracking a deer and get ready to take it down only to have a pack of wolves do it. For wild empathy checks the later on the story gets without the Blighter at the very least being taken care of, the more unfriendly the animals become towards people., you also got to think, with the forest disappearing some of the animals of the planes would start moving into the areas. Lions would probably be first. And before snakes had a place to hide. The more forest that disappears the more snakes that are concentrated in one area.

At the beginning of everyday, from the point of which they enter the woods I wood have the druid make a special knowledge(nature) or Wild empathy check to see if they notice that something is different each day. If they succeed on the number you set by 10 or more they know exactly how much of the forest has disappeared.

Examples
DC5 : You feel a like something is off today but can't quite put it to anything, not a direction nothing.

DC10: You notice that the woods around you have seemed to have gone quite in some areas while others seem to be becoming much louder then normal, as if every animal is traveling to the same place and leaving others behind.

DC15: You can feel a wicked taint in the forest, just like an animal does and your sense tell you it does not belong. You are sensing that it is coming from___ direction, it also happens to be silent over their in your mind, as if everything is dead their.

DC20:You have become attuned to the forest around you and it is calling for you to save it. In your mind you can see a whole patch gone, destroyed and you can not tell by what.

Something like that should work with them getting modifiers if they try talking to their animal companion or such. Hope that helps.

[ThiagoMartell]

If they are in the wild and they have a level 8 ranger, they shouldn't be worrying about rations. Getting food for a few people is trivial for a level 8 ranger.

[dantiesilva]

Have you been following along..Blighter is destroying the woods. Means food will be guarded by the things that have it making it more challenging. Level 8 level 20 does not matter. Supply and demand. The after a week animals will start attacking anything that looks like food for the fact they probably haven't eaten in at least one or two days. Normal conditions you are right finding food is easy. Now find that food when over 560ft. of forest got destroyed in one week and keeps on getting destroyed more and more daily. And that number is from only one ability from one of the Two villains that destroy their surroundings. The other destroys water. Which everything needs. So tell me how easy it is going to be for a ranger again to find food and water in basically a desert is what we are talking about. Just in this one it isn't hot and has some life left in it, and that life happens to guard what it has and not share well with others. Animals act differently all depending on how hungry they are, and if they are protecting something my friend. Two key factors you seem to forget. They may have wild empathy, but that does little when there is little food. The spells that calm animals will only work so far. Food is scarce that is why the squirrels would attack the PCs.

[ThiagoMartell]

Have you been following along..Blighter is destroying the woods. Means food will be guarded by the things that have it making it more challenging. Level 8 level 20 does not matter. Supply and demand. The after a week animals will start attacking anything that looks like food for the fact they probably haven't eaten in at least one or two days. Normal conditions you are right finding food is easy. Now find that food when over 560ft. of forest got destroyed in one week and keeps on getting destroyed more and more daily. And that number is from only one ability from one of the Two villains that destroy their surroundings. The other destroys water. Which everything needs. So tell me how easy it is going to be for a ranger again to find food and water in basically a desert is what we are talking about. Just in this one it isn't hot and has some life left in it, and that life happens to guard what it has and not share well with others. Animals act differently all depending on how hungry they are, and if they are protecting something my friend. Two key factors you seem to forget. They may have wild empathy, but that does little when there is little food. The spells that calm animals will only work so far. Food is scarce that is why the squirrels would attack the PCs.

You probably forgot the Survival skill. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/survival.htm)
Killing squirrells to eat is exactly what goes in the background of that skill, I would imagine. Also, Goodberry. Also, Create Water (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/createWater.htm). Also, Purify Food and Drink (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.htm). And of course... Create Food and Water (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/createFoodAndWater.htm).
Lack of food is hardly a nuisance for a party that has both a Ranger and a Cleric.

[Downysole]

If food scarcity is becoming an issue, you will see the mobile plant-eaters (like deer and birds) moving out of the area in herds. That would be the kind of non-combat encounter that would point the direction towards the wastes (where the migration is coming from).

How have the Druid and Ranger been interacting with the wildlife? Sometimes, they get heavily involved with the animals, other times with the tracks, sometimes with the fey or the plants. If you want the wild classes to feel most satisfied, make sure you present them with as many types of opportunities to communicate with Nature as possible.

