Different Enemies for Large Party.

[FadeAssassin]

Hey Forum, I was wondering if any of you had an idea for unusual enemies to fight for a 8-person party of Level one characters? I don't really want to use Goblins or Kobolds, just to mix it up a bit but I'm having trouble thinking of new different enemies for them to fight.

Thanks for all the Help!

[Edge of Dreams]

http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/MM_MonstersCR.pdf

Just read through the list of things CR 1 and lower and see what you find.

[Demonic Spoon]

Also keep in mind you can make small modifications to existing creatures to make them more difficult and add some variety. Give a troglodyte some more HP, armor, and a real weapon and suddenly you have a CR1 creature to go with a bunch of bog-standard troglodytes.

[Freelance GM]

Well, are you looking for monsters that are challenging to a large group, or monsters that aren't as obvious "low level fodder" as goblins and Kobolds?

Yuan-Ti seem like a nice challenge, and have a pretty unique look to boot. The weakest Yuan-Ti have spellcasting, and the Malison have a variety of fun forms, so there's some variety. The Malison are CR3, though- only two of them are a pretty huge threat to level 1's.

Kuo-Toa are another less-common one, and would certainly be more in the ballpark of "Level 1 enemies." Perhaps they could have been cowed into serving some Sahuagin or Lizardfolk?

[FadeAssassin]

Yeah I know about adjusting creatures for CR changes, and I was looking into the Sahuagin and Kuo-Toa. Thanks for the help everyone. I'm thinking of trying to make a Element Evil Campaign for them. Anyone know any good way to make them in the current state

[Freelance GM]

I'm thinking of trying to make a Element Evil Campaign for them. Anyone know any good way to make them in the current state

Well, Sahuagin and Kuo-Toa are already water-themed. Throw in some Water Elementals as mini-bosses, an Aboleth leader as a big bad, and season the group with a few human/humanish Cultists and there's the Water portion of the Cult, which is safe enough for players to tangle with at levels 1 to 4.

Gargoyles are CR2, and dedicated servants of Ogremoch in this edition, according to the MM, so they're a pretty solid choice for the Earth portion of the Cult. Duergar could be pressed into serving Elemental Evil as well, but chances are they're either allies of convenience with the Cult, or have been forced into servitude. Throw in some Galeb Duhrs, Earth Elementals, and more Cultists and you've got a group only slightly tougher than the water branch.

Air is a bit trickier, but allows for a change of pace. Invisible Stalkers being sent after the party could be interesting- and lethal. In an Elemental Evil-themed game I planned, the servants of Air were all Monks, with a few high-level assassins using that new Four Elements path. That group, supported with Invisible Stalkers, Air Elementals, and maybe some other flying creatures would be a nice bridge from Levels 3 or 4 to 5 and up...

...Because Fire's going to suck. Fire Elementals, Salamanders, and perhaps a Fire Giant as a mean surprise? Whatever cultists appear here should draw their spells from the Light domain's list- dishing out radiant and fiery pain to the PC's.

All of these are in the Monster Manual for this edition (Cultists and spell-casting Cult Fanatics are in the back.), and this list fills out the lower levels pretty thoroughly. Plus, there's the nice narrative arc of the Cult dismissing the PC's as a threat when they "accidentally" damage some of the Water branch's activities. Once the PC's discover the Earth branch, the Cult considers them a serious threat, and sends their assassins (the Air Cult) to deal with them. When that doesn't work, it's basically all-out war, with Fire cultists being sent after the PCs.
After that, to keep things interesting, you'll have to start combining the best minions from multiple elements to continue challenging the party. Of course, by the time you're at that point, the DM Guide will be out, and you'll have rules for creating your own bigger, badder Elemental Evil monsters.

[FadeAssassin]

Thank you Freelance GM! I love that idea! It's complex but really simple. And i get to use Elementals :-) Always like them.

[BRKNdevil]

I decided to make a faction consisting of orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, and the various related species such as ogres and ettins as one giant grab bag of fighters to rinse and repeat with.

[FadeAssassin]

BRNKdevil;
I would do that but i wanted to get a different flare then the standard monsterous humanoids.