[PF] Most fun dungeon monsters for a party of 2nd level PCs

[Zeromage1]

I have a party of 6 2nd level PCs. Finding suitable challenges for them has been difficult due to the action economy deficit I'm faced with. Here's the party:

Dhampir Magus
Kasatha Monk
Human Cleric
Fetchling Ninja
Human Fighter
Cat Folk Ranger

Are there any good monsters that will provide a challenge, but also not kill them in one blow each?

Looking a dungeon boss.

[Reinkai]

With six level 2 players you're going to have a lot of trouble finding just one monster to do that.

The action economy difference would mean it would need to have a crapload of HP to even survive one round, and it would likely need two or more attacks to do any noticable damage before dying.

A CR 2 encounter would be 600 exp, so each player can be assumed able to handle 100 exp worth of monsters.

You could probably safely bump the CR up to 3 or 4 without worrying about killing the party with six players (so 800 - 1200 exp, or 135-200 each).

I'd set up a mix of minions and possibly one tougher monsters as well as traps or mechanics to make the fight more difficult (entangles, charms, sleep, Color Spray, etc).

And honestly, you may want to go as high as a CR 6 encounter if they're decently geared and well optimized (just make sure you don't throw all of that into one monster, split it up so that each player is handling about 400 exp worth of the encounter - roughly CR 1 for each person).

[Brookshw]

Advanced troglodyte, silent but deadly.

[Reinkai]

Realized you were looking for examples, so...

The adventurers are deep inside the haunted swamp. The fel energies flowing through the area have warped all the flora and fauna into twisted versions of their more benevolent counterparts. The smell of death and decay fills their nostrils as they press on towards the temple located nearly in the center of the swamp.

As they pass through an area nearly waist high, a loud buzzing fills their ears. Two stirges (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/stirge) come out of the trees (CR 1/2 each).

As the battle begins, one of the players discovers a pit trap (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/traps-hazards-and-special-terrains/traps/pit-trap-cr-1) in the middle of the battlefield (CR 1).

Two rounds in, the sounds of combat draws the attention of the dark and twisted swap hermit (level 3 wizard, necromancy, CR 2) and his undead minions, the raised corpses of others who dared intrude in the swamp.

Two zombies (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/zombie) and three skeletons (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/skeleton-medium) flank him.

Honestly, I might bump the CR up by 1 for the water hazard. Taken intelligently though, they should be able to handle it, while it still being a reasonable challenge. If they're smart enough to ask, give them a way to get out of the water. And don't forget that the stirges and necromancer would be acting independently of each other.

[Zeromage1]

Great suggestion which I might use at some point, but I kind of need a "boss" monster for the end of a dungeon.

[Crustypeanut]

What is the theme of the dungeon? It helps to know what the rest of the dungeon looks like so that we can tie something in thematically.

Otherwise, its hard for me to come up with something interesting if its just a random themed baddy. Though, throwing the Agile Mythic Template on any creature helps immensely with action economy, so I'd highly recommend that :D

Also, that necromancer fight *would* be the boss monster in his scenario.. though it isn't at the end of a dungeon obviously.

[the clumsy bard]

First and foremost look at this (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nx-o8VAjhUwh3nnfzDQT-JA5eFLnN_BZJiBitGjBMDg/edit)

I had issues with a rather large party. Depending on the session I still do, but that's neither here nor there.

Read that article it honestly really helps.

In terms of suggesting a boss encounter. It all depends on the area the PCs are in now.

We can suggest anything otherwise and I can just post the CR 2 section of the bestiary page from the pathfinder SRD if you want really.

For more challenging fights especially these ones where they have 6 full rounds of actions before or after 1 creature I would suggest much as others did that you have a CR 2 "Boss" with some flunkies so that the action economy is not so unbalanced.

Even a level 3 NPC with character levels is CR 3, but will be wiped out by 6 PCs going on the same round. Adding even 2-3 level NPCs with character levels will go miles to help making it challenging, but you can apply the same logic with monsters and there CRs. The only advice I would give is to take any powerful one shot monster abilities into account because that can quickly turn a challenging encounter into a TPK.

[HC Rainbow]

For most of my bosses, I always handbuild them.

A lot of times I'll pick out a cool race that has some good natural armor, and build them as if they were a bigger, meaner version of the players.