[dantiesilva]

if you are finding half the forest destroyed and all kinds of things that are not natural you are going to use the spells that could save your life to eat...ok moving on to next point...as for killing squirls, you don't think it will always be that easy. What happens when you and a pack of wolfs are hunting the same thing. O wait and another pack and another pack. Watering holes, what watering holes, so bears are now more common to be seen. And that is the problem with the survival skill. If you notice it does not take into consideration difficult times. Even in The legend of Drizzit while they were on the tundra Drizzit could not find food all the time. And he was basically the master of survival. Your best chance is as Downysole pointed out when they move in a heard. And then you got every other hungry predator thinking the same thing. Food. And those lions that are moving in to what is becoming a wasteland, you are going to want to save your spells not waste them on small things. Water I can understand, but all the others? Thats just penalizing your ability to be useful in a fight if you are relying on your spellcasting.

Ranger specializing in ranged combat should not have to worry about his spells being wasted after all they only have like base 1 spell total. So using it for food or water not a big problem. Its first favored enemy gets +4 depending on what that is could be useful.

Most clerics are healers and buffers. Saying the OP basically said the try to Optimize that means DMM is defiantly in their as well as extra turning to make sure they can spend their turn attempts for their spells.

The druid will probably be taking the biggest strongest thing it can transform into, depending on the sorcerers/Fighter build it may turn into a mount and carry him, probably unlikely though. Saying feats alone would not work. So I think they wont be using spells for their food and water.

[AlanBruce]

Oddly enough, my players asked me if rations would be relevant for day to day activities. I told them that they would be considered only if a situation called for it. This scenario certainly does. The party has X amount of rations on them already as part of their starting gear and it will be interesting seeing what they do with it (giving it to animals in the woods, or eating it themselves). As for animal aggression, it will be there. Their ecosystem is changing for the worse and their basic instincts call for food. The forest, although primeval and lush, is slowly being dried up/burned by the villains mentioned before, yet it is still quite abundant, meaning the party may get itself lost trying to find their destination (enter various encounters such as the fey grotto, blighter's home, wild animals, salt mummies, and the boss ecounter itself at the end). Granted, the ranger and the cleric particularly can provie the party with sustenance, but the feel of worry and hurry will be ever present, particularly for the druid, since she won´t want to see the feylands fall and will not want to kill large amounts of animals.

[ThreeDSix]

You probably forgot the Survival skill. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/survival.htm)
Killing squirrells to eat is exactly what goes in the background of that skill, I would imagine. Also, Goodberry. Also, Create Water (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/createWater.htm). Also, Purify Food and Drink (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/purifyFoodAndDrink.htm). And of course... Create Food and Water (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/createFoodAndWater.htm).
Lack of food is hardly a nuisance for a party that has both a Ranger and a Cleric.

This is a good point.

How about setting a DC for Conjuration or Conjuration(Creation) spells that increases as the blighted area in the forest expands, meaning as the forest contiues to be corrupted and destroyed, the life giving magics that thrive within it start to fade and creatures are less able to respond or hear the summoner's call?

This might help make the party relate even more to the suffering of the forest, as it affects them direcly...

[dantiesilva]

So how is the game going so far?

[ThiagoMartell]

Even in The legend of Drizzit while they were on the tundra Drizzit could not find food all the time. And he was basically the master of survival.
Drizzt was a master of survival in the underdark. You're talking about a period where he was in hostile, unknown territory (he didn't even know what seasons were nor could he identify animals) and wasn't even a ranger.
Also, you're mixing novels with rules. That never works. By the rules, Survival works. You could get a penalty, but that's it.


Your best chance is as Downysole pointed out when they move in a heard. And then you got every other hungry predator thinking the same thing. Food. And those lions that are moving in to what is becoming a wasteland, you are going to want to save your spells not waste them on small things. Water I can understand, but all the others? Thats just penalizing your ability to be useful in a fight if you are relying on your spellcasting.
That's thinking small. Sure, you could fight X and X and survive. Or you could use a few spells and solve the problem altogether. Between a Druid, a Cleric and a Ranger, all at 8th level, they can revive the woods with their spells in a small amount of time.


