Encounter Difficulty for Disarmed Players (PF)

[Thomasinx]

Hey everyone,

I'm running a campaign and am throwing my players into a pickle. To put it simply, they're slaves in a Jail. (Not prisoners, just slaves). As a result, they have no gear or weapons. Furthermore, the jail is built on an unstable location that negatively affects spellcasting. (Using the mechanics of the Negated spellblight, ie. automatic spell resistance on all spells cast)

What would be a fair encounter level for these players? +1? +2? At APL 4, would a level 2 fighter count as a CR 4 encounter? (adjustment +2)? None of the PC's are specifically built towards unarmed fighting (ie. no monks, no summoners).

I understand that this would need to be judged on a case-by-case basis, but I can't even find general guidelines on PC strength when disarmed. I'd rather not have to sit down and test-roll all of the possible combats in order to determine difficulty.

[HMS Invincible]

Start off with party composition. Details please.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Really depends. Summoner, Sorcerer, any other caster with eschew materials is not gimped at all. Druid is not gimped much if 5th level (wildshape). Monk is not as gimped as other martials, but started off way more gimped than them anyway so it balances out. Rogue might be ok if he can find something to fight with that isn't improvised or provokes AoOs for using and can flank with somebody. Magus can make anything a magic weapon; bard's inspire can lessen the pain a bit.

[Thomasinx]

Full party composition hasn't been set yet. From what I know so far, there's a Paladin and a Rogue, not sure about the last player (last one hasn't built yet. I think they're leaning towards cleric). Total 3 people.

This is where the campaign is starting. The idea is that they've all been brought in as slaves to work in this prison for dangerous personages. The players (as of now) don't know they are starting off unarmed.

My goal is to try to have everyone relatively equally gimped. I know this is impossible, but I'll make it as close as I can. The players are starting at level 4.

Originally I wanted to use the effects of the Spell Sap spellblight instead of Negated (Fort save every time casting vs daze. Fail by 10 or more and pass out), but I felt like it might be unfairly restrictive. Especially since melee classes will always have the options of trying to steal a weapon or use an improvised weapon (steal a knife from the kitchen?). This way, at least casters can spam cantrips, or at least try to.

I expect the players to work to escape the prison within 1.5-3 sessions (depending on what they try to accomplish, and whether they seem to be having fun).

Various possible encounters:
- Human Overseers (fighter or barbarian) with whips (making use of the fun whip mechanics)
- Other slaves (unarmed, or with homemade shivs)
- Various abominations if they try to escape in tunnels under the prison.
- etc

The problem is that some encounters are more feasible than others. I understand that a single incorporeal undead (even a ridiculous weak one) would be almost insurmountable. In such a situation, a win would be getting away from the undead.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Do the players know how they will be starting? Any class can be built to overcome the difficulties of no gear if they get a chance to. Still won't be as good as with gear of course, and resources spent to handle the campaign start will likely end up being a waste later on unless you allow retraining. But, it does make a big difference if they have forewarning or not.

Most likely, the rogue will invest in sleight of hand to steal weapons for him and the paladin, and possibly the cleric, and maybe the cleric takes eschew materials and the birthmark trait to cast w/o a component pouch or physical holy symbol (or does one of those 2 and picks spells to pray for that don't require components or divine focus).

[Thomasinx]

I'm definitely not letting the players know that they're starting unarmed. The point is that they will be in a disadvantaged position, working to get out of that position. If they're comfortable being unarmed, it defeats the purpose.

I expect they will have several key goals at the beginning:
1. Get weapons (improvised ones first)
2. Make allies
3. Find a way out
4. Whatever else they think of...