Personally I just get a kick out of building characters using monster templates and ignoring the level adjustment to a point. One of my bosses was a simple rogue wizard, with charm spells and illusions, and in the room was a mountain of gold and gems that he would dive into. Scrouge McDuck-in the whole thing, popping out and casting a charm spell, giving them one good round to flank him before he tumbled away and into another pile.

Monsters dont need to have a lot of hit points or huge damage to be hard, Tactical monsters are much scarier than hulking ones, sometimes. Unless of course the beast can splatter PC's onto the walls in one hit.

[Crustypeanut]

I once had two Dretches nearly butcher a party of 4 well-built level 2 PCs and 2 NPCs consisting of a 3rd level rogue and a blinded 6th-level Wizard. The catch? They were in the middle of a dark maze with 5-ft wide corridors, and the dretches hit them with Stinking Cloud and were set up well enough to separate one of the PCs from the rest, nearly killing her until the bard distracted him long enough for the samurai to recover from the cloud and move in for the kill.

The players had crap for perception skills and were not trying to be sneaky. The Dretches were able to surprise them and get the tactical advantage despite their low intelligence.

[Zeromage1]

Yeah, my biggest problem is that any creature that can survive 3 rounds against them, can also kill any PC in one attack.

[Barstro]

Even a level 3 NPC with character levels is CR 3, but will be wiped out by 6 PCs going on the same round.

Making anything strong enough to survive a couple rounds is making something strong enough to kill a PC or two with some lucky hits.

I suggest looking at ways to increase the number of rounds a fight will take so that the effects of lucky dice are limited. Give mooks flight so that the PCs have to choose who to go after first. Have the PCs get nailed with Black Tentacles (or similar) so they cannot all attack each round. Give a weaker NPC damage reduction so it takes a lot of hits to bring it down. Make BBEG a ranged damage dealer who is flanked by two mooks with reach. Put the fight in a corridor so that not all the PCs can fight at once. If there is an NPC of low enough CR that has the ability, dominate a player so that the party size is more manageable.

If you aren't afraid of a little dues ex machina; have a BBEG's boss (maybe a spell casting demon) be around to cast some spells to keep the PCs back. The catch is that this boss already used up most of his spell slots doing other nefarious deeds and will teleport out after casting his few remaining spells.

I don't GM, so I cannot give anything better than thoughts. But I have seen enough encounters with large groups where a single die roll decided if the battle would be simple or TPK. My big problem with most fights, even BBEG, is that they are over so quickly.

[Crustypeanut]

How about a Gearghost?

Sadly they don't have the stats on them on the PFSRD yet, but a Gearghost is a CR 5 Tiny Undead that, despite its name, is not incorporeal, but has DR 5/-, 52 Hp, and is quite the nuisance.

How? Well, while indirectly a threat (He has 2 slams at a +5 attack that deal 1d4-2 each), he has perfect fly capability and can create, reset, and repair traps with remarkable efficiency. Even if the trap has a manual or repair reset, the Gearghost can reset it as a move action, while resetting an automatic-reset trap as a free action.

Once per week it can create a new trap of CR 4 or lower regardless of cost, materials, or skill checks - basically, the players must run a gauntlet of traps, fending off this guy's skirmish tactics as he resets traps all around them, making them chase him until they can corner him and kill him.

Then he reforms in 2d6 days unless they sprinkle holy water over his remains while in the area of an Hallow spell, then destroy all traps within 100 ft of his remains.

To annoy the PCs further, he also can cast Telekinesis at will (DC 18 to resist), potentally throwing them into traps or into walls. Just make sure he has plenty of room to maneuver - high ceilings or rough terrain would be perfect for this. Throw in some concealment either via darkness or fog and you've got yourself a rather awesome boss.

Just design a bunch of traps and a gauntlet (make it a maze for extra shenanigans), and vuala!

[Barstro]

An NPC Master Summoner of appropriate level (3?, 4?) could put up a nice fight. He'd easily get 8 Summon Monster II and a poor excuse for an Eidolon that the PCs could take out quickly. Making him level 4 gets access to level 2 spells with decent battlefield control.

This would allow YOU to tailor the summons to best herd or separate the NPCs and throw what you want at them.