Granted, the ranger and the cleric particularly can provie the party with sustenance, but the feel of worry and hurry will be ever present, particularly for the druid, since she won´t want to see the feylands fall and will not want to kill large amounts of animals.
Between Purify Food and Water + Goodberry, the Druid won't need to kill any animals, she'll even be able to feed them.
I think you're really downplaying what an 8th level party can do. They already get divinations, even. If your party is mid-op as you mentioned, I see this as follows:
1- Meet dying woods
2- Care for dying woods and animals with spells/skills
3- Scry the bad guy
4- Kill the bad guy
Considering what your players might do with the challenges you put in their way is, IMHO, a good way to avoid being caught by surprise and having plenty of planned encounters thrown out the window.

[AlanBruce]

Drizzt was a master of survival in the underdark. You're talking about a period where he was in hostile, unknown territory (he didn't even know what seasons were nor could he identify animals) and wasn't even a ranger.
Also, you're mixing novels with rules. That never works. By the rules, Survival works. You could get a penalty, but that's it.


That's thinking small. Sure, you could fight X and X and survive. Or you could use a few spells and solve the problem altogether. Between a Druid, a Cleric and a Ranger, all at 8th level, they can revive the woods with their spells in a small amount of time.


Between Purify Food and Water + Goodberry, the Druid won't need to kill any animals, she'll even be able to feed them.
I think you're really downplaying what an 8th level party can do. They already get divinations, even. If your party is mid-op as you mentioned, I see this as follows:
1- Meet dying woods
2- Care for dying woods and animals with spells/skills
3- Scry the bad guy
4- Kill the bad guy
Considering what your players might do with the challenges you put in their way is, IMHO, a good way to avoid being caught by surprise and having plenty of planned encounters thrown out the window.


It is true what you say. The PCs are considerably optimized, but not to the point where they can one-shot the encounters. Yes, the druid, and cleric may cast spells to alleviate the maladies the forest has, but the main encounters should prove as a tad calling. also, this is their 3rd session, so I don't want them to be knocked down hard. I am certain that the boss battle with the Blighter + companion + salt mummies should present a decent challenge. Ultimately, their quest will involve more of a role-playing aspect than a battle (when they find the "goddess").

[AlanBruce]

So how is the game going so far?

First off, thank you, dantiesliva and everybody else for your help with the encounters. they have added a tremendous sense of depth and challenge to the campaign. The sessions are held weekly, so they should be facing everything posted and suggested above this coming sunday.

[dantiesilva]

Can't wait to see it.

And now back onto business the cleric would have to cast a hallow spell to make anything be able to start growing again in the area so No they actually can't heal the woods till they gain a level to gain 5th level casting. So already your idea is out the window for a good deal of time.

Next you have to go by the lovely thing called Spell range. Every day the druid using its one 5th level spell can clear up 40ft of the blight. The blighter dose 80ft. a day so all you are doing is slowing him down. While you are doing nothing from stopping the WitW Unless you have each and every single day your 3 spellcaster waste all level one spells to make a grand total of 208 gallons of water, which depending on how big of the lake they were trying to fill was may be enough. Now they just used 13 spells for water to help animals. Dry lich uses one ability and its all gone and they are 13 spells weaker...you either have not played this kind of encounter before or are seriously underestimating the abilities of a blighter and a WitW joined together. Either way if the PCs heal the woods first they will never win because they just can't keep up with the two main abilites of the two enemies. Hell the opponents arn't even going into spells and they have the upper hand. The blighter is only using his level one ability, and yet he has four other levels of fun things to destroy the woods with. And the WitW he can turn flesh to sand. Blow sand in your face and kill you. Turn the area around him into a dessert no mater how much water is around. And raise the temperature which is something that is also part of the equation because of fortitude saves due to dehydration.

[ThiagoMartell]

Can't wait to see it.

And now back onto business the cleric would have to cast a hallow spell to make anything be able to start growing again in the area so No they actually can't heal the woods till they gain a level to gain 5th level casting. So already your idea is out the window for a good deal of time.

Next you have to go by the lovely thing called Spell range. Every day the druid using its one 5th level spell can clear up 40ft of the blight. The blighter dose 80ft. a day so all you are doing is slowing him down. While you are doing nothing from stopping the WitW Unless you have each and every single day your 3 spellcaster waste all level one spells to make a grand total of 208 gallons of water, which depending on how big of the lake they were trying to fill was may be enough. Now they just used 13 spells for water to help animals. Dry lich uses one ability and its all gone and they are 13 spells weaker...you either have not played this kind of encounter before or are seriously underestimating the abilities of a blighter and a WitW joined together. Either way if the PCs heal the woods first they will never win because they just can't keep up with the two main abilites of the two enemies. Hell the opponents arn't even going into spells and they have the upper hand. The blighter is only using his level one ability, and yet he has four other levels of fun things to destroy the woods with. And the WitW he can turn flesh to sand. Blow sand in your face and kill you. Turn the area around him into a dessert no mater how much water is around. And raise the temperature which is something that is also part of the equation because of fortitude saves due to dehydration.

