Encounter Help for ECL7 party

[20yrslater]

I am wondering if I'm being to soft on my players.

Four Players, Party ECL 7 (Maybe even ECL9 as they're geared well enough for a lvl9 character.)

I could put them against 10 lvl3's and 2 lvl6's and they can finish it with little to to no problem, maybe two players take 10-20damage. Sometimes I've put them against a creature or two that's ECL9 and they just surround one, kill it and then the next. Easy Smeasy!

Both examples are ~EL11 which most EL calculators state should be very difficult.

On an average, these players are dealing 15-30 damage a hit and have AC from 18-25.

Can anyone give some examples to balance the combat encounters? Should I put them against stronger opponents, or higher EL's?

Thanks, 20yl

[Tvtyrant]

Maybe tell us what the party makeup is and what the creatures they fought were?

I had a similar problem with my party until I learned that area-control/debuffs with some archers was the way to go. I kept throwing bigger and bigger brutes at them until it became obvious they were never going to be challenged that way (I recently had my level 5 party of three fight 4 Mega-raptors and a flesh golem. They obliterated the challenge.)

[Runestar]

As mentioned above, it's likely you may have to vary your tactics more.

Try changing the terrain (for example, introduce difficult terrain if you have uberchargers). I like the idea of battlefield control spells. A sculpted glitterdust or stinking cloud spell can really screw around with the PCs.

Can we have your party make-up and general tactics?

[20yrslater]

Party is made up of a Necro, Wiz/Fghtr, Rogue/fghtr, and Cleric/OC. It's a well rounded group. They got Tank/Heals, Skill Monkey, Spells, and Summons/debuffer.

Most fights have a few Melee and a couple ranged. I've tossed in a few creatures that have debuff spells as well as I switch things up with the environments (eg: flooded rooms, fog, antimagic fields, etc).

They usually are able to pass the DC saves on most affects, but there are a few times they get caught.

Tactics: More or less run an gun. I try to kite if the space allows. Melee usually jump in and attack the closest. I try to flank whenever possible and focus on retaliation as mob motivation. (creature gets hit, he goes after who hit him.)

The casters keep at max range and the cleric & rogue like to just jump in the mess. They have familiar scouts so, it's harder to surprise them.

The next adventure coming up I am going to put them against about 10 CR4's (6melee, 4 ranged) and one badass CR6 Caster based off the Redspawn Arcaniss but without its race benefits and weaknesses.

This should be an EL11 encounter and will happen in a 30ft x 30ft room with a large pillar, with two 10'x30' upper levels on either side and a long basement that gives access to either side of the main room.

Thoughts?

[Tvtyrant]

I suggest cribbing the Marruspawn for that encounter. 4 Marrulurks, 4 marrusaults, and a marrutact.

Marrulurks all get poison use, nauseating breath, and death attacks. Marrusaults have pounce and the ability to exhaust enemies with their howls, while the marrutact is a decent caster (healing+wizard casting.)

With normal mooks that encounter runs the risk of being completely boring and easy, as they will simply die in droves while the party moves in one the caster.

[Platymus Pus]

I am wondering if I'm being to soft on my players.

Four Players, Party ECL 7 (Maybe even ECL9 as they're geared well enough for a lvl9 character.)

I could put them against 10 lvl3's and 2 lvl6's and they can finish it with little to to no problem, maybe two players take 10-20damage. Sometimes I've put them against a creature or two that's ECL9 and they just surround one, kill it and then the next. Easy Smeasy!

Both examples are ~EL11 which most EL calculators state should be very difficult.

On an average, these players are dealing 15-30 damage a hit and have AC from 18-25.

Can anyone give some examples to balance the combat encounters? Should I put them against stronger opponents, or higher EL's?

Thanks, 20yl
What sort of game is this 3.0,3.5?PF?

This is relating to the CR problem. It's just a guideline hardly something you want to base actual fights on. A bunch of lower leveled enemies won't challenge anyone despite what it says because they win out in every way on a 1v1, ini and all the other stats, they can just pick them off before they can do anything or use AoE.
CR suffers from this
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/QualityOverQuantity


They have a low AC if any of them are in the 18s at this point, I'd take advantage of that. Avoid Touch attacks getting past AC as well.

Of course if you feel like scaring them throw a CR 13 monster at them, especially if they are ECL9.
Maybe a... Carnivorous Blob.:smallyuk:

While sages debate whether the first carnivorous blobs were created by a mad wizard, formed in foul fleshwarping vats in some sinister city, or traveled to this world trapped in the core of a meteor, there is one thing they all agree on—none wish to get close enough to study the monstrosity. Carnivorous blobs move like a typical ooze, rolling out blobs of its fleshy material in haphazard directions, and pulling its bulk across the ground, up walls, and even through the water. If a carnivorous blob goes for more than 24 hours without a source of food, it drops into a sort of hibernation, resembling nothing so much as a pool of gelatinous blood. The creature springs to life quickly and hungrily as soon as any living prey comes within range of its senses.
Of course it's Will is rubbish. Makes a nice trap though.

Since you say they are ECL9
Maybe a Osyluth devil along with say a naga spirit and a Brain ooze.
2 are CR9 and 1 is CR 7and they are all smart monsters.
I'm not even sure that would be an actual challenge despite what it says in the calc, however this would be more accurate to an encounter that should be very difficult. maybe add another CR7-8 monster


Of course there needs to be some context here for what monsters you can choose.

[20yrslater]

Sorry, yea it's 3.5 and I use MM1-4 only for monsters. Rules are mainly 3.5 Core+Races+Complete and a few others. no settings books.

[Platymus Pus]

Sorry, yea it's 3.5 and I use MM1-4 only for monsters. Rules are mainly 3.5 Core+Races+Complete and a few others. no settings books.

In that case I'd just throw CR7-9 monsters with variety at them with equal numbers.

As for your current plans I'd go for a wizard summoning a demon along with the mooks still being there with the wizard and seeing how it goes.
The demon would have to be fairly tough however, probably would kill the wizard after the summoning.

[Subaru Kujo]

In that case I'd just throw CR7-9 monsters with variety at them with equal numbers.

As for your current plans I'd go for a wizard summoning a demon along with the mooks still being there with the wizard and seeing how it goes.
The demon would have to be fairly tough however, probably would kill the wizard after the summoning.

Heck, have him miss one of the final protections in the summoning. Give em a little lesson about the danger of summoning fiends (not to say they can't do it, of course).