Help me make my player's first encounter!

[ddude987]

First and foremost... players stay out!
Secondly, this is for an encounter being run in a PbP. 3.5e. The group is some irl friends while we aren't at college, all experienced dnd players.

Quick background: Players are near a pond with lots of very tall grass (taller than your average human.) They hear a person moaning in pain, the guy is half in the pond, missing a leg and bleeding to death. The leg wound has stopped bleeding (myseriously) and they man's eyes are murky (he became blind somehow). 4 players, level 2. Any ideas on something(s) that would be fun to throw at them? Homebrewing up monsters is not out of question.

So far my idea was the monster(s) are using the dying person as bait, they already killed the rest of the dying man's companions. They live in the pond, and feed on people traveling the road near the pond, though only if people go near enough to the pond. Alternatively, they could be living in the tall grasses instead of the water itself. Looking for somewhat medium difficulty, I want this encounter to gauge what the players do, how powerful they play, and get them used to PbP combat. Any ideas?

[Nibbens]

This (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/aboleth)is the first thing that popped into my mind, although there is an equivalent in 3.5 I grabbed the pathfinder one (because i'm lazy).

There's a lot of things that can be done here. And if I'm not mistaken they often have servants of some kind. AH! here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/monstrous-humanoids/skum)it is! (Again in pathfinder because I'm lazy) lol.

[Flickerdart]

Tall grass? That's where Pokemon live.

[ddude987]

Tall grass? That's where Pokemon live.

Rabid pokemon that blind and eat people. Now what kind of pokemon would do that, hrmmm. I am now determined to make this joke. One of the players actually plays pokemon a lot and might get the reference if its close enough to an actual pokemon.

edit: Also I should say, not only are aboleths much to strong for a group of level 2s (or this one at least), but I don't think you would find one in a large pond either.

[daemonvatis]

One quick and easy way to homebrew a monster is to take a suitable monster CR-wise, make a few insignificant stat changes to make it fit the environment (give it a swim speed and the ability to breathe underwater), and change its appearance to mask the fact that you simply copy and pasted another monster. If it turns out that the swim speed and water-breathing are hugely beneficial to the monster in combat, you can add +1 to the CR if needed.

[Alent]

Perhaps the excessively tall grass can be some kind of customized, low HD shambling mounds or animated tree?

And the blindness the result of some kind of fae magic?

[Ortesk]

Rabid pokemon that blind and eat people. Now what kind of pokemon would do that, hrmmm. I am now determined to make this joke. One of the players actually plays pokemon a lot and might get the reference if its close enough to an actual pokemon.

edit: Also I should say, not only are aboleths much to strong for a group of level 2s (or this one at least), but I don't think you would find one in a large pond either.

In the anime a victribell tried to eat ash. Cant help you out to much on the aquatic, but make them travel through the woods and fight a few? (and it can easily blind someone, it learned the move acid)

[AnonymousPepper]

How about a Locathah (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/locathah.htm) or two?

[ddude987]

Perhaps the excessively tall grass can be some kind of customized, low HD shambling mounds or animated tree?

And the blindness the result of some kind of fae magic?


In the anime a victribell tried to eat ash. Cant help you out to much on the aquatic, but make them travel through the woods and fight a few? (and it can easily blind someone, it learned the move acid)

Hrmm I like these ideas. Probably going to go with something like rabid victribells that pop out of the ground and swarm around. The blindness from them shooting acid out of their mouths. Ya know, I'm going to try and make this a pokemon campaign without them noticing :smallbiggrin: Will post a stat block in a bit for critique. Honestly, I have no idea how powerful something should be for 4 level 2 players. Their optomization looks decent, there is a rogue, crusader, divine bard, another rogue, and a dragonfire adept. Wait that's 5... oh right the dfa is not participating in this combat. Does anybody have thoughts on the kind of powerlevel justified here?

[fishyfishyfishy]

Hrmm I like these ideas. Probably going to go with something like rabid victribells that pop out of the ground and swarm around. The blindness from them shooting acid out of their mouths. Ya know, I'm going to try and make this a pokemon campaign without them noticing :smallbiggrin: Will post a stat block in a bit for critique. Honestly, I have no idea how powerful something should be for 4 level 2 players. Their optomization looks decent, there is a rogue, crusader, divine bard, another rogue, and a dragonfire adept. Wait that's 5... oh right the dfa is not participating in this combat. Does anybody have thoughts on the kind of powerlevel justified here?

I suggest using multiple enemies instead of one single opponent they can focus fire on. One creature could be easily brought down, despite it's threat level. Going with the Pokemon theme, try using multiple versions of the same monster for now and introduce then to stronger versions later. Bellosum (or however it's spelled) could be relatively challengingif encountered in a group. Maybe shoot for CR 1/2 plant creatures with a low save ability to blind and a basic melee attack to swipe at you with vines. Weepingbell can be introduced later at about CR 3, maybe CR 4, with similar abilities. Maybe add on sleep powder or poison powder. And then Victreebell can be used at CR 6 or 7 with extended reach/range on the vine whip and acid attacks. You could do this for all kinds of Pokemon. And if you're going to stick with this theme, go all out and use some of the newer Pokemon as well. There are a lot of great designs for monsters to be had.

[ddude987]

Weepingbell CR 1/2
Neutral Hungry Small Magical Beast
Init+3;Sensesdarkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0;
Auranone;
LanguagesPlant;

AC15 (+3 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
hp12 (2 HD); DR none;
Immune mind-affecting, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, and critical hits;
Resist acid 5; SR none;
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +0

Speed 5 ft. (1 square), fly 20 ft. (Perfect)
Melee 1 bite +6 (1d6+2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp +4
Atk Options Improved Grab
Special Actions
Spell-Like Abilities: none;

Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 9
SQ Plant Traits;
Feats Improved Grapple , Hover[b], Weapon Focus (Bite)
[B]Skills Hide +7;
Possessions none;
Improved Grab (Ex): After a successful bite attack, this creature gets a free grapple check. If it wins, it grapples its foe, latching onto their head. At the start of this creature's turn, if it is grappling a foe, that foe takes 1d6 acid damage and must make a Fort save DC 11 or be blinded for 1d4 minutes.

I was thinking 3 or 4 of these. Is that to much? Anything to change? I know weapon focus is a boring feat.