You were saying...? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/plantGrowth.htm)

[dantiesilva]

Do you know what the blighter PRC is? I'm really courious because you are pointing out alot of useful spells...that don't work till hallow is cast on the area.

Deforeststation : A blighter can kill all non sentient plant life within a radius of 20ft. per blighter level as a full round action once per day. If a potentially affected plant is under the control of another ( such as a druid's liveoak or a dryads hometree), the controller can make a fortitude save (DC10+Blighter level+Blighters wisdom modifier [19]) to keep it alive. Affected plants immediately cease photosynthesis, rot tapping, and all other methods of sustenance. Like picked flowers, they appear vibrant for several hours, but within a day, they turn brown and wither. Except for plants selected by a controller, nothing can grow in a deforested area until it has a hallow spell cast upon it and is reseeded. Deforeststation enables a blighter to cast her daily allotment of spells. This ability works in any terrain, but deforesting a sandy desert, ice floe, or other environment with only sparse vegetation does not empower the character to cast spells. [total of 80ft]

So now that you have it straight from the source added with the numbers so you don't need to worry about asking what level. Are you still going to tell me I'm wrong, its in black and white right their. You may build the most optimized builds but something written in black and white unless your playing homebrew can not be changed my friend.

nothing can grow in a deforested area until it has a hallow spell cast upon it and is reseeded. Meaning no spell to make stuff grow, nothing works until they gain one level and make a 40 ft patch clear, o wait then the next day the blighter goes and destroys it along with 40 more feet. So unless the giant himself can point out a trick that allows you to cast a 5th level spell that you do not have with 4th level casting you are wrong, there's no way around it. I'm sorry you feel so strongly, but maybe you should go read the Blighter so that way you know what you are going against. This ain't a class this is the PRC.

[dantiesilva]

And how does your spell help? Overgrowth does nothing their are no plants. Nothing was effected by diminish plant so that is useless. And enrichment are you joking yet again everything is dead gone, not there can be brought back.

[ThiagoMartell]

Hm, I do seem to have misremembered the Blighter. Maybe it was different in 3.0

[dantiesilva]

I know somewhere in the books I have their is another blighter not sure if it is the same one as the CD one which is being used.

[AlanBruce]

I believe I have polished the encounters in the wood well enough to make it immersing for my players. I have submitted the general overview of the encounters, spoilered below.

1. The Dying Grove

Ghaele Eladrin x1

8 Dryads (half hp)

Pixie x2

Diplomacy DC 20 to be in good terms with the fey and eladrin followed by Gather Information DC 10 to have a general idea of what's going on. Cue in relevant names. Depending on the rate of success, assign a pixie guide through the first half of the woods as they look for one of the guardians of the forest. Enter second encounter.

2. The Gnarled Shepherd

Necromental Earth Element Treant CR 10
NG Huge Undead (augmented elemental, earth)
MM 244, MotP 192, LM 113
Init -2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense
60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +5
Languages Common, Sylvan, Terran, Treant
--------------------------------------
AC 24, touch 6, flat-footed 24
hp 45 (7 HD); DR 10/slashing, fast healing 5
Fort +7, Ref +0, Will +4
Weakness vulnerable to fire
--------------------------------------
Spd 30 ft; burrow 20 ft.
Melee 2 Slams +13 (2d6+10)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +5; Grp +23
Atk Options create spawn, double damage vs objects, energy
drain (one attack per round, DC 13), trample 2d6+15
Special Actions animate trees
--------------------------------------
Abilities Str 31, Dex 6, Con -, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1
SQ earth mastery , elemental traits
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power
Attack
Skills Diplomacy -3, Hide -10 (+6 in forest), Intimidate +0,
Knowledge (nature) +0, Sense Motive +5, Survival +5 (+7
above ground)
--------------------------------------
Animate Trees (Sp): A treant can animate trees within 180
feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a time. It
takes 1 full round for a normal tree to uproot itself.
Thereafter it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights as a
treant in all respects. Animated trees lose their ability
to move if the treant that animated them is incapacitated
or moves out of range. The ability is otherwise similar
to liveoak (caster level 12th). Animated trees have the
same vulnerability to fire that a treant has.

