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[DireSickFish]

Hey all I'm using SCAG and coming up with adventure ideas for my party. Some point at level 3 they will be visiting Mirabar to pick up a statue they need for a ritual.

I want to have the area it is in be quarenteend off due to some kind of threat the party has to sneek/fight through. But I also want this threat to be something to strong for them to solve now needing to come back later as higher levels to deal with it.

A group of 2 CR 2's is a 1200 xp encounter which is slightly above hard for 5 level 3's. I can't really find a perfect monster at that CR, with possible superiors to threaten higher level PCs.

My first thought was Salamander army. But even 1 CR 5 might be a tough but to crack. The fire worms are more manageable but don't show off the Salamanders as a threat.

Ghouls would be great for a "plague" type situation but even with ghasts they are s problem the PCs should be able to handle.

Quaghoths fit the CR requirement but I'm going to have to homebrew some bosses if I want them to be a threat when the PCs get back.

Any idea on what kind of enimy would provide a few hard fights so I can get them to level 4?

[upogsi]

One option is to go with a higher cr, low damage enemy and dial it down to run away after a certain amount of damage. Enemies that pop up from underground are pretty fun

[Osrogue]

For undead, it's really quantity over quality.
You can have the fight be just one or two ghouls, but what makes undead dangerous is that there are so many of them. There is never just one zombie. There are ten, or twenty, or hundreds.

If you get to the point where ghouls are no longer challenging enough on their own, then have them travel in pairs, or packs, or hordes. You don't need to retire them just because one isn't scary by itself.

You can really do this with any monster really.
I think it would be cool to do shadows. A ring of fire rages constantly throughout the night trying to contain the black shapeless mass which never leaves the darkness.

Make the shadows of the abandoned buildings unnaturally thick, and the air supernaturally cold. I suggest having whatever relic they're searching for be inside a building, or underground, so they will be forced to confront them.

Include a wraith if you feel like it. They're sort of the step up from shadows.

They'll have to make it out by nightfall.
If you want the shadows to escape beyond the confines of the quarantine while connecting it to the players, if/when a player strikes the first shadow, have it hide in their shadow until the players leave, and then escape into the rest of the city.

[E’Tallitnics]

A Giant Spider(s) infestation with some support Swarm of Spiders. Should fit into any environment that's not cold.

[JackPhoenix]

Evil druid controlling a bunch of various animals? MM NPC druid is CR2, not much of a threat in himself, but give him a pack of (dire?) wolves and a Winter Wolf (CR3) as companions...the druid could be replaced with CR3 Werewolf (though beware immunity to non-magical weapons).

Orcs are CR 1/2, quantity over quality, but you could add Orogs (CR2) and a Orc War Chief (CR4) as a boss, and you're getting somewhere...

Infernal Invasion! Flock of Spine Devils (CR2) supported by Bearded Devils (CR3) and commanded by Barbed Devil/Cambion (CR5) (with a pet CR3 Hellhound) are conducting small-scale operation to check mortals' defenses, or are engaged in some other mysterious machinations.

Shadows (CR 1/2), Specters (CR1), Poltergeists, Will-o'-wisps (CR2) and a big bad Shadow Demon (CR4)...what's going on in there? And who you gonna call?

[foobar1969]

How is it possible that no one has suggested http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InsurmountableWaistHeightFence yet?
:tongue:
In seriousness, you can make this a non-combat obstacle instead, whether an environmental hazard, magical puzzle, or permission from a gatekeeper. Overcoming those can provide just as much XP as monster fights (see DMG p261), and it's an easy hook for side quests.