Some NPC encounters

[CIDE]

Alright, in the game I'm DMing I've encountered some issues with my encounters being a little too easy (for the most part) when they're supposed to be hard and hard when they're supposed to be easy.That said I was hoping for some input here on how to build three NPC's that were going to be featured as boss-style villains here.

Two of them are in one encounter and the third on their own. I want all three to be hard but not outright impossible to take down; that's for later. Anything D20 as long as it fits Steampunk or lower tech is allowed.

Also doing max HP per hit dice so if the class gets a d4 then they get 4+con.

1: Level 10, any equipment, any point buy, etc. This one's a Sorc. Possibly Stalwart Battle Sorc. Human. Suggestions on feats, spell selection, equipment, etc?

2: Level 10, any equipment, any point buy, etc. Thinking some kind of Warblade build. Otherwise same as above.

3: Tiefling Gunslinger/swashbuckler type. She's level 14-15 ish, minimum 5 levels in Gunslinger. She's like Jack Sparrow as a pirate captain without a ship to captain. Melee weapon was a rapier and there is some stealth involved. I want as high AC as possible for her that I can get.


I appreciate any and all input for this. Thanks.

P.S. Party is level 5 and consists of a Human Sorc, Warforged Artificer, Homebrew cat-girl Monk, Githzerai Monk, Warforged Scout Rogue, and Vashir Shaman (Yes, Everquest D20). No one's optimized but the Artificer and Shaman are definitely the two most tactically minded characters/players. For anyone that isn't familiar with the Shaman it's essentially Druid-lite but maybe a step above the Ranger in spellcasting.

[Xervous]

Alright, in the game I'm DMing I've encountered some issues with my encounters being a little too easy (for the most part) when they're supposed to be hard and hard when they're supposed to be easy.That said I was hoping for some input here on how to build three NPC's that were going to be featured as boss-style villains here.

Two of them are in one encounter and the third on their own. I want all three to be hard but not outright impossible to take down; that's for later. Anything D20 as long as it fits Steampunk or lower tech is allowed.

Also doing max HP per hit dice so if the class gets a d4 then they get 4+con.

1: Level 10, any equipment, any point buy, etc. This one's a Sorc. Possibly Stalwart Battle Sorc. Human. Suggestions on feats, spell selection, equipment, etc?

2: Level 10, any equipment, any point buy, etc. Thinking some kind of Warblade build. Otherwise same as above.

3: Tiefling Gunslinger/swashbuckler type. She's level 14-15 ish, minimum 5 levels in Gunslinger. She's like Jack Sparrow as a pirate captain without a ship to captain. Melee weapon was a rapier and there is some stealth involved. I want as high AC as possible for her that I can get.


I appreciate any and all input for this. Thanks.

P.S. Party is level 5 and consists of a Human Sorc, Warforged Artificer, Homebrew cat-girl Monk, Githzerai Monk, Warforged Scout Rogue, and Vashir Shaman (Yes, Everquest D20). No one's optimized but the Artificer and Shaman are definitely the two most tactically minded characters/players. For anyone that isn't familiar with the Shaman it's essentially Druid-lite but maybe a step above the Ranger in spellcasting.

Now have you considered the setting of the PCs' encounter with these NPCs? Because the setting, and the objective have a massive impact on the feel and how entertaining the encounter is. I'll leave the min/max'd stuff up to someone who can do it better.


Situation: solo / duo encounter of the NPC(s)

If its one (or two) high leveled NPCs vs the party, a few factors become imbalanced. The big bad NPC can easily grind most of the players individually into a pulp, and they usually do so if the DM focuses on one PC.

So if it looks like the NPC will down a PC (or multiple PCs), spread the love, everyone will be happy if they win when the whole party is beaten and battered, rather then ending the encounter with some guy dead/dying while another PC is barely scratched. If your players are fine with taking unequal beatings, then go ahead!

Or you can give the NPC an objective, something they want/need to do other than simply "puree all PCs". An objective lets you direct the BBEG away from the PC's if they're getting massacred. It can allow for a different path to victory for the PCs (thwarting the BBEG at whatever they're doing).

And it is also great for roleplaying and the story as a whole, its not just a duel with the lich in his lair after moshing through the dungeon, its an epic race to stop him before he activates his doomsday device.

Toss in stuff so there's something every player can enjoy. Various skill related checks for the skillful classes, weaker monsters for those who love combat, and other things to make the environment unique (one shot special attacks: like dropping a chandelier on someone, or setting a mechanism up to explode, turning the area's traps against the NPCs, or other interesting features of the area that the PCs can use to their advantage)

With an appropriate setting, you can justify such things as reducing the threat to the PCs if they appear to be losing horribly; increasing the difficulty after its started... reinforcements or hidden tricks and traps; having the NPCs run away / leave because they either accomplished their goal or the PCs have prevented them from.

So that's what I'll say for now