Create Spawn (Su): An elemental slain by a necromental's
energy drain attack rises as a necromental 1d4 days after
death.

Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 23 half.

Earth Mastery (Ex): An earth element creature gains a +1
bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe
touch the ground. If an opponent is airborne or water-
borne, the earth element creatures suffers a -4 penalty
on attack and damage rolls.

Defeating the undead treant should clear the party a path to a clearing in the woods, blasted away by deforestation, which introduces the following encounter.

3. Old Bailum's Cabin

Well Camouflaged Pit Trap (outside of house), DC 20 reflex avoids, otherwise take 10d6 fall damage. Search DC 27, Disable DC 18

Salt Mummy x2 (1 in the pit, 1 in the house)

XP: 2400 each

treasure: 2 emeralds ( 2000gp each), 1 carved figurine of the goddess (160 gp) 1d6 CLW potions, 1 CMW potion

Search in the cabin should provide info on the Blighter, his motives, and his destination. Once the party follows the way, they should have their final encounter.

4. Old Bailum

Note: Entire area is under Desecrate spell (+1 to attack, damage, saves, and hitpoints/HD to undead)

Old Balium, human male druid5/blighter4

HP: 107
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 22, touch 15, flatfooted 17
BAB/Grapple: +7/+2
Full Attack: +16/+11 (+2 scythe 2d4 + 9/x4)
SA: Blightfire (5d6 fire 10ft. radius, Reflex DC 18 half), Undead Wildshape 2/day
Fort +20, Ref + 11, Will +16
Str 22, DEx 20, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 16
Skills: Listen +16, Hide +10, Handle Animal +15, Concentration +16
Feats: Ocular Spell, Natural Bond, Extend Spell, Natural Spell, Initiate of Nature, WF (scythe)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Possessions: Breastplate +3, Amulet of Natural Armor +2. Potion of blur x2, Potion of CCW x2. Scythe +2

Spells: DC 14 + spell level

0: Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare, Inflict Minor Wounds, Touch of Fatigue

1st: Ray of Enfeeblement, Burning Hands, Decomposition, Bane, Curse Water

2nd: Inflict Moderate Wounds, Heat Metal, Fire Trap, Chill Metal, Resist Elements

3rd: Desecrate, Dispel Magic, Vampiric Touch, Protection from Elements

4th: Wall of Fire, Flamestrike x2

Skeletal Bear form: HP: current +9, Large Size, AC 17, touch 11, attacks: bite + 15 (2d6+4) and 2 claws +10 (1d8+8), immune to cold, DR 5/bludgeoning

Animal Companion: Aluserk, Hyena (skeleton) Large size

AC: 16, touch 12, flatfooted 16
HP: 74
Attack: +9 bite (1d6+6)
SQ: Immmunity to Cold, DR 5/bludgeoning, Evasion
Fort+ 6 Ref+ 9 Will+11

Salt Mummies x3

Every hour spent in the Fey Woods can produce interesting encounters that will hopefully bring light on the situation for the PCs.

Natural Encounters:

Roll every hour to see if the following shows up:

01-50%: Nothing

51- 60%: blasted area by blighter's Deforestation ability (DC 25 Nature to know what it is)

61-70%: Parched areas of forest due to walker in the waste's dessication ability (DC 25 Nature to identify it) + 1 salt mummy

71-80%: small patch of lake with 1d3 bears, 1d6 wolves, and squirrel swarm (apply rat swarm). The animals will view PCs as trespassers for the water and may attack unless a Wild Empathy check is succeeded.

81-90%: Myriam (campaign specific NPC) will leave clues as to where to go next (Spot DC 30 to see her)

91-100%: large herd of deer, bears, wolves, birds and the like stampede in PCs direction, away from some unknown danger. (Reflex DC 20 or be trampled for 3d6 +12 points of damage)

I will also incorporate Nature checks to determine what's going on as they move through the woods.

Yet to determine whether Conjuration (creation and healing) spells will be impeded, maybe have a lesser effect in areas that have been heavily damaged by the villains.

Thank you again for your amazing feedback!

