Shaping last encounter of a short campaign (lvl3, goblins)

[Pinjata]

So my group has been playing about 10-sessions lasting campaign in which they progressed from lvl 1 to 3. They consist of a bard, ranger, rogue and wizard. They are very competent and have passed all roleplay challenges splendidly and have looted two large dungeons 100% due to good conclusions and smart decisions.

I am setting up a final fight for them, one that should tax their powers to the limit. Here are three things that may happen during the setup:

- PCs may play smart, get info on goblins intending to attack the village and fortify it
- PCs may play smart, get info on goblins intending to attack the village and evacuate it
- - PCs may not play smart, not get info on goblins intending to attack the village and witness an attack as they are resting in a village, then engage

There are to be six Hard encounters and one Deadly consisting of goblins, goblin wolf riders, a few half-ogres, an ogre and a bugbear (warchief). I basically want to go by the book as per appropriate challenges that party can deal with per day. It will be trhee consequtive Hard encoutners, short rest, three Hard more and final Deadly.

Now. I am working with goblins, wolves, half-ogres, a single ogre. As has already been proven, this party is very competent and there is likely thay will be avake and vigilant and will probably be able to engage goblins from a large distance. Especailly party ranger is very deadly long-range combatant.

Now, I want to be fair. I want no plot armor for my attackers(like a storm that reduces visibility to 20 ft), but I want to use them wisely. Here's my plan: Wolf riders are fast and deal most DPS when dismounted rider and wolf are attacking a single target together. It seems the best way for such parties to attack is to ride in and fire their ranged weapon, then dismount and attack together.

Half-ogres are large and not very fast. Against competent ranged defenders I do not see much beyond half-ogres just taking a ton of damage any dying along with accompanying goblins breaking after taking 50% losses.

Still ... this goblin/half-ogre/ogre party is led by a cunning bugbear. I'm wondering if you guys can come up with any good ideas how wave after wave of goblins attacks a village in flat, unforested, grassy regon in a cunning, competent way?

And another question. Say goblins do not know someone is waiting for them in a village. How would they approach the settlement then? Would they set fires to houses and try to kill/capture peasants as they flee? I guess with dogs in a village, chance of stealth approach is nill.

thanks

[INDYSTAR188]

Could you describe the goblin village/fort in more detail please? I'm wondering is it underground, surrounded by a palisade, next to a rushing river, etc? The point being the encounters can be built with the environment in mind making for a more challenging and fun experience. For example, maybe in one of the Chiefs 'rooms' there is a barrel full of oil they could use to create difficult terrain for your pc's. Maybe if the Ranger is just mowing people down the oil is lit, forcing him to move closer to the fray. OR maybe the bugbear hears them coming and uses an illusionary duplicate (a la trickery cleric) to wait in the shadows a round before garrotting the Ranger?

[ES Curse]

The way I see it, your goblin invasion has 3 main components:
-Cavalry
-Power Troops (Ogres, Bugbears, and so on)
-Goblin mooks

The cavalry will likely be running around in packs, harassing the town and ganging up on any easy targets. Power Troops would make a beeline for anything valuable and take that because, after all, no goblin is going to challenge an ogre for treasure. The mooks are going to skulk around, combing for loot everywhere the cavalry and power troops don't hit first. All 3 attack at roughly the same time, but the cavalry would arrive slightly sooner than everyone else.

The first few encounters would be packs of riders and/or mooks (remember to have them stealth in) designed more to harass the players, drain some resources, and possibly run away if the going gets tough, informing the rest of the raid about these pesky adventurers who (by Ogre/Bugbear logic) are surely guarding something important or valuable. Around now is a good time to rest.

For the second half, the invaders know where the adventurers are and should fight accordingly. Half-Ogres start showing up, wanting to prove their mettle. The cavalry targets specific characters rather than whoever is convenient. Mooks sneak up from behind during fights, hoping to get off a surprise attack and claim something before the bigger guys can take it. The Ogre stands out and should basically get an encounter built around him, placed in any of the second half's hard encounters according to your pacing.

And, for the Deadly fight, that's when your warchief shows up. He and his most loyal followers (brown-nosers, honestly) take the fight to the heroes. If any goblins escaped, they could tell the warchief about the party ("There's a blasty man in a dress that shoots fire! A-and this elf with a big bow!") and he'll know what his priority targets are. Given your group, that likely means sending reinforcements around to distract the wizard and ranger while he approaches them in order to bypass their ranged options.

As for the overall invasion, I'd say have them come from every angle. This makes escape harder for the villagers (no good exits) and lets each raid party feel like they get first call on things near their entrance. Represent this by attacking your players from different angles instead of pouring everyone through one area that can be easily covered. If they're making a stand in the village square, for example, have enemies coming from the North and West in the same encounter.

[Pinjata]

@INDYSTAR188
The village goblins intend to attack has human settlers. It is the goblins who are attacking, not the ones defending. As for human village, I'm not really sure in which village PCs will stop, but its usually a well, a few one-storey houses and a barn.



As for the overall invasion, I'd say have them come from every angle. This makes escape harder for the villagers (no good exits) and lets each raid party feel like they get first call on things near their entrance. Represent this by attacking your players from different angles instead of pouring everyone through one area that can be easily covered. If they're making a stand in the village square, for example, have enemies coming from the North and West in the same encounter.

Not a bad idea. I can still split hard encounter into two and force the PCs to engage at two different spots. Again, as far as I know my players, PCs will just camp on the roof of one of the buildings and deal death afar. Worst thing for them to encoutner would be some elven guys with longbows, but I donot want to tailor an encounter vs PCs specific powers.

Also goblins will be using the same tactic if PCs decide to evacuate the village and go with caravan option.

[smcmike]

Not a bad idea. I can still split hard encounter into two and force the PCs to engage at two different spots. Again, as far as I know my players, PCs will just camp on the roof of one of the buildings and deal death afar. Worst thing for them to encoutner would be some elven guys with longbows, but I donot want to tailor an encounter vs PCs specific powers.

I hope you mean they'll go up on the roof when they know goblins are coming, not that they make a general practice of sleeping on roofs.

Goblins attack on dark nights. This limits the range of attacks, even on featureless plains filled with interchangeable villages where the weather is always fair.

Also, goblins like to set fire to things. Things like thatched roofs, for instance.