[Calmar]

Thank you so much, dantiesilva! By all means, I'm trying to throw them challenges that they can overcome ith relative ease. That us, until they reach the woods, beyond the city. The pulgrimage they are following will lead them into woods., I had planned a large scale map with many winding passages, and therefore, different encounters (mind you, not all need to be overcome, some can/should be avoided). I was thinking of fey, many fey and the occasional humanoids setting camp in specific areas. Does anyone know of a program that can layout forest maps so as to make my job a tad easier? Thank you again!

You could use a map layout analoguous to a cave map, with the "walls" consisting of tree trunks, bushes and undergrowth. The deeper the heroes enter the forest, the smaller the paths become.
Of course, creatures with woodland stride or the ability to fly will be able to move through these "walls" easily, while others will have to struggle with great effort to move through them.

[dantiesilva]

Amazing job wow. I couldn't have done it better myself. The fun will be in how many days/ Hours it takes them to do this. After all time is against them and if they take to long they could die very easily.

As for the cave map idea the problem with that is everyone can use them abilities. Druid and ranger have it as class features. Mage and Cleric through spells. It would be much easier to only show draw a map up when an encounter shows up. I use the paint program on a computer to have these already premade that way it is already made up and all you have to do is transfer it to the board/Map.

And maybe apply the legendary template to an animal and have that guide them. And for laughs you could throw the blighters old Bogun (MM2) in their as well. Elemental wierds are always fun. But CR is a bit high at this time.

Jermlain is a 1/2 CR Fey
Siren is a 5 CR fey
Spirit of the land ( saying thank you because it would kill them in a sype) is a CR23 Fey
Twig Blight CR 1/3 small plants, but would be encountered in a blighted area ( MM2)

MM3

Glaistig is between CR6-8 fey
Petal CR1 fey
Red cap CR 2-7 Fey
Shimmering swarm CR8 fey
Splinterwaif CR 2-6 fey
Thorn CR 4 Fey
Topiary guardians CR 3-12 Plant

[AlanBruce]

Thank you again, dantoesilva! Why had I not looked at those fey is beyond me. I had considered the Elemental Wierds, but for much later in the campaign since it will have an elemental theme going on as events unfold.

Love the idea of The Spirit of the Land manifesting as a gentle breeze and whispering its thanks to the PCs once they have dealt with the Blighter and healed the land.

Having a galistig close to death because of her dried up pool would be interesting. The fey may be blood deprived because no one has been lured by her pool. The druid may want to save her, but i'm sure a few knowledge checks will tell her how she feeds. At any event, a great role-playing opportunity considering they have a cleric of pelor with them.

[dantiesilva]

Well i still got a few more books to poor threw for you. And please as i said before keep me posted or pm me. I would love to see this game unfold and help you out with everything you need.

MM4

JOYSTEALER Cr 5 fey
LUNAR RAVAGER CR 7 Fey
VERDANT PRINCE CR 11 Fey
WIZENED ELDER CR 2 Plant

MM5

BANSHRAE CR 8 Fey
JAEBRIN CR 1 Fey
SHAEDLING CR 2 Fey


Monsters of Faerun

Hybsil CR 1 fey

Side not go to page 108 of MM4 you may see something good for the grove map

[AlanBruce]

Thank you all for the great ideas for the forest encounters! My players and I had an amazing session. Who would've thought a swarm of faeries could be such a hazard! The treant was an unforgettable encounter as well, not to mention the Blighter- which in this humble DM's opinion, was a most epic battle. Thank you all!

[ThiagoMartell]

Thank you all for the great ideas for the forest encounters! My players and I had an amazing session. Who would've thought a swarm of faeries could be such a hazard! The treant was an unforgettable encounter as well, not to mention the Blighter- which in this humble DM's opinion, was a most epic battle. Thank you all!

So they did it all in a single session?

[AlanBruce]

Indeed! They were advised by the fey grove to rush into the heart of the woods and deal with the menace. I rolled hourly for encounters and they got lucky (no wild animals, salt mummies, or the like). Since one of them had bought a wand of CLW, they used up the charges judiciously. The fight against the Treant almost killed them, the cabin encounter was a taste for the new salt mummies. Finally, the blighter and friends proved to be very challenging, dropping 4 out of 5 and killing 1.

[dantiesilva]

I'm happy to hear that everything went well and that my beauties did there job.